Meeting Minutes
Town of Bradford
Planning Board
May 22nd, 2018 7:00 PM
Meeting called to order by Pam Bruss at 7:02PM
• Roll Call
Pam Bruss, Chair Claire James, Vice Chair
Carol Troy Jim Bibbo, Selectmen’s Rep
Tom Dunne
Steve Chase, Alternate seated Marlene Freyler, Alternate (seated at 7:12pm)
o Carol Meise, Board member absent
o Garrett Bauer (in attendance as an applicant), Doug Troy Alternates absent
• To Do:
1. Review & Consideration of May 8th Minutes.
Motion: Steve Chase motioned to approve minutes
Second: Claire James
Decision: vote 4-0 in favor; Tom Dunne and Carol Troy abstained
• Appearances:
1. Mike Tardiff, Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission, appeared to discuss the upcoming Visioning session scheduled for June 7th, 6:30pm at the Elementary School in Bradford. The Board discussed staffing the session for the four key topic breakout sessions, of the Master Plan Update, that will be discussed; Land Use & Economics, Community Facilities & Cultural Resources, Transportation & Demographics and Natural Resources. Claire James will be coordinating noticing and mailings. Planning Board members and the Planning Commission will be onsite by 6:00pm for orientation. Refreshments will be coordinated by the Planning Board.
2. Public Hearing Unless, LLC, Sweet Beet/Bradford Inn Map 16/Lot 105:
Pam Bruss outlined the process and structure for a Public Hearing and opened the Hearing at 7:10pm.
Claire James recused herself at 7:10pm as a site owner. Garrett Bauer recused himself at 7:11pm as he is representing the applicant. Pam asked the Board if there were any other Board member interests that needed to be revealed as a potential conflict of interest. Pam Bruss, Jim Bibbo, Carol Troy, Tom Dunne all stated that they have sold, are selling or supplying, product to the Sweet Beet. There were no objections from the Board, or the public, about the member’s ability to objectively hear and vote on the Site Plan.
Pam reviewed the Site Plan outlining a Change of Use, outlining the building use as a market, café, kitchen and office space. Pam read a letter from Oona Tropeano into record, which supported the project and offered parking area for overflow parking.
Motion: Carol Troy motioned to accept the application as complete
Second: Steve Chase
Decision: vote 6-0 in favor
Pam read a letter from the Bradford Conservation Committee supporting the initiative but outlining concerns about parking lot water runoff. Jim Bibbo outlined that the area in general had issues with runoff that were not directly related to the Sweet Beet location.
Garrett Bauer spoke on behalf of Unless, LLC. presenting the expanded Use Plan for the building
Pam outlined concerns raised during the Site Walk on May 21st as well as the Conservation Committee concerns. The site has an existing drain in the parking lot. The drain has had water pumped into it but it is unclear where the drain exits. Bob Stewart, RCS Designs, stated that over the last year of operations, the water has been draining with no issues. The Board felt that the drainage was not an issue at this time.
Pam noted concerns from the Fire Chief related to the building exhaust, which is not a Site Plan concern but rather an Occupancy concern. Engineering plans are being drawn for the systems of concern.
A concern was raised around the lack of a Certificate of Occupancy for the second floor. While not an obstacle for Site Plan approval by the Planning Board, Garrett noted that Unless, LLC had terminated any occupancy use of the second floor.
Asbestos concerns had been raised, along with lead paint concerns. Unless, LLC has contracted with a Ares Engineering to test for Asbestos and will be addressed as necessary based upon the sample results taken May 22nd, 2018. Lead paint will be abated by Bauer Construction who is a certified abatement specialist.
There were a series of other items that had been proposed on a previous Site Plan proposal, all of which have been removed from the current application.
The meeting was closed for public comment at 7:41pm.
Steve Chase and Jim Bibbo commented that the plan had been submitted in a thorough manner and that the applicant had done a good job presenting their plan.
Motion: Jim Bibbo motioned to approve Unless, LLC’s Site Plan
Second: Tom Dunne
Decision: vote 6-0 in favor
Public Hearing closed at 7:47pm.
Claire James was reseated at 7:50pm.
• New Business
1. Pam reviewed a Sign Permit application from Paul & Jean Saxby for 100 East Main Street, Map 17/Lot 1
The sign was determined to be an off-premise sign for Colonial Woodworking and as such would need to be presented to the Zoning Board and the application was rejected by the Planning Board. A directional sign would need to be less than 2 sq. ft and an off-premise sign would need to be less that 6 sq. ft. and go to the Zoning Board, a 32 sq. ft. sign would need to go to Zoning for a Variance.
• Planning Board Communications:
1. Recording Secretary to verify whether sign ordinances had been integrated into the Zoning Regulations and posted online.
• Previous Meeting Follow Up:
1. Pam Bruss, as Planning Board Chair, signed final Site Plan prints, with decision notes, for a Parking Lot Expansion, Ayer & Goss, Map 6/Lot 104.
2. Claire James and George Beaton conducted a Gravel Pit inspection with Bruce Edwards on May 19th, 2018. His permit has expired and the Board discussed what was required for renewal. The permit renewal is required every five years and has to be done as a completed process as outlined in the regulations. No items can be waived. Noted during the inspection were; Natural debris that needs to be disposed of when the pit is closed, and have a burial area identified on the site plan; and slope that did not meet the requirement which are to be flagged off and are planned to be addressed in the next two weeks.
Claire also stated she had not been able to make contact with Barry Wheeler to schedule an inspection of his Gravel Pit. Jim Bibbo mentioned that Barry had taken the last of the gravel from the pit and needed to begin implementation of his reclamation plan. Claire noted that there has been no Intent to Excavate filed in the last two years and that, according to regulations, the site is an abandoned pit. Because of conflicts related to the Intent to Excavate and a concern with the previous renewal permit Pam has asked that a write up be done and discussed with the Town Lawyer as to how to proceed.
3. Visioning session (June 7th 6:30pm to 8:30pm)
Claire noted that posters have been placed in various public locations and a mailer should go out early next week. A notice will be placed in the June Bridge as well as the Intertown Record and the Town website along with town related Facebook pages.
4. A discussion of a pending Change of Use Site Plan for Map 17/Lot 6, 114 East Main Street, will be added to the Planning Board agenda, June 26th, 2018.
5. May and June Planning Board tentative schedule:
a. June 7th , 6:30pm Visioning Session for Master Plan Update
b. June 12th 7:00pm standing meeting with Legal Training for Planning Boards by Gardner Fulton & Waugh PLLC – no new business or hearings
c. June 26th 7:00pm standing meeting
6. New Planning Board binders will be distributed at the next Planning Board meeting.
Motion: Pam Bruss motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:38 PM
Second: Carol Troy
Meeting adjourned
Minutes submitted by Laurie Colburn