7:00 pm. Open and roll call: Present: Brooks McCandlish (Chair), Nathanial Bruss (Vice-Chair), Laura Beaton, Bill Duffy, Jim Varney
Review minutes of December 6, 2023 meeting
Motion: Laura Beaton moved to approve the December 6, 2023 meeting minutes as written.
Second: Bill Duffy
Decision: All in favor, 5-0
Receipt of applications:
Robert Stewart, Representative for Paula and Arthur Fraser, presented an Application for Special Exception for Map 19, Lot #38, 77 Oakdale Road.
Motion: Jim Varney moved to accept the application as presented.
Second: Bill Duffy
Decision: 5-0, all in favor
Public Hearing Scheduled: February 7 at 7:00 pm. Site walk scheduled: Monday, January 8 at 3:00 pm.
Regional Impact:
Motion: Nathanial Bruss moved that this application does not have regional impact.
Second: Laura Beaton
Decision: 5-0, all in favor
Other departments to notify: Fire, Conservation Commission, Road Agent (copy of notice of public hearing)
Public Hearing regarding an application for a Special Exception to increase the extent of a nonconforming use by 123 E Main St Owner LP, Tax Map 17, Lot 57
Hearing open at 7:17 pm
Special exception on a .7 acre lot in residential-business. The applicant’s proposed project is to convert the barn attached to the house into two additional dwelling units, each with two bedrooms and one bathroom. Conversion will take place to interior spaces. The building footprint will remain unchanged.
Attorney Christensen from Cleveland, Waters & Bass represented the owners and presented justification for all criteria on the application.
Public Comment
Sandy Wadlington, East Main Street. How many units. 4 existing, 2 proposed. Not in favor. Sandy said adding two more residents would be too many for East Main Street. She said already there is too much traffic and noise on East Main. Adding two more residences would affect her quality of life. The possibility that the units could contain children would increase taxes for education. Owners from out of state are not sensitive to local inhabitants.
Holly Reilly, 121 East Main Street, is not in favor because adding the residences would be too much. She is in favor of single residences for older homes.
Public comments closed at 7:45 pm
Board Comments
Nathanial Bruss: Asked about the status of fire safety. The owners replied that the building has been inspected by code enforcement. The present house has been renovated and everything has been done to code and inspected.
Rebuttal by owner representative: Owners out of State: Owners are from Weare, NH.
Overcrowding on East Main Street: The dwellings are consistent with Bradford Master plan as the plan encourages an increase in available housing.
Close public hearing at 7:54 pm
There was consensus among the board that the application met the spirit of zoning ordinances and the master plan.
Motion: Jim Varney moved to approve the application with the following conditions: Septic plan for expanded use approved by DES; well tested and approved for expanded use; applicants will conform to fire inspection.
Second: Bill Duffy
Discussion: Nathanial Bruss: application falls within the master plan.
Decision: 5-0 all in favor
Annual Report: Brooks to send a report to Karen
Town candidates filing period for 2024 elections: Members will check with the Town Clerk to see whose term is ending.
Adjourn
Motion: Bill Duffy moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:18 pm.
Second: Jim Varney
Decision: 5-0, all in favor
Respectfully submitted, Kathleen Bigford, Recording Secretary