Tim Peloquin of Promised Land Surveyors and property owner Steve Gontarz were successful in their request for the Planning Board to approve turning a duplex into a condominium.
At the Wednesday, Oct. 2 Planning Board meeting, Peloquin explained Gontarz wants to subdivide a duplex at 6 Walton Circle into two condex units.
Planning Board Chairman Arthur Rugg said New Hampshire considers a condo conversion to be a subdivision.
Peloquin told the board, “this particular plan came before the board in 2005 and did receive conditional approval, however they didn’t move forward with it at that time.”
Peloquin said the parties met with staff a couple of months ago and re-engaged the subdivision with the original approval and tried to see what was missing and what might be adapted to the plan to make it current.
“There are some very small changes to the 2005 approval that reflect on this plan, and we are re-submitting it for approval,” Peloquin said. “It is a duplex on 1.4 acres with a private well and private septic.”
Peloquin said some grading needs to be done on one of the driveways and a waiver is needed because one of the driveways doesn’t “quite meet sight distance approval.”
Assistant Director of Public Works (DPW) and Engineering John Trottier said the conditions of approval had never been met, which was why the applicant was back before the board.
He said planning staff recommended that the application be accepted as complete and the waiver be granted because the driveway exists, but DPW recommended against the waiver because the sight distance can be mitigated by minimal regrading.
Board member Chris Davies said DPW is looking for the change but planning was comfortable with it because it was an existing driveway in a quiet neighborhood, and the road was not a main roadway.
“I’m satisfied,” Davies said.
Board member Rick Brideau asked if the land would be divided 50/50 and Peloquin said it would be.
Board member Mary Soares asked how minimal the regrading would be to improve the sight distance and Trottier said he thought about 18 inches would have to be removed.
Soares asked how expensive that would be and Trottier said it would be about a half-day’s work.
Board member Laura El-Azem asked which driveway needed the work and Peloquin responded that it was the one closest to the existing curve in the road.
Soares moved to grant the waiver.
The vote was 8-1, with Soares opposed.
The motion to conditionally approve the subdivision was made by Soares and passed unanimously.