By Alex Malm
The Londonderry Planning Board heard from two different applicants regarding amendments to their sites plans during the Sept. 1 meeting.
During the meeting Michael Malynowski, from Allen & Major Associates was at the meeting representing Vernco Apple, located at Four Orchard View Drive, who wanted to make outdoor dining permanently allowed for a few of the businesses sites.
Malynowski explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic they had outdoor dining which was allowed under the Governor’s executive order. However, now that it has expired they are seeking to have it allowed as part of their site plan.
He said that the seating would be in front of Coffeeberries, Troy’s Fresh Kitchen, Game Changers, Lucciano’s, and a currently vacant storefront.
Malynowski said that as part of the process they evaluated the parking situation. He said that based on the current rules in Londonderry they would be required to have a total of 732 parking spaces on site and there are currently 752 parking places there.
He said that they would have a net decrease of three parking spaces because they learned that the current landscaping they have heading into the back of the building was difficult for larger vehicles and they agreed to make it wider for them.
Malynowski said that since the square feet would be increasing with the outdoor seating being permanent he said that they also had a traffic study done. He said the study showed that they are likely to only have a very small increase in traffic due to the outdoor seating.
“You’d be hard pressed to notice the difference in the traffic based on the added square feet for the seating,” Malynowski said.
It was explained by Malynowski that their plan is to ultimately keep the set up they have now for outdoor dining in place.
“Basically we’re maintaining the seating configuration that’s been in place for close to a year and a half and were here before you to ratify that and make it a permanent condition,” he said.
Planning Board member Jason Knights said that he thought it would be good to have the outdoor dining there.
“I think the way it’s currently set up adds some life to a strip mall so I am totally in favor of it,” he said.
The Board voted unanimously in favor of allowing the site plan revisions.
Also during the meeting the Board heard from Nick Loring from Benchmark Engineering who was representing Daigle Pool Service Co., which is located at Three Mohawk Drive.
He explained that currently they have a 4,200 square foot building on the property and was proposing a site plan amendment to allow a 29×54 addition to be built off the rear of the building. He said that the building would be used primarily for storage and office space.
Loring said that they already have established landscaping on the property now but will have to remove two maple trees to build the addition. He said they will be replacing them with four maple trees instead.
One question that was asked by the Board was what he plans on keeping in the building for storage. John Daigle, the owner of the business said they plan on keeping things like drainage equipment, piping, and other bulky items that don’t fit well inside their current building.
The Board ultimately voted unanimously to approve the site plan amendment, allowing them to build the addition to the building.
The next Planning Board meeting is slated for Oct.6 at 7 p.m.