Planning Board Hears 149 Unit Proposal Near Exit 5

By Alex Malm

During the Oct. 13 Planning Board meeting the board held a conceptual discussion for a proposed residential development on Rockingham Road and Perkins Road.

Jason Lopez from Keach-Nordstrom Associates presented the plan in an area that is currently wooded.

The zone where the properties are located is for mixed use development which combines residential and commercial use on the same property.

However, it was explained by Lopez that they were looking at only doing residential due to people not having interest in the property for commercial use.

“In 2011 a site plan was developed for Map 15 Lots 51 & 59. The project known as the “Shops at Londonderry” proposed 100,592 sf of retail space, a 7,138 sf restaurant and a 2,250 sf bank.

Ultimately the project did not complete the approval process with one of the factors due to “market demand,” Lopez stated in a letter to the Board. The properties have been for sale since that time with only a few interested parties, but ultimately no buyers. The landowner is a residential developer and not interested in commercial projects. With the recent decline in demand for office space and retail business models changing, the landowner has received real estate advice of the highest and best use being a residential development. Therefore, the landowner seeks to propose a multi-unit townhome style project.”

He said that as part of the project they want to build 149 townhomes on the 47 acres of land. Each townhome would be between 1,200 and 1,700 square feet with their own garage.

Board member Giovanni Verani, Prsident of Verani Realty stepped off the board during the discussion.

Arthur Rugg, Planning Board Chairman, said that the point of the meeting wasn’t to make any decisions at this time and instead to have a conversation about the proposal so they could give feedback on the plans.

“It’s just a good frank discussion,” he said.

Lopez said that before Gagnon spent a lot of money, time and energy having designs done for the project that they wanted to find out from the Planning Board if they would be okay with allowing the residential use and to see if they have any possible feedback.

Jose Lovell, Assistant Director of Public Works and Engineering told the board that one of the major concerns they see with the property is in regards to the traffic for the area.

“Traffic is going to be a concern here with the density of this use,” he said.
His suggestion was that they consider requiring a full traffic study because it’s a residential use in a mixed use zone.

Planning Board Ex-Officio Deb Paul said that she liked the idea of it but was concerned with the extra traffic it would cause by having that many more people living in that area.

“I really, really think there is a traffic issue so maybe less is more for you guys,” she said.

She also said that she was concerned about the runoff going into the wetlands.

Planning Board member Lynn Wiles said that he was learning towards being okay with the townhome concept but said he would prefer it to be something closer to the master plan.

Planning Board Secretary Al Sypek said that he wouldn’t have a problem with it since it’s been there for a while and hasn’t been sold as long as it meets the regulations especially for wetlands and drainage.

“I wouldn’t have any problems with it if it meets the standards,” he said.

Planning Board member Jake Butler said he didn’t think the proposal was a terrible idea but thought it may be a little bit too dense and had concerns with the traffic increasing.

Rugg said that he thinks the townhomes are a good use for the property but said he thinks it would be good to combine it with some commercial use to service the people who live there.

“That’s what brings people in,” he said.

Lopez explained that the owner doesn’t do commercial development so if there was a need for a commercial aspect of it in order for it to be approved then it would make more sense to use one of the parcels as a commercial property.

Michael Speltz who serves on the Conservation Commission but was at the meeting representing himself said that he thinks they should find a developer who will develop it for the way it is zoned right now.

He urged the Board during the meeting to not compromise on the standards they already have in place.

“I think this is an ideal spot to do mixed use development,” he said.