By Paul Conyers
The Heritage and Historical District Commission met last month and discussed several new and ongoing construction applications.
One project, dating back to July, has been the design and review of a proposed 6,700-square-foot water tank with pipe improvements and a new station. The tank is located between Seven Rear Gordon Drive, and Marketplace Drive. Trevor Yandow of Manchester’s Meridian Land Services and Mark Filion of Pennichuck Water Services were at the meeting to make a presentation.
“From a site layout standpoint: there’s a tank, there’s a gravel access drive that goes around the tank, and there’s a stormwater basin to the west, on the left side of the tank,” said Yandow, as he overviewed the proposal. “We are proposing some landscaping to the north of the tank to provide a year-round visual screen with some evergreen trees.”
Yandow promised that the project would not impact any historical structures, with the sole exception of stone walls along Spring Road. He assured the Commission a disturbance to the stone wall would be “rebuilt in place.”
“We’re open to recommendations,” added Filon, referring to the color and design of the water tank. Pennichuck Water promised to do its best to avoid having the water tank stand out from abutting houses. “They can make it any color. We won’t be putting any logos or signs or anything of that nature on it.”
Heritage Commission questions on the project largely focused on the local impact on surrounding houses and questions from the Planning Board.
“I only made one note, which was just mature arborvitae [evergreens] for screening, I would like to see them rather large, as large as you can get them from the nursery just so they won’t take 10 years to fill in,” said Commission Chair, Krystopher Kenney.
Tall trees will help the new tank blend into the environment. Overall, there were a few concerns regarding historic structures in town.
In other businesses, the Commission discussed changes to the ongoing corridor management plan along Apple Way. The management plan is designed to showcase the historical and cultural features of Londonderry along a scenic byway.
Resident, David Ellis, recently updated the plan with several suggestions to improve the Apple Way corridor. Members were impressed by the initial findings.
“All of David’s suggestions are good,” noted Vice Chair, Arthur Rugg.
Ellis was unable to make it to the Sept. 22 meeting. The Commission agreed to go over the recommendations by November.
The construction of a new public safety access road in the Kent Allen Forest has been completed. Director of Public Works & Municipal Facilities, Dave Wholley, completed the project to allow emergency and town vehicles to enter the area as needed from Mammoth Rd. Several forest trails were redone as a part of the access project for hikers.
The Londonderry Heritage Commission is scheduled to meet on the fourth Thursday of every month in the Moose Hill Council Chambers.