Back before the Planning Board for a continuation of its application acceptance and public hearing for formal review of the Woodmont Commons Planned Unit Development (PUD) Master plan, TEC engineer James D’Angelo focused on winter salt issues involving Beaver Brook.
The 600-plus acre Woodmont PUD lies within the Beaver Brook watershed.
At the board’s Wednesday, May 22 meeting, D’Angelo referenced the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Chloride Reduction Implementation Plan for Beaver Brook.
“Traditionally it has been ‘more salt is better,’” D’Angelo said of winter road and sidewalk salting. But plowing and snow removal have become more sophisticated, he said, adding, “in this particular watershed, it necessarily has to be.”
D’Angelo said they could not just spread salt as had traditionally been done.
“Londonderry’s first strategy is to upgrade its equipment, and we’re going to invest in equipment that has been identified in the implementation plan,” D’Angelo said.
He noted that Woodmont sidewalks would be plowed, residents’ salting of sidewalks would be discouraged, and they were looking at removing the snow to locations outside the watershed.
Board member John Laferriere said that with the number of homes planned in the development, the “great unknown” factor was how to control the amount of salt used by residents.
Developer Mike Kettenbach said that was a town-wide problem and involved more than Woodmont. Laferriere, however, said he disagreed because of the density of the proposed development.
Board member Lynn Wiles said the community and the development “need to do whatever we can to mitigate the impact to that watershed.”
Resident Roy Bouchard said the Woodmont development was “additive,” in that the property was not developed and therefore not being salted currently; as it builds out, more salt would be used.
Resident Gary Vermillion, a member of the budget committee, asked if that committee could be given a fiscal impact study for its next meeting. Town Planner Cynthia May said when the study was released to the board, it would be released to the public as well.
Vermillion said many years ago the town had a limit on the number of site plans that could be approved and questioned whether the town would return to that system. Chairman Art Rugg said the town was well within the limits based on its established criteria.