Harrisville Planning Board
Saturday, December 11, 2021
Meeting Minutes
The Harrisville Planning Board held a site visit at Wilderness Trail, off of Hancock Road, on Saturday, December 11, 2021 followed by a debriefing at town offices. The site visit began at 8:00 am.
PB members present: Ryan Stone Co-Chair, Lisa Anderson, Jon Miner, Ned Hulbert, Courtney Cox, Andrea Hodson, and Don Scott
Members of the public: Howard Clark, Jr.
The purpose of the site visit was to assess the current road condition of Wilderness Trail, as part of a conceptual consultation discussion with Howard Clark, Jr. Mr. Clark and his family are seeking guidance from the PB on a potential subdivision of their 73-acre parcel off Wilderness Trail, and whether or not the town would require significant upgrade of the road access which has been in place for 40 years.
The board members walked the length of Wilderness Trail, viewing the road width, slope, road embankment conditions, culverts and the approximate proposed location of two additional 2-lot parcels which would be carved from the 73-acres. In general, members found the surface in good condition and the slope grade within the required specifications, though a culvert near proposed subdivision area is in need of upgrade.
At issue for the board and the applicant is whether subdivision can occur off this section of Wilderness Trail and what the legal status of the road is – whether it is a right of way or meets the legal status of a road.
The board members convened at town offices immediately following the site visit to discuss how to address the above issue of development along a “right of way road.” They reviewed file information and site plans from a previous subdivision of Clark property and discussed the relevant RSAs. The co-chairs noted they would seek input from NHMA as well as from town counsel to confirm the rights and responsibilities of the PB as well as the property owner.
The board also noted it would continue to look at relevant deed and site plan information from the subject property and other associated documentation. Discussion will continue at the PB’s regular meeting in January 2022.
The meeting adjourned at 10:15 am.