Harrisville Planning Board
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Meeting Minutes
The Harrisville Planning Board held a regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at town offices, 705 Chesham Road, and via zoom.
Members present: Ryan Stone, Co-Chair, Jonathan Miner, Don Scott, Kate Neary, Courtney Cox, Peter Thayer, Andrea Hodson Select Board Representative, Kathy Scott Alternate Select Board Representative. Absent: Ned Hulbert
Attendees: Wendy Pelletier, Cardinal Surveying
Ryan Stone opened the meeting at 7 pm.
Agenda and voting members – Following an agenda edit to remove the Transportation Committee update, members voted in favor to approve.
The Chair then noted that the voting members on the Raynor application would be the same voting members as during application proceedings at the last meeting and include Ryan Stone, Jon Miner, Courtney Cox, Kate Neary and Andrea Hodson.
Minutes of previous meeting, 10-12-2022 – Members voted in favor to approve as drafted.
William Raynor Estate, Two-Lot Subdivision, 19 Katy Lane (Map 40 – Lot 46) and Boundary Line Adjustment, con’t– Ryan Stone recapped the discussion at the September PB meeting, when the public hearing portion of the application opened and subsequently was closed for board deliberation. During deliberation, questions regarding frontage were addressed as well as the question of whether or not, or to what extent, Katy Lane should be required to be upgraded as a condition of any approval.
Wendy Pelletier reviewed the proposal to subdivide the existing 100 acre lot, known as Map 40 – Lot 46, to separate the existing house on 5.79 acres and create an additional vacant lot, to remain unimproved at this time. A new Map and Lot number will be confirmed by the Assessor, but is likely to be Map 40 – Lot 46-8.
The property owners propose to extend Katy Lane, an existing private road, along the existing woods road, extending the frontage along Katy Lane for both lots. Katy Lane was created as part of the originally approved Raynor Subdivision in 1996. The proposed boundary line adjustment, taking xx acres from another Raynor-owned parcel, Map 40 – Lot will create the additional frontage Ms. Pelletier noted that the existing driveway easement, recorded at the Registry of Deeds will be amended by the property owners to correct existing errors and to address the newly created lot if approved.
Ms. Pelletier showed on the revised submitted plan how and where the frontage for both lots would be provided by the existing Katy Lane plus the extension. She emphasized that the frontage for the back lot has not changed; it is the frontage for the house lot that has changed. The house lot, Map 40 – Lot 46, will have the required 250 feet of frontage; the unimproved acres will have more than 250’.
Board members discussed the importance of clearly stating what would be approved and what wouldn’t be, aiming to establish that any future proposed development for the undeveloped lot would require approval by the Planning Board.
The board then further discussed language that should be part of the approval and what should be required regarding road frontage. The two questions the board agreed it should focus on are:
1) Is Katy Lane acceptable for providing frontage?; and
2) To what extent should the extended portion of the road be required to be upgraded, if at all, at this point; and, if not at this point, when?
Subsequently, Kate Neary moved that Katy Lane, with the extension as shown on the submitted plat, has enough road frontage for Map 40 – Lot 46 and Map 40 – Lot 46-8. Jon Miner seconded. In a roll call vote, votes were cast as follows: Ryan Stone yes; Courtney Cox yes; Jon Miner yes; Kate Neary yes; Andrea Hodson yes. The board unanimously approved the motion.
Members all agreed that Katy Lane can be extended as shown on the plat; they further agreed that conditions should be placed on any future development of the vacant lot. Following additional discussion, Ryan Stone moved to approve the Raynor subdivision application as presented with a note to be added to the plat that reads: Katy Lane extension is established as a paper street for road frontage for Map 40 – Lot 46 and Map 40-Lot 46-8 and remains unimproved until future development. Kate Neary seconded. By roll call, board members voted unanimously in favor.
Wendy Pelletier confirmed she will submit 4 paper copies of the plat and a mylar to the board for recording at the Registry of Deeds.
Co-Chair Vacancy – With the transition of Lisa Anderson from co-chair to regular voting member, the board discussed the regulations and options for backfilling the co-chair position. Following discussion, Andrea Hodson moved to nominate Courtney Cox, based on her experience, particularly with the application review process, to assume the role of Co-Chair. Kate Neary seconded. Members voted 6-0 in favor with two abstaining due to a sense of apprehension from the nominee should Ryan Stone prefer to chair the board without a co-chair.
Committee updates and process review continuation – Members moved and voted in favor to table this topic until next month.
Reminder: Community Conversation, Tuesday, November 15: Let’s Talk Trash, 7-9PM at the Granite Mill.
New business – Ryan Stone noted that an application was submitted to the board for a 4-lot Major Subdivision on Wood Road. The applicant is Russ Huntley, surveyor, for property owner Hal Grant. Courtney Cox moved to receive the application. Lisa Anderson seconded. All voted in favor. Jon Miner and Courtney Cox will conduct the preliminary review and inform the applicant within 7 days if any additional information is needed.
Historic Harrisville Incorporators meeting – Lisa Anderson shared that her update to the incorporators included information about the PB’s Master Plan review work and included her encouragement to all attendees to attend PB meetings, which also are available by zoom.
Other business -HHI Executive Director Erin Hammerstedt reached out to the PB to schedule a preliminary consultation for St. Denis Church rehab proposal. HHI would like to renovate the interior to create a usable venue space. The board recommended she also contact the ZBA about any exterior changes.
The PB thanked Ned Hulbert and Mary Day Mordecai for their generosity in again hosting the annual PB/Select Board brunch.
The meeting adjourned at 9:30 pm.