[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6241818,"mediaKeyId","3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4","parentId",3253507,"title","Saint Anselm College site plan for new track complex paused after hours of debate over lighting, PFAS and noise","audioSeconds",7250,"startMs",31000,"endMs",7281000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4&start=31&end=7281","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4/thumbnail_31000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6241818/New-Hampshire/Saint-Anselm-College-site-plan-for-new-track-complex-paused-after-hours-of-debate-over-lighting-PFAS-and-noise","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241818-b584811d1d6496bfaf668527f736a6a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770422875&Signature=gI4tltu3vFEXDH70lX04yG8fn~LlK4HiU7jRqYhKtH0wMCoXbeHw94JqAkfAndQ6eSp6GBTRIcwAzqfFKmyNLOllnKE8BkQgloUvaSMrwHI0dHKyJAqSKocvr10Vgv3rv6Y5Wnj~VZfCP4hUNyQ~lQoIkNyswzrmQijLZwf6h-i27AeUpISwF-5DjPilgh0r7wUYsY4tYgghadysz5xT2y7OsgP-VzFRPrCnRmyITVebJHIkEc60RU4nE1REMlamChFkYeOOKRPrpUMVRa9dtOG2o-GhFjxtS902Nk-lRN8EVexQ5UbELICOlP48kuNoXyIr2tD3V2VcYHyVEnnNTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town Council of Bedford NH","date","2025-05-05T00:00:00Z","article","Saint Anselm College asked the Bedford Planning Board to approve a site plan for a new track and field complex located on Runlet Hill Road (Bedford) and Saint Anselm's Drive (Goffstown). Attorney Ari Pollock, representing the Order of Saint Benedict and the college, presented revised materials and asked the board to accept the application as complete and consider conditions staff had recommended. \"We feel that the vast majority of them are quite workable in their current form,\" Pollock said.

The project proposes a synthetic sports field surrounded by an NCAA‑compliant track, throwing event areas, bleachers, a press box and a roughly 7,000‑square‑foot support building on a roughly 23‑acre parcel. Project engineer Nick Olin (TF Moran) described subsurface stormwater storage beneath the turf, a bioretention area to treat runoff and a reconstructed forebay to repair a previously eroded drainage channel. He said the design meets state alteration‑of‑terrain requirements and that many utilities would be provided through Goffstown, subject to an intermunicipal sewer agreement.

Why it matters: the proposal sits on the municipal boundary and raised technical and neighborhood concerns about sports‑field lighting height and glare, potential PFAS (per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances) exposure from artificial turf materials, sound from public‑address systems and whether stormwater infrastructure has been properly repaired in the past. Town planning staff recommended conditions the college has largely accepted but flagged three areas the applicant and board still need to resolve: lighting pole height, PFAS testing protocols and enforceable noise monitoring.

Lighting dominated the evening. The college proposed Musco sports lighting mounted at 90 feet; staff had recommended lowering structures toward 70 feet to match other pole heights in the zone. Olin said taller mounts let manufacturers “pinpoint where our light needs to be on the field, keeping our athletes safe, but it also reduces glare and light spillage.” He said an 80‑foot compromise would be possible with modest increases in off‑site light levels measured in tenths of foot‑candles. Pollock said the design team could provide more documentation from the lighting manufacturer. Planning director Becky Hebert noted the staff memo flagged 70 feet as the suggested maximum in the zone; the board and applicant left lighting unresolved and asked for more detail.

PFAS testing and turf materials were another flash point. The project team has engaged an outside PFAS expert (Elizabeth Denley, TRC Companies) and submitted a revised testing protocol the same day as the meeting. Olin said the plan calls for material testing pre‑ and post‑installation of synthetic turf and said the design includes a sampling port in a stormwater forebay. Neighbors said they want regular, ongoing monitoring and clear remediation obligations if contamination is detected. Attorney John Bisson, representing nearby residents, told the board: \"If St. Anselm wants to do this, then they should do it right.\" Goffstown planning and public works representatives asked that monitoring results also be sent to Goffstown.

On sound, the college presented a post‑construction testing condition designed to cap community sound at 60 dBA at the property line — a standard the presenters said was used in prior approvals. Pollock said the condition would require post‑construction confirmation that PA systems and game‑time operations meet the 60 dBA limit and that the college would coordinate with staff to define the testing program. Hebert explained enforcement would be complaint‑driven; repeated violations could lead to notices and potential fines under town enforcement procedures.

Stormwater and a prior failed channel were discussed at length. Olin said a previously eroded channel and forebay would be rebuilt and that the project obtained state alteration‑of‑terrain approval. He told the board the design stores stormwater under the turf in a stone matrix and routes overflow to bioretention and reconstructed forebays. Abutters said an earlier erosion problem on the site had not been fixed promptly and asked for documented maintenance requirements.

Public comment included technical questions and objections from Goffstown officials and neighbors. Tim Redmond, chair of the Goffstown Planning Board, told Bedford’s board Goffstown wants annual written stormwater monitoring and the ability to review acoustical and photometric testing. Peter Early, Saint Anselm’s track director, and student athletes urged the board to approve an on‑campus facility that officials said would reduce off‑campus travel for practices.

Action and next steps: after extended discussion the Bedford Planning Board voted to table final action and continue the hearing to June 2, 2025, to give staff time to review the applicant’s late PFAS submittal and for the parties to refine enforceable conditions on lighting, sound testing and long‑term stormwater monitoring. The board asked the applicant to provide more detailed lighting specifications, a testing schedule for turf/PFAS and a clarified enforcement path for any noise exceedances. The board also discussed but did not finalize intermunicipal sewer language that would allow the site to tie into Goffstown sewer in the near term and extend Bedford sewer in the future.

The project remains under active review; the applicant acknowledged remaining points of discussion and said it expects to return with revised materials and proposed contractual language that can be recorded to support long‑term monitoring and maintenance.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bedford NH, Planning Board Meeting Monday May 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Saint Anselm College asked the Bedford Planning Board to approve a site plan for a new track and field complex, but the board voted to table final action to June 2 after hours of technical testimony and public comment over 90‑foot sports lighting, PFAS testing for artificial turf and enforceable noise limits.","taxTitle","Bedford Boards & Commissions, Bedford, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire","taxId",72467,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241800,"Owner, operator pitch gas station and convenience store concept at South River Road; board asks DOT signal and traffic clarifications",1347,12674000,14021000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4&start=12674&end=14021","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4/thumbnail_12674000.jpg","/articles/6241800/New-Hampshire/Owner-operator-pitch-gas-station-and-convenience-store-concept-at-South-River-Road-board-asks-DOT-signal-and-traffic-clarifications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241800-22cfa516f68d0574baa6826ed1beb728/orig.mp4?Expires=1770422875&Signature=AAKv7d85~8tn529pCGIlQaOYphsteUyIAltBQJHwYTiR7VSYx72I4i6t6HUUTZ~9OhPMbYh0fdoVfa14TqU3ieFG85CcMdiH024eDsFpHZ1Q22PusxIAoOfiSOA5GALk8Dl29bWTeRcyMi1x7CPxNzXa2iIP0Qx7Dxjavr5g4uUsWatZCGeBWX1hprclkm4rzaF8UN~BUTt21rOR~KA08dtfF0MiYyIfhoh7~EFhumj32cr4SCBXwX2IdEKMsvDdkS5rEgrPVDw1vjM4MsN0HNdHIES77fVeyDA2Yca3mTxj2A5qaxXCck83AGSBcITScOtYfwPER~GKnEYreS4nbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","South River Road Ventures LLC presented a conceptual proposal for a gasoline station and convenience store on South River Road at Technology Drive (Bedford) and the Planning Board discussed traffic, access and coordination with the state Department of Transportation.

Owner Elias Petujas said prior plans for a large auto sales facility at the site fell through and that YATCO Energy is interested in developing a fueling and convenience retail anchor on roughly 5.8 usable acres. YATCO’s representative described a layout with a covered fueling canopy supporting about 12 fueling positions, electric vehicle chargers, underground storage tanks on the north side of the site and a roughly 6,000‑square‑foot convenience store with a drive‑through coffee operation. The plan envisions additional retail pads on the remainder of the property after a primary tenant is established.

Key board concerns were traffic and the site’s lack of a current signal at the Technology Drive intersection. Planning staff noted that conditional use for a gas station in the performance zone typically considers intersection signalization; the state is designing South River Road improvements and the DOT has discussed a potential signal at Technology Drive. Board members asked the applicant to coordinate with DOT and supply a full traffic analysis that models both current operations and conditions after DOT’s planned improvements, including signal installation or other intersection changes.

Members also urged the applicant to consider shared access with adjacent parcels and to demonstrate how queuing, tanker deliveries and vehicle circulation would be managed given existing grade and site geometry; the applicant said the site will need retaining walls and longer throat distances to accommodate grade differences. Staff and the applicant agreed a formal traffic study and evidence that DOT improvements are proceeding were essential before the board could consider a conditional use application or allow driveway spacing exceptions.

The board encouraged the team to return with a refined plan after coordination with DOT and a traffic study that includes weekend and AM peak analyses, pedestrian connections to nearby neighborhoods and parking for future retail pads.","A developer and YATCO Energy presented a concept for a 12‑pump gas canopy and a ~6,000‑square‑foot convenience store with drive‑through at South River Road/Technology Drive. The board asked for traffic studies, DOT coordination on a potential signal and shared access options before any formal application.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241804,"Applicant seeks guidance on 21‑unit cottage‑court concept; board calls for refinements",2173,10435000,12608000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4&start=10435&end=12608","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4/thumbnail_10435000.jpg","/articles/6241804/New-Hampshire/Applicant-seeks-guidance-on-21unit-cottagecourt-concept-board-calls-for-refinements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241804-4a5961aa253b3c6aafdd8cfc9bf442f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770422875&Signature=QrRhbW4Yaa1cviMe0dlOZ3Vyr48etQWDONFKecP7bzksTkGUhF6s7iMLcYwJrXku8BLG4EY097MRmorhC4sb0gSMDTp8RteKDncnUcbo67HPN6xei-TJHMTDsOLJA3AbrvGDLgDDNF9Z9LVjx2mDyXhdOpC7nrYkY3q6f2olXVT1pt3i8cFrArXu0nPhjLBOriClPpFkzflsg-QHvHU7cgNXaFTxbzKlxxfR1JKZ664dZjdwVsNAyLCLIJ7Ernc2-sOh6I356Fs-2VbGvyLqP~-Z949IC8~d0wTynB9r0DbNbFdSXgUpdE7w6U~1cSUBvnbS2FxBzR0oN-W6cwRoRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","West Keane Street LLC presented a conceptual plan for a 21‑unit cottage‑court housing development on Constitution Drive (Map 13, Lot 72), asking the Bedford Planning Board for early feedback under the town’s new cottage‑housing rules.

Owner Tom Riley said the parcel has historically been entitled for a small office building but that market conditions and the newly adopted cottage‑court rules prompted him to explore a residential alternative. TF Moran principal Bob Veil led the concept presentation, describing roughly 21 small, 900–1,400 square‑foot dwelling units arranged around shared green courts and internal private drives. The plan preserves a large open easement (a joint utility easement with overhead lines) along the eastern side of the parcel and proposes shared common areas including a central courtyard and community garden space beneath the power easement.

Planning staff and board members said the concept aligns with the zoning change’s intent — smaller detached homes clustered around shared spaces — but asked for design changes and clarifications before the project advances to a formal application. Specifically, staff requested that the applicant demonstrate how each cluster meets the ordinance’s cluster/scale criteria (the draft ordinance envisions defined cluster sizes), confirm adequate access for fire apparatus and revise the circulation to address several tight turning radii. Veil said the design team had already run a WB‑50 (fire truck) template on the shown ring road and believed the turns were achievable, but the board asked the applicant to obtain formal sign‑offs from the fire department.

Neighbors attending the meeting said they supported lower‑scale housing but asked that the applicant preserve generous landscaping at the perimeter and work with abutters on the recorded easement that grew from earlier litigation. One abutter requested the developer discuss proposed easement revisions to ensure protections agreed to under a prior settlement remain in effect or are replaced with comparable safeguards.

Board direction: planners asked the applicant to refine cluster geometry so units clearly satisfy the ordinance’s common‑space requirements, provide a circulation plan that documents fire access and heavy‑vehicle turning templates, and return with one or two refined concept plans showing specific unit types, elevations, and landscaping details. The board also encouraged early engagement with abutters to resolve easement and setback questions before filing a formal application.

The applicant said he would proceed to refine two alternative concepts (one more compact within the same footprint and one that reconfigures a few outer units to bring them closer to the central green) and come back for further board review.","An owner proposed a 21‑unit ‘cottage court’ development on Constitution Drive under Bedford’s newly adopted cottage‑housing rules. Planning staff found the concept generally consistent with the new ordinance but asked for tweaks to cluster definitions, circulation and fire access; the board encouraged further refinement and stakeholder outreach.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241809,"Planning board clears Riverside Landing commissary kitchen for limited use with parking cap",1578,8775000,10353000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4&start=8775&end=10353","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4/thumbnail_8775000.jpg","/articles/6241809/New-Hampshire/Planning-board-clears-Riverside-Landing-commissary-kitchen-for-limited-use-with-parking-cap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241809-d04e5a7443f67f93a43531d611f1de8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770422875&Signature=HCkACySrgTUYT6ZLZYlqfH32mQOKD1L8F-hi7BJT19QnLt8kjUHPl7rnRXzWLc7IS625vTYSBvu2LtvrNNZLZ-1LNVaD-BbK92YSW0s0nYYUDkHMP2ibdbufu6mG6a7YCgCTMUAvqP1BQZ5HAc-WioKbc5o64KeQ1sWxXIVC9OdU~aNGIDU7PlnP0PwBOJhs2edIyG02iwK~R2qucStTSEU1TrFzCTuWTP9w6Dhp1MOcPoN5YkPe-X4xC-NAWzoCNHosMLfVbPzEj6Rz7TwnLGrjOGouTrNIaev-vL9i7U3yBO9mm9R3QFTPfcKdyAeIQ9fPhyHpCHqom8ZT4W-Bjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bedford Planning Board approved an amendment to the Riverside Landing site plan to allow the existing commercial kitchen at 66 Hawthorne Drive to be used as a commissary supporting a local coffee business.

Michael Lefavor of Draco Properties told the board the 85‑unit, converted housing development is fully leased and the property manager has successfully implemented a parking management plan and snow management program. He asked the board to allow the commissary to use up to five of the site’s flex parking spaces during daytime hours (roughly 5 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and to permit limited deliveries to a loading dock at the southern end of the site. Draco said it would restrict operations to food preparation for off‑site distribution and refrain from hosting a catering business or high‑traffic retail pickup.

Planning staff noted the property is short of the zoning‑required parking for fully built multifamily but has a management plan on file and had previously received a parking waiver for residential parking. The board granted a waiver to allow the commissary use and amended the site’s parking management plan to limit commissary parking to no more than five flex spaces and to prohibit overnight parking by commissary staff vehicles. The board included conditions recorded on the plan that limit hours of operation and require language in leases and management rules to enforce parking restrictions.

Lefavor said the commissary operator expects only three staff cars most days and that the loading dock will receive small supply deliveries; the board required that any change in use or substantial increase in deliveries would require return to the planning board. An on‑site resident raised concern about weekend operations; the board left hours at 5 a.m.–4 p.m. and noted it could revisit conditions if complaints arise.

The board approved the waiver and the plan amendment unanimously and will require the applicant to supply an updated parking management plan and documentation of lease language before the plan is signed.","Draco Properties won approval to use an existing commercial kitchen in the Riverside Landing building as a commissary for a local coffee shop, subject to a cap on dedicated commissary parking spaces and other conditions; the board approved a parking waiver to accommodate the change.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241814,"Planning board approves site‑plan amendment to convert shop at 13 South River Road to veterinary clinic with conditions",1450,7376000,8826000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4&start=7376&end=8826","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3253507-e4d1fa5a7a1e9ed2e0ac2a1ce63615f4/thumbnail_7376000.jpg","/articles/6241814/New-Hampshire/Planning-board-approves-siteplan-amendment-to-convert-shop-at-13-South-River-Road-to-veterinary-clinic-with-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241814-017cc91f58c365eb4b675398f0bd5b66/orig.mp4?Expires=1770422875&Signature=A4JmecDK85KSJDbnn1UWzRW9yalWktmyt3xKWRhiHFYs7WAARckWl6koYb-SbpliLV96oKf0hlXo9rm-xjU~PN2c-wLgrSwHvhUacfvm7LDEYAjzoEIGoGLV0mnI2Eff~zPhcjsDBYaW~MMuox~P5upjXCkRtX~~XmPSL7iynqyqTejIYQ9FJRbLcY3pidqXrzBoG8lulzhHecLmDHGADYik4XSZrajS2ZeTyTzqayIHzWqlAzJ66kvvukxba8RbG7JpdsM-Fspg-Uzi3AHyzREdEpb90mJVfy9-SxWHOT~fm6ne~TDVy-b0~vLnLWoCTvgEAaSBaZKQG-KEdmkY3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bedford Planning Board voted to approve a site plan amendment allowing a change of use at 13 South River Road — converting roughly 1,261 square feet of a former hair salon to a veterinary clinic operated by Darbster Foundation / Poppy’s Place LLC.

George Chadwick of Bedford Design, representing the applicant, said the proposal makes no major exterior changes beyond new siding, a new awning color and a screened dumpster pad. He asked the board for five waivers covering dumpster placement, lighting documentation, landscape plan detail, elevation drawings and architectural standards. Chadwick described the site as compact with minimal available space for additional landscaping and said the applicant plans only limited exterior work.

Planning staff asked for changes to remove pavement encroaching into the town right‑of‑way or, alternatively, a license agreement with the town so the pavement could remain. The applicant agreed to discuss angled‑parking options with staff and, if angled stalls were not feasible without losing spaces, to pursue a license agreement. The board added a condition that the applicant either redesign the lot to eliminate public‑right‑of‑way pavement or secure a town license for it.

The board approved all five waiver requests unanimously and granted final site‑plan approval with conditions that included: recordation of a license agreement (or redesign), a screened dumpster pad, updated striping, and that no animals be sheltered outdoors overnight and no overnight boarding of animals be allowed at the facility. The motion approving the plan included an explicit condition to remove condition 5 from the staff memo and instead require a license agreement if the angled‑parking layout could not be achieved.

Board members clarified that monitoring wells on the property — relics of earlier site use — should be evaluated and, if inactive or unnecessary, closed, and asked the applicant to confirm that the building changes will not increase lighting or traffic impacts on nearby residences. Planning director Becky Hebert said town staff will confirm compliance with those conditions before the plan is signed.

The applicant’s representative said he would work with staff to finalize angled‑parking options and the dumpster pad design and will return any required documentation for the plan signature.","The Bedford Planning Board granted final approval to convert 1,261 square feet at 13 South River Road from a hair salon to a veterinary clinic, approving five regulatory waivers and adding conditions including a license agreement for pavement in the town right‑of‑way and prohibition on overnight boarding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Saint Anselm College site plan for new track complex paused after hours of debate over lighting, PFAS and noise

Owner, operator pitch gas station and convenience store concept at South River Road; board asks DOT signal and traffic clarifications

Applicant seeks guidance on 21‑unit cottage‑court concept; board calls for refinements

Planning board clears Riverside Landing commissary kitchen for limited use with parking cap

Planning board approves site‑plan amendment to convert shop at 13 South River Road to veterinary clinic with conditions