The Hooksett Zoning Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to approve two special‑exception applications (Z25‑16 and Z25‑17) permitting a combined 965 square feet of wetland fill behind the proposed 1317 and 1319 Hooksett Road car wash on Tuesday evening. The board found the project will not alter drainage patterns and that existing site runoff will be routed to the town system through a 36‑inch culvert.

The applicant, represented by Frank Doherty of Washville and engineer Chris York of GPI, told the board the plan replaces a hand‑dug drainage ditch that developed wetland characteristics after years of runoff. York said the project calls for a roughly 5,000‑square‑foot single‑tunnel car wash with three pay lanes, a bypass lane that doubles as 20‑foot fire access, and about 24–25 vacuum stations. He said the applicant is “removing over an acre of impervious out there” and will replace the filled section of ditch with a culvert so drainage flows into the town system as it does today.

The application materials and staff reports note the wetland area is largely man‑made to convey hill runoff around the former paved auto‑wholesale site; the proposed fill totals about 965 square feet, split in two parcels (approximately 306 square feet on one lot and about 659 square feet on the adjoining lot). York said the project team has submitted a permit application to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) and that DES review comments will be addressed in final engineering. York also said the project has a pending or issued New Hampshire Department of Transportation permit with only minor comments outstanding.

Two members of the public asked questions during the hearing. Phil Clifford of 21 Virginia Court raised concerns about noise from the vacuums and blowers, asking about decibel studies and operating hours; he also said he did not recall receiving notice. Attorney Arien Ovenbach, appearing for Tony Crawford of Circle Team Management, asked the board to ensure town reviewers considered whether removing more than an acre of pavement could expand wetland area once pavement is replaced with pervious landscaping and whether additional environmental study is needed. The applicant said building runoff inside the car‑wash tunnel will be routed to three reclamation tanks and an oil‑water separator and discharged to the sewer system; exterior runoff will be treated in two stormwater detention systems for infiltration. York said the applicant expects to landscape much of the former pavement area with grass, shrubs and trees.

Board members reviewed the statutory/regulatory criteria in Article 18 (Section E1A) and an analysis of regional impact. The board found no regional impact and that the site is an appropriate location for the use, noting other commercial uses—including existing car washes—are nearby and that the plan reuses the existing driveway. After findings were read into the record, Matt St. Pierre made the motions to approve both special‑exception applications; both motions were seconded and passed with all present members voting in favor.

The approvals include the board’s condition that drainage where the wetland is being filled will be routed through a 36‑inch culvert into the town drainage network; the DES review remains a separate permitting step. The applicant also indicated plans to merge the two lots involved in the application and to comply with any DES or NHDOT comments before final construction permits are issued.

The project will return to the planning board for the site‑plan review steps required for a commercial car wash (landscaping, stormwater details, waivers if any), where operating hours and additional operational conditions (for example vacuum hours) can be revisited by that board and by staff as part of site plan approval.

Votes at a glance
- Z25‑16 (1317 Hooksett Road): Motion to approve special‑exception application to permit wetland fill (≈965 sq ft split across lots; 306 sq ft on one lot/≈659 sq ft on the other) and to replace the filled segment with a 36‑inch culvert; mover Matt St. Pierre; second Tim Stewart; outcome: approved (unanimous of members present).
- Z25‑17 (1319 Hooksett Road): Identical findings and approval for the second lot; mover Matt St. Pierre; second Tim Stewart; outcome: approved (unanimous of members present).

Why this matters: The board’s decision allows a commercial redevelopment of a long‑paved auto‑wholesale site into a new car‑wash facility while authorizing a limited wetland impact in exchange for engineered drainage controls and DES oversight. Neighbors’ noise concerns and the state DES review remain outstanding items to be addressed during the planning and permitting phases.

Sources: hearing testimony of Chris York (engineer, GPI) and Frank Doherty (applicant representative, Washville); public comments from Phil Clifford and Arien Ovenbach; Hooksett ZBA findings and motions read into the record.

Ending: The approvals clear a primary zoning hurdle; the project still requires final engineering sign‑offs, DES permitting and routine planning board site‑plan steps before construction can begin.