Somersworth Planning Board approves Manheim Remarketing site plan for Route 108 auction

The Somersworth Planning Board on Thursday approved a site plan for Manheim Remarketing Incorporated to operate a wholesale vehicle auction and associated vehicle maintenance at 221 Route 108, including conditions on landscaping, lighting, stormwater maintenance and fire-safety certification.

The vote followed a public hearing and presentation from the applicant’s engineering and legal team. The board also found the project had no regional impact before approving the site plan with conditions outlined by the planning director.

Director Mears told the board the applicant proposes to “use the existing developed site for weekly wholesale vehicle auctions and associated vehicle maintenance.” She said the property previously housed automobile sales and repairs and that the applicant received a variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment because “vehicle auction site is not listed as a zoning ordinance per section 19-4(a) permitted uses.”

Bob Stoll, principal at TriTech Engineering, presented the plans and site history, saying Manheim “has over 56 locations nationwide” and “believe this is a good market” for a local auction to reduce dealers’ travel to Massachusetts. Stoll described traffic flow, fencing and landscaping plans and said the applicant had updated plans addressing landscape buffering and provided a traffic memo. He said the auction day is expected…