Planning board conditionally approves Sweet Hill Farm brewpub site plan with state permits still pending

The Plaistow Planning Board voted to accept as complete and to conditionally approve site plan review for a proposed brewpub at Sweet Hill Farm, 82 Newton Road (Tax Map 68 Lot 8). The board found the application complete, determined it was not a project of regional impact, and then conditionally approved the site plan with several state-permit and technical conditions.

Why it matters: the project would add agritourism and a licensed brewpub to an existing 25.62-acre farm on Route 108. The application raised technical and community questions about wastewater from brewing, water supply, traffic on a state road, stormwater, parking and the need for state approvals before final plan recording.

What the board decided: the board first voted to accept the application as complete (vote recorded as unanimous in the transcript). The board then voted 5-0 to declare the project not of regional impact. After discussion the board conditionally approved the site plan; the motion requires (among other items) that final plans bear all professional stamps, that state permits (including NHDES septic and water approvals) be received and filed with the planning department, that review comments be addressed, and that recording materials be submitted within 45 days of receiving all required state permits.

Project overview presented to the board: Tom Schomburg of SCC Associates and applicant Daniel (Dan) Cain described the proposal as siting the brewpub in an existing building near Newton Road, with limited grading and most activity within the town’s ICR (Integrated Commercial & Residential) zone. The property contains several wetlands and a small area within an aquifer protection district. The applicant said the farm presently supports hops, grains, vegetables and berries and has permits to expand the farm stand and add agricultural outbuildings.

Key technical details presented: the site is 25.62 acres with about 1,380 feet of frontage on Newton Road (Route 108). The proposed brewpub plan shows 116 parking spaces provided; the applicant said 205 seats would be available in the brewpub and estimated the brewpub requires 69 parking spaces; the application’s parking requirement calculation was listed as 98 spaces total. The applicant stated the farm has two new on-site wells and cited a New Hampshire limit of up to 9,720 gallons per day based on well radius approvals. The project includes an on-site series of septic tanks and a conventional pipe-and-stone leach field; the applicant described multistage pretreatment (pH adjustment, settling tanks, and a separate containment tank for brewery-specific wastes) and monitoring stations.

Wastewater and brewing treatment: applicant Dan Cain described choices made to reduce brewery waste, including contracting fermenting and concentrating wort with a German supplier to reduce liquid waste by a factor of roughly 10–15 compared with traditional brewing operations, and using a bag-in-box dispense system to limit CO2 release and dispensing waste. Cain said brewery effluent would be pH-adjusted, go through clarifying/settling tanks, and then be discharged to the leach field; monitoring and flow controls were proposed. The applicant cited earlier discussions with NHDES and that NHDES review of a sewage disposal submission is pending.

Traffic and driveway permit: board members discussed whether the applicant should proactively seek confirmation from New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) about the driveway permit that already exists for the farm’s state-road access. The applicant told the board the driveway was previously approved by the state and said he preferred not to initiate new DOT proceedings unless the state required changes. Several board members recommended the applicant consider DOT review as a precaution; others agreed the existing driveway permit was in place and that requiring additional DOT confirmation as a condition could needlessly delay the project. The board ultimately removed language that would have made DOT confirmation a required condition, while noting the NHDOT retains authority to require changes later.

Other public comment and local input: public comments during the hearing were brief and supportive overall; a nearby church representative said past events there created no traffic issues and a handful of residents offered verbal support. The town police chief’s written input recommending DOT review was discussed but did not become a formal condition.

Timing, permits and next steps: the board’s conditional approval requires that the applicant obtain and file all required state permits — including NHDES approvals for sewage disposal and final water supply approvals — and address final reviewer comments. The board’s notice of decision will list bonding and recording requirements (the record notes a bond estimate worksheet and a LCHIP recording fee to the Rockingham County Registry of Deeds). The applicant estimated construction might begin with foundations in spring and originally hoped for a May opening next year but said operations would likely shift into summer or fall depending on permit reviews and construction timing.

Ending: The board closed the public hearing and moved to other business. Planning staff will prepare the conditional approval notice with the list of technical conditions and recording instructions.