Portsmouth planning board approves two-year extension for Weaver Cove master plan; minutes approved

The Portsmouth Planning Board voted to grant a two-year extension of master-plan approval for the Weaver Cove project and also approved the minutes of its Jan. 9 meeting.

Gerard Galvin, attorney with Galvin Law, representing WC Coastal Development LLC and WC Upland Development LLC, told the board the developers were seeking more time because the Weaver Cove site—about 45 acres and previously a Superfund site—still requires “a lot of environmental work” and coordination with state agencies and neighboring property owners. “We’re requesting an extension, to the master plan approval that we received, just under 2 years ago,” Galvin said.

The board’s acting chair, Edward Harding, handled the Weaver Cove item after the regular chair recused himself because of a long-term association with the project. Harding asked the solicitor how to calculate the two-year extension; the solicitor recommended the extension run from the date the decision was recorded, which the board stated was May 5, 2023, meaning the extension will run to May 5, 2027. A motion to approve the two-year extension was made and seconded; the board voiced “aye” and the chair announced the extension was approved. The transcript does not record individual vote tallies or named movers and seconders.

Nut graf: The extension preserves the developer’s master-plan approval while environmental reviews, state agency permitting and negotiations with new adjacent landowners continue. The board approved the extension so the applicants may continue work toward filing a preliminary plan application.

Details and context

- Project and applicants: WC Coastal Development LLC and WC Upland Development LLC, Weaver Cove master plan covering assessor’s plat 43, lots 3, 4 and 7 and plat 50, lots 6 and 7; estimated site area discussed as approximately 45 acres and remediating Superfund-related issues.

- Reason for extension: Galvin said continued environmental remediation, necessary state-agency reviews and renegotiation of access/cross-easement agreements with new parcel owners required more time to prepare a preliminary-plan application.

- Extension timing: The board recorded the extension to run from the date the original decision was recorded (May 5, 2023) to May 5, 2027 per the solicitor’s guidance.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to accept the Jan. 9, 2025 Planning Board meeting minutes: Motion made, seconded and approved (transcript: “All in favor say aye. Aye. Motion carries.”). No named mover/second or numeric tally recorded in the transcript.

- Motion to approve a two-year extension of Weaver Cove master-plan approval (WC Coastal Development LLC and WC Upland Development LLC): Motion made, seconded and approved (transcript: “All in favor? Aye. Anybody opposed? Nope. You have it.”). Board chair recused from this item; exact vote tally and named movers/seconders not stated in the public record.

What the board recorded and next steps

The board recorded the extension period in the public proceedings; the extension preserves the master-plan approval while applicants advance environmental remediation and agency reviews and complete easement negotiations. The applicants indicated they will continue work toward a preliminary plan filing; no preliminary-plan hearing or additional approvals were conducted at this meeting.

Quotes

Gerard Galvin, attorney for the applicants: “We’re requesting an extension, to the master plan approval that we received, just under 2 years ago.”

Edward Harding (acting chair): The solicitor’s recommendation on timing led the board to set the extension to run from the date the decision was recorded (May 5).

Ending

The board recorded the extension and moved on to other agenda items, including a concept pre-application review for a separate housing proposal. The transcript does not record any further action on Weaver Cove at this meeting.