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Applicant wins continuance for major earth-excavation permit; public comment deferred
Summary
The Planning Board granted a unanimous continuance of the public hearing for PB-2024-20, a major earth-excavation and hillside protection application, to July 28, 2025. The applicant cited outstanding third‑party review items and additional waivers under consideration; the board held public comment until the continued hearing.
Ariane Ice, attorney for G2 Holdings, asked the City of Keene Planning Board on Monday to continue the public hearing on PB-2024-20, a major amendment to an earth‑excavation permit and a hillside protection conditional-use request, to July 28, 2025. The board voted unanimously to grant the continuance and to hold public comment until that continued hearing.
The request matters because the application involves sizeable earth work and raised concerns from neighboring towns and community groups; the board and staff said they want a complete, third‑party‑reviewed record before receiving public testimony or making a decision.
Ice told the board she and the project engineers are preparing additional materials and two new waiver requests and that some required review items remain outstanding. Justin Daniel of Granite Engineering said additional technical responses were submitted to the city and third‑party reviewer on May 9 but that the reviewer had not yet returned feedback because of personnel and health issues. Mary Brenner, senior planner, explained the city’s established practice of hiring an outside consultant for complex earth‑excavation applications and said the applicant and the consultant are exchanging documents as part of that review.
Board members pressed for specifics about community concerns and timing. Mayor Jay Khan moved to grant the continuance to the July 28 Planning Board meeting in Council Chambers; Councilor Mike Remy seconded the motion. Megan Fortson, planner, and other staff recommended holding public comment until the continued hearing so the board would have the applicant’s complete, responsive materials before accepting testimony. The board voted unanimously to continue the public hearing and defer public comment to July 28.
The continuance places the application back on the agenda for July 28, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, when the applicant is expected to present a revised and more complete submittal and the third‑party reviewer is expected to have provided comments for the board’s consideration.
