Planning board accepts condominium application for 16 units at 136 Route 108, grants two waivers

The Somersworth Planning Board accepted an application Aug. 20 from OPEC Melody LLC to demolish an existing house and construct four condominium buildings totaling 16 units at 136 Route 108 (Map 64, Lot 7). The board found the application complete, granted two waiver requests and listed conditions the applicant must meet before construction begins.

Kevin McEnany and Mike Mennery of Civil Works presented the proposal, noting that the city had earlier approved a water line extension and that the City Council granted a variance allowing up to 18 units on the property; the design team said site conditions and septic loading reduced the proposal to 16 units. Each unit is proposed as a two‑bedroom townhouse with a one‑car garage and one driveway space; the plan also shows eight guest/overflow spaces and private septic systems for each unit. The design team said the development generates substantially fewer daily vehicle trips (about 71) than a prior, previously approved pickleball facility (about 210), and the driveway location is essentially unchanged from prior approvals.

The board granted two waivers: (1) a waiver from the high‑intensity soil mapping requirement, accepted because the applicant provided multiple test pits and borings to document subsurface conditions; and (2) a waiver to allow permanent drainage structures within half the normally required minimum setback. The planning board’s third‑party reviewer (Horsley Witten) provided comments and the applicant agreed to address Horsley Witten’s drainage and plan‑detail comments to the satisfaction of staff prior to construction. The board also required landscaping, lighting, and design details; submission of condominium documents and recording at the Strafford County Registry of Deeds prior to certificate of occupancy; execution of escrows and sureties (including a performance surety no less than 25% of estimated construction value); an operations and maintenance plan for stormwater and annual stormwater inspection reporting; ADA‑compliant sidewalks and curb ramps; a new private street name (Dahlia Court had been approved by council) and new addresses; and other customary preconstruction and permitting tasks.

Board members asked questions about emergency vehicle turnaround and egress; the applicant provided vehicle turning radii and the fire chief had reviewed the plan and agreed with access. Members also asked about lighting (three site poles plus building lights were proposed; the board requested an additional light at the entrance) and snow storage (the applicant agreed to designate snow‑storage areas and avoid storing snow in locations that would block emergency access). The board asked the applicant to relocate and detail the dumpster area to accommodate recycling and to provide an accessible location for waste collection vehicles.

Formal actions: the board voted to accept the application as complete (motion by Bonnie McNair, second by Chris Horton), and granted both waiver requests (motions by Chris Horton/Mark Richardson and Chris Horton/Bonnie McNair, respectively). The director listed conditions to be satisfied prior to final approval and prior to issuance of permits; staff will verify revisions to Horsley Witten’s comments, the required stormwater and drainage calculations (including 100‑year storm analyses), landscaping and snow storage plans, and condominium documentation before a construction permit is issued.

The board closed public comment with no outstanding correspondence reported and continued technical review work with the applicant.