Planning board approves New Brothers Contracting as new tenant; staff proposes phasing out separate new-tenant application

The Swansea Planning Board voted to approve a new-tenant application for New Brothers Contracting to occupy 93 Manheim Highway and discussed a staff proposal to phase out the separate new-tenant application in favor of administrative review.

Planning staff told the board the proposed use — an office plus kitchen-and-bath display for cabinetry with approximately 16 full-time and two part-time employees — is comparable or less intense than the prior occupancy and would not require a new site plan nor a public hearing under current site plan review regulations.

Planner Adam (last name on file) summarized the department recommendation: "New tenant applications in their current form should be phased out immediately. Any new tenant moving into a space that has previously had site plan approval will be reviewed administratively through the planning department and placed on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled planning board meeting. If no site plan review is required, the applicant will be informed that no planning board approval is required." The memo cited legal counsel and earlier changes to multi-tenant application processing.

Board members questioned enforcement and past practice; one member said enforcement issues should be handled by the building inspector if an operator began business without proper notification. Planning staff noted department procedures already include sending department-review forms and an email to applicants that explains the order of operations and notifies them of conservation commission and planning board hearing dates.

After discussion the board took a motion. Michael Yarger moved to approve the New Brothers Contracting new-tenant application; Brandon Selk seconded. The board approved the application by voice vote and the applicant was informed that if and when they add a building or otherwise change their use, they must return to the planning board for site-plan review.

Planning staff said they would prepare a streamlined combined application to replace separate new-tenant and multi-tenant forms and present any regulatory changes to the board as a public hearing item. The board also requested that staff provide regular memos to the board notifying members when staff administratively approves a tenant or determines a change of use does not require planning-board action.