Commission recommends approval for 19‑lot Whispering Woods subdivision with wetlands permit requirement

The Manchester Conservation Commission voted to recommend approval of a 19‑lot subdivision known as Whispering Woods, located off Bridal Road and South Ridge Drive, while requiring state wetlands and alteration‑of‑terrain permits and a condition that wetland placards be placed on the site.

Brent Cole, a project engineer with Granite Engineering LLC, told commissioners the 31.04‑acre project would be subdivided into 19 buildable lots in the city’s RS zoning district. “This is called Whispering Woods,” Cole said, and he described a loop road on a 50‑foot right of way, municipal water and sewer service, and three on‑site stormwater systems designed to treat roadway runoff before discharge.

Cole said construction requires two wetland crossings to connect upland portions of the property. The project team proposes using 48‑inch reinforced concrete pipe culverts embedded in the ground, with wetland material and river rock placed inside “to act as a natural stream simulation.” He estimated the two crossings would impact roughly 4,800 and 4,000 square feet respectively — about 8,800 square feet in total — and said the developer will seek New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services approvals. “This project does require an alteration of terrain permit,” Cole said, noting both DES and Manchester regulations will govern erosion control and drainage.

Commissioners and members of the public questioned design choices and long‑term maintenance. Commissioners asked whether a box culvert or bridge had been considered; the project engineer said a box structure would be far more expensive and is typically used only where continuous streamflow exists. The panel also asked about drainage direction, culvert sizing and whether the pipe design would allow the planted material to stay in place during storm events; Cole said the design follows Fish and Game and DES practice for non‑stream wetland conveyances and that the culverts are oversized to meet state storm‑event modeling requirements.

Commissioners pressed the developer on ownership and maintenance of stormwater basins. Cole said the ponds would be privately owned and maintained by a homeowners association and noted the city would own the roadway itself. Participants also discussed marking wetland setbacks on individual lots to reduce future encroachment. The applicant agreed to add placards to mark conservation/wetland boundaries; the group debated spacing (25‑foot versus 50‑foot intervals) and exact placement during discussion.

During the meeting the commission made a formal motion to recommend that the planning board approve plan S‑2024‑11 with the condition that placards be added to mark wetland setbacks. The motion passed by voice vote. The project will also need a DES dredge‑and‑fill wetlands permit and state review of drainage and erosion controls before construction.

The project team said their next step is the planning board review; Cole said they are working on the DES permit materials and will return with requested details and the placard plan. The applicant also said they will draft an HOA agreement and specific notes on the plans to ensure future owners are aware of wetland buffers and maintenance responsibilities.

Votes at a glance: the commission moved and approved a recommendation to the planning board for plan S‑2024‑11 (Whispering Woods) with a placard condition; the vote was conducted by voice and recorded as affirmative.

The planning board is scheduled to consider the subdivision at its next meeting; the project must receive state wetland approvals before any wetland work may begin.