Planning Board continues review of Prospect Mountain manufactured-home park plan over septic, setbacks and RV questions

The Planning Board continued review of a proposed adjustment at an existing manufactured-home park (Prospect Mountain) after staff and board members identified outstanding technical and code issues, chiefly the absence of consolidated septic and lot-loading documentation and uncertainty over interior setback and allowable trailer/RV use.

Why it matters: The park includes a mix of a community septic and a number of individual septic systems. Planning staff said the board needs an integrated view of lot loading, leach-field locations and setbacks so DES (the state septic authority) can evaluate any new proposed lot and so the board can confirm compliance with the Manufactured Home Park performance standards in Section 350 of the zoning ordinance.

Key issues discussed: - Septic and lot loading: The applicant and his engineer said many of the older individual septic systems had been installed over a long period and that the town’s historical records are incomplete. Planning staff asked for a consolidated plan showing existing systems, proposed new system locations and the total lot-loading analysis that DES would use to approve any new septic work. - Interior setbacks and lot geometry: Planning staff observed that the regulatory text for manufactured-home parks requires a minimum 10,000-square-foot allocation per site and interior-frontage/ setback requirements that are not currently shown in the plan set. The planner asked for dimensions and setback callouts for interior sites so the board can confirm conformity or identify needed variances. - On-site RV/trailer: The board heard that a travel trailer was connected to a community septic; staff noted manufactured-home standards limit park units to HUD-approved manufactured homes and that a permanent hookup for an RV might require a zoning variance or an enforcement action if the use does not conform.

Outcome: The board continued the matter to the next meeting to give the applicant time to submit an updated plan set showing all existing septic locations, the new proposed septic design for the additional lot, interior site dimensions and the required setback measurements; the planner recommended verifying DES approvals are submitted for the new and existing systems.

Next steps: Applicant to work with planning staff and the outside engineering consultant to assemble a full set of plan details and to clarify whether the travel trailer requires Zoning Board review for a variance. The board indicated it will not deny the application without seeing revised, complete materials.