Alton Planning Board approves 38-unit manufactured-home park with conditions

The Alton Town Planning Board on Sept. 16, 2025 approved a proposal by TF Moran, agent for Treasure Coast SPE LLC, to develop 38 manufactured-home sites and one site area to accommodate a single-family dwelling, subject to multiple conditions precedent and subsequent conditions.

The approval follows several hours of review and public comment focused on drainage, state permits, driveway access and neighborhood impacts. The board required that key state approvals and town conditions be obtained before plans are signed and construction begins.

Board members and staff told applicants the approval is conditioned on submitting copies of required state permits and meeting town requirements. Required documents listed by the board include: a New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) alteration of terrain permit; DES subdivision approval; a DES community water-supply system permit where applicable; an amended New Hampshire Department of Transportation (DOT) driveway/road-access permit; adherence to an Alton Fire Department review completed by Evan Turcotte (dated 01/30/2025); and board or town-counsel-reviewed easements for water supplies for firefighting purposes. The board also required a preconstruction meeting and establishment of an escrow fund to pay for construction observation services at the owner’s expense.

The approval sets a construction schedule tied to the board's “substantial completion” thresholds. The conditions recite that, unless otherwise approved, the applicant must begin construction within 12 months after the chairman signs plans and generally complete construction within 36 months unless an extension is granted. The board also noted that manufactured housing units must meet the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development standards referenced in the town’s conditions.

In public comment, resident Brianna Thompson, who lives roughly 150 feet from the proposed site, urged board members to consider master-plan objectives to keep rural areas rural and raised concerns about light pollution and floodwater impacts. “This is a lot of light pollution that’s gonna be next to us. It’s a concern for me,” Thompson said.

Applicants and their representative described the intended construction sequence and timeline. The applicant’s representative told the board the project would begin with erosion and sediment controls, followed by road rough-in and drainage, then utility work. On the delivery schedule for manufactured units the representative said, “I can probably get them delivered within, like, 10 weeks of ordering.” The representative added optimism about early progress: “I’m hoping to do probably 20 or so houses, hopefully within 12 months.” Those time estimates were presented as the applicant’s plan and were not adopted by the board as guaranteed dates.

Board members and staff noted several items remain subject to state review. The applicant said the DOT driveway access review is pending; a DOT representative had the file but had not completed a technical review. The board emphasized that local approval does not replace required state permits and made those permits conditions of final plan signing.

The board’s formal motion to approve case P25-21 with the stated conditions carried after a voice vote; a roll-call tally was not recorded in the meeting minutes.

The board’s written conditions also warn that an approval may be revoked if subsequent development departs materially from the approved plans and restated the board’s standard extension policy (normally no more than one extension; extensions generally not longer than six months unless justified).