Abutters raise privacy, liability concerns as Hooksett begins Quimby Mountain stewardship plan

Residents who live adjacent to Quimby Mountain told the Hooksett Conservation Commission they are concerned that trail development would intrude on private yards, create liability and change the quiet character of their neighborhood.

Jesse Tringale, who said he lives at 30 Quimby Mountain Road and described himself as the closest developed landowner to the mountain27s summit area, told the commission that covenants and his neighborhood27s character guided how homeowners have built and parked vehicles. "I just can't imagine people coming up through my backyard where I'm sitting out there watching TV in my hot tub," Tringale said during the public-input portion of the meeting.

Tringale and a neighbor, David Lacasse of 24 Quimby Mountain Road, said the terrain near the summit is steep, includes a 25-foot retaining wall at one property, and contains deed language and no-build zones that restrict some uses. Tringale said he reviewed deeds that suggested the town had an opportunity to purchase a nearby lot in the past but that the lot changed hands privately in the last year or two.

Commission staff told the meeting that Quimby Mountain conservation land is under a conservation easement and that the easement language governs what the town can do on the property. Staff also confirmed that the actual summit of Quimby Mountain is not town-owned but is privately owned by the gun club; the commission said it has had preliminary, informal contact with a club representative and that staff expect the stewardship-plan consultant to document ownership and access constraints.

Conservation staff said consultant Jeff (last name not specified) will prepare a stewardship plan that will identify trail options, wildlife and forestry management recommendations, and possible parking locations; staff said a draft plan should be available in the fall and that a formal public meeting on the draft will invite abutters and the broader public to comment. Staff also said commission volunteers and members had placed medallions and surveyor tape to mark property boundaries ahead of the consultant27s field work.

Commissioners and staff discussed likely access points for trails; one staff comment said the consultant will probably recommend access from Goff27s Town Road rather than from the Quimby Mountain Road cul-de-sac. The commission noted the summit is a narrow sliver of privately owned land used for shooting and trap contests and said it might explore purchasing a portion of that property or an easement if the consultant recommends it.

Residents and commissioners also raised complementary concerns about site management: steep slopes and retaining walls could create liability if visitors stray off trails; abutters worried increased foot traffic could change neighborhood character and property values; and staff reminded the group that the conservation easement restricts some actions and requires careful review before planning trails or parking.

Staff advised residents to review the posted conservation-easement documents available on the conservation commission website and to subscribe to agenda and meeting updates; the commission said it will post the consultant27s stewardship plan and supporting materials when available and will provide a public hearing on the draft.