Wells planning board requires Greenbrook Lane paving, sets escrow and deadline for Goodale subdivision

The Wells Planning Board voted unanimously Nov. 3 to require pavement and performance guarantees for Greenbrook Lane as a condition of preliminary approval for the Goodale Subdivision, after several neighbors raised safety and fairness concerns.

The applicant, Peter Goodale, told the board he proposes a small subdivision off Greenbrook Lane consisting of four lots with a 35-acre remainder. Neighbors said the road upgrade requirement has implications for who pays and when. "If you approve this without it being paid, that means somebody else can drive up it without it being paid," said Trish Gadell, who said she and her daughter would be required to pave under the town's trigger for a new building permit. Robert Brooks raised a water-supply concern, saying his dug well sits about 75 feet from the edge of the road and asking whether grading for pavement would affect his well.

Planning staff (Mike) explained the town's road standards and how triggers work at building-permit review: a private street must be a 26-foot gravel road for up to five dwellings; additional dwellings can trigger upgrade and pavement requirements. "As soon as you created a sixth and a seventh lot, that triggers the need to pave the road," Mike said. He added that the town enforces road standards when a building permit is submitted.

Board members discussed options to ensure the road upgrades occur before additional construction. The board directed staff to add language to the subdivision findings requiring pavement of Greenbrook Lane as part of the subdivision approval, and to include performance guarantees and an escrow arrangement so funds are available to complete the work. A board member said the board would accept an escrowed payment estimate from a contractor and hold the funds until work is completed; the town would be authorized to pay the contractor directly from escrow.

The board also granted an administrative waiver that reduced sheet margins so the plan would fit on one sheet and discussed off-site fire-protection sources. Staff noted that the two off-site water sources shown on the plan would not qualify for the town's waiver; the board said the applicant should be prepared to propose sprinklers for the new homes at final approval.

The board voted to continue the preliminary findings for up to 30 days so staff can draft the revised findings that include the paving, escrow and performance-guarantee conditions. The planning board invited neighbors to coordinate to obtain contractor estimates and, if desirable, to form an association or agreement among lot owners to share costs.

The board's condition leaves options for pavement staging: members discussed using a base or modified two-inch overlay initially and completing final binder/top coats at a later date, noting heavy construction traffic considerations. The board recorded the motions and voted unanimously on the paving condition and the 30-day continuance.