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Brookstone developers told to resolve buffer, test‑pit and wetland figures before public hearing
Summary
The Planning Board received the Brookstone preliminary subdivision application and asked the developer to provide clear planting and buffer plans, reconcile wetland fill and density calculations, add test‑pit numbering and confirm road cross‑section shoulders; a waiver for plan scale was granted and a 30‑day workshop extension approved.
The Townwells Planning Board reviewed the Brookstone preliminary subdivision Oct. 7 and identified multiple completeness items the applicant must resolve before a public hearing.
Craig Burgess of Acorn Engineering and developer Jason Levante presented the plan. Staff highlighted missing deeds or a quiet‑title update, inconsistencies in net residential density between survey and engineering sheets, and a missing test‑pit numbering scheme linking logs to plan locations. "We need to at least have the number of the test pit labeled on the plan," staff said.
Board members spent substantial time on the proposed landscape buffer depth along Route 1, discussing whether to require 70 or 75 feet and how to preserve sight distances. The applicant said the plan shows a 50‑foot planting area plus a 20‑foot clearing for a total 70 feet in some places; members asked for a planting plan with dimensions and species sizes. The board also discussed road cross sections: the current plan shows a 1‑ft shoulder in some places but the town street ordinance requires a 3‑ft shoulder; staff said correcting the cross section could increase wetland fill calculations.
On the density bonus — which grants extra units if at least 50% of project open space is preserved and of sufficient quality — board members disagreed about whether wetlands‑dominated open space should count as "suitable" for the bonus. One member said wetlands that cannot be used should not qualify for bonus density; other members suggested redesigning lot lines or adding walking paths to create usable upland open space.
The board granted one procedural waiver for a plan sheet drawn at 1"=150' where ordinance requires 1"=100', accepting supplemental detail sheets, and then approved a 30‑day workshop extension so applicants can submit the requested details (planting plan with dimensions, test‑pit numbering, reconciled wetland fill totals, road cross sections and cistern/sprinkler determinations).
Next steps: applicant to provide revised materials for review and the board will revisit the application at the end of the 30‑day extension.
