Planning board approves Lincoln Meadows 3 subdivision with conditions after residents raise concerns about propane tanks, wells and drainage

The Lincoln Planning Board voted to approve the Lincoln Meadows 3 major subdivision on Myers Drive, subject to the technical review committee (TRC) conditions and the findings of fact in the staff report.

Neighbors at the public hearing raised questions about a proposed 1,000‑gallon propane tank shown near one abutter's property, the location of a transformer/power pole, potential effects on private wells and how stormwater runoff would be managed. "So this overall has been going on about 13 years. Hopefully, it's done soon," one neighbor said before asking about the tank placement.

Nicholas Kelling of Level Design, the project's engineer, told the board there is no natural gas service on Myers Drive, so each home is proposed to use a propane tank for heating. "It's a pretty standard size tank that would be used on houses this size," Kelling said, adding the tanks would typically be buried but could be installed aboveground or in basements depending on house construction.

On the question of the transformer and utility pole reportedly sitting on private property, the board and project team said utility easements and the utility company's permissions govern whether lines can be placed across private land. The applicant's engineer and town staff said the town has limited jurisdiction and that any work would require the appropriate utility easement and company approvals.

Town engineer Bridal Palmer told the board she and the project team reviewed the stormwater design and had requested a drainage detail during TRC. Palmer said separation distances for wells meet the applicable 25‑foot setback rule cited in the regulations and that the subdivision will tie into town water, which should limit impacts to private wells. The project's stormwater system, she said, includes collection points and conveyance to a stormwater pond sized to handle runoff from Myers Drive.

Another abutter described an existing PVC conduit and preexisting runoff behind Lots 8 and 9 and asked whether that flow could be tied into the proposed drainage. The engineer said the grading plan will route existing runoff toward the wetlands and that the team will field‑verify the conduit; if needed they will either miter the conduit or incorporate it into the new collection system so water is not pushed toward neighbors.

The engineer also described plans to locate a cluster mailbox inside the subdivision near the entrance to meet postal service requirements for centralized delivery; the design team said the cluster box will be ADA‑accessible and sited with a pull‑off area.

After the engineer and staff confirmed TRC comments had been addressed or would be added as conditions of final approval, a motion to approve the major subdivision subject to those conditions passed on a voice vote.

The board recorded no public opposition sufficient to stop approval; next steps are final plan submission and satisfaction of the conditions set by staff and TRC.