Abutters say excavation, drainage pipes and unfinished chicken coop drew scrutiny at Asia Sky hearing

The Lebanon Planning Board opened a public hearing on the Asia Sky proposal for 613 Upper Guinea, where multiple abutters said recent work on the lot included more than debris cleanup and raised safety and environmental worries.

At the hearing, Elaine Bertano (resident) said she and other neighbors took photos showing clearing, heavy equipment and green drainage pipes that appeared to have been installed beyond routine cleanup. Bertano and other commenters said the coop that prompted earlier conditions had not been moved; the board confirmed a deadline of July 17 for the coop’s relocation and said staff would inspect the site before any further approvals.

Presenter comments from the applicant’s representative described the planned subdivision changes (three single-family dwelling units with shared and separate driveways) and noted prior hydrogeologic work that covered larger earlier proposals. Residents pressed whether the applicant’s activity included driveway build-up near property lines and whether erosion and sediment from excavation threatened nearby wells. “I’m just worried…then our well goes out,” one abutter said, stressing a history of local wells going dry after denser development nearby.

Board members and staff reiterated procedural limits: this public hearing was the opportunity for residents to present concerns and for staff to answer technical questions; no final approvals were granted at tonight’s hearing. The board asked staff to review the submitted pictures and video, to check road‑commission and permitting records, and to inspect the lot. The public hearing was closed after the board confirmed follow-up steps and the timeline for the chicken-coop condition.

The matter will return to staff review and potentially to a subsequent meeting depending on inspection outcomes and permit records.