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Weare planning board continues AMS subdivision after conservation commission questions open-space plan
Summary
The Weare Planning Board on May 12 continued consideration of the AMS subdivision to Feb. 26 after the conservation commission urged eliminating or transferring a roughly 5–8 acre open-space parcel and the board said it will consult the town attorney about ownership across the Goffstown border.
The Weare Planning Board voted on May 12 to continue the AMS subdivision application to the board’s Feb. 26 meeting after the conservation commission recommended either enlarging adjacent lots to eliminate a proposed open-space parcel or transferring fee ownership to the town.
Chair, who opened the meeting, summarized the conservation commission’s position: the commission suggested extending the back lot lines of lots 9–15 so those lots become larger and the narrow open-space “tail” can be removed. “Because they’re saying this is a lot of perimeter to walk for, what is it, 5 acres, maybe 8?” the Chair said, noting the commission questioned whether that small parcel was needed given existing open space in the subdivision.
Board members also raised a legal question about accepting fee ownership of land that lies partially in another municipality. One member noted examples of towns holding land outside their borders for civic purposes; the Chair said the board would consult the town attorney to determine whether Weare could legally hold and manage the parcel if part of it falls in Goffstown and whether there would be tax implications.
The applicant told the board he would wait for the attorney’s advice before finalizing how to proceed. The board also reviewed minor outstanding technical comments, including items in Steve Keach’s review letter and a question about tangent length and cross sections on River Road; both the applicant and board characterized those engineering concerns as resolvable.
Chair moved to continue the application to Feb. 26 to allow time for legal clarification and revised plans; the motion was seconded and carried. The board did not adopt any land-transfer or final plan at the meeting.
What happens next: The applicant is to consult with the town attorney about accepting fee ownership across municipal lines and submit revised plans addressing conservation-commission preferences and engineering comments before the Feb. 26 meeting.
