Selectboard denies request to "un-merge" Sanbornton tax lot

The Sanbornton Selectboard voted unanimously on June 3 to deny a request by resident Rachel Quigley to "un-merge" Tax Map 11, Lot 65-3, concluding the parcel does not consist solely of two pre-existing lots that could be restored.

During a public hearing, Quigley, represented by attorney Morgan Hollis, argued that Planning Board action and recorded town documents supported an un-merger because the lot had been treated as non-conforming. Hollis said there was evidence the Planning Board had required a merger and that a neighboring lot had been incorrectly labeled illegal.

Town Counsel Will Reddington told the board that the property had been transferred to Quigley in 1984 and that a 1988 deed recorded after a subdivision abandoned previous lot lines. Selectman Brandon Deacon said portions of additional land had been added during the subdivision, meaning there were not simply two prior lots to reverse. "An un-merger would restore the properties back to their original lots," Deacon said as he explained the legal basis for denial, but added that in this case that restoration is not possible because the current lot is not composed of only two prior lots.

Deacon moved to deny the request on that basis; Selectman Mark Brown seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Deacon advised Quigley she could seek a conceptual, non-binding consultation with the Planning Board to explore subdivision options.

The board’s decision was procedural: no penalties or additional enforcement actions were announced. The hearing record and the board’s explanation referenced deed language and the sequence of recorded documents as the basis for the outcome.