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Planning Board votes to retain authority over business permits
Summary
The Washington Planning Board voted unanimously May 5 to keep responsibility for business permits under its jurisdiction, after members discussed RSA 41:11, NHMA guidance and local practice. The board said site-plan-review requirements will still send some applications to the Planning Board.
The Washington Planning Board voted unanimously May 5 to retain responsibility for business permits, after debating whether the Select Board or the Planning Board should take primary authority.
Piatt moved to keep business permits under the Planning Board “for now,” and Cashorali seconded; the motion passed unanimously. Peel had earlier cited RSA 41:11 and an NHMA email suggesting business permits are generally the Select Board’s responsibility, but that applications involving site-plan review may come to the Planning Board.
Nan Schwartz, Planning Board member, said the town’s Land Use Ordinance (LUO) gives business-permit authority to the Planning Board. Don Revane, a visitor, urged regular reviews of permits, saying a contractor once operated around the clock under a permit and neighbors had no recourse; he suggested reviewing permits every five years to ensure conditions remain appropriate.
The board did not change the LUO during the meeting. Members agreed to continue providing information to applicants and to monitor how permits are applied in town. The discussion highlighted a boundary between land-use authority and life-and-safety responsibilities that some members said would remain with the Select Board if invoked.
Next steps: no ordinance or LUO change was adopted at the May 5 meeting; the board kept the item under its control and will consider procedure or documentation changes if problems arise.
