Planning board approves Moore Hill Road lot-line change after state clears former ‘pig farm’ contamination

The Hollis Planning Board voted to approve both a plan amendment and a lot-line adjustment for case PB2026006 at its May meeting, clearing the way for a property owner to reconfigure two parcels on Moore Hill Road.

At the meeting, staff said the state had completed remediation and issued a recorded release for a parcel once restricted because of contamination tied to a former pig farm. Kevin Anderson, the town planner and environmental coordinator, told the board the state ocument had been recorded and recommended removing the plan note that labeled the lot "not a building lot."

The applicant, John O'Neil, identified himself as owner of the O'Neil Family 2001 Trust and a licensed professional engineer and land surveyor. He told the board the area of elevated nitrates had been cleaned "about 10 years ago" after removal of roughly 40,000 cubic yards of pig manure and ongoing groundwater monitoring, and that the state had issued a release for three parcels. "The nitrates were cleaned up about 10 years ago," O'Neil said, describing the recorded release and long-term monitoring he has funded.

Board members voted first to remove the restrictive note from the plan and then to approve the lot-line adjustment moving roughly 10 acres to a back lot and 4 acres to a front lot, as described by the applicant. Virginia Mills recused on the matter as announced at the start of the meeting; the remaining eligible members voted in favor.

The board's approval completes local land-use review steps for the plan amendment and lot-line adjustment. The applicant thanked the board and indicated the recording and related administrative steps would follow.

The action closes the local permitting loop for PB2026006; any building or permitting on the former restricted lot will proceed consistent with the state release and normal town permitting.