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Board debates threshold for engineered site plans and when to grant waivers
Summary
Planning Director Robyn Payson read site-plan submission requirements and RSA waiver language; Chairperson Susanne White said engineered plans should be required for floodplain or environmental issues while some members supported sketch plans for small enterprises and suggested site walks.
Planning Director Robyn Payson reviewed the town’s Site Plan Regulation 185-5 B on Aug. 21, saying the rule requires professionally prepared site plan maps when an application is formally submitted but contains no fixed threshold for when an engineered plan is mandatory.
Payson read the regulation aloud: "On formal submission of the site development plan, the owner or his authorized agent shall submit to the Planning Board four sets of site plan maps, prepared by a licensed land surveyor or registered engineer." She noted the regulations allow the board to waive engineering requirements in some cases.
Chairperson Susanne White said the town should require engineered plans when floodplain or other environmental protections are implicated: "If we are dealing with flood plains or any environmental issues, for protection of the town they should have an engineered site plan," she said. Other members urged flexibility: Andrew Morris suggested board site walks, and Kim Opperman said a sketch plan could be appropriate for a small farm greenhouse; Bryant Wheeler emphasized helping small entrepreneurs.
Robyn Payson distributed the RSA language on waivers (RSA 674:44 III(e)) reminding members that any granted waiver and its basis must be recorded in the minutes and that waivers are allowed only when strict conformity creates unnecessary hardship or site-specific conditions justify the departure.
The board discussed enforcement and agreed staff should return with clearer guidance on when the board should require engineered plans versus accept sketch plans or grant waivers.
