Planning board continues 219 West Main Street subdivision after questions about wetlands and buildable area

The Hillsborough Planning Board continued the public hearing on a proposed two-lot subdivision at 219 West Main Street on July 17, 2024, after members of the Conservation Commission and others pressed the applicant for clearer delineation of upland (buildable) area excluding wetlands.

John Noonan of Fieldstone Land Consultants presented the proposal on behalf of Avanru Development for a 2.25-acre parent parcel proposing two lots of roughly 1.29 and 0.95 acres with frontage on West Main Street and a future Davis Drive. The board initially accepted the application as complete (motion by Steve Livingston, seconded by Jim Bailey), then opened public comment and questioning.

Richard Head, chairman of the Conservation Commission, said the plan must identify buildable upland area and that wetlands cannot be included as buildable area under the Subdivision Regulations. Dana Clow asked whether the applicant had calculations for the buildable area; Noonan said those calculations were not on the submitted plan and that the applicant would revise the plan to show upland area. David Fullerton, who said he walked the site, described the wetland feature under discussion as "a very small wetland." Noonan requested a continuance to allow the revised plan to be filed.

The board voted to continue the hearing to August 7, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. (motion by Jim Bailey, seconded by Steve Livingston). The applicant was instructed to submit a revised subdivision plan that identifies upland/buildable area and addresses the Conservation Commission’s concern that wetlands cannot be counted as buildable area.