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Residents urge Selectmen to revisit Winter Street gate after approval of 70-unit Farmington Ridge expansion
Summary
Residents told the Farmington Board of Selectmen they fear a newly approved 70-unit expansion at Farmington Ridge will overload a single access and endanger children and pedestrians; the board said a traffic study was done, noted prior gate discussions and agreed to pursue targeted police patrols and signage while placing the matter on a future agenda.
CHARLESTON, N.H. — Residents pressed the Farmington Board of Selectmen on May 11 over safety and access concerns after the town approved up to 70 mobile-home units at Farmington Ridge.
"You're adding 70 units — that's 70 more cars at least," said Charlene Hill, a Dick Dame Lane resident who told the board the development has only one practical in-and-out route and that Winter Street remains closed at the town gate. "You can't just have one flow of traffic in and out — it's not safe."
Selectmen said the Winter Street opening has been discussed repeatedly over the last decade. "We've discussed it, and due to concerns over through traffic and safety the board has not opened that gate," Chairman Charlie King said, adding the board can revisit the decision but that past hearings produced similar outcomes. King said the developer submitted a traffic study and that town staff concluded the added trips did not exceed acceptable limits for approval.
Why it matters: Neighbors said the single access raises public-safety, school-bus and emergency-response risks, and they predicted added speeding on narrow neighborhood roads. Residents also flagged runoff and drainage while construction removes tree cover on the ridge.
Other residents amplified specific concerns. Winter Street homeowner Bill Vachon told the board the roadway is too narrow for two cars to pass and lacks sidewalks for children. Dawn Evans raised erosion and runoff worries for a creek behind her property and asked whether the new development and heavy equipment would accelerate erosion. "Our swimming hole is gorgeous — I'm worried where all that dirt is going to end up," she said.
Town leaders and staff responded with the documents and steps available under current approvals. King said the approved plan includes engineered drainage measures intended to keep post-development discharge no greater than pre-development flows; Town HR/Welfare Director Erica Dickie-Yelle and the Planning Office were cited as sources for the project packet and drainage plan. Town Clerk/Tax Collector Sam Jerome and other board members noted the park currently contains roughly 53 units and that the 70-unit figure reflects the total approved across multiple phases; development of later phases depends on market demand and vesting rules.
Board action and next steps: The board did not change any permit or approval that night. Selectmen agreed to request targeted speed enforcement from the Police Department, to evaluate additional signage for Dick Dame Lane and Winter Street, and to place the gate/access question on a future agenda (Chairman King indicated the board would likely put it on an agenda within about a month). King also suggested residents review past meeting minutes online, which he said outline prior deliberations and reasons for the gate closure.
What the transcript shows and what remains unresolved: Officials repeatedly said a traffic study supported the approval but did not provide a copy during the meeting; Mr. King directed residents to the Planning Office for that packet. Residents asked whether Winter Street is legally bound to remain emergency-access-only; staff said that status was part of prior agreements and may require research to change. No vote or formal change to access policy occurred at the May 11 meeting.
The Board of Selectmen said it will pursue increased enforcement and improved signage while documenting the matter for further review at a future meeting.
