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Planning board asks Muddy River Smokehouse for amended site and lighting plans over brightness, parking concerns
Summary
Town Planner Glenn Greenwood and board members said the restaurant's exterior lights are 'too bright' and that the parking layout differs from the approved plan; the board asked the owners to submit an amended site plan and a lighting plan with down-shielded, lower-profile fixtures and to specify hours of operation.
The Newfields Planning Board pressed Muddy River Smokehouse to file an amended site plan and a compliant lighting plan after Town Planner Glenn Greenwood reported concerns about excessive parking-lot lighting at the restaurant.
Glenn told the board he had discussed the issue with Dan Posternak and said the owners’ aim to improve parking safety had resulted in lighting that is "too bright." He said he plans to meet with Posternak to seek a solution that uses down-shielded lighting.
Planning Board member John Hayden said he appreciated Posternak’s willingness to address the concerns but asked that the owners submit an amended site plan because the current parking area "is significantly larger than what was originally approved." Hayden said the back section of the lot extends beyond the shed and is roughly twice as wide as the originally proposed area, and added that the board was told a nearby house was unoccupied when that was not the case.
Alternate member Michael Sununu and Chairman Jamie Thompson agreed an amended site plan is necessary; Bill Meserve asked that the board also formally establish the hours when exterior lights will be on. Glenn proposed using low-profile, pipe-style fixtures to reduce light pollution while maintaining patron safety. He also reported he continues to receive monthly water-usage files from the restaurant.
No formal motion to require an amended plan was recorded in the minutes beyond the discussion; staff said they will pursue a meeting with the owner to resolve the lighting and site-plan discrepancies.
