Kensington planning board approves five‑lot subdivision at 8 Highland Road with waivers and conditions

The Kensington Planning Board voted June 17 to approve a five‑lot subdivision at 8 Highland Road (Map 02 Lot 05), owned by Liberty Woods LLC, after granting two regulatory waivers and imposing a set of conditions the applicant must meet within 120 days.

The project covers a 12.5‑acre parcel and proposes five single‑family home lots of about 2+ acres each, with four driveways on Highland Road and one on South Road. The applicant described the proposed houses as roughly 3,500–4,000 square feet in a New England farmhouse style and said sprinkler systems will be provided unless otherwise directed by the Fire Chief.

The board took jurisdiction of the application at the start of the hearing, which commenced the board’s 65‑day review period. Town Planner Glenn Greenwood told the board the submission materials — including soils, wetlands, drainage and engineering reports — were complete and presented in line with the submission checklist.

Abutters raised multiple concerns during public comment. Kevin McCarthy of 3 Gaslight Lane warned that long‑standing drainage problems could worsen and that runoff to his property may increase. Sara Rosencrantz (9 Highland Road), speaking also for relatives at 15 Highland Road, said larger homes could raise municipal assessments and expressed worries about internet interruption during construction and construction noise. Bev Clarke of 1 Gaslight Lane said trees frequently fall behind her house and flagged potential overflow of the irrigation pond.

The applicant responded that the design includes swales and filtration basins on each lot to capture and filter runoff and to recharge groundwater rather than directly discharging to adjacent properties. On taxes, the applicant noted larger homes typically increase the tax base. The applicant said they do not anticipate internet service disruptions and that construction will observe the Town Ordinance’s hours (no work 10 p.m.–7 a.m.; no Sunday construction). Regarding vegetation, the applicant said most clearing would remove brush and invasive growth while preserving mature trees near the farmhouse; the applicant estimated roughly 8% of the total site area and about 23% on some individual lots could be cleared.

Waivers and engineering review

The board considered two waiver requests. The first sought relief from parts of Subdivision Regulations Section 3.4.I (Post Construction Stormwater Management Standards) limited to the 2‑year storm event condition. Christian Smith of Beals Engineering reviewed the stormwater work on behalf of the town and told the board the modeled increases at analysis points were below 2 cubic feet per second at peak and did not exceed 0.10 cfs. Mary Smith moved to grant the waiver for the 2‑year storm condition; the motion passed 4–0–1 (Marty Silvia abstained).

The second waiver asked to waive the Construction Phase Tree Protection Plan requirement in Section 3.4.P in favor of an applicant plan demonstrating that no more than 8% of the total pre‑harvest basal area of the site would be impacted. That waiver was approved unanimously.

Approval with conditions

The Planning Board approved the subdivision subject to several conditions to be satisfied within 120 days: obtain NHDES subdivision approval; secure the NHDOT driveway permit for Lot 5 (Route 107/South Road) and town driveway permits for Lots 1–4; update the zoning table to include the Wetland Conservation District; add monuments for boundary lines longer than 400 feet at 200‑foot intervals; clarify sheet numbering and label lots with letters; indicate that test pits were witnessed by the Town’s test pit witness; obtain a letter from the owner confirming fire suppression sprinklers for each dwelling and then obtain the Fire Chief’s approval; and note granted waivers on the plan set. The motion to approve the subdivision was moved by Mary Smith and seconded by Daniel Desmond and passed unanimously.

Next steps

The board closed the public hearing and placed responsibility on the applicant to secure state and local permits and make plan revisions specified in the conditions. The board recorded standard permitting steps including NHDES subdivision approval, NHDOT driveway permit for the Route 107 lot, and septic approvals. The Planning Board will expect revised plans showing the waiver notes, updated zoning table, witness information for test pits and the other conditions before final plan recording.

Votes at a glance

• Motion to take jurisdiction of the application: moved by Mary Smith, seconded by Daniel Desmond; vote unanimous. • Waiver (Subdivision Regulations Section 3.4.I — 2‑year storm condition): moved by Mary Smith, seconded by Daniel Desmond; vote 4–0–1 (Marty Silvia abstained). • Waiver (Section 3.4.P — construction phase tree protection plan): moved by Mary Smith, seconded by Marty Silvia; unanimous. • Approval of five‑lot subdivision with conditions (120 days to satisfy conditions): moved by Mary Smith, seconded by Daniel Desmond; unanimous.

The board set a 120‑day period for the applicant to complete the listed conditions. The Board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for July 15 at 6:30 p.m.