Selectmen waive building permit fees for wells and declare well project a governmental land use

The Farmington Board of Selectmen on March 2 voted 5-0 to waive building permit fees for contractors on work associated with well projects #7 and #4R, and separately voted 5-0 to declare the well project a governmental land use under RSA 674:54 and waive the optional public hearing.

Vice Chairman Charlie King moved the permit-fee waiver, which Selectman John Scruton seconded; the board clarified that permit applications must still be completed and that the waiver applies only to fees, not to bonds or other contractual requirements. "We're waiving the fees — they still have to fill the permits out," Chairman Gerry Vachon said during the discussion.

Town staff had flagged the question of whether portions of private property where infrastructure is located should be treated as government use for the purpose of procedural waivers; Selectmen relied on Town Planner input and legal guidance in concluding the relocated well serves a statutorily governmental purpose, allowing the board to waive the optional hearing while the project continues to the Planning Board for review.

The decisions were procedural and did not authorize construction funding beyond existing project approvals. Selectmen noted that the water project will involve conventional permitting, and that the board's findings aim to expedite necessary infrastructure work while preserving other regulatory safeguards.

Authorities cited during discussion included RSA 91-A (public meeting law) in the meeting's non-public references and RSA 674:54 (governmental land use exemption) as the statutory basis for the hearing waiver.

Motion details and votes are recorded in the meeting minutes; town staff will circulate documentation to project stakeholders and update the Planning Board agenda as required.