Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Encroachment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Town to send registered letter after horse-farm encroachment; health officer urged to act on manure dumping
Summary
Selectman Paul Wainwright said the Town will send a certified/registered letter seeking an update from a horse-farm owner whose activity appears to encroach on Town land; the Commission also asked the Health Officer to address horse-manure dumping on Town property.
Chair Bill Steele opened the Atkinson Conservation Commission meeting on May 27 with routine business before the group reviewed ongoing property-encroachment concerns. Selectman Paul Wainwright told the Commission there has been no recent communication from the owner of a horse farm that appears to be encroaching on Town land and that the Town will send a certified letter requesting the owner’s survey status and timeline.
Why it matters: Commission members said the parcel boundary question affects Town-managed open space and public-health concerns. Selectman Wainwright also recommended the Town Health Officer consider issuing a cease-and-desist order to halt dumping of horse manure on Town land, a step he characterized as appropriate given the potential environmental and public-health implications.
Details: Wainwright said he and Alternate Sandy Cannon visited the area and observed control points but no change to boundary markers. “There has been no communication from the horse farm on its encroachment,” he said. Member Jeff Nenart told the Commission the owner must respond and said if the owner refuses to cooperate “then they will have to move the building,” reflecting the Commission’s view that the Town’s property boundaries must be respected.
Action taken: The Commission decided to send another registered letter asking for an update and to reinforce that the issue needs to be addressed; members also requested that the Health Officer reach out about the horse manure. Selectman Wainwright characterized the situation as not an emergency requiring immediate removal but as an enforcement matter that needs follow-up.
What’s next: The Town will mail the registered letter and coordinate Health Officer involvement. The Commission instructed staff and Selectman Wainwright to continue coordinating evidence-gathering and to report back at a future meeting if the owner does not respond.
