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Springfield zoning report lists multiple violations, several with court or NHDES involvement
Summary
Zoning Coordinator Tim Bray reported multiple active violations — including wetlands buffer encroachment, ADU and short-term rental violations, and a shoreland complaint under NHDES review — and the Board accepted the zoning/health report. Residents were advised to work with the zoning coordinator to come into compliance.
At the July 13 meeting the Zoning Coordinator and Health Officer, Tim Bray, presented a detailed enforcement and permitting report that the Board of Selectmen accepted by unanimous vote.
Bray listed routine permit approvals and ISDS (septic) permits, and then outlined several active zoning violations and pending legal actions: a wetlands buffer encroachment for which the owner must submit a restoration plan with an August 2026 completion target; a Bowman Road violation that led to a temporary Superior Court hearing and a court decision granting a motion to dismiss injunctive relief after no further disturbance was observed; Cloutier Construction was ordered to stop construction related to an accessory dwelling unit and a lien for municipal legal costs has been placed while final hearings are pending; and a shoreland protection complaint for Sidney Pratt is under review by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services after a July 2 site inspection that found additional construction within protected zones.
Bray also reported that a property advertised as a short-term rental continued advertising after prior notices; the court granted the town's proposed order by default in that case. Another property (Shan Li Liu) received a Notice of Violation and a request for inspection on July 9, 2026. When asked about a potential business on Maple Avenue, Bray said he could not determine whether an earlier site-plan review or special exception occurred; Jason Bell said the operation had been in place since 1987 and volunteers and the property owner were encouraged to work with the zoning coordinator to pursue compliance.
Selectmen emphasized the next steps will include required restoration plans, court hearings and continued coordination with NHDES and the town attorney where appropriate. The Board recorded motions accepting the zoning coordinator/health officer report and the meeting minutes; both motions passed unanimously.
