Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Site Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning Board adopts amended site-plan resolution for 14 Hollow Ridge Road, directs staff on wetland field‑changes
Summary
The New Castle Planning Board approved an amended resolution for a continued 14 Hollow Ridge Road application after the applicant trimmed driveway, pool and patio footprints and submitted a reduced clearing-and-grading limit; the board directed staff to add flexible field‑change language for wetlands and agreed to continue final hearing work with staff before Sept. 15.
The New Castle Planning Board voted to adopt an amended resolution for the continued site‑development application at 14 Hollow Ridge Road, after the applicant presented plan revisions that reduced impervious coverage and narrowed disturbance within the wetland buffer. Chair opened the item and heard from the applicant's presenter and staff.
The applicant’s presenter described specific reductions: “The driveway courtyard has been made smaller… It went from 40 feet to 27 feet long,” and the pool was reduced “from 16 feet 7 inches by 44 feet to 16 by 32.” He said the changes reduced the pool area by about 218 square feet and the patio by about 68 square feet and cut overall coverage by roughly 9–9.5 percent. The team also showed a revised clearing‑and‑grading limit line that lowered the disturbed area from the previously cited figure (about 68,000 square feet) to about 57,000 square feet pending final drainage design.
Board members pressed on how the wetlands and buffer language would be handled if on‑the‑ground adjustments are needed. The chair said the intent was to allow limited field changes so contractors would not need to return for minor adjustments, and the board directed staff to draft explicit language allowing specified field changes to the wetland buffer that would not require returning to the Planning Board or ERV for every small adjustment. Planner/staff said they would place that flexibility into the relevant condition.
There was no public comment during this hearing segment. After clarifying conditions and a single question about timing for completing wetland work (a board member asked if it was expected to finish within a year), the board approved the resolution as amended. The board also voted to direct the applicant to meet with staff between now and the September 15 meeting so remaining items can be resolved ahead of that date.
The board’s formal action was adoption of the amended resolution; members voted in favor when asked (“All in favor? Aye.”). The record does not include roll‑call tallies in the transcript. The board set a goal for the applicant to work with staff and return prepared for the September 15 meeting.
The next procedural step: the applicant will meet with Town staff to finalize the language and outstanding technical items; the public hearing and final items are scheduled to be revisited at the Sept. 15 Planning Board meeting.
