Washington
Planning Board and Conservation Commission
Working
Session
Town-owned
Lots (TOLs) in LAE
Minutes
– August 4, 2011
Assembly time: 7:00 PM.
Present:
Conservation
Commission: Jed Schwartz (Chair), Arin Mills, Sandy Robinson, Nan
Schwartz (also, Planning Board member), Carol Andrews and Tom Taylor;
Planning Board: Lynn Cook (Chair, and also, Assessor), Jim Crandall and Tom Marshall (Selectmen's representative on the Board);
Attendees from LAE: Donald
Damm and Carolyn Russell.
1.0 Purpose
of meeting. Jed Schwartz stated that the purpose of the meeting was to
review the data available and the notes from the field visits for each of the
TOLs in LAE and to come to a consensus recommendation for the Selectmen
regarding how the Selectmen might best proceed in the disposition of the lots
by the town.
2.0
Comments. Jed Schwartz asked for brief comments form Carolyn
Russell and Donald Damm. Donald Damm asked that a copy of a handout he prepared
be given to each of the attendees.
3.0 Review of
lots. The process was as follows. For each lot, Nan Schwartz
reviewed the data and read the summary notes of the field observations. (The
data and summary notes are available for review in the notebook). Lynn Cook provided
her perspective on the lots including the condition factor used to indicate
suitability for building and relative cost to develop on the site. Pictures
taken on the site visits were available and reviewed by the committee members.
Others asked questions and offered comments. Jed asked for the consensus
recommendation for each lot.
Lots by number:
10-6 Ashuelot
Drive, near Old Marlow Road
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit. Lynn Cook concurred and said that it was one of the worst
lots for building she had seen due to topography and ledge, giving it a
35-condition factor (a 70 condition factor is the baseline for a fully suitable
building site.)
Consensus recommendation: Offer to
abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of Sale or as a Deed Restriction.
14-12 Harrison Road, riverfront lot
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit. DES had deemed the site unbuildable in 1988. She also
pointed out that the property with frontage on the river and was of higher
conservation value than most. Lynn Cook concurred and said that it may not be
buildable due to wet areas, giving it a 25-condition factor. Tom Taylor added
that this lot was a moose run and wildlife corridor.
Consensus recommendation: Offer to
abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of Sale or as a Deed Restriction.
14-57 Taylor Circle
Following Nan Schwartz's description of the site and site visit, Lynn Cook concurred and said that the cost to develop this lot would be high due to wet areas and ledge, giving it a 35-condition factor. Carolyn Russell said that an abutter was interested in the lot.
Consensus recommendation: Offer to
abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of Sale or as a Deed Restriction.
14-65 Grant Road, at fork of Stowell Road
Following Nan Schwartz's
description of the site, Lynn Cook concurred and said that while the site was
buildable, giving it a 50-condition factor, there were wetland issues that
would need to be addressed.
Consensus recommendation: Offer to
abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of Sale or as a Deed Restriction.
14-87 Backland off Jefferson Drive
Nan Schwartz described of the
site, which included the fact that it was a back land lot with no access and
was not buildable. Lynn Cook concurred that it was back land with no frontage
and therefore could not be considered as a buildable lot. There was no site
visit to this lot.
Consensus recommendation: Offer to
abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of Sale or as a Deed Restriction.
14-236 Ashuelot Drive
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit, Lynn Cook concurred with Nan's description, adding that it
was a rocky site, 50-condition factor. Bear had damaged a bird feeder. Donald
Damm said that an abutter was interested in the lot.
Consensus recommendation: Offer to
abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of Sale or as a Deed Restriction.
14-298 Jackson Drive
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit, Lynn Cook concurred with Nan's description, adding that it
was 50-condition factor, not as bad as some but that there were building issues
due to wet areas.
Consensus recommendation: Offer to
abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of Sale or as a Deed Restriction.
14-300 Jackson Drive
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit, Lynn Cook concurred with Nan's description, adding that it
was 70-condition factor and a buildable lot. Arin Mills said that there were
serious runoff and drainage issues in the area and that the road was not
ditched and graded appropriately.
Consensus recommendation: Offer to
abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of Sale or as a Deed Restriction or
sell on open market.
14-331 Presidential Drive
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit, Lynn Cook concurred with Nan's description. It was agreed
that this lot was buildable with a 50-condition factor and that it would be
improved by merging it with the abutting property 15-125 to create a larger
buildable lot.
Consensus recommendation: Upon
merging with 15-125, offer to abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of
Sale or as a Deed Restriction or sell on open market.
15-125 Presidential Drive
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit, Lynn Cook concurred with Nan's description. And said that
the cost to develop due to wet areas would be a major factor in building.
Consensus recommendation: Upon
merging with 14-331, offer to abutter(s) with merging of lots as a Condition of
Sale or as a Deed Restriction or sell on open market.
14-343 170 Coolidge Drive
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit. The house and lot(s) are highly problematic and
potentially a serious public health hazard. The house is in poor condition and
has no well or septic. Barrels, shed, equipment and junk on the property need
to be assessed for hazardous materials and other risks. The property consists
of two lots though no record of the merger was found.
Consensus recommendation: Arrange
for a hazard assessment as soon as possible.
14-368 Stowell Road
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit and said that no deed was found; Lynn Cook concurred with
Nan's description and said that the building condition factor was 50.
Consensus recommendation: Offer to abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition
of Sale or as a Deed Restriction.
14-378 Coolidge Drive, corner of Buchanan Drive
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit and said that an engineer had declared the site unbuildable
in '84. Lynn Cook said that it had
a 50-condition factor due to topography and ledge. There is a snowmobile trail
on the property.
Consensus recommendation: Offer to
abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of Sale or as a Deed Restriction.
15-127 Adam Drive, corner of Presidential Drive
Nan Schwartz described the
site and site visit, It was agreed that this site which is in a Conservation
Priority Area (CPA), and has the highest ranking in the NH Wildlife Plan was a
high value site from a conservation perspective. The brook is the outflow water
from Millen Pond and is in a flood prone area; Lynn Cook said the lot had a
building condition factor of 50.
Consensus recommendation: Offer to
abutter(s) with merging lots as a Condition of Sale or as a Deed Restriction.
It was noted that the stream
that crosses the rear of lot 15-127 has a bad problem of siltation due to the
lack of a headwall on the culvert where it crosses under Presidential Drive.
This appeared to be an ongoing problem that needs to be fixed to protect the
water quality in the brook.
Carol Andrews pointed out
that the town does not have to accept lots for back taxes. It was agreed that this is fact and the
implications of not taking lots for taxes should be considered in the future.
An
important part of the process of offering lots to abutters is transparency.
Letters offering lots to an abutter should state that merging the lot with
their existing lot(s) would be a Condition of Sale or Deed Restriction.
(Perhaps, in rare cases, both.)
The meeting ended at the
conclusion of this review. As noted, above details on the lots and a summary of
the site visit notes are attached and available for review.
WASHINGTON
PLANNING BOARD
and CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Joint
Site Walks on June 18 and June 30th, 2011
Site
Walk Lot Notes – Nan Schwartz
1.
TM 10-60 – 1.77 acres
Steep
path going into property at front right corner, bouldery, leads to a cleared
area, which was excavated sometime in the past. Very sandy soil, lots of ledge
with water running off, crusty lichen growing all over cleared area, fallow
soil. Nice western view of Huntley Mountain from clearing. Mountain laurel and
low bush blueberries, small balsams, golden thread around clearing. Dense
forest behind clearing, ground rises very steeply. Up top deer prints were
found, mixed hardwood and soft woods, very steep lot. Lower part of lot is
birch, white pines, and hemlocks.
2.
TM 14-12 – 1.49 acres
Brook
on corner of lot, large wetland area across road with active frog population,
filled narrow driveway into property (higher that the lot), must be used
because it is grassy and not yet growing in with trees, very wet all the way in
on either side of roadway, hardwoods and pines, tamaracks, birch, balsam, with
an obviously cleared area near the waterfront (starting to grow in), ferns, low
bushy growth, DES declared lot unbuildable in 1988, the owners tried to give it
to CC a few years ago for open space, CC was unable to accept it because LAE
would not waive fees, so owner let it go to the town for taxes.
3.
TM 14-57 – 1.67 acres
Large
white pines, some hardwoods, large Black cherry tree down in middle of lot,
wetter down in rear, golden thread, brook cutting through property toward rear,
brook is underground is some spots where you can hear babbling, running water.
Orchid found near stream (identified as either
round-leaved bog-orchid (Plantanthera orbiculata) or large-leaved bog-orchid
(Platanthera macrophylla) an uncommon species), ferns, bouldery with wet areas
in rear, middle and near road, lots of sphagnum, large ledgy area next to road.
4.
TM 14-65 – 1.5 acres, corner lot
Wet
wooded lot, mix of pines, soft and hardwoods, low and bouldery in front corner,
lots of ferns, many very wet areas and wetlands.
5.
TM 14-87 - .76 acres, backland
Back lot with no access, we didn't attempt to get on the lot, deciding we could evaluate by using maps. Wooded lot mixed hardwood and soft. Right 1/4 of lot steep, left 3/4 less steep, with intermittent stream in left rear of lot.
6.
TM 14-236 - .81 acres
Ditch
with water on the side of the road with a larger wet area near middle of
frontage, flat and wet nearest road, then the land rises. Wood sorrel, golden
thread, lots of princess pine, deer scat. Mixed hardwoods and softwood, black
cherry, beech, birch, black birch in center of lot. Possible wildlife corridor
path through the lot (front to back). We found a birdfeeder with obvious bear
damage done to it. Land rises steeply and is very steep in the rear. Very large
hemlocks in the rear, large maples and cherry. Found an old test pit filled
with water in lower section.
7.
TM 14-298 - .79 acres
Rusty
well pipe over flowing with water, not plumbed to anything. Mossy, ferns,
golden thread. Land falls off, away from road, right front corner near the road
is the highest point on the lot, bouldery, mixed hardwood and pines, beech,
maple, hemlocks, white pines in rear. Lot gets wetter as you go down and in,
very wet area in middle, also catches runoff from road. There is a natural
watershed flowing through the property and a deer path in the rear of the lot.
8.
TM 14-300 - .79 acres
Lot
drops off from road, road is steep and the lot is on a sharp corner. Ferns,
mixed hardwood, maples, black cherry, large white pines, possible animal trail
going into property, Dry lot, can see abutting house in the rear of property.
9.
TM 14-331 - 1.12 acres
Abuts
previous lot 15-125, snowmobile/ATV trail on left side of lot, large white
pines, higher ground that 15-125, higher on left side and in rear left corner,
right rear is lower and wet, mixed hardwoods, beech, striped maple, golden
thread, ferns, seems more buildable than 15-125, section of an old stone wall
in front right of property with remains of large old sugar maple tree next to
it.
10.
TM 15-125 – 1.08 acres
Wetlands
on front of property, out crops, ledge, active trail (snowmobile/ATV) on right
hand side of property now blocked near front of property by small blown down
trees, mixed white pine and younger hardwoods, beech, brook/stream runs all the
way through the property, Narrow ridge runs between stream and right hand
property line, land is higher in the rear and ridge gets narrower there, lots
of ferns, vernal pools on right side in rear, trail runs right through one
pool, mossy sphagnum forested areas, more vernal pools, golden thread, some
large white pine and firs.
11.
TM 13-343 – 3.77 acres with house on lot
Lots
of trash, lawn equipment, barrels with unknown contents, trailer/storage unit,
house in disrepair (never finished), no septic system, holding tank sitting
behind the house uninstalled, property needs to be cleaned up but a hazardous
assessment needs to be done first, possible fire department burn but assessment
would need to be done first, possible grants could cover cleanup costs.
Property has seasonal stream, mixed hardwoods and pine, steep drive into house
site, did not walk the entire lot, focused on the house site.
12.
TM 14-368 - 1.22 acres, corner lot
Lynn
wants to change the address to Presidential Drive, large hemlocks and some
hardwoods, flat at road (Presidential) rises high on Coolidge Road side
(right), very bouldery in rear and on Coolidge side, steep slope in rear of
property, lots of old blown down trees, large boulders, large Black cherry
trees, very little new understory growth or ground cover other than fallen
leaves.
13.
TM 14-378 – 1.45 acres, corner lot
Vernal pool at road's edge with pollywogs in it, very bouldery on corner of Coolidge Road, very steep slope on Coolidge road side, golden thread, mountain wood sorrel, very large vernal pool in center of lot, moose poop high in rear of lot, black cherry trees, fir, hemlock, striped maple, several wet pockets, ferns, many trees marked with green tape (? don't know why they were marked), flatter section at top of ridge, boulders, ledgy, snowmobile/ATV trail with deep foot print at top of property (off Buchanan Circle) possibly on the abutting lot.
14.
TM 15-127 - .75 acres, corner lot
Rocky
out crop on left frontage, very wet and swampy, existing driveway (grown in) on
right side line, open well pipe, land rises from road then falls in the swampy
area, spongy mossy sphagnum areas, ruins of old foundation, old cast iron stove
remains and other debris from house, active brook in the rear of property
(water exits from Millen Pond), NOTE: where stream crosses under Presidential
Drive there is a bad problem with gravel washing out into brook because there
is no head wall above the culvert. This is an obvious ongoing problem and
should be fixed.
15.
TM 14-369 – Michelle reports
that the previous owner is buying this house and property back from the town,
so no assessment was done.