Planning Board Meeting

DURHAM PLANNING BOARD

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Town Council Chambers, Durham Town Hall

7:00 p.m.

AGENDA

I.          Call to Order

II.         Roll Call and Seating of Alternates

III.        Approval of Agenda

IV.       Town Planner’s Report

V.        Reports from Board Members who serve on Other Committees

VI.       Public Comments

VII.      Review of Minutes (old):  December 11, 2024

VIII.     Public Hearing - 4 Riverview Court – Conditional Use Application.  Conditional use in the Shoreland Protection Overlay District for an existing single-family house for structures to be located within the 125-foot setback line:  freestanding garage, expansion of existing driveway, retaining wall, shed, and buried electric line that currently runs overhead.  Arthur McManus, property owner.  Chris Guida, Fieldstone Land consultants, wetland and soil scientist.  Map 214, Lot 11.  Residence Coastal District.  Recommended action:   Final action if all in order.

IX.       Public Hearing - 3 Dover Road – New Dunkin Donuts.  Preliminary design review for new Dunkin Donuts on ¼ acre lot with vacant one-story building located between the Holiday Inn Express and the Mobil Station.  JESP Enterprises, LLC, property owner.  Jim Mitchell c/o Tropic Star Development, LLC, applicant.  Matt Perry, Civil Engineer, The Engineering Corp.  Jeffery Dirk, Traffic Engineer, Vanasse & Assoc.  Courthouse District.  Map 108, Lot 38.  Recommended action:   Provide comments to applicant.  Close or continue Design Review.

POSTPONED TO JANUARY 22, 2025 AT APPLICANT’S REQUEST

X.        Public Hearing – Proposed Ordinance regarding Student Rental, Three-Unrelated Rule, Habitable Floor Area, and Multi-Unit Residential.  A proposed ordinance prepared by the Planning Board following review of a draft prepared by an ad hoc group working with the Town Administrator.  Recommended action:  Hold public hearing and then decide how to proceed.

XI.       Public Hearing - Mill Plaza – Façade Improvements and Site Enhancements.  Site plan application for Phase 1 – façade improvement to rear building and Phase 2 – site enhancement around rear building.  Conceptual application for Phase 3 – hardscape enhancements between front building and Mill Road, Phase 4 – façade improvement to front building, and Phase 5 – improvements to parking lot and installation of walking path along College Brook.  Pete Doucet c/o Torrington Properties, property owner.  Steve Mayer c/o Allen & Major, engineer.  Jeff Gannon c/o PCA, Inc., architect.  Central Business District.  Map 109, Lot 3. 

POSTPONED TO JANUARY 22, 2025 AT APPLICANT’S REQUEST

XII.      Other Business

XIII.     Review of Minutes (new): 

XIV.    Adjournment

*ZOOM ACCESS

The Town of Durham offers access to meetings with Zoom and Durham Cable Access Television (DCAT) as a convenience to the public. Zoom is generally reliable for watching meetings and offering comments when allowed.  However, due to factors outside our control, occasionally access on Zoom does not work properly.  We cannot guarantee that Zoom will always be available seamlessly and suggest that people who want to ensure being able to watch and participate attend the meeting in person.

To access any LIVE Zoom Public Meeting, you must be Registered.  This link will take you to the registration page: https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/boc_dcatgovernance/zoom-video-meeting-schedule.   If you have difficulty logging in, contact DCAT: 603-590-1383.

*OTHER INFORMATION

1)      Public hearings and public comments.  The public is welcome to speak at all public hearings and during the Public Comments time.  Comments on all matters, except those for which a public hearing is on the agenda, should be made during the Public Comments time (including comments on agenda items this evening).  The public may speak and submit written/email comments on any germane subject except active matters where the public hearing has been closed.   When a public hearing will be held soon for a specific item the board may require that comments be made at the hearing.

2)      Submission of comments in writing.  Send emails and letters to Michael Behrendt, Town Planner, at mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us or at the address above. Substantive comments about current board matters, except where the public hearing is closed, will be a) emailed to the board;  b) mailed to the board if received by the Thursday before the meeting or given to members at the meeting if received later; and c) posted on the Town’s website.   

Any email, letter, or document that is pertinent to a decision which the Planning Board is expected to make at the upcoming Wednesday meeting, must be received in the Planning Office by the prior Monday at 5:00 p.m. or the board will consider the material only at its discretion (This limitation does not apply to comments made at the public hearing).

3)      Other information.  Files on the agenda items above are available for review on the Town website https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/.  Agendas marked as “Preliminary Agenda,” are subject to change.  The final agenda will be posted on the Town’s website on the Friday prior to the meeting. To see background documents related to specific agenda items, see the agenda on the website and click on any green highlighted items.

4)      Contacting us.   Call (603) 868-8064 or email Michael Behrendt, above, or Tracey Cutler, Administrative Assistant, at tcutler@ci.durham.nh.us.

5)      Recommended actions.   Actions recommended by the Town Planner are shown above.  The board may or may not take these actions and may take other actions not stated.

6)      10:00 pm.  The board will take up a new item of business after 10:00 pm at its discretion.

7)      Communication aids.  Please provide the Town 48-hours notice if any aids are needed.

8)      Next meeting.  The next regular board meeting will be on January 22, 2025.