Thursday, August 13, 2026

Public hearing on road and subdivision rule changes

Approved the amendments after a motion and second; all in favor.

The board held a public hearing on changes to the subdivision and site plan rules. The changes fix mismatched pavement widths by setting them at 24 feet instead of 20 feet. They also say the road agent decides pipe material and add a five-foot sidewalk to the road cross-section, as the ordinance requires. The town planner said the standards apply to newly built roads, and all new streets need a 50-foot right-of-way. There was no discussion at the hearing.

Preliminary talk on subdividing an Old Lee Rd lot

Two property owners said they want to divide their lot on Old Lee Rd and build a smaller 2,500 square foot home. The lot has 300 feet of road frontage and 4.5 acres. The town planner said the residential agricultural district requires 200 feet of frontage and 2 acres. He said the only way to divide the lot without building a road, which costs too much, is to ask the Zoning Board of Adjustment for a variance (permission to break a zoning rule for one property). A board member said a variance requires a hardship that is not about money and that relates to the property's unique features. She suggested getting the ZBA application and handbook from the town office and said applying does not guarantee approval. The chair said new rules allow accessory dwelling units up to 950 square feet, which is smaller than the planned home.

Pleasant St truck traffic complaint

Residents told the board that truck traffic and overnight parking on Pleasant St have grown beyond what the original Home Fashions site plan allowed, which was 1-2 trucks a day and no after-hours activity. They described noise, road wear, and damage to utility wires from trucks entering from the wrong direction. They said a 2022 noise ordinance change bans unloading and idling from 10:00pm to 7:00am, but it is hard to enforce. An alternate member said the Planning Board can only approve site plans and the Select Board handles enforcement. The town planner will review the original site plan and tell the Select Board of any violations. He said that if overnight parking is not on the plan, it is not allowed. Residents were told to send photos or other records to the town office.

Capital Improvement Plan update and survey

After meeting with the Rockingham Planning Commission in May, a member reported the Planning Board can update the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) without paying the commission. The board discussed doing a community survey itself or hiring the commission, noting similar surveys in other towns cost $4,000-$5,000. The Select Board representative will ask the Select Board whether the budget has money for a survey. Members also said the plan does not allow fees for remote impacts, and impact fees should be used only for clear, direct impacts. A member said unused impact fees must be returned if not spent within six years.

State law changes affecting local rules

The board reviewed new state laws on cul-de-sac lengths, buffers for multi-family and commercial zones, and tiny homes. The town planner will study the buffer law to see if conservation district buffers are affected. Under the new law, towns may allow tiny homes under set standards. Newfields' minimum home size effectively bans them unless the town adopts the new standards. A member said the town is not required to adopt them.

Possible rule on narrow, odd-shaped lots

The board discussed the need for an ordinance to prevent narrow, irregularly shaped lots.