Westmoreland Zoning Board of Adjustment

Meeting of November 25, 2009

Corrected Minutes as of December 23, 2009

 

An audio recording of this meeting is available on disk at the Town Hall.

 

Present: Chairman Peter Remy, Barry Shonbeck, John Burt, Russ Huntley

Chairman Remy called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm.

 

Molly McMillan Hearing: Ms. McMillan requested a Special Exception of

Article 501-B, Table 503 to have an Occupational Therapy practice at her residence,

111 Owl’s Hill Road to treat clients with injuries or disabilities. The practice would

be limited to approximately four clients per day.

 

Findings of Fact

Chairman Remy and the other Board members examined the completeness of the

application and confirmed that all of the abutters had been properly notified. Ms.

McMillan was invited to discuss her request. She explained that she has a young

daughter and that she would like to be able to have a part-time occupational therapy

practice from her home for the next year or two.

Mr. Remy inquired about the hours of operation and the days of the week and the number

of clients per day. Ms. McMillan said there would be approximately four clients per day

during the work week and regular business hours.

Mr. Shonbeck suggested that the request be amended from a Home Business to a Home

Occupation as there would be no additional employees and no alterations to the property.

Mr. Remy invited comments from the public.

Donna Brand, an abutter, expressed concerned about the increased number of cars on the

quiet dead-end road.

Russ Martens, who lives about three miles away, inquired where on Owl’s Hill the

property is located. Ms. McMillan said it is at the top of the hill.

There were no other comments from the public.

The Board voted affirmatively and unanimously on each of the five conditions for

granting a Special Exception. Mr. Remy suggested that Ms. McMillan contact the

Planning Board to make sure she did not need Planning Permission.

Cersosimo Industries Hearing: Cersosimo Industries requests a Special Exception of

Article 501D, Table 505 #1 of the Westmoreland Zoning Ordinance for the

quarrying of gravel at their property, Lot 20, on River Road, adjacent to their

existing gravel pit on Lot 19.

Findings of Fact

Chairman Remy asked the Board members to review the completeness of the application

and confirmed that all of the abutters had been properly notified.

Mr. Remy began the hearing by explaining to Mr. Michael Cersosimo that although there

were four board members present, only three members would vote on this application.

The fourth Board member, Russ Huntley, could participate in the questioning and

discussion but had recused himself from voting because he is employed by SVE, the

same engineering firm which had designed the plan for Lot 20 and would be presenting

that plan to the Board.

Mr. Cersosimo asked for a clarification of the voting and Mr. Remy explained that all

three of the Board members eligible to vote would need to vote in the affirmative since

the Special Exception requires three affirmative votes.

Mr. Cersosimo decided that he would rather wait until the Board was more complete and

asked for his hearing to be continued to the next meeting on December 23rd. He

apologized for bringing everyone out on Thanksgiving Eve.

The Cersosimo Industies hearing was continued until December 23rd, 2009.

Although the hearing had ended, members of the public wanted to speak.

Samantha Shad requested that Mr. Remy recuse himself. Mr. Remy noted her request.

She asked to read relevant law. The Chair requested that she present it in writing. She

asked if the Chair was refusing to allow her to read the law into the record. The Chair

then allowed her to read the holding in Winslow v. town of Holderness planning Board,

125 NH 262 (1984).

Pam Martens of River Road said that Chairman Remy should also recuse himself because

the parent company of his employer, Old Castle, is in the same business as Cersosimo

Industries: gravel and aggregate.

Paul Berch of River Road spoke in appreciation for the Board who were doing a

community service and had met even at a time that might be inconvenient, Thanksgiving

Eve.