EquiVise gets special exception

EquiVise LLC/Birchwood Estates cleared the first hurdle in seeking to build 126 condominium units on 21 acres between Endicott Street and Pendleton Beach Road when the Zoning Board of Adjustment (the ZBA) granted a special exception for the project last night. Since the land lies within the Shorefront Residential zone, the special exception was required for a multi-family development.

After discussing the project for two hours in January, the ZBA deferred its decision, pending advice from the Police Department, Fire Department and Laconia Water Works (LWW) as well as a traffic study. Pat Wood, representing the developer, presented a letter from Police Chief Tom Oetinger saying the project would have no significant impact on the resources of his department. Likewise, Superintendent of the LWW Rodger "Mike" Matthewman said that water supplies were sufficient to serve the development.

Wood reported a conversation with Fire Chief Ken Erickson who, without raising specific misgivings about the project, stressed that rapid residential growth stretched the resources of the Weirs Station. Wood said Erickson estimated the annual cost of properly manning the station at $600,000. "That is a political decision," Wood said, but added the development would generate more than $450,000 a year in tax revenue, which together with the proceeds of other projects underway would defray the cost of adequate fire protection.

The traffic study, Wood told the board, concluded that the development would not be "a major traffic generator." He added that the projected traffic volumes included estimates for traffic generated by the Akwa Soleil project on Route 3 and the Havens at the Summit on White Oaks Road. However, the study recommended that "a bypass lane" be added to Endicott Street eastbound to enable traffic to turn left into the development.

Wood said that the two bedroom units, priced between $188,000 and $215,000, were intended for second-home buyers and consequently would not have a significant impact on school enrollments.

Greg Demund of 97 Ashley Drive, whose home backs on to the planned development, told the board he purchased his lot and built his home on the understanding that the adjacent property was zoned residential. "A multi-family development of 126 units is not consistent with the neighborhood," he said. There is a "for sale" sign on Demund's property.

Shirley Mento, the president of the Northern Heights Condominium Association on Endicott Street, also challenged the project. "The term second homes is highly overused," she said, explaining "there are no amenities in this development, no access to the lake or swimming pool. There's nothing that will draw second-home buyers to these units," she insisted. "There will be children in there. It will cost us all money in the long run."

Picking up on this theme, Kevin Souza said he calculated the cost per student in Laconia schools at $10,630. "If only half the units have just one child, that's more than $600,000. How do you guarantee there will be no children in here?" he asked.

Bill Blank, who lives next door to the Demunds on Ashley Drive, said bluntly "this is saturation building with no concern for the community or the people already there." As he left the meeting, he said he would also be putting up a "for sale" sign.

When discussion turned to the board Peter Mason expressed concerns about fire protection. Robert Smith, a veteran and former chairman of the Planning Board, explained that Erickson has consistently argued that while the size of his department is linked to the city's population, the number of dwellings significantly exceeds the number of people, leaving him short of manpower and resources. "I see that as a problem for the City Council," he said.

Furthermore, Smith pointed out objections to the number of units were misguided because the density requirements are the same, regardless of the type of housing. He said that a developer could build more than 60 duplexes on the same 21 acres without a special exception. "The only decision we have to make is are we going to allow multi-family, that is adjoining units, rather than free standing units," Smith said.

The ZBA voted four to one to grant the special exception with Smith joined by Chairman Steve Bogert, Brian Beaupre and George Horner in the majority and Mason the lone dissenter.