Laconia Planning Board Preview

The Planning Board will begin the new year with a full plate of proposed projects that promise to boost Laconia's population. On Monday night's agenda alone, the board will be considering proposals for 195 new residential units — 60 apartments and 135 single-family homes — spread among three projects stretching from one end of the city to the other.

Phil Brouillard of Mountain Lakes Village, LLC will present plans for a 65 lot cluster subdivision on 35 acres on Mile Hill Road. The project includes another 9 lots across the town line in Belmont, which were the subject of a design review at the Belmont Planning Board on December 8.

Brouillard plans moderately priced single family homes, ranging from $170,000 to $250,000 for the site. The less expensive residences would be ranch style modular homes with walk-out basements for additional living space. The more expensive homes would be stick-built in traditional designs, including capes, colonial and salt boxes as well as some "traditional looking contemporary" houses.

"I'm trying to go back to an old-fashioned kind of neighborhood for young families," Brouillard explained, "where people know one another and children can play safely. This project is for people who live and work in Laconia and want to build a home here," he continued. "This is for us."

He said the more expensive homes would be built in Belmont, where larger lots are required and the elevations are higher and the views more spectacular.

Brouillard is also planning a multi-family apartment development of some 85 units between Provincial and Appleridge roads, which he expects to bring to the Planning Board for a design review in February.

"The Havens at the Summit," planned for White Oaks Road by Handly Management Company, would be targeted to second-home buyers. Attorney Rod Dyer notes in the application that the target market for the project would "rule out a high proportion of families with school age children."

The project consists of a 64 lot cluster subdivision on 51 acres and a 6 lot standard subdivision on 8.7 acres. The single-family homes overlooking Paugus Bay and the Weirs would be priced between $200,000 and $350,000 and served by private roads and infrastructure. A series of walking trails is contemplated that would link the residences to the Prescott Farm Audobon Center and the "amenity center" at the Summit timeshare community.

Finally, the board will get its first close look at the plans of the Laconia Housing Authority (LHA) and Brox Industries to redevelop the Scott and Williams factory building at Busy Corner. The LHA proposes to divide the top three floors of the building into 60 rental units, most of them two-bedroom apartments with two one-bedroom and one three-bedroom unit on each floor. The units, targeted to households with annual incomes between $25,000 and $42,000, would be let at near market or full market rents.

The ground floor would be shared between a day care center and a medical clinic with each occupying 10,000 square feet.

Six adjacent and attached structures, all owned by Brox Industries, would be demolished, including the north wing of the building fronting on Union Avenue and the brick building facing Strafford Street. Altogether nine businesses renting space in the factory itself and neighboring buildings would be displaced by the project.

Several nearby lots, also owned by Brox Industries, would be developed for parking and the rear lot bordered by Davis Place, Jewett Brook and the Winnipesaukee River would be converted to open green space.

The $12 million project will be financed with tax credits administered by the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority as well as grants and loans from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The project has been presented to the board for a design review pending submission of a formal application.