Meredith Selectboard tables vote on policy for building permits on private, abandoned roads

MEREDITH — While one member made a motion to pass a policy about building on private and abandoned roads, no one offered a second, and the subject was tabled for further discussion with town counsel before a vote.

According to documents provided with the agenda for the meeting Aug. 10, the selectboard previously met with attorney Tim Sullivan to discuss the issuing of building permits for private roads. Town staff also met with Sullivan to review the permitting process and state requirements, and revised the proposed policy.

The document recommends the selectboard adopt the policy, drafted by Sullivan, to guide applicants looking to build. The goal is to streamline the permitting process. Without a policy, the selectboard would need to approve building permits on private roads not previously approved by the planning board.

Town Planner Angela LaBrecque spoke with the selectboard, saying currently, a proposal on a private road which hasn’t been reviewed and approved by the planning board would need to go to the planning board for review, before the selectboard approves it.

“That could be a two-month process, potentially, by the time they get on the agenda, go to the meeting of the planning board, and then come here,” LaBrecque said. “So, in order to streamline that, the road policy was put together when I met with Director [Craig] Hale and Chief [Ken] Jones.”

They expanded a couple of sections, LaBrecque said. The first part that needed updates was that “no building permit shall be granted by the board on a lot that does not have a minimum of 50 feet of frontage.”

“That’s our minimum road frontage requirement for subdivisions,” LaBrecque said. “That’s why we kept it consistent with that, and inserted it there.”

The second update is in the third section, which states the minimum road standard for Class VI highway or unapproved private roads used to access a building site. Added is that it shall have a road with a 20-foot width, and a vertical clearance of 13.5 feet, a depth that can hold emergency apparatus, and also an adequate turning radius.

“That would basically be handed to somebody who wanted to build on a private road, and if they met those requirements, then they would come here for their building permit, and not have to go to the planning board first,” LaBrecque said.

LaBrecque said the town has 111 private roads. Most have been reviewed and approved, and are on a subdivision plan recorded at the registry of deeds. She said there are about a dozen not approved by the planning board.

“That’s a small fraction.”

Selectboard member Lynn Leighton asked LaBrecque how this impacts making decisions. LaBrecque said the statute dictates those on a private road need to consult with the planning board before getting a permit to build, unless a road policy is in place.

“If you set up the road policy, and they meet it, it’s direct drive here,” LaBrecque said. “If not, then they have to go to the planning board, and the planning board says, ‘Well, 18 is good, or not,’ or something like that.”

Chair Steve Aiken said there was one recently, and LaBrecque said it was because, when Sullivan initially met with the board, he said all permits on private roads needed to go through this process. This was adjusted after he met with LaBrecque.

“If you’re on an approved subdivision plat by the planning board, that’s one circumstance that you don’t need to go to the selectboard,” LaBrecque said. “We read through it, and thought about it some more, and it’s not nearly as many as he initially thought it was going to be when you guys first met.”

Aiken asked if this means it will likely be “slim to none.” LaBrecque responded it “is not going to happen a lot.”

Some selectboard members held reservations.

“I just want to say I am not excited about this,” member Jeanie Forrester said. “I do, I guess, would like to have a conversation with the attorney, just to clarify a few things for me, so if we take a vote on this tonight, I wouldn’t be supporting it.”

Selectboard member Jim Gregoire moved to approve the policy. Leighton said she had the same mindset as Forrester.

With no member seconding the motion, Gregoire withdrew it, and Aiken said the issue would be tabled and an appointment would be made with Sullivan.