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August 22. 2012 1:12AM
Planners approve additional lot for Harvest Estates
DERRY — The Planning Board recently approved a lot line change that will allow for an additional house lot at the Harvest Estates subdivision on Harvest Drive near Hampstead Road.
However, one board member abstained from the vote on the lot line change, saying he disagreed with the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s variance in May that allowed for a two-acre lot in a residential district that requires three-acre lots.
The lot line adjustment slices off a 1.6-acre parcel off the 4.6-acre lot owned by Victor and Gail Violette on Hampstead Road. A series of small adjustments with other Harvest Estate properties on Harvest Drive brings the lot up to two acres and allows for the required frontage on Harvest Drive, according to project engineer Tim Peloquin. He said that although the new lot is in a district zoned for three-acre lots, it borders the district allowing for two-acre lots.
The additional lot increases the size of the subdivision from 30 to 31 lots.
However, board member Jim MacEachern abstained from voting on the lot line change, stating he did not agree with the ZBA variance.
“Somebody is always going to be the next lot over,” he said. “The rule is that it is three-acre zoning. I have no authority over this, but luckily I wasn’t on the zoning board because I don’t see a hardship here.”
Peloquin said there was an alternative plan that would have created a three-acre lot with more lot line adjustments from other Harvest Estate properties, but that it would have created more irregular-shaped lots.
“The two-acre lot met the set-back requirements and looked normal,” he said.
According to Peloquin, the portion of the lot the Violettes are selling to Harvest Estates is undeveloped.
“The large area looks like a house lot, but it’s not,” he said. “It is strictly wooded backland.”
The other six Planning Board members voted in favor of the lot line change to create the new two-acre lot.
“I’ll abstain,” said MacEachern. “I don’t agree with the Zoning Board, but not enough to say no.”
Adam Swift may be reached at aswift@newstote.com.
However, one board member abstained from the vote on the lot line change, saying he disagreed with the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s variance in May that allowed for a two-acre lot in a residential district that requires three-acre lots.
The lot line adjustment slices off a 1.6-acre parcel off the 4.6-acre lot owned by Victor and Gail Violette on Hampstead Road. A series of small adjustments with other Harvest Estate properties on Harvest Drive brings the lot up to two acres and allows for the required frontage on Harvest Drive, according to project engineer Tim Peloquin. He said that although the new lot is in a district zoned for three-acre lots, it borders the district allowing for two-acre lots.
The additional lot increases the size of the subdivision from 30 to 31 lots.
However, board member Jim MacEachern abstained from voting on the lot line change, stating he did not agree with the ZBA variance.
“Somebody is always going to be the next lot over,” he said. “The rule is that it is three-acre zoning. I have no authority over this, but luckily I wasn’t on the zoning board because I don’t see a hardship here.”
Peloquin said there was an alternative plan that would have created a three-acre lot with more lot line adjustments from other Harvest Estate properties, but that it would have created more irregular-shaped lots.
“The two-acre lot met the set-back requirements and looked normal,” he said.
According to Peloquin, the portion of the lot the Violettes are selling to Harvest Estates is undeveloped.
“The large area looks like a house lot, but it’s not,” he said. “It is strictly wooded backland.”
The other six Planning Board members voted in favor of the lot line change to create the new two-acre lot.
“I’ll abstain,” said MacEachern. “I don’t agree with the Zoning Board, but not enough to say no.”
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Adam Swift may be reached at aswift@newstote.com.
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