Minutes
TOWN OF TEMPLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE
PLANNING BOARD
January 14, 2015
FINAL MINUTES OF PUBLIC MEETING
Board members present: Randy Martin, Camilla Lockwood, John Kieley, Mary Beth Ayvazian, Allan Pickman, and Tedd Petro
Call to order by Pickman at 7:29 p.m.
Pickman explained the appointment with Attorney Tom Hanna would be limited to 30 minutes and would address the proposed forest monastery. After that, agriculture issues would be discussed as a working session for the board but not as a public hearing where input is accepted. He told the audience they were welcome to stay and listen, and that a second public hearing on agriculture would take place later in the month.
Appointment re: Forest Monastery: Attorney Tom Hanna, representing Jeta Grove Foundation, made an initial presentation to the board regarding the establishment of a Buddhist forest monastery on the Kantner property in the north end of town. He provided an overview of the property as composed of 240 acres, 3 houses and 6 dwelling. Zoning approval for the monastery was obtained from the town’s Zoning Board of Adjustment on 11/20/14. Hanna indicated they are now seeking guidance from the Planning Board on what level of Site Plan Review (SPR) might be appropriate for a monastic residential community. He stated under SPR the Planning Board has authority to regulate regarding changes of use; the proposed monastery would alter the existing residential status to a non-residential (institutional) status. Hanna described the unique layout and lifestyle of a Buddhist forest monastery. At first there will be no new buildings and the individual forest huts (“kutis”) would be phased in over a span of years, up to a maximum of 24 allowed by the ZBA decision. In the first 5 years there would be 3 to 6 huts built, each measuring approximately 150-200 square feet, heated by wood or propane, possible electric from a small solar panel, no utilities and no kitchen, and a separate outhouse (allowed by the state). Each request for a new stretch of huts would require return to the Planning Board for SPR. Hanna said for 2015 only one hut would be built, and most of the work would be repair to existing buildings, which will be used for a worship hall (church), dining hall with meeting rooms, and residences for monks and novices, as well as laymen or visitors. He suggested possibly the Planning Board could have authority now to allow a change of use due to the communal nature of the existing buildings. Hanna also said they hoped to receive a waiver from the requirement of a complete survey of the 240 acres, mentioning previous partial surveys. Pickman stated the PB has typically waived this in similar situations, as it is not a subdivision, and suggested a GPS survey would be adequate, and there is no need to show 5 foot contours. If the monastery wanted to build a larger building, that specific area would need to be looked at. Huts would not need a building permit from the town if less than 125 square feet. Photos of types of huts and an aerial view showing possible placement of potential huts were reviewed. Pickman stated that based on what has been presented it seemed 1-2 huts per year “off in the woods” would not require the Planning Board to jump in. He suggested a simple master plan be drawn up by an engineer or surveyor. Hanna offered to file a written request for SPR along with a list of waivers, and then participate in a public hearing to accept the SPR/waivers. He anticipates this would occur in late February meeting or early March. Pickman advised this should be a short process and there is no need to notify abutters. He suggested Hanna submit a letter to the board before the hearing requesting waivers, and then the board could vote on it before the hearing. Parking was also mentioned, and Hanna said there was plenty of space for all intended uses.
Agriculture - proposed zoning changes: Pickman and the board discussed the agriculture draft he had written up after the last meeting, which would replace Section 12 language with four separate points, including Site Plan Review (SPR) for commercial agriculture. The board got into discussion about SPR, and Petro commented he felt after the last meeting the board was not going to do anything on agriculture this year, and Martin agreed. Lockwood commented she felt having the two documents for ag was confusing, and her sense from the public hearing was they should leave the ordinance for another day and move forward with SPR. At 8:01 p.m. it was agreed that due to the large size of the audience the meeting should be moved into the larger Town Hall auditorium. Pickman called the meeting back to order at 8:05 p.m.
Petro made a motion to table ag for the year, seconded by Martin. Pickman asked if the majority of the board felt that way. Lockwood responded the board should first decide what to do with the ordinance change, then what to do with SPR. Petro explained his motion to not have a second public hearing regarding ag, and take it up next year. Kieley responded there are two issues regarding agriculture, and he feels the board is unanimous in getting rid of the proposed zoning amendment. Ayvazian made a motion to delete 1,2,3 4 of the draft changes to the zoning ordinance relative to agriculture, and Petro then withdrew his motion. There was further discussion, and Ayvazian read the language to be deleted from the ordinance amendment, saying to the audience “we heard you”. Ayvazian then added a second part to her motion, that the board would “support the creation of a Temple agricultural committee to foster the education, mentoring, grant sourcing and monitoring of manure management among Temple farmers.” Pickman seconded the motion, and the board voted unanimously in favor.
Ayvazian then made a motion to make the following changes to Site Plan Review: “Delete the exemption for agriculture from Site Plan Review; have a modified Site Plan Review for smaller buildings 2,000 square feet or less; require larger buildings to through Site Plan Review.” Lockwood said she is in favor of Site Plan Review and read a statement into the record (attached), and then seconded Ayvazian’s motion. Kieley made a motion to amend, changing square footage requirements: “Buildings 2,000 square feet or less would not have to go through Site Plan Review; any building 2,001 to 5,000 square feet would go through Site Plan Review – Lite; any building over 5,000 square feet would go through regular Site Plan Review process.” This was seconded by Ayvazian.
Petro commented that in regard to these motions, he felt unable to process the information quickly, and would like to take the time to read and understand, and get community support to do properly. Kieley responded that the board can keep putting it off to try for perfection, or get something done today and improve on it in the future. He continued that the town is at risk today and he would like to give something to the voters to start. After further discussion, Kieley suggested a simplification to say, 1) anything less than 3,000 square feet does not go through Site Plan Review, 2) anything over 3,000 square feet would go through regular Site Plan Review, and 3) the board can allow waivers to conditions that do not apply. There was further discussion about size requirements, and then Kieley made an amendment to his motion: “Agricultural buildings up to 3,000 square feet do not go through Site Plan Review, and at 3,000 square feet or greater they must go through regular Site Plan Review.” This was seconded by Lockwood.
Ayvazian and Pickman reviewed the language:
- Delete exemption for agriculture from Site Plan Review
- Agricultural buildings up to and including 3,000 square feet shall not be required to go through Site Plan Review
- Any agricultural building greater than 3,000 square feet shall be required to go through regular Site Plan Review
At this point Pickman solicited audience comments and feedback for a short period of time. At 9:07 p.m. Pickman announced they were done with comments, and asked the board for a vote on the motion on the floor. The results were four in favor, with Petro and Martin opposed. Pickman announced the motion was carried. He told the crowd there would be a second public hearing held concerning this language, and the board cannot change the content or make any changes other than minor grammar or punctuation. Then it would be up to the voters.
The next regular meeting of the Planning Board will be Wednesday, January 21st, at 7:30 p.m.
The second public hearing concerning zoning amendments will be held on Wednesday, January 28th, at 7:30 p.m.
Approval of minutes: Deferred until next meeting.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:09 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Betsy Perry
~ Next meeting to be held on January 21, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. ~