by Kieron Kramer
There were two public hearings held before the Grafton Planning Board regular meeting at 7 pm on Monday, December 15. The first one, at 6:40, concerned the Michael Longo minor subdivision at 132 North Shore Road; the second one, at 6:50, concerned the Kenneth Maxfield minor subdivision at 321 Jay Hakes Road.
[private]Longo Subdivision On North Shore Road
Last month Michael Longo applied for a minor subdivision at 132 North Shore Road at Babcock Lake. Longo wants to separate a 40 foot wide strip from his property to sell to Shawn and Catherine Nealon, his neighbors across the road. The strip runs about 276 feet from North Shore Road along the east side of the Longo property and will provide Nealon’s family with boating access to Babcock Lake next to Inspiration Point. Babcock Lake is a cherished site in Grafton, and the development along the shore is very carefully scrutinized, not only by Planning Board Chairman Tom Withcuskey but by the members of the Babcock Lake Estates, a property owners’ association, as well. So, it was not surprising that there were two speakers at the public hearing regarding this subdivision.
The first speaker was Jan Shields, President of the Babcock Lake Estates. She said that her members were concerned about the possibility of clear cutting the 40 foot strip. Before this meeting, however, Shields had spoken to both Longo and Nealon, and they assured her that there would be no clear cutting on the property. Nealon will just do some thinning in order to view the Lake, Shields said, and is buying the property to “prevent building across the road from him.” Accordingly, she said that she had no objection to the subdivision. Shields also read part of a letter she received from Mary Kelley, a Babcock Lakes Estates member who lives on the Lake, who was concerned with the environmental stewardship of the land.
Next to speak was Bob Gardner who lives at 136 North Shore Road. His property abuts the new parcel to the east. He has also talked to Nealon and Longo over possible “ecological factors.” His example was a log that he said was fifty years old and is “full of turtles.” There were 19 turtles there recently, he said. The log is an “ecological focus point and people come to see it.” Gardner said he had received assurances from Nealon that the log would be left alone. “I just want to go on the record about the turtle habitat,” he said. “I don’t want to be associated with ‘turtle murders,'” he added jokingly. He also asked about whether a boat launch would be built on the new Nealon property. “I am the next door neighbor and people will be asking me these questions,” he said.
When the subdivision was addressed later at the regular meeting, Withcuskey responded to the concerns that were raised in the Public Hearing. He has had many meetings with Michael Longo and Shawn Nealon, he said, and received the same assurances as the others. He said that Nealon will “clean out most of the hemlock stand and the dead trees” on the parcel and that “this would be an advantage to all the neighbors.” Regarding the possibility of a dock at the site, Withcuskey said that Nealon had no intention of building a dock, the water line and waterfront will not be disturbed and all he wants is “a path to the lake for his kids to put in a boat.” He also said that the water is very shallow there and that there is no restriction on docks. “People are entitled to have a dock,” he said and added that Nealon could use a neighbor’s boat launch; “all the neighbors there cooperate.” Withcuskey reiterated that this was a non-realty subdivision because the new lot is less than five acres (it’s .19 acres), will have no construction on it and no electricity or water. “The distances there would never allow development there,” he said. He then made a motion to approve the Longo subdivision, and the Board voted unanimously to do so. Withcuskey reminded William Darling, who represents Longo in this matter, that the plot map to be filed with the County that Withcuskey must sign must contain the statement that this is a non-realty subdivision. Darling said it would.
Maxfield Subdivision On Jay Hakes Road
Last month Kenneth Maxfield applied for a simple subdivision at 321 Jay Hakes Road. The public hearing on his application was held at 6:50 on Monday. There were no public comments made at the hearing. Later, during the regular meeting, William Darling briefly explained that Maxfield wanted to separate 6 acres with road frontage out of his 45 acres, with a strip between existing parcels to provide access to the property behind the subdivided parcel. Withcuskey made a motion to approve the Maxfield subdivision, and the Board voted unanimously to do so.
Secretary Jessica Crandall Resigns
After ten minutes of silence during the Maxfield Public Hearing, the regular Planning Board meeting was convened at 7 pm sharp. The minutes of the previous meeting were approved by a unanimous vote. There was no new business and no informal discussion. There was news however – this was Planning Board Secretary Jessica Crandall’s last meeting.
Chairman Withcuskey announced that Crandall was resigning her position due to scheduling conflicts with her academic courses and with her job. “On behalf of the [Planning] Board and the Town, I’d like to thank her for her time and dedication,” Withcuskey said. Crandall has been the Planning Board Secretary for about seven years, she said, and added that she was happy to serve the Town. Crandall, who is easy on the eyes, said she would miss working with the Planning Board members. (These are four somewhat grumpy old guys.) Withcuskey said that he thought it was really important to have young people like Crandall participating in Town government.
The meeting adjourned at 7:03 after Withcuskey wished all the residents of Grafton a safe and happy holiday.
The next meeting of the Planning Board will be held on January 26 rather than the third Monday due to the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on January 19. Those attending the meeting will notice how brilliant the new LED lights are at the Town Hall.[/private]