The Planning Board convened on September 10 to address a range of topics, including proposed amendments to site plan review landscaping regulations, a subdivision application, and requests for zoning ordinance changes related to parking space dimensions and food service at Snow’s Mountain. The meeting drew significant public input on the landscape regulations, ultimately leading the Board to vote to modify the proposal before any adoption.
Landscape Regulation Amendments to Undergo Further Revision
The Board opened a public meeting to discuss proposed amendments to the site plan review regulations concerning landscaping. The chair explained that existing regulations — using phrases such as “due regard shall be given,” “sufficient buffer strips,” and “adequate landscaping” — are aspirational, vague, and unenforceable. The proposed amendments, developed by a now-disbanded landscape committee based on recommendations from the SE Group and research into other New Hampshire towns, aim to establish defined, measurable, and consistently applied standards. (link)
A resident expressed strong disappointment with the proposed amendments, characterizing the document as overly burdensome for a town of Waterville Valley’s size. The resident questioned the origins of the regulations, suggesting they were drawn from much larger municipalities, and argued that requiring developers to comply with detailed landscaping standards — potentially costing $10,000 to $15,000 or more in landscape architect fees — would deter economic activity at a time when local businesses are already struggling. (link)
James Sununu, representing Waterville Valley Resort and Tyrell Development Co., echoed concerns about the choice of reference towns, noting that the initial reference municipalities — Durham, Hanover, and Wilmot — are college towns with vastly different economies, far larger commercial land areas, and higher populations. He suggested instead looking at tourism-based communities such as Meredith, Wolfeboro, and Conway. Sununu raised specific concerns about tree replacement ratios, requirements for plant species inventories, and landscaping islands in parking lots — all of which, he argued, add significant cost and are incompatible with the dense commercial development called for in the town’s master plan. He recommended that the Board use its existing authority to negotiate specific landscaping conditions with developers on a case-by-case basis rather than adopting a comprehensive regulatory framework. (link)
Board members acknowledged the concerns. One member noted that tree replacement under the proposal is not one-for-one and uses smaller caliper trees, and that the document includes multiple provisions allowing the Board to waive requirements for site-specific constraints. Another member raised concerns about the consistency implications of waiver clauses — noting that if a waiver is granted for one developer, it may need to be granted for the next — and confirmed through conversations with landscape architect contacts that the regulations could impose five-figure additional costs on applicants. A third member observed that while the regulations’ intent is sound, they may not be well-suited to Waterville Valley’s unique situation, where commercial land is extremely limited and the town’s master plan calls explicitly for dense development in the town core.
After extensive discussion, the Board voted to modify the proposed landscape amendment rather than adopt it as presented. (link) A special meeting was scheduled for September 28 at 5 p.m. to work through specific modifications. The Board indicated it would look to tourism-economy towns — including Meredith, Wolfeboro, Conway, Carroll, and Jackson — as more appropriate reference communities.
Jerauld Adams Subdivision Application Approved
The Planning Board held a public hearing on a subdivision application from Jerauld Adams, who sought to divide an existing 1.9-acre parcel at 31 Greeley Hill Road (Map 104, Lot 10) into two lots, creating a new 0.51-acre lot on the westerly side of the road. The parcel is bisected by Greeley Hill Road. The agent for the applicant, a representative of Sanborn and Towle Surveying, presented the application. (link)
Two waivers were requested:
Waiver for existing and proposed contours: The application provided two-foot interval contours for the proposed lot but did not extend the required 100 feet beyond the subdivision boundary. The applicant argued that because the subject property sits at a lower elevation than surrounding properties, offsite runoff would flow onto — not from — the lot, and that sending surveyors onto neighboring private property to gather additional topographic data is legally and practically difficult. (link)
Waiver for existing buildings on abutting lots: The applicant stated there were no structures on abutting lots in close proximity to the proposed lot requiring detailed measurement. During discussion, a board member suggested that, as a condition of granting this waiver, the plan should define setback locations on the parcel to establish the buildable area for any future development. This condition was incorporated. (link)
The Board voted to grant both waivers. (link) Following waiver approval, the Board voted to accept the Jerauld Adams subdivision application as complete and subsequently approved the subdivision, confirming that the new 0.51-acre lot meets Low-Density Residential (LDR) zoning requirements and is a buildable lot. (link)
Parking Space Dimensions and Food Service at Snow’s Mountain
James Sununu, representing Waterville Valley Resort and Tyrell Development Co., presented two requests related to zoning ordinance amendments.
Parking space dimensions: As part of the Adventure Center site plan approval, the resort agreed to pave several dirt parking areas using the 10-by-20-foot parking space standard specified in the zoning ordinance. Upon initial grading and survey work, it was determined that the 10-by-20 standard is larger than every existing parking space in the village — at the town offices, the White Mountain Athletic Club, the school, and other commercial lots — all of which use a 9-by-19-foot standard. Sununu noted that adjusting to 9-by-19 would reduce impervious surface and required cutting and grading by approximately 1,000 square feet. He clarified that, because the standard is set in the zoning ordinance rather than the site plan regulations, a site plan modification alone is insufficient; a zoning ordinance amendment would be required. He requested that the Board consider placing a warrant article before Town Meeting to change the off-street parking dimensional standard from 10-by-20 to 9-by-19 feet. The Board agreed to consider putting forward such a warrant article and to discuss the matter further at the next meeting. (link)
Food service at Snow’s Mountain: Sununu requested that the Board consider a zoning ordinance amendment to add “food service establishments and lounges without drive-through service” as an accessory use in the Snow’s Mountain Special Zoning District — the same category already permitted as an accessory use in HDR, Special Civic, and Recreation zoning districts. The request was prompted by the use of a food truck at the BBTS parking lot, which was subsequently determined to be technically impermissible under the current use table. (link)
The Board reviewed the history of the Snow’s Mountain Special Zoning District, which was established in 2012 for sports and academic purposes associated with the Waterville Valley BBTS Snowsport Education Foundation, explicitly excluding restaurants, lounges, and retail operations. (link) Board members raised practical concerns — including the absence of trash disposal facilities and restrooms in the area — and noted that any amendment would need to address these issues. The Board also discussed whether permitting food service as an accessory use would conflict with the foundational purpose of the special zone.
After discussion, the Board agreed by consensus to initiate the procedure for a zoning ordinance amendment to allow accessory food service in the Snow’s Mountain Special Zoning District, with the understanding that associated conditions — including landowner consent from the BBTS foundation, trash removal, and restroom access — would be addressed during the process. The matter was placed on the agenda for the next regular meeting. (link)
Select Board Report: Wastewater Treatment Plant Cost Trends
A Select Board member reported positive developments regarding the wastewater treatment plant project. New information from the engineering firm indicates that the projected build cost has decreased by approximately $10 million, with further reductions under consideration. The Board is pursuing multiple grants and loans on behalf of the town. The report noted that the scope has shifted from building for anticipated future expansion to meeting current needs while retaining the ability to expand later. One cost-reduction measure discussed was deferring the purchase of a graphite filter designed to address PFAS chemicals, as there is currently no regulatory requirement to install one. (link)
Upcoming Meetings
- Special Meeting – September 28 at 5 p.m.: Discussion of potential modifications to the site plan review landscaping regulations.
- Regular Planning Board Meeting – October 8 at 8:30 a.m.