By Devon Cormier
Staff Writer

More than 50 people packed New Boston Town Hall for a controversial public hearing about a possible gravel operation in town, but a blunder by the planning and zoning boards prevented any decisions from being made. Another public hearing was scheduled for March.

Lull Road Corporation spent more than an hour presenting the plans for a proposed gravel operation on Lull Road on Tuesday, Feb. 15. A handful of experts went over traffic and environmental concerns with more than a dozen maps. After the presentation, the zoning and planning boards took a 10-minute recess so residents could peruse the maps.

During the break, the boards were notified that they had not sent plans of the proposal to abutters, a requirement for the public hearing. Because so many people had arrived for the hearing, the boards listened to testimony anyway, and scheduled another meeting for March 15, to the dismay of LRC and all who had helped in presenting the plans.

Attorney Charles Cleary represented LRC and discussed the plans in detail. Cleary said the property on Lull Road was purchased by LRC recently and the company intended to develop a cluster subdivision of singlefamily homes on the 50 acres. The company had to apply for a variance because they had proposed a density that was not permitted under slope regulations in the zoning for cluster subdivisions.

However, LRC did not meet all of the criteria for the variance because they did not show hardship. In other words, it was made clear that LRC would be able to use the land for a gravel operation if they did not get the variance, so it was denied by the zoning board.

Gravel operations are a permitted exception in areas zoned residential. The public hearing held on Feb. 15 was to determine whether LRC would be granted the special exception to begin a five-year gravel operation. The town’s oversight about public hearing requirements prevented any decisions from being made.

“LRC believes this land is a valuable resource and are now committed to to the gravel operation,” said Cleary. “However, the ultimate goal of this property is a subdivision.”

After the land has been mined for gravel, if the special exception is granted, the property will be flat enough for a subdivision. The land is next to the Piscataquog River and home to wetlands and wildlife.

In order to keep the land suitable for future homes, LRC has made an effort to leave a buffer of trees around the site. Only about 26 of the 50 acres will be excavated and the land will be reseeded and covered after it is mined in 5-acre increments.

“We always knew we could have a gravel operation, but we really used it as our last option,” said LRC co-owner Trist Gordon. “We tried to do things the most conservation friendly way, but now this is what the town is left with.”

Residents and abutters of the Lull Road area are disappointed about the change in events. Many of the eight residential properties abutting the proposed gravel operation said they are concerned about the noise, traffic and dust. Many spoke in favor of a subdivision.

However, a former gravel pit already exists on Lull Road, and the owner of that operation has granted LRC an easement to truck through their property so no trucks will drive down Lull Road.

Cleary said one person would be contracted to do the hauling and that person would haul away about 32 truck loads of sand and gravel each day using about 10 trucks. The trucks would go to down Twin Bridge Road and get onto either Route 77 or Route 114. A traffic consultant said the impact would be minimal but some residents, including some from Weare, worry that the volume of trucks would be unmanageable.

Five members of the planning and zoning boards were at the meeting and none had nameplates identifying themselves.

All members refused to disclose their names or comment for thisstory. Some suggested getting meeting minutes for background rather than asking board members themselves. The appointed members of the zoning board are: Edward DiPietro, Harry Piper, Gregory Mattison and Phillip Consolini. Chairman Craig Todd was not at the meeting and alternates who may have been present are Jeff Lavoie and Robert Todd, Sr. Members of the planning board are Chairman Peter Hogan, members Travis Daniels and Robert Furey and alternate Donald Duhaime.