[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6474384,"mediaKeyId","5740140-dbb3438e9e80ce93c62326985e1d657e","parentId",5740140,"title","Planning board approves major amendment to Route 9 gravel pit with strict monitoring, blasting and insurance conditions","audioSeconds",3760,"startMs",2850000,"endMs",6610000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5740140-dbb3438e9e80ce93c62326985e1d657e&start=2850&end=6610","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5740140-dbb3438e9e80ce93c62326985e1d657e/thumbnail_2850000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6474384/New-Hampshire/Planning-board-approves-major-amendment-to-Route-9-gravel-pit-with-strict-monitoring-blasting-and-insurance-conditions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474384-8beb212e016437bd1d6e5ea845dd7ee9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770687500&Signature=dzHkvPLNHAYbjolCQOagKfOlYBr15j04xg4jFAnGQsdigEJUHzDHHhCH0wFN4cPDEe8UQt2mzU0gNUEqBGO2C5SMI5jiB2cbz1T6BtuHBH2fYalsQgeyIS8Jo5M8Ivs8CQ~MEG~ELt4Mao64F~hpA~CFDoLJ0pGdkBnpRAIZAdi7Mun3j8MQ~97RmT3w7AFQu53miCE8a8xTWo83u0u7uE90-nchBAtErAe~274ZgHSHLQF5dwjKgr3aKBFGgH5nn2OzYwzbQwqNjMB8fBKSSFFVt8lJQR5oe1DSURmIy8-OIEsPWdxvr9BR-2ialogYs9Djj95pHZBY7snZdXsisA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author"," City of Keene, New Hampshire","date","2025-09-09T20:51:43Z","article","The Keene Planning Board voted to approve a major amendment to an earth‑excavation permit and a hillside‑protection conditional‑use permit for an expanded gravel pit on Route 9 (PB-2024-20), adding a package of conditions addressing erosion control, groundwater monitoring, blasting monitoring, reclamation and insurance.

The applicant, Granite Engineering LLC, on behalf of owner G2 Holdings LLC, sought to expand an existing operation on two parcels that together total roughly 109 acres in the rural district and requested waivers from several Land Development Code provisions, including the 250‑foot surface‑water setback, prohibitions on toxic/acid‑forming materials and the five‑acre excavation maximum. Planning staff and outside consultants had previously reviewed the application and the board continued deliberations on conditions at the special meeting.

After the board’s initial motion to approve, members proposed and adopted several additional, specific conditions by amendment. Key conditions added in the final approval include:

- Precedence and security: submission of owner signatures, final plan sets (paper and digital), and sufficient security to cover sedimentation/erosion control, stormwater management and reclamation for each permit period prior to starting work.

- Ongoing monitoring and reporting: monthly third‑party inspections by a qualified, licensed professional for erosion control and stormwater; monthly groundwater and surface‑water level monitoring across permit periods with a 24‑hour reporting requirement for any adverse impacts; semiannual groundwater‑quality testing during operations and for two years after reclamation.

- Seasonal high water table confirmation: installation and monitoring of designated monitoring wells (referring to the location B R W‑09 and a monitoring well in permit period 1) to confirm revised grades will be at least six feet above the seasonal high water table prior to work in affected phases.

- Blasting controls and monitoring: compliance with New Hampshire Administrative Rule Saf‑C 1600 series vibration and air‑overpressure standards; a licensed independent third‑party blasting consultant acceptable to the city must install seismographs at selected structures and other sensitive receptors within a two‑mile radius (with focus on closest residences, wells and sensitive receptors), record vibration and overpressure for the first blast, and submit certified monitoring reports to the Community Development Department within 14 days of the blast. If monitoring shows exceedances, blasting must cease until corrective measures and additional third‑party monitoring are completed at the applicant’s expense.

- Insurance: the applicant must maintain a commercial general liability policy with an endorsement for blasting and excavation exposures (covering structure/well damage, groundwater/surface water contamination, fly rock, etc.), with coverage of no less than $5,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence and naming the City of Keene as an additional insured. Proof of insurance and endorsements must be submitted prior to permit issuance and renewed annually.

- Hours and acreage limits: excavation activities are limited to 7 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday; areas of unreclaimed, inactive and active excavation shall not exceed 12 acres at any one time; buffer areas shall not be used for storage of stumps, boulders or debris.

- Traffic and DOT coordination: the board included a requirement that, because the approved operation is larger than the originally permitted footprint, the applicant apply to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation for an updated driveway permit and communicate DOT recommendations to the board through community development staff. The board also included a contingency requiring a traffic management plan if traffic exceeds the thresholds cited in prior traffic memoranda.

Board members extensively discussed process concerns, public testimony timing and whether an alternate who sat on earlier hearings should vote. The board resolved a procedural dispute during deliberations and proceeded with the vote. Several board members and staff described the approval as the product of extended review and incorporation of recommendations from city and independent consultants. The applicant indicated willingness to comply with the adopted conditions; the applicant noted some measures (for example, insurance endorsements) may require coordination with subcontractors and insurers.

The board called the motion and approved PB‑2024‑20. The motion passed with one recorded vote in opposition. Staff will track condition compliance, the required monitoring reports, and any DOT responses as the excavation proceeds. The approval includes several precedent and subsequent conditions; the applicant must provide required permits, monitoring information and security before work begins.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Special Planning Board Meeting - 09/08/25","oneSentenceSummary","After extended deliberations, the Keene Planning Board approved a major amendment and hillside protection conditional-use permit for an expanded gravel pit on Route 9, imposing monitoring, blasting controls, groundwater testing, revegetation, insurance and traffic follow‑up conditions. The motion passed with one recorded vote opposed.","taxTitle","Keene Planning, Licenses and Development Committee, Keene, Cheshire County, New Hampshire","taxId",68533,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6474389,"Board grants Cottage Court conditional-use permit to convert Elm Street barn into two apartments",1607,1163000,2770000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5740140-dbb3438e9e80ce93c62326985e1d657e&start=1163&end=2770","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5740140-dbb3438e9e80ce93c62326985e1d657e/thumbnail_1163000.jpg","/articles/6474389/New-Hampshire/Board-grants-Cottage-Court-conditional-use-permit-to-convert-Elm-Street-barn-into-two-apartments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474389-73a496e4b6ab316f7cc5b3815bb5c079/orig.mp4?Expires=1770687500&Signature=GElTsngami2EdNBTQF5g6bk6MRCWeKNigZnTt1G4lkYoG9AIWxch50liY6MdLwnqwqT4kgKSU4m3tYWZIrVNCkhCBUH~4bnwAV7-QJpPF-tcm14EzH~xJDJwCDBg-0u3EcdJCHuecfHjKYoYIz77E52T-~NxdRhb73xECwaSw9cCJ-VePeX9aAZjparm8GMLMRJ5ygC3KAaYRwGLHoevsod1AotjBdZV34DN50SCf3kdsceVVXFLomvfRt32cLLL2nV6eGtUl7q75LY1MSZMSKjyJ7egn3Z2DNE0TqWoyzHn5AP9Ug-PzgxjXEtPtfslBZ97hYuMfyQC3yE~lN8GHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Keene Planning Board approved a Cottage Court conditional-use permit to convert an existing barn at 429 Elm Street into two additional dwelling units, increasing the property’s unit count from three detached single-family structures to five total units on a 0.48-acre lot.

Planner Evan Clements summarized staff findings: the barn conversion would create a two‑bedroom/one‑bath unit and a one‑bedroom/one‑bath unit, resulting in five units and nine total bedrooms. The site contains eight existing parking spaces; staff determined the proposal meets the Cottage Court parking standard (minimum one space per unit, maximum one space per bedroom). Staff also reported that the property is a legal nonconforming multi‑building residential site that would be brought into conformance with the city’s zoning if the conditional-use permit is granted.

Applicant George Hansel of H.G. Johnson Real Estate presented the application on behalf of owners Joe Bagster and JC and C Rentals LLC. Hansel said the conversion would be primarily an interior fit‑out of the roughly 1,120‑square‑foot barn; exterior changes are limited to replacing three overhead garage doors with conventional doors, expanding dormers for headroom, and updating windows for energy efficiency. He told the board the project would not expand any building footprints and that the average gross floor area per unit (existing plus new) would be about 900 square feet, below the Cottage Court limits (maximum average 1,250 sq ft per unit and maximum 900 sq ft footprint per unit).

Board members asked about parking and site circulation; Councilor Mike Remy and others noted the site’s unusual U‑shaped driveway and suggested the owners consider restriping parking to improve access. Hansel said the owners are likely to review and possibly re‑stripe the parking as part of the work.

Conditions included in the board motion were standard precedent items: the owner’s signature on the site plan and submission of five paper copies and one digital copy of the final site plan prior to final approval and signature. The board voted to approve PB-2025-15 with those conditions; the motion carried with no recorded opposition.

The board and applicant noted that any required building permits will be reviewed by the Building Department for compliance with building, fire and life‑safety codes before occupancy. The approval makes the property’s current multiple‑principal‑use configuration conforming under the cottage court overlay, but construction and building permits remain subject to separate review.","The Keene Planning Board approved a conditional-use permit under the cottage court overlay to convert an existing barn at 429 Elm Street into two dwelling units, bringing the site’s total units to five. Staff and the applicant said the project keeps exterior changes minimal and complies with size and parking standards.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6474393,"Planning board approves boundary line adjustment on Eastern Ave; owner cites possible future solar array",1008,151000,1159000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5740140-dbb3438e9e80ce93c62326985e1d657e&start=151&end=1159","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5740140-dbb3438e9e80ce93c62326985e1d657e/thumbnail_151000.jpg","/articles/6474393/New-Hampshire/Planning-board-approves-boundary-line-adjustment-on-Eastern-Ave-owner-cites-possible-future-solar-array","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474393-24986f0e8ff9e7740ea3ca943a22edca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770687500&Signature=RphbFKLJj1hKzdEqBu~55Mo0CF~1R1GUEj6tiBV54f4ofIQOJ0VhcT7Y15bSZtKP3~tDXOwoR1hvFQUvbST3OlHDjV8ja6DTyMH22elzWSrPXHvHpgapRHa~B4vpovuHgNzTnH6tpaRaR7o8cpK~kwbWSJD1byMWRmy-Q~OllHEgoYYSD5Xc14aObRN8N2ashH2odUEx6xFrt-RMRrUr7IYUNd8FskWIbid6bbaBbVxFdWTbH1bPTcekIesZXyH~o90SxuDvN1DfwQTZddKuVD2qZSnbiG3WQngYPaVzUi45SBZDiZ-0WT57vcsBJstg1WYJe7W4vWJFXn6Mw53nMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Keene Planning Board approved a boundary line adjustment that transfers approximately 0.22 acres from 130 Eastern Ave to the adjacent parcel at 124–126 Eastern Ave, both in the city’s low-density zoning district.

Planner Evan Clements told the board the applicant requested exemptions from separate existing/proposed conditions plans and technical reports, and staff recommended accepting the application as complete. The board voted to accept the application as complete and later voted to approve the boundary line adjustment with standard precedent conditions including the owner’s signature on the plan, submission of mylars and a $51 recording-fee check, and inspection or security for lot monumentation.

Applicant George Hansel of H.G. Johnson Real Estate, representing owner Terry Bishop, said the transfer would move a rear portion of one parcel to the other and that no development was proposed with the application. Hansel told the board the lots will remain compliant with dimensional requirements after the change. ‘‘There is some wetlands that have been delineated on this plan,’’ he said, and staff confirmed a licensed wetland scientist had delineated a stream and a 30-foot wetland buffer shown on the plans.

Bishop said the extra area would allow him to explore a ground-mounted solar array and told the board he planned to sell electricity back to the grid. Bishop said he expected the array to produce ‘‘about 750,000 kilowatt‑hours’’ of electricity; Hansel and staff noted that any future solar installation would require separate review and must meet zoning and other standards if and when that proposal is submitted.

Staff summarized the parcels’ existing conditions: before the transfer, 130 Eastern Ave is about 0.57 acres and 124–126 Eastern Ave is about 0.99 acres; after the transfer staff reported the resulting sizes would be about 0.34 acres for 130 Eastern Ave and 1.21 acres for 124–126 Eastern Ave. Planning staff also made a preliminary determination that the project was not a development of regional impact.

The board approved the boundary line adjustment. Conditions of final approval include the owner’s signature on the proposed BLA plan, submittal of two mylars, payment of recording fees, and inspection (or security) for lot monumentation prior to recording. The board’s approval did not authorize construction or any solar installation; it only authorized the lot-line change described in the approved plan.

The application references TMP numbers 588-031-000 and 588-032-000 and was reviewed under the City of Keene Land Development Code provisions cited in staff materials. No public testimony was recorded opposing the boundary line adjustment at the meeting.","Keene Planning Board approved a boundary line adjustment transferring 0.22 acres between two low-density residential parcels on Eastern Avenue. No development was before the board; the owner said the additional land would allow exploration of a ground-mounted solar array.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning board approves major amendment to Route 9 gravel pit with strict monitoring, blasting and insurance conditions

Board grants Cottage Court conditional-use permit to convert Elm Street barn into two apartments

Planning board approves boundary line adjustment on Eastern Ave; owner cites possible future solar array