SitePlanReview

Town of Bridgewater, New Hampshire

Site Plan Review Regulations

Adopted September 17, 1985

March, 1999

Pursuant to the authority vested in the Bridgewater Planning Board by the voters of the Town of Bridgewater on March 12, 1985, in accordance with Chapter 674:43 of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated, the Bridgewater Planning Board adopts the following regulations for the submission of Site Plans for review under Non-Residential or Multi-Family Site Plan Review procedure.

No development or change in use for non-residential properties , or for multi-family dwelling units other than one and two-family dwellings , whether or not such development includes a subdivision or re-subdivision of the site shall be established, nor shall any building or other structures for such use be erected or externally remodeled or enlarged and no area for parking , loading , vehicle services or driveway access , shall be established or changed except in conformity with site plan approved by the Planning Board.

The intent of these Site Plan Review Regulations is to protect the public health, safety, and welfare , to ensure the adequacy of traffic access , circulation and parking ; to ensure the provision of adequate buffers , landscaping and screening to protect adjoining properties against any possible detrimental or offensive uses on the site, including but not limited to unsightly or obnoxious appearance, smoke and noise; and to protect against adverse environmental impacts from a proposed development, including inadequate sewerage disposal , refuse and other waste and/or inadequate surface drainage .

These regulations recognize that certain developments and uses of land, even though generally suitable for location in a particular zoning district, because of their complexity, size or possible impact , may adversely affect the public health, safety and welfare unless careful consideration has been given to certain critical design elements. It is the intent of these regulations to provide a vehicle for the review of an applicant's attention to such critical design elements within the development subject to site plan review, and to allow the Bridgewater Planning Board to approve, approve with conditions, or to disapprove, applications pursuant to these Regulations.

A site plan submitted to the Planning Board for review and approval must be in compliance with the Town of Bridgewater Zoning Ordinance, The Town of Bridgewater Subdivision Regulations or any other ordinance which pertains to the proposed development. In the event a special exception or variance is required for such compliance, the Planning Board may conditionally approve the Site Plan. Such conditionally approved plan is not valid and may not be recorded until the Zoning Board of Adjustment has acted. All plans shall be prepared in accordance with these Site Plan Regulations, including the Site Plan Checklist , which is part thereof, and shall be accompanied by a properly filled out application for a building permit .

Upon completion of construction and prior to the occupancy of the premises, a Certificate of Use and Occupancy shall be obtained from the Board of Selectmen or its agents.

An applicant may appear before the Planning Board to discuss his preliminary thinking on his proposal with the Board and receive information from it on the requirements for submitted site plans. A "rough drawn" preliminary sketch may be submitted at this time to aid in the discussion.

An owner or his designated agent shall file an application with the Board not less than fifteen (15) days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board. The Board shall only consider a completed application which consists of the following:

1. An application (properly completed) on a form obtained from the Planning Board.

3. Three (3) copies of the site plan and three (3) copies of all other plans and documents required in Section 10.

4. All legal instruments, deeds , easements or other offers to secure approval .

The Board, before considering or taking formal action upon a site plan , shall hold a public hearing as required by the provisions of RSA 676:4 to provide an opportunity for public testimony.

At the hearing , the applicant, any abutters or any person with a direct interest in the matter may testify in person or in writing. Other persons may testify subject to Board approval at the hearing.

If the Site Plan needs no special exception or variances from the Zoning Board of Adjustment , the applicant and all abutters shall be notified of the hearing by certified mail , return receipt requested, stating the time and place of such hearing, and a general description of the site plan proposal and its location, at least ten (10) days before the date fixed for the hearing. If the Zoning Ordinance is involved, Planning Board action is advisory only. Notification shall be carried out for the hearing called by the Zoning Board of Adjustment .

The Board shall consider a completed application within thirty (30) days of its submission and acceptance , and shall act to approve, modify and approve, or disapprove the application within ninety (90) days, subject to an additional ninety (90) day extension as provided in accordance with RSA 676:4. Additionally, the applicant may request a waiver of this requirement and consent to a mutually agreeable extension of the period for action.

Approval of the final site plan shall be written endorsement on the plan and signed by a majority of the Board. In case of disapproval of any part of the plan, the grounds for such disapproval shall be stated in the records of the Board and notice given to the applicant. If the Board grants approval subject to modifications being made to the plan, the applicant shall submit a revised plan showing all modifications. The revised plan shall become the final plan for filing with the Planning Board.

No building permits shall be issued on any plan acted upon by the Planning Board until such time as the Selectmen or their authorized agent has received a copy of the approved site plan with the Building Permit Application .

The Planning Board shall have the power to modify or amend its approval of a site plan on application of the owner, lessee, or mortgagee of the premises, or upon its own motions, if such power is reserved by the Board in its original approval. All of the provisions of this regulation applicable to the approval shall be applicable to such modification or amendment.

The Planning Board may require the applicant to post a bond or file an escrow agreement in an amount approved by the Board to guarantee conformity with the elements such as street , sewer , water or drainage improvements of the site plan . Where an applicant is required to post a bond, it shall be posted prior to the start of any construction, improvement or issuance of a building permit .

Planning Board approval of a site plan shall be valid for one year from the date of approval. If a building permit has not been issued or if a building permit has been issued but not substantially (defined as more than fifty percent (50%) complete in the view of the Building Inspector ) acted upon within a one (1) year period, the approval shall automatically become null and void. Projects requiring more than a one year period shall be negotiated as to time of substantial completion prior to approval.

An application for approval of a site plan shall be accompanied by a forty dollar ($40.00) review fee ($15.00 for sign only), a list of abutters names and addresses and a certified mailing fee per each abutter .

An application for site plan approval shall be accompanied by the following information and documents:

2. Topography with not more than five foot (5') contour interval. At major construction sites contour interval should be no more than two feet (2'). Existing contours shall be shown as dashed lines.

3. Reference to established permanent bench mark based on U.S.G.S. or other datum approved by the Town Engineer .

5. Boundaries of existing natural features (rivers, lakes, wetlands, swamps, ledges, etc.).

8. All existing features on and within a minimum of fifty feet (50') of the site boundaries , one hundred feet (100') from front corners on State highways, and one hundred feet (100') back from right-of-way lines (buildings, fences, streams, roads , walks, utility lines, or easements ).

3. Title block in lower right corner giving name and location of development, scale , contour interval, survey by, design by, seal of surveyor, seal of the Engineer or Architect, legend.

2. Parking area, location with overall dimensions, parking method (parallel or angle) capacity, and type of surface.

5. Location of proposed and existing water lines, wells, sewerage lines, sewage systems, surface drainage system and utility lines, including location of source, tanks, drains, size of pipes, poles, and sewage disposal fields, service areas, loading area.

6. Limit of lawn areas, location and type of landscape planting, existing trees to remain.

1. For on-lot sewage systems: New Hampshire Water Supply and Pollution Control Division approval for construction.

All developments shall make adequate provisions for off-street parking and loading facilities. Such facilities shall be designed to ensure the orderly flow of traffic on the site. The design shall also minimize the impact of intrusive elements of parking and loading such as noise, dust, and glare upon neighboring properties and land uses.

Whenever an existing use is expanded or changed to a new use, parking and/or loading facilities shall be provided for such new use.

Every development shall provide an area for parking and loading on the site which is improperly drained. The number and size of parking spaces and the loading area shall conform to the requirements of the Bridgewater Zoning Ordinance.

All developments shall provide for parking and loading to be situated on the same parcel of land as the primary use or structure except when off-street public parking is available.

Consideration shall be made for the plowing and storage of snow removal during the winter months.

All development proposals shall submit designs for all new proposed signage. Additionally, the size and location of existing signs shall be noted on the plan.

Sign size, type, location, height and illumination shall conform to the Bridgewater Zoning Ordinance.

Any sign which refers to a discontinued use shall be removed. All signs shall be maintained in good condition and in good repair at all times.

The location (present and future), size and type, including common names, of all new planted material to be installed.

The location, size and common name of all existing plant material to be retained on the site.

The location, type, material and dimensions of all fences, walls and outdoor recreation facilities. Selective tree and/or shrub planting may be required in established buffer areas or other areas as determined by the Board. Wood chips or crushed stone shall not be considered acceptable where green areas are required.

A landscaped buffer area shall be required wherever a commercial , professional, or industrial development abuts an adjacent residential property.

The purpose of this standard is to specify minimum requirements for water supply for fire fighting that will provide a reasonable degree of protection to life and property in the area.

The following standards shall be observed for all proposals requiring site plan approval consisting of seven (7) or more dwelling units in the case of multi-family residential development, or ten thousand (10,000) square feet of gross floor area in the case of commercial development.

1. Water supply shall be by cistern , dry hydrant or pressurized hydrant system. The cistern, dry hydrant or pressurized hydrant system shall have a minimum static capacity of 30,000 gallons of water