A 14-lot subdivision on Highland Avenue received Planning Board approval Tuesday, along with plans for a new treatment center for the town’s Turnpike Road well site.

Chad Branon of Fieldstone Land Consultants, presented the finalized plans for the Highland Avenue development, a hearing that was continued from a previous meeting. The board only had a brief discussion on updates to the plan, and received no further input from the public.

The board reviewed a report submitted by Comprehensive Environmental Inc., which provides civil engineering services, environmental management and remediation services and provided feedback on erosion controls during the construction phase. Branon said those revisions have been incorporated into the plans.

The board unanimously approved the development with multiple conditions, including obtaining an alteration of terrain and wetland permit, a homeowner’s association agreement that includes plans for stormwater system and road maintenance.

Water treatment building approved

Superintendent of Utilities Tony Cavaliere presented the plans for the Turnpike Road site, saying the town has been working on the project since 2021, when the Turnpike Well tested above state limits for polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a man-made, long-lasting chemical that results from multiple industrial processes. The well has been offline since that initial testing.

The new building would be about 3,000 square feet and to the left of the existing water treatment building, and would continue to use some of the existing building. It would be used to treat the water and allow the well to come back online.

Selectman and Planning Board ex-officio Frank Sterling explained that the state requires that the town treat the PFAS contamination, whether the well is online or not. He said with the upcoming completion of a new well site for the town, Cold Stone Springs, will provide for the town’s needs without the water from the Turnpike well, but that it would be a backup source.

The board approved the plans, with the condition that a special exception process through the Zoning Board be completed.

In other applications before the board on Tuesday, the board approved a site plan for three commercial/industrial structures and site improvements on Knight Street, submitted by Asher Construction. The board approved the application with multiple conditions, including requiring an alteration of terrain permit, soil test data, and measures to prevent fuel spills from contaminating the area water and soils.

Board hears subdivision

In another matter, the board considered a two-lot subdivision on Nutting Road, owned by Mark and Lori Coll.

The board had reservations about the subdivision creating an additional lot served by a driveway already serving two properties. A driveway cannot service three properties without certain permissions. The Colls initially sought a waiver to allow the driveway to serve all three lots, but after hearing reservations from the board, Branon, also representing the Colls in this application, asked to withdraw the waiver.

Branon said the Colls would be willing to take a different direction and merge one of the newly created lots with the adjacent one, which they also own, leaving only two lots serviced by the driveway.

The board agreed with that approach.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.