The Monadnock Rod & Gun Club’s case before the Peterborough Zoning Board of Adjustment was continued Monday night after the board determined that proper notice should be given to the Town of Jaffrey before proceeding.
“I apologize for everybody showing up,” said ZBA Chair Sharon Monahan. “I sincerely apologize, I was prepared to go through the case tonight, but it is better to be safe than sorry by notifying.”
The club is appealing an administrative decision from town Code Enforcement Officer Tim Herlihy. In early November, Herlihy declared the shooting range on the property ineligible for the site plan review application the club had before the Planning Board, on the grounds that the range was not grandfathered out of the town’s restriction on outdoor shooting ranges.
The club has been seeking to restart business following a series of lawsuits from the town and abutters when it was found to have expanded one of its ranges without proper permits, filled in wetland areas and crossed over an abutting property line. These issues caused the club to be shut down, but now it is seeking to have a shooting range be allowed on the property in an effort to recoup legal costs and allow the business to function again.
Herlihy’s decision that the range would not be grandfathered halted the Planning Board case. Now, the appeal before the ZBA will be picked up at the board’s next meeting in February.
“I think there’s enough of a touching of the Town of Jaffrey with the property that we’re talking about that it makes it regional,” said board member Peggy Leedberg during discussion of whether regional notice would be necessary.
Additionally, Leedberg pointed out that the Planning Board had regionally noticed the site plan review application to neighboring towns, and that since the ZBA has not faced an appeal in a long time, it would be better to proceed with caution.
“The whole process is interesting,” she said of appeals before the board.
Board members Loretta Laurenitis and Chris DiLoretto, an alternate filling in on the case, agreed to continue the matter, while Monahan dissented. Remaining member Don Selby was unable to attend due to difficulties with Zoom.
“I apologize for this delay,” said Monahan to the applicants and abutters who had gathered Monday night to hear the case. “But hopefully we can address everything next time.”
Following regional notice being issued, the case will be brought before the board at its next meeting, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m.