Planning Board Meeting

DURHAM PLANNING BOARD

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Town Council Chambers, Durham Town Hall

7:00 p.m.

AGENDA

I.          Call to Order

II.        Roll Call and Seating of Alternates

III.       Approval of Agenda

IV.       Town Planner’s Report

V.        Reports from Board Members who serve on Other Committees

VI.       Public Comments

VII.      Review of Minutes (old):  November 20, 2024

VIII.    Public Hearing - 3 Dover Road – New Dunkin Donuts.  Site plan application for new 1,500 square-foot Dunkin Donuts restaurant on ¼ acre lot located next to Holiday Inn Express.  JESP Enterprises, property owner.  Jim Mitchell and Scott Mitchell, Tropic Star Development, LLC, applicant.  Matt Perry, Civil Engineer, The Engineering Corp.  Scott Thornton, Traffic Engineer, Vanasse & Assoc.  Courthouse Zone.  Map 108, Lot 38. Recommended action:  Possible final action if all is acceptable.

IX.       Public Hearing - Proposed Zoning Amendment – Multi-Unit Residential.  Proposed amendment to allow multi-unit residential in the Professional Office, Church Hill, and Courthouse Zoning Districts by right.  This proposed amendment was initiated by the Town Council on March 17.  Recommended action:  Vote to support amendment or make changes.

X.        Public Hearing - Proposed Zoning Amendment – Three-Story Height Limit. Proposed amendment to remove the three-story height limitation in sections of the Central Business District (CBD) and to allow four floors of residential with only one floor of commercial (on the first floor) in a five-story building in the CBD.  Presently, a five-story building in the CBD must contain at least two floors of commercial.  The first item was initiated by the Town Council on March 17.  Recommended action:  Vote to support amendment or make changes.

XI.       Public Hearing - Planned Unit Development Ordinance.  Proposed Planned Unit Development (PUD) ordinance.  PUD’s are special zoning tools which allow for flexible and innovative planning for large scale mixed-use projects.  A draft ordinance has been prepared to accommodate the potential development of The Edge project at UNH, located westerly and southerly of the intersection of Main Street and Mast Road, and other potential large mixed-use projects.  Recommended action:  Vote to support amendment or make changes.

XII.      35 Madbury Road – Reconfiguration of Driveway.  Conceptual review of plan to reconfigure driveway to one-way pattern and to add parking spaces.  DWS 35 LLC, c/o Scott Drapeau, property owner.  Paige Libbey, Jones & Beach, engineer.  Professional Office Zone.  Map 106, Lot 19.  Recommended action:  Offer comments and close conceptual review.

XIII.    Other Business

XIV.    Review of Minutes: April 9, 2025 & April 16, 2025

XV.     Adjournment                                                                                                         

*ZOOM ACCESS

The Town of Durham offers access to meetings with Zoom and Durham Cable Access Television (DCAT) as a convenience to the public. Zoom is generally reliable for watching meetings and offering comments when allowed.  However, due to factors outside our control, occasionally access does not work properly.  We cannot guarantee that Zoom will always be available seamlessly and suggest that people who want to ensure being able to watch and participate attend the meeting in person.

To access any LIVE Zoom Public Meeting, you must be Registered.  This link will take you to the registration page: https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/boc_dcatgovernance/zoom-video-meeting-schedule.   If you have difficulty logging in, contact DCAT: 603-590-1383.

*OTHER INFORMATION

1)      Public hearings and public comments.  The public is welcome to speak at all public hearings and during the Public Comments time.  Comments on all matters, except those for which a public hearing is on the agenda, should be made during the Public Comments time (including comments on agenda items this evening).  The public may speak and submit written/email comments on any germane subject except active matters where the public hearing has been closed.  

2)      Submission of comments in writing.  Send emails and letters to Michael Behrendt, Town Planner, at mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us or at the address above. Substantive comments about current board matters, except where the public hearing is closed, will be shared with the board and posted on the Town’s website.  Any email, letter, or document that is pertinent to a decision which the Planning Board is expected to make at the upcoming Wednesday meeting, must be received in the Planning Office by the prior Monday at 5:00 p.m. or the board will consider the material only at its discretion (This limitation does not apply to comments made at the public hearing).

3)      Other information.  Files on the agenda items above are available for review on the Town website https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/.   To see background documents related to specific agenda items, see the agenda on the website and click on any green highlighted items.

4)      Contacting us.   Call (603) 868-8064 or email Michael Behrendt, above, or Tracey Cutler, Administrative Assistant, at tcutler@ci.durham.nh.us.

5)      Recommended actions.   Actions recommended by the Town Planner are shown above.  The board may or may not take these actions and may take other actions not stated.

6)      10:00 pm.  The board will take up a new item of business after 10:00 pm at its discretion.

7)      Communication aids.  Please provide the Town 48-hours notice if any aids are needed.

8)      Next meeting.  The next regular board meeting will be on June 11, 2025.   There will be a workshop on May 28, 2025