From:	Michael Behrendt
Sent:	Wednesday, February 10, 2016 6:15 PM
Subject:	Mill Plaza - email from H. Smith

To the Planning Board,
Please see the email below from Henry Smith.

Michael Behrendt
Durham Town Planner
Town of Durham
8 Newmarket Road
Durham, NH  03824
(603) 868-8064
www.ci.durham.nh.us

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-----Original Message-----
From: Henry M Smith [] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 4:51 PM
To: Michael Behrendt
Cc: Todd Selig
Subject: Mill Plaza Dev. Proposal


To:  Michael Behrendt/Todd Selig/Erin Hardie Hale/ Planning Board:

Re:  Colonial Durham Associates' Proposal for Redevelopment of Mill Road Plaza, Durham.

    I have read through the Town Planner's Review (27 Feb.) of the Mill Plaza Redevelopment Proposal 
and have concluded that the Hannaford building, with a proposed second-story addition, plus four new 
buildings proposed, is simply too massive a development for a small New England Town like our fair city 
of Durham, thus adding disproportionately to the already massive scar on our downtown landscape 
(Orion/Henderson/Pettee Brook Lane/the Greens buildings).

    Two of the buildings proposed would be FOUR STORIES in height!   
This would just extend the "massing of buildings" (Town Planner's
Review) and the further ruination of the quality of life of our small, New England downtown.

    In addition, two of the buildings proposed would include parking garages which, according to Audrey 
Cline (our new Code Enforcement Officer/Zoning Administrator) and Michael Behrendt, "do not fall into 
the use category because parking is not an 'office' or 'retail' use."

    My conclusion:  The Planning Board is compelled to direct Colonial Durham Associates, in the 
strongest and clearest terms possible, to return to the drawing board and work on a dramatic reduction 
in the number and size of buildings proposed for Mill Road Plaza AND in the number of student 
apartments proposed.

Etc.

Thank you!

-Henry M. Smith
93 Packers Falls Road
Durham