The Hudson Conservation Commission met on April 13 to review a conditional use permit request from Sam Foisie of Meridian Land Services for a proposed seven-lot subdivision on LeClaire Drive.
“Of those seven lots, six of them are new, and one is going to remain, there’s an existing house situated on it,” Foisie explained. “The existing parcel is generally flat, with a wetland that bisects the property. That wetland has some steep banks and does have quite a bit of terrain drop-off.”
The project calls for extending LeClaire Drive by roughly 800 feet and constructing a new cul-de-sac. The plan also includes connections to nearby utility lines and gravity sewer extensions to serve the new homes.
“The main point of why we’re here is that to construct this road and storm-water improvements does require some impacts to the wetlands,” said Foisie. “It also requires some impacts to the surrounding buffer, both permanent and temporary. There’s a total buffer disturbance just shy of 12,000 square feet.”
An application for the permanent wetland impact is currently under review by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.
Secretary Chris Cameron questioned the design approach. “What’s driving the layout where the cul-de-sac needs to be in the buffer?” he asked. “Would this subdivision meet any of the requirements for an Open Space Development?”
Foisie responded that shifting the cul-de-sac farther from the buffer would reduce the build-able area and likely eliminate one of the proposed homes. It remained unclear whether the project would qualify as an open-space development under Hudson’s land-use regulations, which allow smaller lots in exchange for preserved common land.
Vice-Chair Ken Dickinson noted that the overall design appeared typical for similar subdivisions. “This is pretty standard, there’s nothing out of the ordinary here,” he said. “There’s two culverts here on the plan. Are they adjacent to each other?”
According to the application, the culvert crossings are located in different sections of the property and are easily identifiable on the plans.
Commissioner John Walter asked for clarification on the placement of several homes. “Do you have any idea where the houses would go on lots four, six, and seven?” he asked, noting that the plan did not clearly show how close the new homes would be to the Merrimack River.
Foisie said the homes would be sited closer to the extended roadway than to the river. “They’re going to be as close to the road as possible, preserving as much backyard as they can,” he said. “Once you get to six and seven, you do start to lose a little build-able area with the width.”
Given the wetland impacts and the topography of the site, the Commission agreed that a site walk would help clarify the conditions on the ground.
“The site walk should be fairly quick,” Dickinson said, scheduling it for Monday, April 27, at 6 p.m. “We look forward to doing the site walk and understanding a bit better what it’s like out there.”
Commissioners also requested “a more complete set of plans,” including additional details on nearby drainage basins and storm-water management.