MANCHESTER, N.H. – Residents on Pheasant Lane came out to voice their concerns at the June 4th Manchester Planning Board meeting over a conceptualized new development near their homes that they fear could cause significant damage to their neighborhood.
The proposal, presented by Keach-Nordstrom Associates on behalf of Onwood Properties LLC, would create 44 single-family residential lots on approximately 31 acres of land off Bodwell Road in an area zoned R-1A or “Residential One-Family: Medium Density” under the city’s new zoning ordinance.
A total of 14.7 of the 29.4 acres would be preserved as common open space under a cluster subdivision design, presenting a buffer between the homes in the development and existing neighboring homes. Most of the homes would be lined along a 1,488 foot roadway ending in a cul-de-sac, with some homes located on a second 520 foot roadway ending in a cul-de-sac that would see some property lines with just a few feet of buffer from existing properties on Pheasant Lane.
Onwood Properties LLC purchased the land, which sits in between Pheasant Lane and Hermit Road along Bodwell Road, for $750,000 in 2007.
Edward Cucci of 98 Pheasant Ln. was one of several people during public comment for the proposal who has said that flooding and erosion have been issues for several years following the removal of trees along the western border of homes on the western side of Pheasant Lane approximately six years ago. The proposed development would be located on that western border atop a hill that rises approximately 40 to 50 feet from Pheasant Lane itself.
“If this project is actually approved, we want to know what runoff mitigation is for many of the abutters,” Cucci said.
Megan Asceric of 146 Pheasant Ln. was also one of several residents who expressed concern about additional building near Lake Massabeic, one of the key sources of the city’s water supply.
“Just because we have space available doesn’t mean that it’s in the best interest of the city to develop it,” she said.
Other concerns included the impact of possible blasting schedules on the neighborhood’s quality of life, the potential impact to wildlife in the area, and impacts to traffic among other concerns.
Planning Board Vice Chair Bob Gagne noted to those testifying that this proposal was only in design review, a step in the process where applicants seek to get feedback from a Planning Board before investing significant amounts of money in a more finalized plan rather than getting approval to build.
Planning Board Aldermanic Representative Bryce Kaw-uh requested that the applicant explore reforestation if they do intend to return with a follow-up draft of the proposal, stating that it was “not ready for prime time” in its current state.
Planning Board Chair Stephen Meno asked if work had been done to envision the proposal without cluster development, to which Engineer Matt Peterson of Keach-Nordstrom Associates said alternatives had not yet been explored.
Peterson thanks the board and those who testified for their feedback. No estimated time frame was given for a follow-up draft of the proposal, or if a follow up draft would be submitted.