Laconia Planning Board Meeting

[Airedale1]

Most of you are aware, that there is a plan by a developer in the works to provide 296 storage units, South of the Weirs Cumberland Farms where the land was cleared.

The property is zoned for business and provided that the business meets all of the Zoning and Planning Boards criteria, e.g. setbacks, green space, site plan approval etc. it may go through.

That being said, there will be a public Planning Board meeting held on Tuesday March 3rd at 6:30 p.m. in Room 200A at Laconia City Hall and the storage unit proposal will be on the agenda. The owner of the property will be in attendance. This is a public meeting and I urge you all to attend.

I would strongly encourage any and all of you who like myself feel that storage units in a lakeside resort area is far from an ideal usage of the land to attend this meeting and make your views heard.

If you cannot attend the meeting, you can also email your thoughts on the proposed usage to the Laconia Planning board at:

GrahamK@city.Laconia.NH.US

I suggest you do both.

The emails will be printed out and presented at the meeting and they will carry weight. If you do not want to see storage units in the Weirs, this will be your chance to have your voices heard.

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by Airedale1

Most of you are aware, that there is a plan by a developer in the works to provide 296 storage units, South of the Weirs Cumberland Farms where the land was cleared.

The property is zoned for business and provided that the business meets all of the Zoning and Planning Boards criteria, e.g. setbacks, green space, site plan approval etc. it may go through.

That being said, there will be a public Planning Board meeting held on Tuesday March 2nd at 6:30 p.m. in Room 200A at Laconia City Hall and the storage unit proposal will be on the agenda. The owner of the property will be in attendance. This is a public meeting and I urge you all to attend.

I would strongly encourage any and all of you who like myself feel that storage units in a lakeside resort area is far from an ideal usage of the land to attend this meeting and make your views heard.

If you cannot attend the meeting, you can also email your thoughts on the proposed usage to the Laconia Planning board at:

GrahamK@city.Laconia.NH.US

I suggest you do both.

The emails will be printed out and presented at the meeting and they will carry weight. If you do not want to see storage units in the Weirs, this will be your chance to have your voices heard.

Monday is Mar 2nd, Tues is Mar 3rd.

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by Airedale1

Most of you are aware, that there is a plan by a developer in the works to provide 296 storage units, South of the Weirs Cumberland Farms where the land was cleared.

The property is zoned for business and provided that the business meets all of the Zoning and Planning Boards criteria, e.g. setbacks, green space, site plan approval etc. it may go through.

That being said, there will be a public Planning Board meeting held on Tuesday March 2nd at 6:30 p.m. in Room 200A at Laconia City Hall and the storage unit proposal will be on the agenda. The owner of the property will be in attendance. This is a public meeting and I urge you all to attend.

I would strongly encourage any and all of you who like myself feel that storage units in a lakeside resort area is far from an ideal usage of the land to attend this meeting and make your views heard.

If you cannot attend the meeting, you can also email your thoughts on the proposed usage to the Laconia Planning board at:

GrahamK@city.Laconia.NH.US

I suggest you do both.

The emails will be printed out and presented at the meeting and they will carry weight. If you do not want to see storage units in the Weirs, this will be your chance to have your voices heard.

Unfortunately, this will get approved. Laconia continues to go downhill at an increasingly rapid pace. While sad, the storage unit will fit in perfectly with what is happening in the city.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by secondcurve

Unfortunately, this will get approved. Laconia continues to go downhill at an increasingly rapid pace. While sad, the storage unit will fit in perfectly with what is happening in the city.

How do you turn any business down regardless what it is as long as they go through the proper channels and get the approvals needed.
Wouldn't that be against the law?

Also is their anyone else standing line to establish a business there? Hard to blame Laconia for doing what they really have to do.

[Scott]

Someone wanted to sell cars on Weirs Blvd and it was prohibited. I can't open a sawmill on a residential street. The entire purpose of zoning is to decide what goes where.

So why on earth would a storage project be allowed in the CR zone? It just doesn't fit the cities own definition:

The Commercial Resort District is primarily intended to set aside areas where establishments catering to the dining, lodging and recreational needs of tourists or seasonal residents may be located. Also to be permitted in this district are such commercial residential uses as garden apartments and condominiums. The district shall generally be located adjacent to major tourist routes and attractions. Development will be encouraged which is characterized by open space, attractive landscaping and ample off-street parking areas. It is anticipated that small shops and retail stores may be located within this district as they meet the intent and requirements of this chapter.

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by Rusty

How do you turn any business down regardless what it is as long as they go through the proper channels and get the approvals needed.
Wouldn't that be against the law?

Also is their anyone else standing line to establish a business there? Hard to blame Laconia for doing what they really have to do.

Rusty:

I wasn't suggesting the selectman turn down the business. Actually, I view Laconia as the armpit of Lake Winnipesaukee so I think the business fits. I wish it wasn't so but it is. The Laconia of my youth is long gone.

[Airedale1]

I was thrilled to read the story below in today's Laconia Daily Sun. Thank you to all that took the time to express your displeasure with the proposed plan for storage units at the Weirs. Your concern and expression of same through phone calls and emails to the Planning Board truly made a difference.

Also, thank you to Mr. Mitchell for listening to and caring about our community. Thank you sir, thank you very much.

I've always loved the following quote and for me today it rings as true as ever.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

From today's Daily Sun:

MITCHELL BACKS OFF PLAN TO BUILD LARGE SELF-STORAGE
COMPOUND AT WEIRS

Tuesday 03/03/2015

On the eve of a so-called design review before the Planning Board, Al Mitchell, principal of the A.E. Mitchell Corporation of Belmont, said last night that he will withdraw his proposal to build a large self-storage facility at Weirs Beach in light of the opposition the project has aroused among business owners and residents of the summer resort community.

Acknowledging "it's the use", Mitchell said he is abandoning his plans "for the people who don't want to it there. I don't want to be the one to do that to the Weirs. I don't want it to be my legacy."
Mitchell planned to develop the 6.8-acre lot on the north side of Endicott Street North (Rte. 3 North) across the highway from the Meredith Bridge condominium community and next door to the Cumberland Farms convenience store. The land, which was cleared several years ago, backs up to the New.Hampshire Veteran's Association compound that fronts on Lakeside Ave.

As proposed, the facility would consist of 296 storage units divided among 17 buildings. It would include a two-story office building, constructed to a colonial design, facing Route 3. The south, east and west borders of the site would be ringed by trees.

The use is permitted in the commercial resort zone where the property lies. However, Mitchell expected that with the abandonment of his plan, the zoning ordinance will be amended to prohibit storage facilities in that zoning district.

Mitchell, who acquired the lot six years ago, said "I tried to do all kinds of things with the property. Is a storage facility the highest and best use?" he asked. "Of course, not. But, there is a need for storage space and it's the only thing I could do to get income from the property 12 months of the year." He doubted that there would be any significant investment in hotels, restaurants or attractions at the Weirs as long as property owners remain satisfied with the returns from a short season highlighted by Motorcycle Week. He noted that since the storage facility would consist of metal buildings on concrete slabs with no underground infrastructure, it could be dismantled in two weeks in order to redevelop the property if an opportunity arose.
"It's not something they want to see at the Weirs," Mitchell continued, "and more are against it than for it." He explained that Jon Rokeh of Rokeh Consulting of Chichester, who engineered the project, forwarded him some of the correspondence received by the Planning Department voicing objections to his plan. "I want to be a good neighbor," he said.

Mitchell, who grew up in Laconia, said that to put put the property to a higher use it would have to be combined with abutting properties. "In order to develop the property you have to come from Lakeside Avenue, you have to start at the lake and work up the hill, not start on the hill and work down." He estimated the cost of acquiring and developing the properties at between $20 million and $25 million. Moreover, there is no assurance that the Veteran's Compound could be redeveloped. "If anyone deserves to be there, Mitchell remarked, it's the veterans. They've earned the right."
Mitchell said that although the property has been used as a parking lot during Motorcycle Week in the past, this year it will be closed to the public.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by secondcurve

Rusty:

I wasn't suggesting the selectman turn down the business. Actually, I view Laconia as the armpit of Lake Winnipesaukee so I think the business fits. I wish it wasn't so but it is. The Laconia of my youth is long gone.

I agree with you. Just imagine downtown Laconia would be like if urban renewal did not happen. I envision something like downtown Concord or Littleton. The flavor of the early 1900's add to the atmosphere.

Now a drive into Laconia from Rte 3 looks like an industrial park!