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Wellington Hill developer loses Manchester zoning change request
MANCHESTER — Aldermen killed a proposed zoning change Tuesday night that would have paved the way for a 90-home development on Wellington Hill.
The zoning changes, if approved, would have allowed developer Keith Martel of Sterling Realty to build homes on 7,500-square-foot lots. Currently, the zoning requires 12,500-square-feet lots for new home construction.
The Committee on Bills on Second Reading voted 4-1 to “receive and file” Martel’s zoning proposal, essentially killing the smaller-lot plan. Ward 12 Alderman Patrick Arnold was the one vote against the move.
Martel said after the meeting he is meeting with his team to decide how to move forward. Up until Tuesday night, Martel said he would move forward with building homes on Wellington Hill regardless of the zoning change.
The land in question is owned by the city, the Diocese of Manchester and a small group of private owners. It sits between Smyth Road, Interstate 93 and Radburn Street off of Wellington Hill Road. It is slated for sale to Sterling Realty, which would bring in $650,000 to the city.
Martel showed the aldermen a plan for 91 three-bedroom homes of between 1,300 and 2,000 square feet in size and priced between $230,000 and $270,000. One main road leads into the development off Smyth Road, close to where Smyth intersects with Mammoth Road. The entrance road splits into three roads, all ending in a cul-de-sac.
Homes along Radburn Street in the Talons development would not have a direct view of the proposed development, but about half of the homes along Fox Hollow Way would. Martel said it would be about 300 to 400 feet between the closest home in the Talons to the closest home in the new development.
As part of the deal, Martel would deed about 13 acres of open land back to the city, 20 percent of which is wetlands.
Martel also showed a plan for what a development could look like without the zoning changes. This 87-homes development would utilize the entire lot. The homes would be built closer to Radburn Street and Fox Hollow Way and would require more roads. The house lots would be larger, as would the homes, and the development would more closely resemble Currier Hill, Martel said.
The development would also have an entrance on Radburn Street.
Although some of the aldermen said they’d like the public to have more time to review the plans and speak publicly about it, the committee’s decision ends discussion about the zoning changes.
A neighbor to the proposed development, Kelly Schleman, did not have a chance to speak Tuesday, but was one of about half a dozen people who attended the meeting in hopes of speaking in favor of the zoning change. Although neighbors said they were against the project in December, some have met with Martel and are now in favor of the smaller-lot plan.
“If something is going to become of this property, I want to be able to choose the lesser of two evils,” Schleman said. She favors the smaller-lot plan that would preserve more open space and would have an entrance on Smyth Road.
The aldermen who were against the zoning change questioned whether smaller housing lots were needed for Martel to build a development. Martel said building homes under the current zoning would disturb more wetlands, which could be a problem when seeking state permits.
Ward 2 Alderman Ron Ludwig said he liked having an entrance only on Smyth Road, but overall saw little benefit to changing the zoning.
“You can’t be rolling the dice as far as the city acquiring a section of wetlands under the (smaller lot) proposal. Those become difficult to maintain,” said Ludwig. “I couldn’t fathom why the city would take on pieces of land like this. ... I’d like to see the zoning left alone.”
Ward 1 Alderman Joyce Craig, who heads the committee, asked why the larger-lot plan did not include a portion of land returned to the city. Martel said it was his understanding the purchase and sales agreement required he return land to the city only if his requested zoning changes moved forward. Craig disagreed with this interpretation and Martel said he would seek a legal opinion on this before moving forward.
The zoning changes, if approved, would have allowed developer Keith Martel of Sterling Realty to build homes on 7,500-square-foot lots. Currently, the zoning requires 12,500-square-feet lots for new home construction.
The Committee on Bills on Second Reading voted 4-1 to “receive and file” Martel’s zoning proposal, essentially killing the smaller-lot plan. Ward 12 Alderman Patrick Arnold was the one vote against the move.
Martel said after the meeting he is meeting with his team to decide how to move forward. Up until Tuesday night, Martel said he would move forward with building homes on Wellington Hill regardless of the zoning change.
The land in question is owned by the city, the Diocese of Manchester and a small group of private owners. It sits between Smyth Road, Interstate 93 and Radburn Street off of Wellington Hill Road. It is slated for sale to Sterling Realty, which would bring in $650,000 to the city.
Martel showed the aldermen a plan for 91 three-bedroom homes of between 1,300 and 2,000 square feet in size and priced between $230,000 and $270,000. One main road leads into the development off Smyth Road, close to where Smyth intersects with Mammoth Road. The entrance road splits into three roads, all ending in a cul-de-sac.
Homes along Radburn Street in the Talons development would not have a direct view of the proposed development, but about half of the homes along Fox Hollow Way would. Martel said it would be about 300 to 400 feet between the closest home in the Talons to the closest home in the new development.
As part of the deal, Martel would deed about 13 acres of open land back to the city, 20 percent of which is wetlands.
Martel also showed a plan for what a development could look like without the zoning changes. This 87-homes development would utilize the entire lot. The homes would be built closer to Radburn Street and Fox Hollow Way and would require more roads. The house lots would be larger, as would the homes, and the development would more closely resemble Currier Hill, Martel said.
The development would also have an entrance on Radburn Street.
Although some of the aldermen said they’d like the public to have more time to review the plans and speak publicly about it, the committee’s decision ends discussion about the zoning changes.
A neighbor to the proposed development, Kelly Schleman, did not have a chance to speak Tuesday, but was one of about half a dozen people who attended the meeting in hopes of speaking in favor of the zoning change. Although neighbors said they were against the project in December, some have met with Martel and are now in favor of the smaller-lot plan.
“If something is going to become of this property, I want to be able to choose the lesser of two evils,” Schleman said. She favors the smaller-lot plan that would preserve more open space and would have an entrance on Smyth Road.
The aldermen who were against the zoning change questioned whether smaller housing lots were needed for Martel to build a development. Martel said building homes under the current zoning would disturb more wetlands, which could be a problem when seeking state permits.
Ward 2 Alderman Ron Ludwig said he liked having an entrance only on Smyth Road, but overall saw little benefit to changing the zoning.
“You can’t be rolling the dice as far as the city acquiring a section of wetlands under the (smaller lot) proposal. Those become difficult to maintain,” said Ludwig. “I couldn’t fathom why the city would take on pieces of land like this. ... I’d like to see the zoning left alone.”
Ward 1 Alderman Joyce Craig, who heads the committee, asked why the larger-lot plan did not include a portion of land returned to the city. Martel said it was his understanding the purchase and sales agreement required he return land to the city only if his requested zoning changes moved forward. Craig disagreed with this interpretation and Martel said he would seek a legal opinion on this before moving forward.