Claremont Planning Board Meeting - February 9, 2026

The Claremont Planning Board convened on February 9, 2026, at 5:00 PM to approve previous minutes, elect officers, consider a site plan application for a commercial redevelopment at 45 Washington Street, and initiate the master plan update process. The board unanimously approved the site plan with conditions and voted to create a Master Plan Steering Committee.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the December 22, 2025 meeting.
• Annual Election of Officers: Richard Worleg was nominated and unanimously elected Chair. Bruce Klenda was nominated and unanimously elected Vice Chair.

Discussion Items

• Site Plan Application PL 2026-0001: Brennan Development Company, LLC applied for site plan approval to redevelop 45 Washington Street (Tax Map 108, Lot 124) in the CB2 zone. The project involves demolishing an existing 2,880 sq ft auto service building and constructing an 893 sq ft drive-thru coffee shop (Aroma Joe’s) and a 3,200 sq ft retail building. The 0.923-acre lot is accessed via an easement through an adjacent property. Staff planner Austin presented a detailed review, noting the property’s suitability, traffic circulation, pedestrian safety, landscaping, stormwater management, and fire access. The applicant, John Noonan of Fieldstone Land Consultants, walked through the plans, addressing vehicle stacking (12 cars in drive-thru), bypass lane, lighting (dark-sky compliant fixtures), and utility connections. Board members raised questions about: the 20-inch water main depth and repair history, maximum vehicle height in the drive-thru (no canopy, open to pickup trucks and box trucks), three existing monitoring wells (environmental review completed), the retaining wall along the skate park access (ranging from 6 to 12 feet high) requiring a safety guardrail, and parking counts (16 spaces proposed vs. 13 required). The board discussed adding a guardrail and whether to require hours of operation on the plan; it was decided to require a letter of proposed hours to the planning department rather than a plan note. The applicant agreed to move a multi-tenant sign 5 feet from the lot line. After public hearing with no comments, the board moved to approve subject to conditions.
• Master Plan Kickoff: The board discussed initiating a comprehensive update to the city’s Master Plan. Planner Austin requested a vote to create a Master Plan Steering Committee, authorize staff to draft rules of procedure, designate himself as staff liaison, and allow the steering committee to form chapter subcommittees. Board members debated whether the planning board or steering committee should decide the plan’s chapter topics. Several members advocated for adding new chapters, including arts/culture/creative industries (supported by the city’s Arts Committee), a city center chapter, waterway access (highlighting the Sugar and Connecticut Rivers), and an education/workforce development chapter. The board agreed that the planning board itself will finalize the list of chapters at a future meeting, rather than delegating that decision to the steering committee. The motion to create the steering committee was approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Site Plan Approval: The board approved site plan PL 2026-0001 for 45 Washington Street with the following conditions: development must conform to the submitted plans and testimony; the sign must be set back at least 5 feet from the lot line; a safety guardrail shall be added on the property line along the retaining wall as discussed; two Mylar copies of the final plan must be recorded at the Sullivan County Registry of Deeds within six months; no development may begin until recording; and the approval is valid for two years. The motion passed unanimously.
• Master Plan Steering Committee: The board voted to create a Master Plan Steering Committee and authorized staff to draft rules of procedure, serve as staff support, and allow the steering committee to form chapter subcommittees. The board will determine the final chapter topics at a later meeting.