Claremont Planning Board Meeting - July 13, 2026
Claremont Planning Board Meeting - July 13, 2026
The Claremont Planning Board met on Monday, July 13, 2026, at 4:00 PM. The meeting included approval of previous meeting minutes, two public hearings for subdivision and site plan applications, and other business. Key outcomes included unanimous approval of a minor subdivision for the Barn Cafe and a conditional approval for a self-storage facility at 32 Lafayette Street, with one board member opposed.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of June 22, 2026: Motion to approve passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during either public hearing.
Discussion Items
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PL 2026-000010 – Barn Cafe LLC (37-39 Main Street): The applicant, Josh (owner of the Barn Cafe), proposed a minor subdivision of an 18,001-square-foot wedge-shaped lot (tax map 120, lot 29) in the MU district into two lots: 10,900 square feet (with the active restaurant and 25 paved parking spaces) and 7,200 square feet (with the vacant Manadnock Mill building and a yard area). City staff (Austin) confirmed no new streets or utilities were needed. The board granted a waiver of the preliminary layout phase under Section 4.10 of the subdivision regulations. The application was found complete, and a motion to approve with three conditions passed unanimously. Conditions included conformance with the submitted plan, obtaining necessary permits, and recording the subdivision within six months.
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PL 2026-000011 – Orange Storage LLC (32 Lafayette Street): The applicant, Nick, sought site plan approval to convert a vacant former warehouse into a 200-unit self-storage facility. The 1.25-acre lot (CR2 district) abuts the Sugar River and has a history of code violations; the certificate of occupancy was revoked in 2024. A variance for the self-storage use was approved by the Zoning Board in September 2025. Staff presentation highlighted concerns about on-street parking, fire access, and limited landscaping. The board discussed parking (12 proposed spaces), loading areas, signage, and fire department access. The applicant agreed to no tractor-trailers, install signage prohibiting on-street parking, clear the back and sides for fire access, and mark loading areas. The board granted a waiver of the landscaping plan. The application was accepted as complete subject to Austin's review of missing items (signature blocks, contours, lighting, etc.). A motion to approve the site plan with 11 conditions passed with one board member opposed. Conditions included no on-street parking signage, clearing of rear and side areas, designation of loading areas with customer directions, and authority for the planning and development office to approve minor modifications due to code requirements.
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Other Business: A brief discussion about a no-U-turn sign at the Domino's intersection was noted (sign expected soon). A board member announced this was their last meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of PL 2026-000010: Minor subdivision for Barn Cafe LLC. Motion passed unanimously.
- Approval of PL 2026-000011: Site plan for self-storage at 32 Lafayette Street. Motion passed 1 opposed (one 'nay' vote).
- Administrative Authority: The planning and development office was granted authority to approve minor modifications to the site plan prior to final recording.
- Next Steps: The applicant must address missing plan elements, obtain permits, and record the site plan within six months. The building must pass fire, health, and building inspections before occupancy.
Meeting Transcript
All right, welcome to the planning board meeting, Monday, July 13th, 2026. Can I have a roll call, please? Jonathan Nelson? Yeah. E. Michael Sandborn? Richard Worwick? Here. Yeah. Maximum J. Ganal de France. Nancy Bates. Here. Deborah Mattown. Here with Swoski. All right. Uh review of minutes for previous meeting. June 22nd, 2026. Motion to approve is presented. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. And the minutes pass. All right. On to uh new business, public hearing. PL 2026 000010. The Barn Cafe LLC 37 39 Main Street. Application for a minor subdivision of 37 39 Main Street into two lots. Tax map 120, lot 29, Zone District, MU. What do you have, Austin? 37 to 39 Main Street is an 18,001 square foot wedge shaped lot between Main Street and Crescent Street in the city center. There are two main buildings on the lot with only one currently in use. The active building, 39 Main Street, houses the bar and cafe, while the larger building is currently vacant. The entire property is in the historic district. The applicant is proposing subdivision of this property into two parcels, separating the two buildings. City staff have been working with the applicant through since the early stages of this project and have confirmed that each proposed lot conforms with planning and zoning requirements. The larger proposed lot is 10,900 square feet and includes the active restaurant along with the property's 25 total paved parking spaces. The subdivision will not alter or disrupt the operation of the business or its conformance with municipal regulations, including compliance with prior planning board approvals. The smaller proposed lot is 7,200 square feet and includes the currently vacant Manadnock Mill number 5, a small amount of yard area, and the ramp attached to the southwestern corner of the building. The subdivision conforms to the definition of a minor subdivision, which shall mean the division of land constituting a subdivision into four or fewer lots, sites, or other division of land, and which shall require no new streets, the construction or extension of municipal utilities, or the construction of other municipal improvements, such as sidewalks, storm sewers, curbs, and gutters. Pursuant to section 4.10 of the subdivision regulations, a way of compliance with the survey and preliminary layout phases. The submission procedure and documents from minor subdivisions shall be as required for any final plat in sections 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, and 4.9 of these regulations. The submitted documents and this public hearing comply with the above requirements. Any subdivision plan presented to the board must be found complete and must comply with all applicable regulations unless waivers are granted by the board. That's all. All right. Any questions from the board?
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