Hooksett Planning Board Meeting, January 5, 2026: Richmond Withdrawal, Marmon Expansion, Zoning Articles
Hooksett Planning Board Meeting - January 5, 2026
The Hooksett Planning Board met on Monday, January 5, 2026, to act on a withdrawal request at 400 Technology Drive, review a major Marmon Aerospace expansion at 18 Legends Drive, and make warrant recommendations on several zoning articles. Board members present included Jim Sullivan, Chris Delmack, Mike Summers, Jared Williams, Sheena Gilbert, and Robby Doy.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the December 15, 2025 meeting minutes, with corrections noting Paul Scarpetti on the absent list and a typographical fix in the 'other business' section. Motion by Mike Summers, second by Jared Williams.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Joe Malloy, owner of 300 Technology Drive, said Amazon is a 'lousy neighbor' and encouraged the board to deny the 400 Technology Drive withdrawal to send a clear message.
- For Articles 7 and 8, Alan O'Brien of Cedar Management Group raised concerns about emergency access, public transportation, utility service, liability, and public access to conservation land. John DiPietro, representing Granite Hill landowners, argued that the Class V road frontage requirement was overly burdensome and proposed a 10-acre minimum for conservation subdivisions, citing Randall Arendt.
Discussion Items
400 Technology Drive - Richmond Company Withdrawal
- The applicant requested withdrawal of its site plan application, saying it was developing a plan to use the existing building instead of proposed office trailers. Board members debated whether acceptance or denial would send a stronger enforcement message. Staff noted code enforcement can still address non-conforming uses after the application is closed. The motion to accept the withdrawal passed 4-2.
Marmon Aerospace, 18 Legends Drive - Site Plan
- The board accepted jurisdiction over the site plan application and then rejected a motion to classify the project as having regional impact.
- Applicants proposed a 255,000-square-foot addition plus approximately 100,000 square feet of mezzanine, 191 additional parking spaces, and a 24-hour weekday, three-shift operation plus an eight-hour Saturday shift.
- The board granted a landscape waiver due to large Eversource easements (380-foot and 200-foot), approved findings of fact, approved traffic and public safety impact fees totaling $304,132.50, and approved the final site plan under RSA 676:4.
- Final approval was conditioned on adherence to commercial architectural standards, with exterior masonry requirements excepted on this building.
Zoning Articles and Warrant Recommendations
- Article 16 (MUD5): David Campbell presented a proposal to rezone remaining Mixed-Use District 5 parcels - industrial on the west side and low-density residential on the east. After discussion about voter confusion and permanently conserved land, the board voted to recommend only the industrial rezoning to the ballot; the low-density residential portion was not advanced.
- Article 3 (general provisions): Recommended to ballot as a conforming update adopting the state standard by reference.
- Article 11 (industrial district): Recommended to ballot to restrict uses such as car washes, self-storage, and banks in industrial zones.
- Article 27 (accessory dwelling units): Recommended to ballot as a corrective amendment for ADU ingress/egress to comply with state law.
- Article 10: Property owner withdrew request; board took no action.
- Articles 7 and 8: Public hearing held, but the board decided they were not ready for the ballot and will continue vetting them with legal review.
Key Outcomes
- Accepted the 400 Technology Drive withdrawal 4-2.
- Approved the Marmon Aerospace expansion with impact fees: $219,028.50 traffic and $85,104.00 public safety, total $304,132.50.
- Recommended Articles 3, 11, 16 (industrial portion), and 27 for the ballot; did not advance Articles 7, 8, 10, or the low-density residential portion of Article 16.
- Planner updates included a scheduled site walk on January 17 at 10 a.m. for 325 Hackett Hill Road and discussion about code enforcement of GTS at 3 Kate Road operating without a signed site plan; the board agreed to put enforcement concerns in writing and may ask code enforcement staff to attend a future meeting.
Meeting Transcript
I didn't hear from anybody else, did you? That said, uh welcome all to Monday, January 5th, 2026. Happy to be here to everybody. Thank you. If you all please rise to the pledge if you could. Indivisible with liberty and justice for all members introduce yourselves. Uh Jim Sullivan, town council representative. Oh, Robert's calling me. Oh, here's Sheena. Oh, we're good. Uh Chris Delmack. Mike Summers. Jared Williams. And rolling in, we have Sheena Gilbert. Robby Doy. All right. So we have one, two, three, four, five, six. So I guess everybody can vote tonight that are here presently right now. Unless somebody else shows up. That's right. Give a minute for them to sit down. Looking at minutes from Monday, December 15th. Motion to approve. I'll second it. Motion made by Mike, uh seconded by Jared. Questions, comments? The only thing I found was Paul Scarpetti's name wasn't in absent or present. Um was Paul phoned in. Did he phone in? No, he wasn't. No. No. All right. All right. Good call. So we should have been on the absent list then, right? Yes. I'm remembering correctly, yes. Okay. Correct. Other than that, um anything. I did not. Oh, thank you for not being present for this meeting. The only other thing I saw was in other business down at the bottom. Um you had said something grant, and I guess she put an M instead of a G, but that's that's not a big deal. That's okay. Anyone else? All right. All those in favor? Hi.
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