OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Hooksett Planning Board Meeting – April 6, 2026

Town Council & Boards — Monday, April 6, 2026
BodyHooksett, New Hampshire
SessionTown Council & Boards
DateMonday, April 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:57:44

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

All right, so I'd like to call to order the meeting of the Hooks at uh Planning Board for Monday, April 6, 2026.

0:09

Um if uh if you could rise for the Pledge of Allegiance, please allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which he stands.

0:22

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all okay, thank you.

0:32

Um we have the members introduce themselves.

0:37

Uh Jim Sullivan, the council rep.

0:39

You pause the file than that Robert Zuhaim.

0:43

Mike Summers.

0:44

Paul Scarpetti.

0:46

Okay.

0:47

Um we have a member communicating electronically for the purpose of this meeting.

0:52

So with that being the case, Paul, we need you to explain the reason why you cannot attend.

0:58

We need to make sure that everybody can hear Paul on the phone, and all the votes taken at this meeting will need to be taken by roll call per RSA 91A, colon two, paragraph three.

1:12

Um this is Paul Scarpetty.

1:14

I am out of state, and I am alone in a uh office.

1:22

Okay.

1:24

So the minutes will show that that's the reason why Paul can't attend in person.

1:31

Okay.

1:31

With that, uh, I'll entertain a motion on for approval of minutes.

1:38

Mr.

1:39

Chairman.

1:40

Oh, Mr.

1:40

Chair, uh I was not present, but for the purpose of quorum, I will still vote.

1:45

Okay.

1:47

Oh, second.

1:48

It wasn't a motion.

1:49

He was just saying, sorry, oh, yeah, sorry.

1:51

Okay, yeah, I'll make a motion to approve the minutes of uh Monday, March 16th.

1:55

Okay, we have a motion from uh Robert.

1:57

Do we have a second?

1:58

Second, second by Mr.

1:59

Sullivan.

2:00

Do we have any questions, changes?

2:05

Nope.

2:06

Okay.

2:06

All in favor say aye.

2:08

Aye.

2:08

Any opposed.

2:10

I've seen I was not at the meeting.

2:13

Okay.

2:14

So with that, uh, we have appointments with uh town council uh goals update from Mr.

2:22

Guerin.

2:32

Well, good evening, Mr.

2:34

Chair, members of the planning board.

2:36

Uh my name is Andre Garrin, the uh town administrator.

2:39

And uh I do appreciate you giving me a little bit of time.

2:42

I promise not to be over three hours.

2:44

So uh I'm kidding.

2:46

Okay, we're gonna cut you off in three minutes, so um but I do want to give an overview.

2:52

Um uh every uh August the council gets together and and uh has a workshop on determining short-term, medium, and long-term goals with regard to the um town.

3:04

Um and and a couple of those goals, you know, does have an impact on the uh planning board and uh and those that had uh impacts on other uh other boards and and committees.

3:16

I I have met with uh recently met with the conservation commission uh with regard to the trialway program, and I know they've been extremely active with regard to that, but there were some goals there that um just kind of wanted to give them some uh heads up on that the council was thinking about.

3:33

Uh the two I wanted to talk about uh with the uh planning board is one the wellhead protection program, uh, and the other one is conservation need requests for large-scale developments.

3:45

Um for the second one, I I thought years ago, uh I don't know how long, but um years ago there was a concerted effort um when I was the planner in other in another community uh like cluster subdivision open space subdivisions were a big thing where credits were given um to uh density or density bonuses were given in order to protect um you know conservation land so a cluster the um development on on the small area but remained uh and it left a remaining area for conservation, you know, especially if it abutted another conservation owned property.

4:24

Um that way you can get these large swaths of um protected lands.

4:30

So the so the uh thought of the council was that it it is to um you know is that something I I know those two items are items in the master plan.

4:41

Uh I guess the question was uh I know there's a master plan committee, and I know this is identified as a long-term project.

4:49

Um is there thought or discussion around that particular uh those particular aspects?

5:00

And uh shouldn't say in the near future, but uh for a future discussions.

5:04

My my first impression is that I really thought that the conservation work was kind of ongoing more so than it was uh you know, like a long-term goal.

5:12

But um I certainly opened it up to the board for thoughts and comments, and I don't know that we've really discussed it in depth recently.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning And Land Use█████████████████████████████████████████41%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████22%
Procedural█████████████13%
Code Enforcement█████████9%
Water And Wastewater Management█████5%
Transportation Safety████4%
Public Engagement██2%
Regional Planning██2%
Parks and Recreation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Hooksett Planning Board Meeting – April 6, 2026

The Hooksett Planning Board met on Monday, April 6, 2026, at 7:00 PM (presumed) to discuss a town council goals update, two public hearings, a flood insurance rate map amendment, and other business. The meeting included extensive deliberation on a parking waiver for a Jersey Mike's at 1090 Hooksett Road and a multi-phase mixed-use development at 2 College Park Drive. Key decisions included continuation of the parking waiver, conditional approval of the College Park site plan, and adoption of the flood map update.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the March 16, 2026 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public offered testimony during the public hearing segments.

Discussion Items

  • Town Council Goals Update: Town Administrator Andre Guerin presented two long-term goals: wellhead protection and conservation easement requests for large-scale developments. Discussion involved identifying subcommittees, coordinating with water precincts (Mike Hydorn, Hooksett Village Water Precinct), and integrating efforts with the master plan. The board agreed to form a subcommittee to address immediate wellhead protection (2- to 5-year concern) and future water sources.
  • Code Enforcement and Tracking: Guerin encouraged board members to report specific site plan deficiencies to the code enforcement officer. Discussion focused on tracking approved projects, particularly 400 Technology Drive (temporary structures) and Hackett Hill Road (unauthorized land alteration). The board noted the existing tracking spreadsheet and agreed to improve follow-up procedures.
  • 1090 Hooksett Road – Parking Waiver (Bonka LLC): The applicant requested a waiver to reduce required parking from 59 to 42 spaces to accommodate a Jersey Mike's restaurant. The applicant argued that Dunkin' Donuts (operated by the same owner) and Jersey Mike's have minimal overlapping peak hours. Board members raised concerns about parking enforcement, pedestrian safety (curb jumping by drivers), delivery scheduling, and the potential for future tenants to require further waivers. The board voted to continue the hearing to April 20, 2026, for additional information: a solution to the curb-jumping issue, consideration of off-site employee parking, and delivery time coordination.
  • 2 College Park Drive – Phases 2 & 3 (Chelmsford Hooksett Properties LLC): The applicant presented revised plans addressing earlier comments on fire access, landscaping, and waivers. Key discussion points included the height and massing of the 80-unit residential building (367 feet long, 56 feet high), fire lane requirements (20-foot width, 3-sided access vs. 2-sided requested by some board members), sidewalk connectivity to College Park Drive, and landscaping tie-ins with the existing Cigna building. The board approved the plan with conditions (see Key Outcomes).
  • Flood Insurance Rate Map Update: A brief public hearing was held to amend Part 1, Section 13 of the development regulations to update the reference date of the Merrimack County flood insurance rate maps from 2010 to January 23, 2026. The motion passed with one opposed (Robert Duhaim).

Key Outcomes

  • 1090 Hooksett Road Waiver: Continued to April 20, 2026, with specific requests for addressing curb jumping, off-site parking options, and delivery scheduling.
  • College Park Drive Approval: The board approved the mixed-use site plan (Chelmsford Hooksett Properties LLC) with the following conditions:
    • Waiver from Development Regulations Part 3, Section 7.3 (timing of approvals) – approved 4-3.
    • Waiver from Part 3, Section 3.19 (multifamily amenities and architectural criteria) – approved 4-3.
    • Findings of Fact (conditions 1-7) – approved 5-2 (Scarpetti abstained).
    • Impact fees of $423,850.32 (traffic, public safety, parks, recreation, schools) – approved (majority vote).
    • Additional conditions: (1) Sidewalks along existing driveways to College Park Drive; (2) Foundation plantings on new commercial buildings; (3) Landscaping enhancements: five focal points with 20-foot berms, evergreen trees (minimum 6 feet starting height), and 3-5 shrubs per location (replacing some maples with evergreens, adding evergreens elsewhere). All conditions must be satisfied before certificate of occupancy.
  • Flood Map Update: Adopted by vote (one opposed).
  • Other: Mike Summers nominated as the board's representative to the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission (approved). The board also discussed comments on a Manchester subdivision (48 homes) – staff to send letter referencing prior traffic concerns.

Meeting Transcript

All right, so I'd like to call to order the meeting of the Hooks at uh Planning Board for Monday, April 6, 2026. Um if uh if you could rise for the Pledge of Allegiance, please allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which he stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all okay, thank you. Um we have the members introduce themselves. Uh Jim Sullivan, the council rep. You pause the file than that Robert Zuhaim. Mike Summers. Paul Scarpetti. Okay. Um we have a member communicating electronically for the purpose of this meeting. So with that being the case, Paul, we need you to explain the reason why you cannot attend. We need to make sure that everybody can hear Paul on the phone, and all the votes taken at this meeting will need to be taken by roll call per RSA 91A, colon two, paragraph three. Um this is Paul Scarpetty. I am out of state, and I am alone in a uh office. Okay. So the minutes will show that that's the reason why Paul can't attend in person. Okay. With that, uh, I'll entertain a motion on for approval of minutes. Mr. Chairman. Oh, Mr. Chair, uh I was not present, but for the purpose of quorum, I will still vote. Okay. Oh, second. It wasn't a motion. He was just saying, sorry, oh, yeah, sorry. Okay, yeah, I'll make a motion to approve the minutes of uh Monday, March 16th. Okay, we have a motion from uh Robert. Do we have a second? Second, second by Mr. Sullivan. Do we have any questions, changes? Nope. Okay. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed. I've seen I was not at the meeting. Okay. So with that, uh, we have appointments with uh town council uh goals update from Mr. Guerin. Well, good evening, Mr. Chair, members of the planning board. Uh my name is Andre Garrin, the uh town administrator. And uh I do appreciate you giving me a little bit of time. I promise not to be over three hours. So uh I'm kidding. Okay, we're gonna cut you off in three minutes, so um but I do want to give an overview. Um uh every uh August the council gets together and and uh has a workshop on determining short-term, medium, and long-term goals with regard to the um town. Um and and a couple of those goals, you know, does have an impact on the uh planning board and uh and those that had uh impacts on other uh other boards and and committees.

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