Nashua Planning Board Meeting Summary - October 16, 2025

The City of Nashua Planning Board convened on October 16, 2025, to address routine administrative items, approve minutes from the previous meeting, and deliberate on two distinct development cases involving extensions and curb cut waivers. Key discussions included a unanimous decision to extend a conditional use permit and site plan for a nonprofit group home, and a unanimous waiver approval to facilitate parking improvements and street wall repairs for a property owner. The Board also finalized the meeting calendar for 2026.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: Mr. Varley moved to approve the minutes from the September 18, 2025, meeting as written; Mr. Hudson seconded. The motion passed with Ms. Harper abstaining.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Case 825-0147 (4 Beard Street): Ethan Beals, representing Gateways Community Services (Area Agency Properties), requested a one-year extension for a project originally approved in September 2024. He stated the existing single-family home has reached the end of its usable life and the project involves demolishing it to construct a nine-unit multifamily residential building to house developmentally disabled clients. He expressed that the critical hurdle remains securing additional funding sources.
• Case 825-0152 (7th Ayer Court/L. Fletcher Street): Eric Parent, the property owner and contractor, testified that his project aims to alleviate downtown parking shortages and improve accessibility for tenants at 13 Main Street by creating street-level access and adding parking spots. He stated the current wall supporting the street is unsafe and requires immediate repair, noting that he has coordinated with the Building Department and city engineering. He expressed that the proposed sketches provide a clear intent and that fully engineered plans were skipped to save costs.

Discussion Items

• Case 825-0147 (4 Beard Street): The Board discussed the applicant's request for a one-year extension to allow for continued fundraising. Mr. Green noted the case was straightforward and represented an first extension for the project.
• Case 825-0152 (7th Ayer Court/L. Fletcher Street): Board members sought clarification on the procedural nature of the application. Mr. Green and Mr. Hudson confirmed the application is not a major site plan amendment but requires a waiver for a curb cut width exceeding the 36-foot standard to be processed administratively. Mr. Hudson affirmed that city engineering has reviewed the materials and determined the sketches adequately demonstrate the intent to repair the street wall. Mr. Varley raised a procedural concern regarding the motion's language, suggesting it should explicitly cite RSA 674:4 and include findings that strict conformity poses an unnecessary hardship to ensure consistency with other waiver requests.
• Regional Impact Determination: Mr. Varley moved to determine that no proposals of regional impact exist for the upcoming agenda items. Mr. Green seconded. (Motion passed with one abstention by Mr. Hudson). The Board noted that upcoming public works cases will be rescheduled from November 6th to December 4th.
• 2026 Meeting Dates: Mr. Hudson moved to adopt the redlined 2026 meeting and deadline dates as presented in the packet. Ms. Harper seconded. The Board discussed the necessity of setting dates for applicants in the coming months, noting that while individual conflicts exist, the schedule generally reflects past practices and avoids April vacation. (Motion passed).

Key Outcomes

• Case 825-0147: Motion by Mr. Green to extend the Conditional Use Permit and Site Plan approval by one year for the 4 Beard Street property. Passed unanimously. Motion includes the condition that previous approval conditions remain in effect.
• Case 825-0152: Motion by Mr. Varley to grant a waiver from Section 190-29A allowing the curb cut width to exceed the 36-foot maximum, based on the finding that strict conformity poses an unnecessary hardship and the waiver is not contrary to the spirit and intent of the regulation. Passed unanimously (7-0). The waiver allows the proposal "as shown" in the application.
• Adjournment: Mr. Varley moved to adjourn the meeting at 23:49; passed unanimously.