Dayton Planning Board

June 5, 2012

 

Members Present: Remi Caron (Chair), Dan Plourde, Valerie Cole (Alt)

Town Employees: Mike Souliere (Road Commissioner), Scott Littlefield (Selectman)

Public: Scott Hebert, Richard Chaisson, Ronald Dearborn, Tom McKenney, John Gay

Handouts: Dearborn Brothers Construction request, diagrams, and report of materials removed

 

Administrative:

Dan Plourde motioned to accept the May 1, 2012 minutes. Valerie Cole seconded. All voted in favor.

 

Old Business: None discussed.

 

New Business:

DEARBORN BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION, AMENDMENT TO CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT: Ronald Dearborn presented a request to have the 25-ton weight restriction on Hollis Road lifted so that Dearborn Brothers may use heavier trucks, such as tri-axles and trailer dumps. Dearborn Brothers has operated the pit on Hollis Road since 2002. The extra distance they must travel due to the weight restrictions on the road makes it hard for them to be competitive, given current fuel prices.

 

Road Commissioner Mike Souliere stated he does not have a problem with this request and asked if Dearborn is bonded for larger loads. Mr. Dearborn explained they are only bonded to make sure they close the pit properly when done, and their plans are to run the pit until they can't extract any more from it. He did not think that any other pits are bonded for roads. He noted also that the road was resurfaced five years ago.

 

Mike Souliere felt that tri-axles distribute weight better. Tri-axles can legally carry 16 yards; this amount is set by DOT. Remi Caron noted that is about four-five more yards per load than a dual-axle, and can potentially reduce the number of trucks on the road. He also said that he frequently sees tri-axle trucks on Dyer Road. Mr. Dearborn explained they only have two tri-axles and they aren't used frequently, so it may not be a large reduction in the number of trucks.

 

Scott Littlefield noted the weight difference between a dual-axle and a dump trailer is about 40,000 pounds. Speaking for the selectmen, he stated they don't have a problem with relaxing the weight limit but they would like to see money in an escrow account. Dearborn said he put money previously into escrow and it was used, and he didn't think it fair for his company to be the only one required to have an escrow account. He asked if anyone else had an escrow account: Littlefield said he wasn't sure, but noted that is a good point.

 

Scott Hebert noted that the increased weight was spread out over more area in a tri-axle and Richard Chaisson explained that the tri-axles are built for the additional weight. They are the same width as a dual-axle. Dan Plourde asked about the safety of other vehicles on Hollis Road, noting that there could be cause for concern if a car was not expecting to meet a large truck, such as a dump trailer, on that road.

In response to a question from the Board, Dearborn said that most of his jobs don't allow him to use a dump trailer because of its size.

 

Littlefield noted that if Dearborn is given that leeway, the same should be given to Jeff Sawyer at Preston Pit, on the same road. Dearborn said he has seen tri-axles coming out of that pit. He does not want to be restricted to Route 5; he would like to be able to exit the pit empty at night and drive home without detour.

 

Littlefield worried that taking down the weight limit signs could have the effect of inviting tractor trailers to use the road. One solution would be to limit the road to trucks with no more than four axles. Mike Souliere noted that the town has no legal enforcement on that road. If a sign is up perhaps a patrolling sheriff might notice, but if the signs are down it is open to all. The town has no wish to make Hollis and Dyer Road a throughway. He also noted that Jeff Sawyer would have to be informed of any changes.

Dearborn said he has hauled around 100,000 yards out of the Hollis Road pit. Chaisson pointed out that they have not run tri-axles on Hollis Road: they try to be good neighbors. They don't foresee a large increase in trucking, although Dearborn that depends on where the job is located. He also explained that sometimes they come back empty from one job and it would be helpful to be able to use Hollis Road for the return trip.

 

Remi Caron indicated that he isn't clear on what the Board needs to do to regarding the signs. Souliere and Littlefield said it would have to be discussed at a Selectmen’s meeting: they would initiate the removal of the weight limit sign and order signs restricting the road to trucks with four axles or fewer.

 

Neighbor Tom McKenney said he has noticed an increase in trucks. He isn't concerned, but was curious. Dearborn said there was an increase and referenced his report of materials removed. He explained that it isn't necessarily a trend though, it all depends on the economy and the jobs they are able to get. Littlefield noted that they might hire trucks that don't show the Dearborn name, and they might be tri-axles. Hebert explained that the increase could also be due to material removed from the pit for substations on a Saco job.

 

Remi Caron asked for clarification: the Planning Board will lift the condition regarding weight limit in the previous CUP (Condition 4, pg 2, June 11, 2002) and it won't be specific to the pit, but specific to the road. The 25 ton limit will be pulled, the corresponding signs removed, and the new signs will indicate that the road is limited to trucks with four axles or less. The "No truck through traffic" signs will remain.

 

Hebert noted that the tri-axle is very job specific and only gets used a handful of times.

 

Dan Plourde motioned to remove the condition restricting tri-axle or larger trucks as specified in the 2002 Dearborn Brothers Conditional Use Permit, with the understanding that trucks will remain in accordance with vehicle weight limits, never to exceed state DOT limits. The other conditions of the June 11, 2002 Conditional Use Permit remain.

 

Valerie Cole seconded.  All voted in favor. The Planning Board will issue an amendment to the Conditional Use Permit and the matter will move next to the Selectmen.

 

LAURA MCKNIGHT, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR SEASONAL GIFT SHOP: Members received a Conditional Use Permit submitted by Laura McKnight for a seasonal gift shop on her property at 1020 New County Road. She will be on the agenda for the May 20, 2012 meeting.

 

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM.

 

 

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Valerie J. Cole, Secretary

 

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Remi Caron, Chair

COPIES TO: Jim Roberts, Code Enforcement Officer; Selectmen; and Tax Assessor

THESE MINUTES MAY NOT BE TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM. SECTIONS MAY BE PARAPHRASED FOR CLARITY.