JACKSON – Following several hearings before the Jackson Planning Board, Tri State Gunite, Herman Road, has received approval to construct two new structures on its property.
The board approved the application at its May 19 meeting.
Gunite is a material that is used to construct swimming pools.
The plan calls for a 16,000-square-foot office-warehouse building and a 6,000- square-foot pole barn to be built.
The new structures are designed to store sand, electrical supplies and pipe supplies that are used in the process of constructing swimming pools. The pools are constructed at clients’ homes and not at the site, which is in a light manufacturing (LM) zone on a dirt road, Herman Road.
Planning Board engineer Doug Klee said it was determined that the use is permitted in the LM zone.
At issue was the decision to improve Herman Road or to provide bonds for the improvements.
Anna R. Wainright, the board’s planner, said she was concerned with the setbacks from Interstate 195, which borders the property.
Attorney Denis Kelly, representing the applicant, said, “The first issue is the improvement of Herman Road. [Regarding] the improvements of a quarter-mile or more, the applicant will pay his fair share and that will be in the developer’s agreement.”
Klee said that would be fine, since the bond would cover the improvements necessary across the road at the front of the property.
Environmental scientist Ian Borden, representing the applicant, summarized the application for the board. He noted there is an existing building on the property and said the applicant is proposing a 16,380- square-foot second building, an office-warehouse. The 6,000- square-foot pole barn would be placed at the rear of the site near Interstate 195.
There is an existing cement silo on the site that will be moved behind the existing building. There will be an building. There will be an 8,000-gallon fuel tank adjacent to the cement silo.
Borden noted that the Metedeconk River is more than 1,000 feet away from the Tri State Gunite property.
Running down a list of items, Borden said the applicant is proposing septic tanks and well water, along with landscaping. He said the applicant will agree to the storm-water management regulations adopted by the state in 2004.
“There are no specimen trees on the site and no signs are being proposed,” Borden said. “The old parking area was gravel and the new parking area will be the same.”
Engineer Graham J. Macfarlane, representing the applicant, described the site and location of each structure, the access points and the circulation plan for trucks entering and leaving the site.
Macfarlane said the pole barn is 54 feet from the right of way of Interstate 195 or 100 feet away from the active highway. The pole barn is 28 feet high and the ordinance allows for 25 feet in height, Macfarlane said. He later agreed to reduce the height to 25 feet.
He also noted the two silos were 40 feet high where 25 feet was allowed and for that a variance would be needed. The board later granted that variance.
“There are a significant number of trees between the right of way line and the [property line],” Macfarlane said. “It won’t be visible” from the highway.
The setback is 550 feet and there would be no impact on the area, he said.
It was noted that there will not be any lighting on the pole barn.
The fuel tanks are within close proximity to the west property line and Macfarlane said it does not require the tankers to back up to get fuel.
Planning Board Vice Chairman Todd Porter wanted to know if there was a slope between the property and the highway.
Macfarlane said there was not much difference between the two areas.
Macfarlane asked for a waiver so that the applicant would not have to pave the entire site. He said not paving the entire site would be better for drainage.
Wainright questioned the circulation around the silo and the fuel tanks, and it was agreed that it may be possible to make an adjustment to the location of the fuel tanks and the silos.
The color of the office-warehouse building will be brown, which will make it consistent with the existing building.
Tri State Gunite regional manager Bob Seaman said employees of the company go to people’s homes and build swimming pools. He said that in the process of building a pool, the employees need steel supplies, plumbing supplies, pumps and electrical parts.
“The building will be used for the plumbing, steel and electrical supplies and nothing else,” he said. “Nobody else except us.”
Porter said he was concerned with the location of the tanks in relation to the highway, and Macfarlane said the tanks can be angled so they will be farther to the right.
No one from the public spoke in favor of or in opposition to the Tri State Gunite application when offered the opportunity to do so.
The board members then voted 9-0 to approve the application.