China planners approve adding storage vault to town office

by Mary Grow

The three China Planning Board members at the April 25 meeting quickly, unanimously and with almost no discussion approved the Town of China’s application to add a storage vault to the town office building.

The application for a conditional use permit was prepared by Keith Whitaker of B. R. Smith Associates (BRSA), of Presque Isle. The addition will house a concrete vault for safe records storage, as required by state law. A 10-foot-long corridor will connect the addition to the south side of the existing building.

Whitaker said the addition will cause no significant changes. There will be no additional people; no new driveways or parking; no added exterior lights (one over the back door will come on only during power outages); no increased water or septic system usage; no additional run-off or other environmental impacts.

Board co-chairman James Wilkens commended the completeness and clarity of the application. The only condition attached to the approval is that a permit be obtained from the state fire marshal’s office; Whittaker said discussions have started.

In other business April 25, codes officer Nicholas French said he met with state Department of Transportation (MDOT) personnel to discuss two 15-year-old culverts under Lakeview Drive, near Fire Road 27, that are undersized and too smooth to stop silt draining into China Lake.

DOT intends to replace the culverts, French said. He does not know when.

With two board members absent, Wilkens postponed discussion of revisions to the Planning Board Ordinance and action under the town’s comprehensive plan to the May 9 meeting. He asked French to add the previously-discussed solar ordinance – a proposed new chapter in China’s Land Use Ordinance to regulate commercial solar development – to the agenda.

Also tentatively scheduled for the May 9 meeting is continued review of the proposed four-lot Killdeer Heights subdivision on Lakeview Drive and Mountain View Drive, if surveyor Adam Ellis has needed information in time (see the April 27 issue of The Town Line, pp. 2 and 3).

Wilkens invited residents to volunteer for China’s Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee. Current members, according to the town website, are Barbara Crosier, Randall Downer and Amber French. Others interested should contact the town office.

The May 9 planning board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., in the town office meeting room, according to the calendar on the town website.