China planners OK change of use for M.A. Haskell property

by Mary Grow

China Planning Board members held a short Sept. 23 meeting, during which they approved the only application on their agenda and changed their plans for recommending revisions to town ordinances.

The application was from Maurice Haskell, represented at the meeting by his daughter, Heather Haskell, to convert the former M. A. Haskell commercial building at 1166 Route 3 to a residence.

Board members voted they did not need to hold a public hearing on the application, because effects on neighboring properties will be diminished, not increased, by the change.

They found the application met all 15 criteria in the town’s Land Use Ordinance and approved it unanimously, with almost no discussion. Heather Haskell said no exterior changes are planned, and a residence would fit into the residential neighborhood.

At previous meetings, board members have considered asking voters to approve a new site review ordinance. On Sept. 23, board chairman Toni Wall suggested before recommending a new ordinance, board members update existing ones.

Some have not been revised since the 1990s, Wall said. She proposed the 1993 Phosphorus Control Ordinance as the first ordinance to be reviewed.

Codes Officer Nicholas French added that new state housing laws require towns to modify some ordinance requirements by July 1, 2026, to allow greater housing density.

The planning board will not meet Tuesday, Oct. 14 (its usual second Tuesday meeting), because, with one of its five positions vacant and two members unavailable, there would be no quorum. The next meeting is currently scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 28.