ENFIELD — The Enfield Planning Board unanimously approved plans Wednesday for the 299-unit Laramie Farm residential development on Maple Street following 3 1/2 hours of discussion.
After seven months of review, the board approved the project under 23 conditions. The approval marked the largest project in the history of Enfield land use, according to Enfield Land Use and Community Development Administrator Rob Taylor.
The proposed Laramie Farm development is expected to include 213 apartments and 86 townhouses across 77.1 acres between U.S. Route 4 and Maple Street. The application was submitted by DC Developments & Construction LLC, with the property owned by Maple Street-Enfield Acquisition LLC.
Taylor said Thursday that the final approved plans will be posted online after planning board chair and Grafton State Rep. David Fracht formally signs off on the documents.
The board spent much of Wednesday’s meeting revising the language of each condition that addresses the development’s construction, infrastructure and operation. The conditions require the developer to submit construction and monitoring plans, obtain local and state permits and provide financial assurances for certain improvements, according to the planning board decision.
Taylor said the developers agreed to help fund a filtration system for Enfield’s McConnell Well, which was deemed unable to provide drinking water due to high levels of uranium earlier this year.
The document also stated that the developer is required to contribute toward the design and construction of a sidewalk along the north side of U.S. Route 4, spanning from the development’s driveway to Flanders Street.
During the meeting, traffic at the intersection of U.S. Route 4 and N.H. Route 4A was a significant concern as members discussed the traffic impact study conducted by VHB on behalf of the developers, according to the Aug. 26 planning board meeting minutes, which projected increased wait times for drivers turning left from Route 4A onto Route 4.
Because the intersection is located in the town of Lebanon and falls under the jurisdiction of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, the Enfield Planning Board does not have the authority to resolve the traffic impact, according to Frackt at the Nov. 11 meeting.
The board also addressed questions about whether the development would include workforce or affordable housing. Frackt said at the Nov. 11 meeting that the developers are entitled to their own pricing of the units.
“They have a right to do that,” he said. “Maybe at some point the county will offer incentives to the developer for workforce housing, such as density bonuses, but it’s not in our zoning currently, and maybe that’s something that we’re going to move to in the future.”
The final vote was unanimous, with board member Linda Jones recusing herself because she is an abutter to the proposed development and previously challenged the project’s zoning variances in Superior Court.
Taylor said in a Thursday phone interview that he was pleased to have the board approve the plans, but there is more work to be done.
Taylor said that, despite planning board approval, the developers still need to obtain several permits before construction can begin, including water and sewer connection permits from Enfield and wetland and driveway permits from the state. “It’s a big step, but it’s not the final step for sure.”
