Planning Board approves sauna, hot tub and electrical upgrade at 33 Grinnell Street with conditions

The Tama Brenda Planning Board on May 5 approved a site-plan and special-use permit for property owners Robert and Emma Turnbull at 33 Grinnell Street that allows installation of a barrel sauna, an 18-inch exposed in-ground hot tub, replacement heat pumps, an EV charging station and an electrical upgrade to a 400-amp service.

Applicant Robert Turnbull (presenting as Rob Tortlow) described screening plans using arborvitae and native plantings to obscure the sauna and electrical equipment from the street. He told the board the nearest septic and leach field are 206 feet from the proposed spa location and said he would provide manufacturer cut sheets for the EV charger and the heat-pump units.

Planner Jim told the board he would prepare an approval resolution conditioned on three items: updating landscape sheet L100 to correct mismatches between the landscape and site-plan sheets, providing cut sheets for the EV charger and heat pumps, and adding septic-tank and leach-field locations to the plan so the board and building inspector can confirm required setbacks. The board also required a note that the on-site treehouse will be removed before final approval or as part of the project.

The board voted to accept the conditioned resolution and authorized the chair to stamp and sign the plans once the three conditions are satisfied. “We’ll need updated plans because we are going to condition the approval on adjusting sheet L100,” Jim said during discussion. The motion to accept the approval resolution as modified carried by voice vote.

Board members who conducted a site visit reported the property is large and that the screening plan appears adequate. The building department will review final construction documents for compliance; the planning board secretary will provide the applicant with the signed resolution and next steps.