Residents complain to Exeter council about heavy trucks, zoning violations and public‑safety risks

Residents in attendance urged the Exeter Town Council to enforce zoning rules after repeated incidents involving large commercial vehicles operating from a property in a rural/residential zone.

Katrina (Thornley) told the council she lives on Bates Schoolhouse Road and complained about operations at 94 Bates Schoolhouse Road, including large vehicles on a dirt road that have damaged pavement and caused erosion. She said employees park on the road and sometimes block travel and that truck activity late at night creates safety concerns.

Rita Cassidy, identifying herself as a resident of Arcadia Road, reported that 20,000‑pound trucks and tandem trailers have been exiting onto a dangerous curve and that a tandem trailer had crashed recently. “...there's at least 8 kids and at least that. And they can't walk between the houses ... it's just not safe,” she said.

Council and staff noted that one address cited in testimony ('83 Arcadia Road') does not correspond to a recorded subdivision parcel; staff asked for records and said the work of enforcement generally follows a notice, an opportunity to correct, and an appeal process to the zoning board. The zoning officer said that once an appeal is filed with the zoning board an automatic statutory stay generally applies unless the town can demonstrate a public‑health or safety emergency.

Councilors urged staff to continue enforcement, gather documentation and follow the legal process. One staff member said a property owner in a recent case retained counsel and intends to appeal enforcement; councilors discussed that an appeal will likely delay enforcement unless a public‑health finding is made.

The council did not take a formal enforcement vote at the meeting but instructed staff to continue investigations and report back. Residents were told the town will track complaints and proceed through the zoning‑board process as allowed under state statute.