New Ipswich Select Board amends Brook Haven Farm conditions on phasing, paving and security
June 18, 2026 | New Ipswich, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
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The New Ipswich Select Board voted to amend the conditional approval for Brook Haven Farm LLC on Wednesday, clarifying phasing language, setting road-paving triggers, and updating the required performance security.
The board agreed that phase one will refer to infrastructure work — road construction, drainage and the fire pond — and not to home construction, and it directed staff to update the approval language so those infrastructure items must be completed and approved before lot sales or certificates of occupancy proceed in later phases. Chuck Richie of Fieldstone, the applicant’s consultant, said the state reviewer (AOT) requested the plan be shown as three phases instead of the originally approved two “to make the drainage and the road a priority.”
Why it matters: the rewritten conditions determine when developers can sell lots or convey homes and when the town can require completion of key public-safety and stormwater elements. Board members said they wanted wording that preserves the town’s original intent to protect buyers while not preventing the developer from completing infrastructure in a single campaign if they choose.
Under the changes the board approved, road paving obligations are now tied to lot-sales thresholds: the asphalt binder (base) course must be installed by the 10th lot sale or certificate of occupancy, and the final pavement course must be installed by the 20th lot sale or certificate of occupancy. The board discussed weather and market risks and agreed the 10/20 thresholds strike a balance between protecting future buyers and allowing flexibility; the board also retained the option to consider plan amendments if the developer later requests relief.
The board also set a target for the fire-pond agreement and inspection: rather than requiring execution before any lot sale in the newly drawn phase one (which contains infrastructure but no lot sales), the board decided the fire-pond agreement and inspection must be completed prior to the fourth lot sale or certificate of occupancy.
Financial security was recalculated from the engineer’s line items and updated to a combined performance-security amount of $1,114,797, which the board directed be posted prior to the first certificate of occupancy or lot sale and to be prorated based on completed work when revised estimates are provided. Tammy (town staff) said the amount can be adjusted downward after on-site inspection of completed items.
Board members also raised questions about newly hatched storm-water management easements shown on the revised plans. Several members asked the applicant to supply the Department of Environmental Services (DES) correspondence and the submitted declaration of covenants, easements and restrictions so the board can confirm who will maintain those easement areas and what private-owner restrictions (if any) will apply. Richie said the applicant would provide the requested documentation and clarified that the DES permit package asked for copies of recorded easement language and covenants as part of the state permit process.
The board voted to adopt an addendum amending multiple conditions and notes in the original conditional approval to reflect the changes described above. The motion to amend the conditional approval was seconded by Christy; the board approved the amendment in a recorded vote, with at least one abstention noted during the roll call. Following the vote staff and the applicant agreed to submit corrected plan sheets (master site plan updates and a limited set of revised pages), finalize the executed HOA and access-easement documents, and coordinate recording with the Hillsboro County Registry of Deeds.
Next steps: town staff will post the revised addendum and plan sheets, confirm receipt of the executed access-easement and HOA documents for recording, and update the bond amounts as inspections and work completion progress. The amended conditions will be bundled with the recording package when the applicant files the final subdivision documents.
The board agreed that phase one will refer to infrastructure work — road construction, drainage and the fire pond — and not to home construction, and it directed staff to update the approval language so those infrastructure items must be completed and approved before lot sales or certificates of occupancy proceed in later phases. Chuck Richie of Fieldstone, the applicant’s consultant, said the state reviewer (AOT) requested the plan be shown as three phases instead of the originally approved two “to make the drainage and the road a priority.”
Why it matters: the rewritten conditions determine when developers can sell lots or convey homes and when the town can require completion of key public-safety and stormwater elements. Board members said they wanted wording that preserves the town’s original intent to protect buyers while not preventing the developer from completing infrastructure in a single campaign if they choose.
Under the changes the board approved, road paving obligations are now tied to lot-sales thresholds: the asphalt binder (base) course must be installed by the 10th lot sale or certificate of occupancy, and the final pavement course must be installed by the 20th lot sale or certificate of occupancy. The board discussed weather and market risks and agreed the 10/20 thresholds strike a balance between protecting future buyers and allowing flexibility; the board also retained the option to consider plan amendments if the developer later requests relief.
The board also set a target for the fire-pond agreement and inspection: rather than requiring execution before any lot sale in the newly drawn phase one (which contains infrastructure but no lot sales), the board decided the fire-pond agreement and inspection must be completed prior to the fourth lot sale or certificate of occupancy.
Financial security was recalculated from the engineer’s line items and updated to a combined performance-security amount of $1,114,797, which the board directed be posted prior to the first certificate of occupancy or lot sale and to be prorated based on completed work when revised estimates are provided. Tammy (town staff) said the amount can be adjusted downward after on-site inspection of completed items.
Board members also raised questions about newly hatched storm-water management easements shown on the revised plans. Several members asked the applicant to supply the Department of Environmental Services (DES) correspondence and the submitted declaration of covenants, easements and restrictions so the board can confirm who will maintain those easement areas and what private-owner restrictions (if any) will apply. Richie said the applicant would provide the requested documentation and clarified that the DES permit package asked for copies of recorded easement language and covenants as part of the state permit process.
The board voted to adopt an addendum amending multiple conditions and notes in the original conditional approval to reflect the changes described above. The motion to amend the conditional approval was seconded by Christy; the board approved the amendment in a recorded vote, with at least one abstention noted during the roll call. Following the vote staff and the applicant agreed to submit corrected plan sheets (master site plan updates and a limited set of revised pages), finalize the executed HOA and access-easement documents, and coordinate recording with the Hillsboro County Registry of Deeds.
Next steps: town staff will post the revised addendum and plan sheets, confirm receipt of the executed access-easement and HOA documents for recording, and update the bond amounts as inspections and work completion progress. The amended conditions will be bundled with the recording package when the applicant files the final subdivision documents.
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