Salisbury Planning Board reviews proposed subdivision and planned conservation gift
January 19, 2026 | Salisbury, Merrimack County , New Hampshire
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The Salisbury Planning Board on Jan. 19 reviewed a conceptual plan to divide a 97.4‑acre parcel at 618 Old Turnpike Road (Tax Map 238, Lot 54) into three lots, including a roughly 78.39‑acre parcel proposed for dedication to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the board heard.
Mario Forareto, surveyor with Daylight Engineering & Surveying, told the board the parent parcel would be split so that Lot 1 would retain the existing house (about 9.73 acres), Lot 2 would be a new residential lot (about 9.29 acres) and Lot 3 would be the remaining 78.39 acres proposed for conservation. Forareto said Lots 2 and 3 had been submitted to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation for driveway permits and that stonewalls would be used as boundary markers in several locations. "[T]he wetlands mapping is only good for 5 years and would likely be needed again to build on the lot," Forareto said, and he asked whether the board would consider waivers for wetlands work because of the potential financial burden.
Chair Joe Schmidl said the board believed the lots contained wetlands and noted subdivision requirements the applicant must meet, including the town's standard for boundary line segmentation and a topography standard. Schmidl also said the board requires any boundary line segment not exceed 500 feet and pointed out a few instances on the conceptual plan where that standard may not be met. Jeff Nangle asked whether test pits had been completed for the lots; Forareto said they had not, and David Kelly observed that a lot with an existing septic may not require a new test pit.
Forareto said the plan likely would be straightforward if the conservation conveyance were finalized; he suggested that including the proposed conservation donation with the subdivision application could change wetlands requirements. Town Administrator April Rollins said she would check the deed book and page for an electric‑company easement referenced on the plan to ensure the Town's assessor records matched those deeds.
No formal vote or approval of the subdivision was taken at the meeting. The board identified required follow‑up items for the applicant: updated wetlands mapping or an explicit waiver request, completed test pits where required, and documentation of the proposed conservation conveyance and any existing easements. The minutes note the board scheduled its next meeting for March 2 at 6:30 p.m.; the minutes list the year as 2025, which appears inconsistent with the Jan. 19, 2026 meeting date in these minutes.
Mario Forareto, surveyor with Daylight Engineering & Surveying, told the board the parent parcel would be split so that Lot 1 would retain the existing house (about 9.73 acres), Lot 2 would be a new residential lot (about 9.29 acres) and Lot 3 would be the remaining 78.39 acres proposed for conservation. Forareto said Lots 2 and 3 had been submitted to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation for driveway permits and that stonewalls would be used as boundary markers in several locations. "[T]he wetlands mapping is only good for 5 years and would likely be needed again to build on the lot," Forareto said, and he asked whether the board would consider waivers for wetlands work because of the potential financial burden.
Chair Joe Schmidl said the board believed the lots contained wetlands and noted subdivision requirements the applicant must meet, including the town's standard for boundary line segmentation and a topography standard. Schmidl also said the board requires any boundary line segment not exceed 500 feet and pointed out a few instances on the conceptual plan where that standard may not be met. Jeff Nangle asked whether test pits had been completed for the lots; Forareto said they had not, and David Kelly observed that a lot with an existing septic may not require a new test pit.
Forareto said the plan likely would be straightforward if the conservation conveyance were finalized; he suggested that including the proposed conservation donation with the subdivision application could change wetlands requirements. Town Administrator April Rollins said she would check the deed book and page for an electric‑company easement referenced on the plan to ensure the Town's assessor records matched those deeds.
No formal vote or approval of the subdivision was taken at the meeting. The board identified required follow‑up items for the applicant: updated wetlands mapping or an explicit waiver request, completed test pits where required, and documentation of the proposed conservation conveyance and any existing easements. The minutes note the board scheduled its next meeting for March 2 at 6:30 p.m.; the minutes list the year as 2025, which appears inconsistent with the Jan. 19, 2026 meeting date in these minutes.
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