THE LACONIA DAILY SUN, Thursday, February 23, 2012 — Page 7
LETTERS
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Spot zoning has resulted from town’s special exception policy To the editor, How would you like to wake up in the house where you have lived for many years to the sound of construction machinery clearing land right next door, and when you go out to ask what is going on, you are told that a warehouse, miniature golf course, restaurant, gas station, truck depot, convenience store, storage units, or some other commercial facility is being built on the residential property next door? You may think that this can’t happen, since you live in the minimum one acre residential/agricultural zone. But, so long as the Moultonborough Zoning Board can grant Special Exceptions with minimal standards, commercial enterprises can be built anywhere in town. Right now as a home or landowner, you have no protection from this permanent change in land use. Every one of the commercial establishments described above received a Special Exception from the Zoning Board, despite objections from neighbors and the fact that these properties were zoned residential/agricultural. Eliminating Special Exceptions for commercial use does not mean that a needed commercial facility can’t be situated in the residential/agricultural zone — all it means is that the applicant will need a zoning variance. For a variance, the developer would have to show: (1) a legitimate need
for the facility in that location; (2) a meaningful hardship, and (3) prove that the commercial entity would not devalue neighboring properties. This would help to prevent what we have now – spot zoning. When Moultonborough created a commercial zone on Route 25, it was intended that future commercial development be located there, to protect residential properties and maintain the rural character of the town, as per the desires of residents as intended by the Master Plan. At that time, the town should have repealed such Special Exceptions. Unfortunately that did not occur, resulting in the proliferation of commercial enterprises described above. All these businesses could and should have been located in the commercial zone on Route 25, all 17 linear miles of it – from Center Harbor to Sandwich. This proposed change will rationalize commercial development and eliminate future spot zoning. It will have no effect whatsoever upon existing commercial establishments in residential/ agricultural zones as those properties are “grandfathered,” so long as their use remains unchanged. Moultonborough voters, please vote yes for Warrant Article 9 on March 13th. Eric Taussig Moultonborough
ESS 4th graders collecting peanut butter & jelly for Got Lunch! To the editor, The Advisory Board of Got Lunch! Laconia has always felt that our program is so much more than distributing lunches to those who need it. At the end of year #1 the family surveys told us loud and clear that those lunches were needed, and very much appreciated. We have continued to try to get more kids involved, and have approached the SAU about that very thing, and have been well received. Last week was our first real evidence that something big, and something wonderful is happening to our kids, as they learn what Got Lunch! is about. They are learning and witnessing what reaching out, helping someone who needs help, and caring for others is all about. Witness this letter from an Elm Street student received two weeks ago; Dear Got Lunch! Program,
This is Eric Phelps, and I am the Vice President of the Student Government at Elm Street School. The Student Government here would like to help you out and would like to know what we could do to help your program. We have some students that get free lunches, and want to help them out too. Right now we are having a drive to collect jars of peanut butter and jelly. What else can our Student Government do to help out? Sincerely, Eric Phelps Eric is a 4th-grader. Eric and his classmates have noticed more than a few things around them, and are getting involved. In the fourth grade! This is truly heart-warming. This is Laconia, and we are so proud. The Got Lunch! Laconia Advisory Board
We are all much better off for having known Bob Morton To the editor, It’s a sign that we are getting old when we start going right to the obits as we open the paper. The joke is that we do that to make sure they don’t include our names that day. But one thing that is not a joke is how often these days I see names and faces I did know, and that can be very sad. Today I saw Bob Morton in there. While I hadn’t talked to Bob since Hawkensen’s closed, it was sad to think that he won’t be bending my ear again in this life. Bob was one of those rare individuals that could talk to anyone as if he was an old pal. Sometimes he talked
too much. You’d go in for a chain saw file and have to listen about his weekend or his grandkids. But isn’t that what life is all about? He was never angry about anything… never had a complaint. He was just a great guy with a life full of treasures that he wanted to talk about. You always left there feeling better than you came in… oftentimes having to go back later to get that file he made you forget. Best wishes to Bob’s family. There will be huge void to fill. But we are all better off for having known him. Frank Marino Meredith
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