SBVD PB Minutes 12.08.2025
The PB approved minutes from May 12, 2025, by voice vote. Commissioners prioritized Andover Street for 2026 pathway repairs and will meet with the Town Manager to discuss these priorities. The PB proposed zoning changes for 2026 to align with NH state housing laws, including allowing multi-family homes in Zone 2 with adequate infrastructure and permitting detached ADUs up to 950 square feet. Specific prohibitions were added against using mobile homes, RVs, and storage containers as dwellings. Steve Keaney raised concerns about conversion of non-traditional structures into ADUs. A public hearing regarding these zoning changes is scheduled for February 9, 2026, at 7:00 PM. The January 12, 2026 meeting was canceled due to a lack of quorum. Coffee with the Cops and Fire Fighters is set for December 12, 2025. Source: https://seabrooknh.info/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SBVD-PB-Minutes-12.08.2025.pdf
Page 1 of 3 SBVD PLANNING BOARD MEETING MINUTES December 8, 2025 PRESENT: Joel Spiller, Ed David, Joe Balsamo, Robert Gossett, Steve Keaney, Don Hawkins ABSENT: John Giarrusso, Peter Dunn, Bob Weisner, Tom Morgan MEETING OPENED: The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM. Joel Spiller led the meeting in the Pledge of Allegiance. MEETING MINUTES: The minutes from 5/12/2025 were distributed and reviewed. The minutes were approved by voice vote. OLD BUSINESS: • Seabrook Coastal Resiliency Team update: The final report from the Coastal resiliency Team was delivered in June 2025. There has been no activity since June due to the lack of available grant money in 2025. The Town of Seabrook is planning to repair some of the pathways in 2026 and has proposed working on Nashua Street first. The commissioners have prioritized Andover Street and will meet with the TM in the next week to discuss priorities. • Seabrook Master Plan: Activities on the Seabrook Master Plan are currently on hold with no date set to resume. NEW BUSINESS: • SBVD Zoning Warrant Articles for 2026: In 2025 the NH legislature passed a number of changes to the NH RSAs that deal with housing. The zoning changes being proposed by the SBVD PB will bring our zoning in line with State requirements. o Multi-family homes: The NH RSAs now require that multi-family development be allowed on land zoned for commercial use with some restrictions. Changes proposed to the SBVD zoning Section III, B Zone 2, paragraph #5 would allow multi-dwelling unit residential development in Zone 2 provided that adequate “infrastructure” exist to support the development. o A definition of “infrastructure” will be added to Section X of the zoning. Page 2 of 3 o Paragraph #7 will be modified to remove multi-dwelling unit buildings from the list of specifically excluded uses in zone 2. Recreational vehicles and storage containers used as dwelling units will be added to paragraph #7 as specifically excluded from Zone 2. o ADU zoning changes: (Additions in bold) (Removals in bold strike through) ▪ The NH RSAs now requires that “detached” ADUs be allowed in all zones that allow ADUs. The SBVD requirement that ADUs be “within or attached” to the primary residence will be removed from the definition of ADU. ▪ ADUs are prohibited for multi-dwelling unit buildings and for single-family dwellings attached to each other such as townhouses. ▪ ADUs are prohibited on rented or leased land. ▪ An ADU may not be detached from a single-family dwelling unit. ▪ An interior door shall be provided between the principal dwelling unit and the ADU. ▪ The ADU shall have either an independent means of ingress/egress or ingress/egress through common space shared with the principal dwelling. ▪ Two At least one off-street parking space shall be provided between the principal dwelling unit and for the ADU. ▪ Every three years the property owner shall provide proof to the Building Inspector that the owner is occupying either the single- family dwelling or the ADU as their place of residence and that the ADU remains in compliance with this ordinance. ▪ An ADU shall not be converted to a condominium or sold through condominium conveyance. ▪ Mobile homes, recreational vehicles, sheds, storage containers and tiny homes are prohibited as ADUs. ▪ ADU’s shall maintain an aesthetic continuity with the principal dwelling unit. ▪ An ADU may not be larger than 750 950 square feet. Page 3 of 3 All other SBVD ADU zoning requirements will remain in effect. Steve Keaney was concerned that mobile homes, parked RVs, sheds, tiny homes and containers would be converted to ADUs. Hawkins said he would check with RPC for their comments. He received the following response: Hi Don, yes and no. Towns can prohibit mobile homes, rec vehicles and storage containers from being converted to ADUs. However, an existing secondary structure on a lot like a shed, detached garage or potentially a tiny home (emphasis on structure – something with a fixed location on the ground - so, not tiny homes on wheels) can be converted to an ADU provided they can meet all applicable building, health, and safety codes. See RSA 674:72 (XI) - A municipality shall allow accessory dwelling units to be converted from existing structures, including but not limited to detached garages, regardless of whether such structures violate current dimensional requirements for setbacks or lot coverage. I hope this helps clarify. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Maddie OTHER: • Coffee with the Cops and Fire Fighters is scheduled for Friday December 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM in the SBVD meeting room. • The January 12, 2026 PB meeting has been canceled due to a lack of quorum. • The public hearing on the proposed zoning changes will be held on February 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM. The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 PM. Submitted by, Don Hawkins Next PB Meeting: The next meeting will be Monday February 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM. The meeting may be canceled if there is no quorum or business requiring PB attention.