The Bridgewater Planning Board is a board made up of volunteers. All of the members bring a different view of what they would like to see for the town now and the future. We as a board have been very fortunate to have had the strong leadership of Mike Capsalis. Mike left the board in July of this past year to pursue other ventures in the world. Gail Campbell also left the board in July of this past year to pursue her career in the Real Estate world. Mike and Gail have been missed greatly; their contributions of hard work and time are greatly appreciated. On that note we would like to welcome our three newest members over the last six months to the board. Jeff Bird, David Dyer, and Wesley Morrill. This past year when Gail left, her vice chair seat became vacant. We needed to have the vice chair seat filled immediately. I, as the novice chair of the board, was fortunate to have two people step up to assist with the responsibilities, Schannon Sargent and Susan Delanoy. They have become two people I can say I have come to rely on for stepping up when I need them the most. The final person who makes up our board is the Ex-officio who is appointed by the Selectmen to represent the Selectboard. Hank Woolner is that member. I would like to take this time to thank him for all of his knowledge that he brings to the board. Hank has become another that I have relied on for advice to make sure I lead the board in the right direction for the town. We also have two alternates that are available when we need them. They are Elaine Macadam, and Gene Bank.

The new Master Plan was formally adopted in March after a public hearing was held in February. With that in place, the board has been working towards its implementation. The first step has been to bring ordinances and procedures in line with the master plan. Steve Whitman of Jeffery Taylor and Associates Inc. was brought in to help perform an audit comparing our regulations to the Master plan and offer suggestions. The board continues to work on this, updating the site plan checklist, draft letters of approval, distinguishing minor and major site plan requirements, and more.

The master plan has also led the board to discuss broader issues of land use, such as wind-towers, conservations, subdivisions, steep slope development, and excavation reclamation. Other towns also face these issues and in May, a joint meeting of the Bridgewater, Hebron, and Plymouth Planning boards was held to discuss common concerns such as development on Class VI roads and to learn how each town handles these issues. Several members of the Planning Board also attended a meeting sponsored by the Newfound Lake Region Association bringing area townspeople together to discuss the Newfound Lake watershed. The planning board also held a public hearing on the Floodplain ordinance language required by the Federal government. We asked the Selectmen to place the Warrant article on the town ballot this year. Acceptance of the ordinance language is necessary for people in town to be able continue to buy flood insurance. This is very important to our River Rd residents and along the shores of the lake.

The slow down in real estate buying has also played a role in what the board does. We only had four small subdivisions this past year. We heard three change of use site plan reviews and two boundary line adjustments. We, as a board, will continue to strive to achieve what has been set in the Master Plan, and to continue to work for the common interest of most Bridgewater residents, i.e., slow growth, low taxes and a town we all can be proud of.

Planning Board Members
Kathi Lovett, Chairperson	Schannon Sargent, Co-Chair
Susan Delanoy, Co-Chair	Jeff Bird
Wesley Morrill	David Dyer
Hank Woolner

The Bridgewater Planning Board meets regularly on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 PM in the Town Hall, 297 Mayhew Turnpike (Route 3-A).

Ten days prior to a regular meeting or any special hearing, public notice of the meeting is posted in the Laconia Citizen. A courtesy notice is published in the Record-Enterprise. A public notice is also posted the day before a meeting at both the Town Hall, 297 Mayhew Turnpike (Route 3-A) and at the Town Library on River Road.

To appear on the agenda for a hearing at a regular meeting of the Planning Board, an application for Site Plan Review or for a Subdivision must be delivered to the Town Hall fifteen days prior to the meeting. Since NH State law does not count either the day of publication or the meeting date itself, it's safer to consider the time needed for submitting an application prior to a meeting as 17 days.