The Jaffrey Zoning Board is considering an application for a commercial recreational use, an indoor and outdoor archery range with an associated storefront, on a large, mostly wooded property on Hathorn Road.
The property is owned by Hiram Cutter, who appeared before the board Tuesday seeking a variance and a special exception that would allow a commercial use, specifically a public recreation facility, in the rural zone.
Christopher Drescher, an attorney representing Cutter, explained the proposed concept, which would include a large steel building housing both an indoor archery range and a storefront selling bows and archery equipment. An outdoor archery course would sit toward the center of the property.
Cutter said residents could buy memberships that would let them into the building with a key fob or card, similar to some gym memberships. Access to the outdoor course would be allowed only during daylight hours, while the storefront is open and a staff member is on site.
Drescher said that although the lot is in the rural zone, its size and proximity to the town’s general business zone make it well-suited for the use. The property’s size and the screening provided by the woods, he said, make it a better fit than properties in commercial districts.
The lot is more than 70 acres and currently has only several “dilapidated” structures, including an old house. Plans call for limiting the building and outdoor range to about seven acres of the property.
“Any improvement to the land at this point is an improvement,” Drescher said when asked whether the use would affect property values.
Some neighbors said they were neither for nor against the plan but wanted more information, specifically about the location of the outdoor range and the prospect of gatherings at the property for clubs or competitions.
Neighbor Richard Simberg said he liked the idea in concept but had concerns about outdoor gatherings. He said he would like to see the Zoning Board or Planning Board cap attendance, and he wanted more concrete information about the plan.
The board told Simberg that a more complete plan, answering questions such as lighting, parking and the layout of the outdoor range, would be required during the Planning Board’s site plan review.
Darren Weigel, a resident of Hathorn Drive, said most of his concerns were about traffic and access, adding that access from Hathorn Drive would be difficult because of the narrowness of the road.
Rick Lambert, senior vice commander at the Jaffrey VFW, which abuts the property, spoke in favor of the proposal on behalf of the post. He said the buildings had been in such disrepair for so long that any cleanup was a “godsend” and a “win-win situation” for the town. He said the screening from the woods made a “more than satisfactory” buffer for the VFW, and he said it would be good to see tax revenue generated by the business and a place for youth activities.
The board briefly discussed whether the application needed both a variance and a special exception. Board member Laurel McKenzie suggested the district allow uses such as gyms and golf courses by special exception, and that those usually include a small amount of retail. The board did not reach a conclusion Tuesday and tabled the discussion of a special exception until the matter could be clarified.
The board agreed a site walk was necessary and continued the hearing to June 22 at 3 p.m. for a site walk at Hathorn Road. Afterward, the board will return to Town Hall for deliberations.
Also Tuesday, the board heard an application from Jon and Gretchen Hill seeking to reduce the required frontage from 75 feet to 50 feet for a two-lot subdivision on Highland Avenue. The board heard the presentation and continued the hearing to June 8 at 5 p.m. at 30 Highland Avenue.
The board also heard a proposal from Sarah Seaver to convert the Masonic Lodge at 40 Charlonne St. into a residence and a new home for her business, Seaver & McLellan Antiques, which has operated on Main Street for the past 20 years.
Seaver said the business does not keep open hours but sells by appointment to select customers who own antique stores in other areas, as well as online.
The board discussed whether a variance was the proper application to allow the mixed use, or whether it should be a special exception. The board found a special exception more appropriate, and Seaver agreed to withdraw the application and resubmit it. The board scheduled a hearing on the anticipated application for June 22 at 4 p.m.