Neighbors along Kullgren Road called for stricter zoning laws and stronger enforcement of the existing zoning to combat a neighbor they say is negatively impacting their neighborhood by leaving junk in his driveway and yard.
“It gets out of control,” Robert Feyh of 119 Kullgren Road said, during a Select Board meeting on Tuesday. “The zoning’s not strict enough. This has been my problem from day one.”
Several families from Kullgren Road attended Tuesday’s meeting, where the Select Board reviewed the status of 69 Kullgren Road, owned by Travis Woodbury, who did not attend the meeting.
The property has multiple unregistered cars on the property, in defiance of the town’s junkyard ordinance, which only allows up to two unregistered cars on a property, as well as other detritus piled in the driveway, visible from the road.
While the town has sent a notice of violation for the unregistered cars to Woodbury, there is little else they can do at them moment, Selectman Bill Ezell, who chaired the meeting, told neighbors.
In April, the house was about to undergo foreclosure proceedings, which was stalled when Woodbury filed for bankruptcy. His mortgage company has filed for a relief from stay, asking the court to be allowed to proceed with foreclosure despite the bankruptcy filing. That request will be heard at the bankruptcy court in Manchester on Oct. 5.
Ezell said the town is waiting on the results of that process before attempting other actions.
Mike Darnell, another resident of the road, pressed the Select Board to more strongly enforce the ordinance as it did exist, by pursuing fines for continuing to violate the town’s junkyard ordinance.
“I’ve been complaining since 2016. You could have started the clock on a fine a long time ago,” he said. “You could start it tomorrow.”
Ezell said pursuing fine collection in court was likely to be a costly endeavor for the town, for little or no reward.
“This guy owes a lot of people a lot of money, so the chances of us getting any money from fines, you can imagine for yourselves,” Ezell said.
Feyh asked the board what it would take to put into place a more restrictive ordinance to prevent properties such as 69 Kullgren Road from accumulating junk, saying it was both an aesthetic concern and a health and safety issue that the town should be able to address.
Residents expressed concern about what would happen if there was a fire at the property, as the driveway isn’t accessible for fire crews. Select Board member Ken Caisse, who is also a member of the fire department, told neighbors if fire crews cannot approach 69 Kullgren Road, they would take a “surround and drown” approach to ensure the neighboring properties were protected as best as possible.
New zoning ordinances must be voted on by the town at the polls in March, and may either be submitted by the Planning Board or by citizens by petition.
Ezell suggested neighbors approach the Planning Board and request to be put on the agenda to discuss writing a stricter junkyard ordinance for the ballot in March, or write their own and gather 25 signatures to submit it by petition.
The board agreed to revisit the issue during its next meeting, when it could have the town’s attorney present to answer questions.