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Pelham~Windham News


Pelham~Windham News Volume 10 Number 1 July 13, 2012 16 Pages


‘Cricket Ridge’ Receives


Planning Board Approval


by Barbara O’Brien


It had been in the planning stages for about two and a half years when, on June 27, Windham Planning Board members fi nally and unanimously approved the development of Cricket Ridge; a Major Open Space/Workforce Housing Subdivision. Cricket Ridge is a 12-unit housing


development, located off Meetinghouse Road in Windham. Three of the houses to be constructed fall under the label of “workforce housing.” The development will also encompass 16.25 acres of “open space.”


A proposed workforce-housing ordinance for the Town of Windham failed to obtain suffi cient voter support on two occasions. A third proposal, however, put forth at the urging of state offi cials this past March, fi nally garnered enough votes for passage. The new local ordinance is based on New Hampshire’s State Statute (RSA 674.59). The purpose of workforce housing legislation is to provide “reasonable and realistic opportunities” for the development of affordable housing “with combined rental and utility costs, or combined mortgage loan debt services, property taxes, and required insurance, that do not exceed 30 percent of a household’s gross annual income.” “The intent is to encourage a balance of housing types for people of a wide range of incomes to help foster community development, a self-reliant workforce and to support community engagement.” The maximum annual income for a four- member family to qualify for workforce housing is $85,000. The maximum cost of workforce housing under these calculations is $281,000 and each unit can have no more than three bedrooms. Cricket Ridge is one of two workforce housing developments to repeatedly come before Windham’s Planning Board. The other is dubbed “Deacon Place” and is being developed off Mammoth Road by Suncoast Properties. Deacon’s Place received fi nal approval from the planning board on April 18; allowing a total of 10 duplex units, fi ve of which must be designated as workforce housing. As with Cricket Ridge, the workforce housing units must be “scattered” among the other “market value” houses situated within the development and not placed adjacent to one another. Windham Selectman Phil LoChiatto is one of the principle players in the development of Deacon Place. LoChiatto was elected to the board of selectmen in March of 2011. Previously, he served as chairman of the Windham Planning Board. The Cricket Ridge development involves the subdivision of 11.87 acres off of a 39-acre parcel. Bob Pliskin, the property owner and developer, has his home on a portion of the remaining acreage. The subdivision includes 12 residences and one open space area. Pliskin, who has lived in Windham for the past 34 years, said that a housing development on this property has been contemplated since 1972.


At the beginning of the planning board hearing on June 27, Chairman Margaret Crisler commented that, “We want to do this well.” “We’re setting precedent for the future,” Vice-Chairman Ruth-Ellen Post stated.


Engineer Karl Dubay, of the Dubay Group, who is representing Pliskin in the development of Cricket Ridge, noted that the issue of workforce housing “is complicated.” Dubay commended Town Planner Elizabeth Wood for “doing an excellent job of simplifying” the issues at hand.


Dubay stated that there had been no


changes to the proposal since the previous meeting with the planning board. Based on information derived through recent studies, the development will have no impact on area wetlands nor will the market value of adjacent homes be adversely affected, Dubay said. “The design would have been the same without workforce housing included,” he told planning board members. “Cricket Ridge meshes nicely into the new ordinance.” The only condition of the approval for


continued to page 6 - “Cricket Ridge” T e Arseneault Family consisting of Mathew, Cody, Bonnie and Anna attended the fi reworks display on July 3


by Marc Ayotte The Pelham Community Spirit, Inc., who has sponsored the fi reworks celebration since 1996 was again the host for the 2012 Independence Day Celebration, held on the grounds of the Elementary School. The fi reworks, provided by the town, saw a larger crowd than last year due in part to the rumors circulating the grounds that Salem had already cancelled their fi reworks scheduled for the following evening. Hundreds of visitors enjoyed a conventional array of ‘carnival cuisine’, kids’ attractions and musical entertainment provided by the local Cross Roads Church band.


Despite the normally inherent festive mood associated with celebrating our country’s birthday, this year’s crowd appeared to be somewhat solemn and certainly was not as supportively attired in red, white and blue as one might expect. However, the enthusiasm for the classics such as fried dough, French fries,


pizza and cheeseburgers certainly increased throughout the evening along with the usual anticipation of the fi reworks display. A different twist to this year’s attractions


was the fact that this is an election year. Accordingly, New Hampshire Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Ovide Lamontagne, accompanied by Hillsborough County Sheriff James Hardy, who is running for re-election, made the early rounds engaging in several informal meet and greets. The musical entertainment began a little after 6 p.m. when the band played “Proud to be an American,” made famous by artist Lee Greenwood. With the sounds of the Crossroads Church Band reaching all corners of where spectators had nestled in for the evening, several enjoyed the music up close in the dozens of chairs set up in front of the stage. The band played a nice collection of top 40 favorites as well as symbolic classics, “Coming to America”


Independence Day 2012 Celebrated in Pelham


by Neil Diamond and Toby Keith’s “American Soldier.” Several organizations were represented with promotional tents set up in the rear of the school. Among the participants were the Pelham Medical Reserve Corps, Animal Rescue Network of New England (ARNNE), Pelham Community Spirit, VFW Post 10722, the PHS Band Boosters, and Cub Scout Troops 25 and 610. As they did last year, the Pelham Fire Association was hard at work, cooking cheeseburgers, hot dogs and sausages on the grill.


A timely fi reworks display went off without a


hitch as the sky was fi lled with the traditional, celebratory sights and sounds of America’s birthday. Special thanks goes out to the Pelham Police Department for their ‘exit strategy’ that allowed for a smooth and orderly departure from the night’s festivities.


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Kacey Gretter and Kaylin Guarino were just two of hundreds who attended the Pelham Independence Day Celebration


Old TV Shows Made Their Way Around Cobbett’s Pond


A jump in the lake was the perfect way to beat the heat


by Taylor Thomas Boats paraded around Cobbett’s Pond on


July 1 for the annual Boat Parade and Shore Decorating. Cobbett’s Pond Improvement Association (CPIA) hosts the boat parade and shore decorating every year. CPIA is a non-profi t, volunteer based organization that oversees the well being of Cobbett’s Pond in hopes to maintain its beauty and satisfaction of those living around it. Debbie Mackenzie is one of the vice presidents of social activities for the CIPA. She is the coordinator of the boat parade, and has been for the last eight years. “I’ve been doing the boat parade since I was a kid,” Mackenzie said.


Although no one can date the boat parade


back to when it started, McKenzie said it was probably in the 1950s. The theme of the boat decoration this year


was “Old TV Shows.” The Gallant’s owned the Partridge Family themed boat, which won the most indigenous award. Jeff Gallant used to be in the boat parade with his parents when he was growing up, now he has kids who he participates in the event with, Mackenzie said. The Pareira family, who has done the parade


for two years in a row, won the most spirited award. They owned a Mickey Mouse themed boat decorated with Mickey Mouse cut outs, and the passengers sang songs and wore Mickey Mouse hats.


It was certianly Happy Days for this fun-loving family


This year there were four participating boats, and the leading boat. There was also a “Happy Days” boat, and an all American boat with fl ags, a drummer, and a trumpeter. The boats have a slow procession around the pond showing off their creativity and spirit. “There used to be a lot more boats,”


Mackenzie said “there used to be around 30.” Now, although the number of boats is


decreasing, this tradition is not planned on being stopped anytime soon. Mackenzie added the shore-decorating event of the boat parade a few years ago. “Everyone gets an award for a different category,” Mackenzie said, “We just like to see a lot of creativity.”


T e Partridge Family takes a cruise on Cobbetts Pond


Staff photos by AJ Dickinson


Staff photo by Marc Ayotte


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