By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
CLAREMONT, N.H. — The Claremont Planning Board recently approved a conditional use permit that allowed for the conversion of 108 Pleasant Street to mixed commercial and residential use, which will ultimately help with providing housing for employees at the adjacent Mobil gas station.
With the housing crisis at such a forefront of the minds of many in the area, City Councilor and Planning Board representative Nick Koloski said that this is the type of project the planning board wants to see.
“I think in the big picture of things, this is sort of the projects the planning board wants to see,” Koloski said. “I think it’s a smart use of the property. It is a smaller scale use of workforce housing, which he speaks to.”
Tippu Shahzad is the applicant and told the planning board on Sept. 9 that this unit is needed for his workers at Mobil that he has run for the past 13 years. He said finding workers is hard enough these days, and housing is a major aspect. He hopes that this will alleviate this concern. In the end, he is proposing two residential units and a commercial space in the building.
According to City Planner Austin Ford, Shahzad would like to convert the rear part of the building’s ground floor into an apartment. Shahzad said that this part of the building has most, if not all, required utilities and services in place. It has an operational kitchen and bathroom and is planning to update the fire safety system when the area is converted.
The property is a 0.37 acre parcel with frontage on Pleasant Street, located near the intersection of Pleasant Street and Summer Street. It conforms with all requirements of the Mixed Use Zoning District. According to information provided by Ford during the meeting, there is a 5,881 square foot building on the lot with 3,268 square feet of living area. This includes 1,559 square feet on the lower floor that is commercial space, 1,559 square feet on the second floor, and 150 square feet in a finished attic. There is also 813 square feet of an outbuilding behind the main structure, and 3,000 square feet of parking
The proposed addition of a street level residential unit meets the 550 square foot minimum size standard.
Planning Board member David Putnam said that when the city was organizing and hosting the City Center project, part of the conversation was for people on Pleasant Street apply for this type of application.
“We wanted to be careful on how we limited residential on first floor buildings on Pleasant Street,” Putnam said. “This certainly, in my mind, fits what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Putnam said that when he looked at the worksheet presented by Shahzad, it was very thoroughly thought out. He appreciated the intent and the efficiency when creating the application.
A major goal is making more residential property available in the mixed use district, Putnam said. Koloski said that in the big picture of things, this is the type of project that the planning board wants to see come before them and was happy with the plan put forward.
“I don’t see any issue with this,” Koloski said.
Shahzad thanked the planning board for their support and said that the city has always been supportive in his endeavors.
The planning board voted unanimously to approve the conditional use permit.
