For the third time in 25 years, the town of Pembroke is considering a proposal to develop the land at the intersection of Pembroke Road and Broadway Street.
The project, which will come before the Zoning Board on March 23, features 100 single-family dwelling units for people 55 and over. The residential community, called Riverside at Pembroke, is the latest proposal by company Pembroke Meadows that seeks to develop this land next to the Merrimack River.
Robert and Ralph Meissner of Pembroke Meadows own around 125 acres of property, composed of multiple lots “consisting mostly of woodlands and grass,” according to their Zoning Board application. The pair runs the real estate development company DHB Homes based out of Londonderry.
The Meissners purchased some of the Pembroke land in 2003 and the rest in 2010, according to property records. The pair also formed Pembroke Meadows in 2003, around when they submitted their first proposal to the town.
Since only one principal structure can reside on a given lot, the owners will need a variance to move forward with the project, classified as a “planned unit development.”
Additionally, the area falls into the category of a “medium density residential district,” which requires 12,000 linear feet of roadway. Since the project features only 5,450 feet of roadway, it will require a zoning variance for this element as well.
The Meissners did not return multiple requests for comment regarding the project.
Back in 2003, Pembroke Meadows proposed a development with “120 single-family house lots and 48 units for elderly housing,” according to town records.
The current application offers more explanation: “The project was denied due to an incomplete application and appealed in the court system, which was tried in 2005, where the courts ultimately upheld the Planning Board decision.”
A similar project appeared before the Planning Board in 2016, this time with 110 residential units proposed, along with the consolidation and re-subdivision of five lots.
Seeing that no zoning changes were necessary, the Planning Board approved the proposal. However, Pembroke Meadows withdrew the application after deferring multiple times over the course of two years.
“The most prevalent issues included traffic generation, site access, sewer capacity and creation of new public roadways to be maintained by the Town,” the current application states.
Town records from 2016 reveal the Planning Board’s concerns about Pembroke’s infrastructure and its ability to support an influx of new residents. The development would have featured an intersection redesign to help alleviate traffic and safety concerns.
The current Pembroke Meadows proposal includes modifications made to the project since its last iteration a decade ago. Clustering the homes rather than pursuing a conventional subdivision layout would provide “a more suitable alternative” and offer “additional environmental benefits, such as reducing the total area of land disturbance and minimizing impacts to the wetlands.”
Traffic was another large area of concern for the town. The number of proposed units has decreased over the different iterations, landing finally at 100 single-family dwelling units with “all associated site improvements.”
“Due to the property’s proximity to Pembroke Academy, traffic generation is of higher concern for public safety,” the application further states. “Age restricted developments generate substantially fewer vehicle trips, especially during peak hours, when compared to traditional subdivision projects.”
The impact on nearby residences was another source of concern. A study included in the application looked at comparable projects and abutting residences. The study found that the value of surrounding properties would not expect diminished value from the project nearby.
There are other residential developments in the neighborhood, including Littlefield Condominiums and Brittany Place, as well as single-family homes.
“The proposed use is consistent with the character of the neighborhood and proposes a reasonable number of units that can be easily accommodated on the large parcel,” the application says.
The Pembroke Meadows proposal will go before the Zoning Board at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 23 at the Pembroke Academy auditorium located at 209 Academy Road.
If the application passes through the Zoning Board, it will need Planning Board approval next.