MERRIMACK – The town planning board approved a proposal last week that could lead to construction of a new hotel property at the site of the long-idle Merrimack Hotel.

The proposal from Woodspring Property Management required the lot, occupied by the empty Merrimack Hotel, be split into two separate lots for its final site plan to go before the planning board. The new hotel would be located on just over an acre of the larger 16-acre property at 4 Executive Park Drive.

Members of the board heard arguments for the proposal during their last meeting on June 7. The board collectively decided the subdivision required further approval from the Merrimack Council and the town attorney.

Concerns were raised over the fact that approval of the new subdivision, and subsequent approval of a new site plan, would effectively render the old site plan null and void.

"May this planning board agree to a subdivision, which permits the new project to go ahead, but which effectively destroys the approval on record for the old hotel?" planning board Vice-Chairman Alastair Millns said during the June 7 meeting.

After meeting with the town’s attorney, board members were assured that the new property could exist as long as the old property is not reactivated as a working hotel and the two newly created lots both meet zoning requirements.

Board Chairman Robert Best expressed a desire to see the old building used in some fashion, considering that it has remained unused for at least 8 years.

"We don’t have a zoning class for an unused building," he said. "That it exists, and there wouldn’t be a site plan or an approved use for it, doesn’t fit the zoning requirements."

The proposed site plans for the new hotel property do not include any intention to demolish the old hotel building.

The subdivision application was approved by a split board, with three of four board members voting to deny the application. Board member Desirea Falt, Councilor Tom Koenig, and Best voted against the subdivision.

Following approval of the subdivision, the board was able to consider the final approval of the site plan for the new hotel property. In order to approve the plan four waivers regarding drainage and contours were required and approved by the full board as a block, however board members were reluctant to grant an additional waiver exempting the hotel property from the requirement to construct a sidewalk at the edge of the new subdivision.

The final site plan was approved with only Koenig voting against it.

Matthew Medsger can be reached at 594-6531, mmedsger@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_MattM.

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