DERRY — Several business owners in the Webster's Corner section of East Derry said they oppose a proposed zoning change in that area.

The Planning Board held a public hearing on Wednesday night on the proposed zoning change of 26 parcels in that area from general commercial to office/medical/business.

Although the current businesses would be grandfathered in under the new zoning and many of the general commercial uses would remain on the books, there were concerns raised about prohibiting automotive businesses in the OMB zone.

“This dramatically changes the use of the properties,” said Gary Ham, who owns the properties at 88 and 90 Rockingham Road.

He said the change in zoning could prevent him from operating an automotive business at the properties in the future. Ham also noted that there is already much vacant medical office space closer to the Parkland Medical Center.

Jerry and Beth Siragusa, who own and operate a day care center and an antique store on South Main Street, also said they were concerned about the change in zoning limiting future use or sale of one of their properties.

“This change is restrictive and would put a hardship on us if we want to do anything with the property down the road,” said Jerry Siragusa.

Planning Board Chairman David Granese noted that all the current uses of the Siragusa's properties would still be allowed under the office/medical/business definition.

“There are a lot of allowed uses that are in the general commercial zone we are proposing to put into the office/medical/business and your current businesses fall under that,” said Granese.

Tim Butterfield, who owns property at the corner of Humphrey Road and Route 28, read a letter from a local Realtor stating the zoning change would reduce the potential number of users for the future redevelopment of property in the district.

He also noted that there is already a surplus of office space in town and that current trends show businesses moving to using less square footage per employee.

“I think we need to explain that the original intent was not to change any uses and not to restrict anybody from doing anything they are currently doing,” said Town Councilor David Milz. “It is only for future expansion.”

He noted that all current businesses would be grandfathered in under the current zoning and that existing businesses could be sold or passed down to family members if they remained under the current use.

Milz said the town's recent decision to expand public water and sewer to the area will make those properties more valuable, and that the Planning Board was only moving to restrict single family homes, automotive sales and service, and gas stations from the zone.

“We didn't want someone coming in and putting 30 or 40 houses on those larger lots,” he said. “We tried to take a look and see what change would have the least amount of impact on what is there.”

The OMB designation does not mean the town is trying to jam medical offices on all the properties, Milz said.

“We felt there was enough expansion currently of automotive sales and garages further down Ryan's Hill, and we didn't want to see it concentrated in that area,” he said.

The Planning Board did agree to mull over the concerns raised by the residents and hold a second public hearing on the proposed zoning change at its Wednesday, Sept. 5 meeting.

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Adam Swift may be reached at aswift@newstote.com.