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SWRPC |
April 2008 |
| Commission Highlights |
Vol. 14 - No. 4 |
Planning Commission's Annual Meeting set for June 24, 2008
The Planning Commission's Annual Meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center located in Greenfield, NH. Our featured guest speaker will be Donald Shumway, President of the Crotched Mountain Foundation. The program includes a social beginning at 6:00 p.m. with dinner served at 7:00. Announcements for the event will be distributed shortly and advance registration is required. For additional information or to register, please contact Becky Baldwin of Commission staff.
Page Homestead Senior Housing in Swanzey
The Town of Swanzey has received approval from the NH Community Development Finance Authority's Advisory Committee for a $500,000 grant for infrastructure expansion to support the construction of 38 affordable senior housing units. Southwestern Community Services, Inc. (SCS) will be developing this housing on a six to eight acre parcel along Route 12 with funding from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's Supportive Housing program. Commission staff was able to work with the Town and SCS to present a Community Development Block Grant application which will finance the connection of water and utilities from existing infrastructure to the site. An important element of this development will be the array of services available to its residents from coordinated transportation to health care opportunities. For more information, please contact Matthew Suchodolski of Commission staff.
A Vision of Future Transportation Along the Connecticut River Valley
"Imagine leaving your car at home as you travel by train along the Connecticut River Valley Corridor from town to town and city to city. Envision multi-modal rail stations surrounded by a healthy mix of stores and residences in communities from New Haven, CT to northern Vermont, with easy connections to major destinations…. In order to come to fruition, the vision requires immediate support and investment." This Vision Statement has been developed through an effort coordinated by the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives, or ICLEI - Land Governments for Sustainability. Also involved are communities and regional planning organizations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont working together to guide future transportation projects and land use planning along the Connecticut River Corridor. The recently created Vision reflects a desire on behalf of communities in the Corridor to improve the Region's quality of life and decrease greenhouse gas emissions by reducing car and truck trips along the corridor. A kickoff rally event for this Vision is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., location to be announced. For inquiries or to receive more information, please contact J. B. Mack of Commission staff.
Innovative Land Use Workshop on May 22nd
The Planning Commission is partnering with the Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission (CNHRPC) and NH Department of Environmental Services (DES) in hosting a workshop focused on the techniques of the Innovative Land Use Manual that is in final production stages at DES. The session will last from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and will take place at the Henniker Community Center located at 17 Main Street, Henniker. Presenters will go over the history of the Innovative Land Use program, explain the different techniques and how to apply them in your town as well as provide examples of towns that have already begun implementing some of these tools. The presentation will be followed by a discussion session. For more information, please contact Tim Garceau of Commission staff.
We Met "the Scientist" on April 7th, 2008
On April 7th, local energy committee representatives, professionals, students and concerned citizens convened at Antioch University to hear Dr. Cameron Wake of UNH speak about the latest, but not necessarily the greatest, news on climate change. This event dubbed the "Meet the Scientist" featured Dr. Wake, who has been studying climate change for two decades. He described how the earth's climate is always going through warming and cooling phases based on geologic and solar events. The main difference now is that we, as humans, have become a "geologic force" in being able to affect global climate through our actions. He outlined different emissions scenarios for the next 100 years which consider how much carbon will be emitted based on different responses towards energy efficiency. Dr. Wake then answered a wide range of questions that evolved into a thorough discussion covering everything from "Is it too late?" to "What needs to be done?" He expressed that he is an optimist and spoke highly of the rapid increase in public awareness in recent times. He emphasized that only through continued and increased public concern will decision-makers be willing to develop necessary plans of action for addressing climate change. In this respect, the towns of New Hampshire, particularly in our Region, are ahead of the game as public discourse has already begun. For more information about this and other climate events, please contact Tim Garceau of Commission staff.
15th Annual Spring Planning and Zoning Conference
Planning Commission staff, along with seventeen Southwest Region towns participated in the NH Office of Energy and Planning's Annual Spring Conference held at the NH Radisson Hotel in Manchester, NH on April 26th. Municipal officials and citizen volunteers from Planning Boards, Zoning Boards of Adjustment, Conservation Commissions, and Energy Committees attended various sessions on elderly housing, economic development, energy, natural resources, and planning and zoning board basics. For more information, please contact Matthew Suchodolski of Commission staff.
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Southwest Region Planning Commission
20 Central Square, 2nd Floor, Keene, NH 03431
Ph: (603) 357-0557, Fax: (603) 357-7440
General E-mail: admin@swrpc.org
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