2007 Annual Commission Meeting 

The Planning Commission held its 2007 Annual Commission Meeting on June 19, 2007 at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, NH.  Over 50 attendees representing sixteen communities attended the event and participated in activities which included advisory committee reports, a summary status report of the FY 07 Work Program, approval of the Planning Commission’s FY08 Work Program Budget, and the election of the Board of Directors and Officers.  The guest speaker for the evening was Matthew Chase, Executive Director of the National Association of Development Organizations.  Mr. Chase provided a presentation on the status of recent activities and political meanderings in Washington, DC - in particular those that have or may influence the work of regional planning and development organizations.  It was important for us to hear this national perspective and the effect that it may have on the work we do. 

The Town of Richmond Planning Board will hold a special meeting to host Mary Pinkham-Langer who will speak on Excavation/Gravel Pit issues.  The meeting will be held on Thursday, July 26, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. in the Vets Hall off Route 32 in Richmond.  Ms. Pinkham-Langer has worked for the NH Department of Revenue for 21 years; she is a certified Assessor in NH, and currently the Gravel Tax Appraiser for the Department.  The focus of the discussion will be on the requirements of RSA 155-E and a brief review of the tax assessing aspects of excavation (RSA 72-B).  Planning Boards, Boards of Selectmen, Conservation Commissions, gravel pit owners and operators, and the public are invited to this important meeting.  For further information, please contact Natalie Shafiroff of Commission staff or Pete Majoy, Chairman of the Richmond Planning Board, at 239-6058 (or e-mail at pwmjoy@earthlink.net).

Boost for Hinsdale Industrial Park 

The Town of Hinsdale in partnership with the Hinsdale Commercial Industrial Development Corporation was recently approved for $240,000 in funding to provide for road expansion within the Town’s Monument Road Industrial Park.  This effort will utilize the award of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding and a Municipal Bond to support business development within the Monument Road Tax Increment Finance District.  Commission staff worked closely with Town and business representatives to secure the CDBG funding which is available to provide infrastructure improvements as a means to facilitate job creation.  For more information, please contact Matthew Suchodolski of Commission staff.

Municipal Hazard Mitigation Plans 

With support from the NH Bureau of Emergency Management, the Planning Commission is currently assisting the towns of Bennington, Francestown, Greenfield and Temple with the preparation of municipal hazard mitigation plans.  These plans anticipate the potential for impacts within communities as a result of hazard incidents such as flooding, winter storms, wildfires, and wind events.  The effort of putting together a local hazard mitigation plan requires approximately 4-6 months and involves a local Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee meeting once per month.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency requires municipalities to have hazard mitigation plans in place in order to be eligible for certain federal funding assistance for mitigating hazards or incident relief.  For more information, please contact Sarah Patriquin of Commission staff.

Southwest New Hampshire Tourism Asset Inventory 

The Planning Commission, in collaboration with the Monadnock Travel Council, is currently developing a database to serve as an inventory of tourism sites and tourism related businesses within the Monadnock Region.  When complete, this dynamic database will serve as a basis to catalog tourism resources for easy reference and future promotion.  The inventory will be a compilation of recreational locations and opportunities, historical sites, dining and lodging establishments; as well as arts venues, festivals, local gift/craft stores and other general attractions.  The Commission’s involvement with this project is part of the ongoing Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Southwest New Hampshire and aims to support our economic base within the Region by strengthening the Regional tourism industry.  For more information, please contact Amy Owens of Commission staff. 

Town of Rindge to Study Site Conditions for Senior Housing 

The Town of Rindge and its Senior Housing Committee have been approved for grant funding to conduct a site assessment for the suitability and capacity of senior housing on a Town owned parcel of land adjacent to the Town Offices.  The $12,000 Community Development Block Grant feasibility study is being matched with $5,775 in locally raised funds.  The application was the highest ranked of eight submitted from across the state.  For more information, please contact Matthew Suchodolski of Commission staff.