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SWRPC |
October 2009 |
| Commission Highlights |
Vol. 15 - No. 9 |
Important Deadlines for 2010 Town Meetings
As the new year approaches, it is time to start thinking about the 2010 Town Meeting. In order to assist our towns with the timeline involved in the process, we have provided a schedule of important dates for petitions to amend the zoning ordinance, historic district ordinance or building code. The schedule can be found on our website at http://www.swrpc.org/local/Important%20Dates_allgovtform.pdf. For more information, please contact Lisa Murphy of Commission staff.
Southwest Region Brownfields Forum Held October 21, 2009
The Planning Commission's Brownfields Advisory Committee hosted a Brownfields Forum: A Celebration of Success in Southwest New Hampshire at the Peterborough Town House on October 21, 2009. The purpose of the event was to draw attention to the successes and acknowledge the efforts of those involved in the SWRPC Brownfields Assessment Program since its inception in 2003. About 40 attendees learned from the Planning Commission's Brownfields Program Manager, J.B. Mack, how the Brownfields program can work for towns and property owners in the Region and heard statements from Carol Tucker of the US Environmental Protection Agency, Mike McCluskey of the NH Department of Environmental Services and staff of Senators Judd Gregg and Jeanne Shaheen and U.S. Representative Paul Hodes. Examples were provided of recent Southwest Region Brownfields success stories from the Evans Flats Project in the Town of Peterborough, the Railroad Property Redevelopment in the City of Keene and the Elite Laundry Project in the Town of Jaffrey. The session concluded with optional site visits to the National Guard Armory (part of the Evans Flats Project) and Elite Laundry. For more information, please contact Eric R. Smith, AICP of Commission staff and/or visit the Southwest Region Planning Commission's Brownfields Forum Website at http://www.swrpc.org/brownfields/forum102109.htm.
Focus Group Discusses Innovative Permitting Initiative
The Planning Commission co-sponsored a Focus Group session with the NH Department of Environmental Services (DES) on October 8, 2009 at the Keene Public Library. The purpose of the session was to generate discussion on the permitting process for land development applications. The DES is considering ways to streamline the process with the intention of improving coordination of state and local project reviews and standards. The session included planners from several towns in the Region, Planning Commission staff, and DES representatives. The group discussed ways to enhance pre-application meetings, better coordination among state departments, establishing guidelines for achieving a higher standard of environmental performance, and the importance of adopting best land development practices. DES will continue to conduct similar focus group sessions around the state to gain a statewide perspective and continue to collect input to help in the effort. For more information or if you have ideas which should be considered by DES for this initiative, please contact Lisa Murphy of Commission staff.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Awarded for Cheshire County
On October 27, 2009, Cheshire County was awarded $500,000 in CDBG Affordable Housing funds on behalf of Unity Housing in order to develop 16 accessible apartments for low-income people with disabilities. The Unity Place Accessible Apartments will be located within the City of Keene. The Unity Housing CDBG application scored the highest of any of the 13 grants awarded funding by the NH Community Development Finance Authority's CDBG Advisory Committee for the current round of application reviews. The project will be implemented by Unity Housing, a newly formed non-profit, with assistance from Monadnock Developmental Services and Keene Housing Authority. For more information, please contact Eric R. Smith, AICP of Commission staff.
Route 12 Corridor Transit/Paratransit Development Study Begins
The Planning Commission and transportation agency study partners American Red Cross, Community Alliance, Connecticut River Transit and Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services are embarking on a planning initiative to understand the market, needs and feasibility of new transportation services and coordination opportunities to serve the community on and near the NH 12 Corridor between Keene, NH and Springfield, VT. The study is scheduled to run through June 2010. During October and November, the study partners are recruiting a steering committee, developing a stakeholder list of interested parties and preparing a Request for Proposals to subcontract a transportation consultant to assist the group in testing the feasibility of new transportation service scenarios. For more information or to be included on a list of interested stakeholders, please contact J. B. Mack of Commission staff.
Annual Fall Planning & Zoning Conference
Planning Commission staff attended the Annual Fall Planning and Zoning Conference on Saturday, October 17, 2009. This year's conference was sponsored by the NH Office of Energy and Planning. The day long conference was held at the Mountain Club on Loon in Lincoln, NH. Staff attended sessions on the law of nonconforming uses (grandfathering), roads law, workforce housing, site plan regulations in depth, and green building standards for zoning. Other sessions included basics for planning and zoning board members, planning board roles and responsibilities, regulating wind turbines, the zoning board of adjustments decision making process, roles of the zoning board of adjustment, and a legal update. For more information, please contact J.B. Mack or Rebeckah Bullock 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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