Upcoming Events

Friday 03/26/2010 at 9:00 a.m.
CNHRPC Conference Room
 
CNHRPC Executive Committee and Full Commission Meeting
Thursday, 04/08/10
Executive Committee at 5:30 p.m. at CNHRPC
Full Commission at 7:00 p.m. at the Horseshoe Pond Community Resource Center
26 Commercial St.
Concord, NH 03301
 
Monday, 04/12/10, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Horseshoe Pond Community Resource Center
26 Commercial St.
Concord, NH 03301
RSVP: vbittermann@cnhrpc.org
 

CNHRPC's Mission is to improve, through education, training, and planning assistance, the abilities of the municipalities of the region to prepare and implement municipal plans; to prepare a plan for effective and appropriate development and utilization of the resources of the region; and to assist municipalities in carrying out the regional plan.

What's New

Technical Assistance Grants Available: Local Agricultural Resource Protection and Development

CNHRPC has funding through the Community Technical Assistance Program (CTAP) to provide regional training and startup technical assistance for Local Agricultural Commissions, or to provide other assistance toward the support of local agriculture and protection of agricultural resources. CNHRPC is holding a workshop on how to establish local Agricultural Commissions on April 12th. All are welcome.


Eligible communities are also invited to apply for technical assistance in forming Agricultural Commissions or for other local agricultural activities. In the Central New Hampshire region, eligible CTAP communities include Allenstown, Bow, Concord, Dunbarton, and Pembroke. The municipality chosen will receive up to 50 hours of professional planning assistance from CNHRPC at no cost to the community. Click here for more information.
 
Draft Coordinated Transit and Human Services Transportation Plan Available for Public Comment
The Coordinated Transit and Human Services Plan for Belknap County and the Central NH region aims to improve coordination between human service agencies and transportation providers in the region. Specifically, the plan aims to improve transit services for the elderly, disabled, and low-income residents of the region.

Click here for the Draft Coordinated Transit Plan. It is available for review and public comment through March 24, 2010. Comments should be directed to Ruairi O'Mahony at CNHRPC, 226-6020 or to Michael Izard at Lakes Region Planning Commission, 279-8171.
 
NH Broadband Mapping Project Underway
CNHRPC is participating in a statewide initiative to inventory and map current broadband coverage available to the state’s businesses, educators, public institutions, and citizens.  The program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), is part of a national effort to expand broadband access and adoption through improved data collection and broadband planning.

CNHRPC staff are currently collecting data via brief phone surveys on broadband availability at individual community anchor institutions, including schools, libraries, medical/healthcare locations, public safety offices, and state/county/municipal buildings.

For more information, visit www.broadbandnh.org or the University of New Hampshire website.
 
Local 2010 Zoning Amendments
What are other communities in the region working on for zoning ordinance amendments? We have compiled a list with the help of Town and City staff and/or volunteers. Thank you to all who contributed. We can connect you to your neighbor, or email the file they may have shared with us, if you’d like more information on any of them. Email to salexander@cnhrpc.org.
 
CNHRPC is assisting the City of Concord’s Bicycle Subcommittee of the Transportation Policy Advisory Committee to create a Bicycle Master Plan for the City. The Bicycle Master Plan aims to engage the public in a planning process that will lead to a safer and more bicycle friendly city for bike commuting and recreation.
 
CNHRPC is working in partnership with the Contoocook and North Branch Rivers Local Advisory Committee and SWRPC to update the 1994 River Management Plan. Click here for a project overview flyer.
 
2010 Important Dates for Local Officials from the Local Government Center:

Calendar for traditional March Town Meeting

Calendars for other than March Town Meeting
 
Is it Time to Consider Updating Your Town's Regulations, Ordinances, and Plans?
Regular review and update of your regulations will ensure that your Boards remain current on recent legislation changes and planning practices. While most update periods are not mandated, basic recommendations for the update timeframe for a community’s commonly used regulations, ordinances, and plans can be found here. CNHRPC can assist your boards with such updates. Contact us for more information.
 
There are recent changes in land use law that Board members and staff should be aware of while performing Planning and Zoning Board duties.

Senate Bill 189 which came into effect on September 14 has made changes to the responsibilities of land use boards. The legislation includes:

(1)Requiring land use boards to make copies of written decisions available to applicants.
(2)Requiring the recording of written decisions with or on the plats.
(3)Changing the time frame for public access to certain minutes to conform to the change made in the right-to-know law.

House Bill 156 which came into effect on August 8 authorizes Planning Boards to require third party review and inspection.

Land use board minutes must be made available for inspection within five business days beginning January 1, 2010 per House Bill 210.

The Local Government Center developed the Final 2009 Legislative Bulletin which addresses these and several other important changes. Pages 14-15 of the Bulletin summarize new planning and zoning laws, most of which are now in effect. Please discuss the information in the Bulletin with your Board (find complete bills online here) and revise your procedures as necessary.