Commission Meeting March 20, 2026

Speakers are labeled SPEAKER_N. This transcript is machine-generated.

Recording

progress. We'll start with introduction.
I'm Paul Rasmus
chair journal.
Mike Finsky, city of Summerssworth. Mark
Richardson, Summerssworth. Joe,
>> Rochester
Mike Durham. Kevin Sullivan, Rochester.
>> Mike Williams.
Inde
middle town
>> Steve Stansel Blakefield
>> Jo
Man Northwood Tombury
SRPC
>> SRPC
>> Mark J Murphy SRPC
online.
>> Uh Keian McDermott. Uh do
>> Lindsay
>> Lindseay Williams do
>> Steve Steve Diamond Bington Steve Brown.
Go
>> Steve Brown. Do
>> Chris Jen rounding out the Dover team
state.
>> Yes. All right.
Um, commissioners round table.
>> I've got something.
>> Yes. Yes, Steve.
>> So, um, CNN is reporting today that, uh,
from Goldman Sachs that we should
expect, uh, these kinds of gas prices
for the next few years. So um I thought
well personally I uh I'm trying to do
various things to change my approach to
to transportation. Uh for instance I got
myself an ebike and uh you you may
remember that I dabbled in in one wheel
and that's an interesting uh option.
It's very small. It's pretty light. Has
interesting capability but it takes some
skill and it's a bit dangerous. Well
ebike is much more accessible for more
people. And um what I typically got was
a Velcre Fold 1 Plus. Uh so it can fold
down to be a piece of hefty luggage, a
little bit under 70 lb with a range of
50 mi at my weight uh with some uh
cargo. Uh with a second 10 10 lb
battery, you could go another 50 mi. Uh
the cost of course is far far less than
a full-size vehicle, especially when you
consider gas. Um, it also has the
capacity for a good bit of cargo, 400
lb. I've been collecting my maple sap
for doing my uh my boiling with that
bike. Um, anyway, so it's an interesting
option. It'll fit in a suitcase, not
it'll fit in a in a trunk of a car
easily enough. It's modular with various
mass transit options. Uh so in terms of
municipal planning um when I think
through how to get places from where I
am uh
uh so it's top speed it's called class
3. So ebikes are organized based on
classes and class 3 basically means the
top speed is 28 mph.
Uh that means you can keep up with
traffic fairly well as long as you have
decent sight lines so you can be seen as
pretty good lights um and a decent
shoulder. Now that's the problem with
most of the state routes around here.
You can't go very far or to very many
places without um running into some
shoulders that are small. So shoulders
need to be smooth and uh they need to be
fairly spacious because there are still
cars on the road at least right now.
Anyway, those are some thoughts I had on
that. Uh if you have any questions about
ebikes, let me know. And uh be thinking
about alternatives because more people
will be. Thanks.
>> They go up to 35 now.
My neighbor just had one and he had I
watched it. It was going 35 miles an
hour. So that's obviously battery I'm
assuming.
>> Yes, it's um I mean you can have there
are motorcycles and there's a whole
gradation between but in terms of the
class rated ones, two and three, 28 is
the max.
>> Thank you very much. Yeah, for Rochester
um kind of on that note with ebikes,
there was some interest in removing bike
lanes from Rochester. Um by one of the
committees, but that died I think last
night. So that's not going to happen. So
the bike lanes will stay. There was
concern about safety of bike lanes. Um
it was unclear if the safety was for the
biker or the people opening their doors
into the bike lane, I guess, or like
stepping out of their car.
>> Yeah, that died. So that's good. Um I
was just going to say for Rochester um
if anybody is paying any attention
there's a lot going on with the schools.
Um but one of the biggest decisions they
made recently is to close another
school. So if you guys are familiar with
the Maple Street School, that one's
going to close at the end of this year.
Um and then the other two schools that
they closed last year, William Allen and
School Street, they're going to put an
RFP out for development. I think they
were getting um kind of census of the
community of what they wanted to do with
it. Um, I haven't heard any results of
that yet, but um, so that's interesting.
We'll see what they'll do with those
buildings. I think a lot of people are
saying no more housing. Uh, that's kind
of the same sentiment that came from
um, and I don't mean no more housing. I
mean, they just don't want no more.
They're I think they think that our
residents think we have enough of this
um,
you know, like density housing. So, they
want single family housing, I guess, as
opposed to that. But, um, so we'll we'll
see. The same with the court. The court
in downtown is going to come up pretty
soon. And that's kind of the initial
census was don't make a bunch of
apartments in it.
>> May I ask a question?
>> Yeah.
>> Um why are they closing the schools at
enrollment?
>> Um so well it's budget. So, a lot of the
municipalities now, right, are having
the same problem because the state um in
the feds, I think, but the state is kind
of rolling back on their they're getting
tighter on their state um aid and so
that's making it difficult for the
school budgets for a lot of
municipalities. Um this one has been
like a was building the problem was
building I think for Rochester's funding
for the schools. Um, that particular
school is the smallest enrollment. I'm
sorry, I shouldn't say. It's the
smallest school. Uh, I think it's like
110 kids total or something. Um, the
building is in horrible shape. Um, both
of my children went there and I agree
with that. Like the lead levels are high
like above the I think they're above the
allowable limit in the drinket bounds
and stuff. So,
>> it's crazy.
>> Yeah, it's just there's a lot of work
that's needed. So, I think they're just
seizing the opportunity of or $4.5
million short. They predict closing that
school will save them 1.9 million of
that four and a half. So, um they're
going to try to move they believe that
all the positions will be able to take
other positions throughout the city. uh
the school system um you know they
>> yeah class size
>> was that they um
>> well they actually were saying this
would raise the class size a little bit
but there was the other option was to um
oh well the the the other option they
were trying to do is because if you guys
know the Maple Street School is a
special school. It's a magnet program
which I guess the state has said you
can't do that. So you can't have a
lottery to put people in the school. it
needs to be the regular um enrollment
unless it's a charter school. So, there
was another option of keeping the magnet
school separate and I think they said um
that would have a bigger impact because
they wouldn't they'd have to keep the
teachers. They wouldn't be able to have
because they're small classrooms. Um so,
I think they said that if they did that
that would make um classroom size
go to 25 per student because they
couldn't add like extra third grade
class. Um, so I think this one is the
least impactful. I don't remember
I don't remember the size that this one
would be with that, but it's less. So it
would be less than the alternative which
came was 25 or 29 per class. I think 25
per class. I think our biggest classes
right now are 22 per class.
>> So is enrollment going up or down?
>> Enrollment is going down. So probably
maybe nationwide, but statewide, right?
Our go down. I think this were down just
at the high school
600 students in the past 10 years maybe
it is. I can't remember the time frame
they gave but it's it's definitely going
down. Um there is a large cohort.
Um I think in the elementary schools
right now compared to the middle school
but yeah but overall the trend is
enrollment's going down. So, and we did
close um uh
um Nancy Loud, William Allen, and School
Street over the past two years, and um
they maintained all of the positions,
which is an interesting concept, right?
Um so, that's what they're doing. But
that's a big thing. It just happened.
You know, they voted to close it. I
think the plan is the end of this year,
and then they'll just like the other
ones, give the building back to the
city, and then we'll decide what to do
with it. So,
>> yeah. Oh, I can I one more? Sorry, I'm
noticing a lot of time, but um the care
pharmacy project, if you guys know about
that, the state bought that. Um I'm
sorry, the city bought that. Um and the
plan was it sat vacant for seven years,
I think, with no interest. And we're
trying to get some movement on that. And
we did have two presentations last
Tuesday. Um it was in Fosters twice, I
think. Um you can watch it online if you
want, but they're basically it's for
housing. That was the plan. housing,
mixeduse housing, commercial. One of
them is a very large building. Um, and
then I want to say eight town houses at
the back of the property, which would
total like 150 units. Um, and they're
also talking about these for affordable
housing. It's not rent. Um, it's not
like a HUD thing, but they're doing what
they call micro apartments, which are
like I think he said like
studio, you know, obviously with a
bathroom and a bed, but it would have
like, you know, it's a studio, so it
would have like a Murphy bed concept.
And those would be, they thought, under
a,000 a month, which would be, you know,
pretty cheap rent. You know, it's not a
huge place, but it's pretty cheap
for that. Uh, the other one was all kind
of like town houses. Um, and some of
those would be sold. So, some would be
kept by the developer, leased or rented,
and the other ones would be sold. The
first option didn't have that, but it
was really a six-story building, I
think, and then eight town houses was
the first one. The second was all town
houses. So, that'll be interesting. The
city had those presented on Tuesday. Got
public input on those. Um, there was
mixed sentiment on the public input.
Some people want nothing, obviously.
Some people like the town houses because
it looks more neighborhoody, um, less
city. Um, and then there's another group
of people that just say, you know,
Rochester bought it for 3.36 million. We
want you to get back 3.36 million. So
that's kind of it's like a mixed thing
on that.
>> Kevin was the developers were saying
that once this gets approved, they're
thinking about 24 months. So pretty
reasonably quickly.
>> Yeah. One of them actually which is
ironic the biggest one because they're
from Boston and they do these in Boston.
Um they are vertically integrated they
call it. So they don't have to find
contractors they do it all. Like it's
not like them some the other company's
not the same. The other company's a
developer and they hire contractors.
This company has everything. So from
start to finish it's them. So they said
they could start and be done within 24
months. And they said a similar project
of size they did in Boston which they
said is harder to build in. They did it
in 18 months. So, so they think it
actually happened fast whereas you some
of the other projects take years like
multiple like much longer than two
years.
>> So, I just want to do a plug for one of
our programs um that your updates
prompted. So, we have a brownfields
program. Lisa behind you all Lisa
operates the brownfields program. Uh so
if a municipality owns a structure or
has an interest in a structure and the
property owner consent, we have funding
that you and your municipality can use
to do a phase one or phase two
environmental assessment on the
structures uh or sites. Uh we also in
that pool have redevelopment planning
funds. Um the whole objective is to get
properties that may either be or be
perceived to be contaminated back into
active uh use. Uh and part of those
phase one phase twos includes hazardous
building materials. Um so mentioning the
school of lead um made me think of that.
So
we we pay 100% of the cost of those
engineering studies through the through
grant from EPA.
>> Well said. No match. Um yeah, we
recently did hazard hazardous building
materials for the town of Summerssworth
uh for a library expansion. So
>> we're here to help.
>> Sure. Um, so just to close the loop on
the ebike best motorcycle conversation,
just to plug, wear your helmet, you
know, as someone that learned the hard
way, you know, keep a helmet on. Um, for
for an update on Farmington,
um, uh, the town and some selectmen had
a meeting with the EPA and members of
DPS. Um EPA region one administrator
Mark Samborn who probably many of you
know um met with us to talk about the
Collins and Apen site Davidson Rubber if
you're familiar with that site on Route
11. Um it has been a designated super
fun site for many years. Um a record of
decision on proposed cleanup methods was
recorded um in July which is a milestone
step for that. It's been roughly 20
years that we've been sort of waiting to
to get to this point. So, um, we are now
actively starting to think about some
redevelopment of that site while they
move forward with the cleanup of the
area that we're not going to be able to
do much in for a while. Um, but it was
good to hear from EPA's perspective that
I think they start to maybe move the
needle a little bit on that. So, uh, one
of the reasons I bring it up now is if
there are folks in this room that have
experience with super fun sites. Um, I
don't have as much. I've done a little
bit more in brown fields of super fun.
So, if anybody has experience with super
fun, I'd be happy to like come talk with
me just so I can get a little bit more
information about how it's been
successful elsewhere. Um, because this
is starting to just kick off now. Um,
the last thing I want to mention to put
my SRPC hat on is everybody should have
received the save the date, but I do
want to plug SRPC's annual meeting. It
is set for uh Thursday, June 25th, uh,
4:30 to 7:30. Um, we have secured a
location. It's going to be at the Oaks
Golf Club in uh, Summerssworth. Um, we
are going to be celebrating our 55 years
of regional planning. We didn't get to
celebrate 50 because it was a co year.
So, we're going to use this opportunity
to sort of look at what um the planning
commission has done over the last 55
years. What sort of things should we be
thinking about for the future? Um I'm
probably going to be reaching out to
several of you that have been in the
region for a while. You're on my list to
to chat with you. We've already talked
to Chris and Jack Netty and Cynthia
Copeland and others that have uh been
actively involved in in uh leadership
with the planning commission and just
planning in the region in general. So,
um if you if you've got thoughts about
like, hey, you know, this was a
milestone project in the region in the
70s or 80s or anything like that that
was before us, please, you know, let us
let us know. So, for folks that have
been here for a while, come talk to us
because we'd love to sort of include
those big big projects. Um, that's it.
>> Hi. Um, I have a quick SRPC update. We
are considering moving away from Zoom
for our hybrid component of this
meeting. Um, we're evaluating teams.
I've got a couple of test meetings set
up this afternoon um at 2 and 2:30. If
anyone's available and would like to hop
on virtually and just give us feedback
on um the team's meeting platform
compared to the Zoom platform that we
learned as um our commissioners, we
would love that kind of feedback. If
anyone's interested, please reach out to
Megan or I want to take the invitation.
want to put a plug in for a seminar that
I attended this past week. Uh, New
Hampshire housing sponsored. Um, it was
a look at how zoning impacts Westfield
in your town and the impacts financially
as well. Um, the speaker is woman named
Ivy Van. I thought was a great speaker.
Um, they're going to be doing more
seminars on that. Sarah can give you the
details of the when and the where and
I'm sure she'll share that with
everybody as they become available but
um there was it was really a well done
seminar in four hours without time.
>> Thank you. There's one in OPI on Friday
May 1st I think. Um registration's not
quite open yet but we'll be soon if
anybody wants to go up to the lakes
Friday afternoon and then we're doing a
seost one Friday June 26 but
registration's not open for that one
yet.
>> I served with Ivy at legislature. Ah,
>> sh is aw.
>> Yeah. Yeah, she's with his turn.
>> Um, we had in our planning board meeting
the other night, we had a a second
conceptual hearing on uh the conversion
of the Holy Trinity Church on High
Street to a housing facility. Um the
church would be removed in a new fac.
Uh as you know we've had several large
housing developments in the city of
Summer where uh either the 67 Elm Street
is now being occupied which is kind of
cool to see people in there. Um
so we're making our progress towards
meeting our goal of housing. Um, but
this one is kind of special. Uh, it is
on High Street. Uh, there's there is
potential for some traffic issues there.
But one of the things we're finding with
developers coming into Summerssworth is
they're actually talking to their
neighbors, knocking on doors, talking to
them. This is who we are. This is what
we want to do. Um, how can we, you know,
involve you in the process to keep you
happy neighbors and that kind of thing.
And these people have done it very well.
Um they want to get out to more
neighbors. They want to, you know,
explore it even more. But beyond the
development itself, uh which is going to
be open to the community as well.
They're having some commercial space in
it. but they're having space inside for
conference rooms that the public can use
uh and other resources in there for they
want the public to be able to come into
the building and include them um and be
part of a neighborhood kind of thing.
But they're looking at the trails that
go out be behind that that property to
make a connection all the way over to
Millennium Park and then possibly into
the uh Mali Farm area beyond that too.
Um so my question was are people going
to be able to have dogs that are living
and that kind of thing so they can walk
them out there and all that and and and
it's a likelihood. Um, but the biggest
thing that impressed me is that out of
the 171, 75 are two bedrooms. So, we're
getting the ones that we've had two
bedrooms have been half dozen maybe if
they can squeeze them in somewhere.
Mostly studio in one bedroom. And I
always, you know, I always look at the
at the second bedroom is, you know,
there could be bunk beds in there. We
could actually be getting kids maybe
into a development like this. and and
they talk about community. Well, there's
nothing better in a community than
having kids in your community. So, um I
you know, we haven't voted on anything
yet because this is their doing it the
right way. So, they're coming back with
additional lighting. They came back with
their for their second consensual
hearing. And I suspect that it won't be
long before we get a full-blown
application for approval from them. uh
doing it right.
>> All right. Thank you. Um Steve then
>> yes. Um about about teams um the
planning board used uh teams for a
while. I was not very impressed. I know
there probably could be some problems
with with Zoom, but uh it means that
Linux users all but it's almost almost
impossible to use Teams and Linux last I
checked. So uh think twice about
switching to a Microsoft product.
>> I can't
also
>> Lindsay was up first. I couldn't see the
hand.
>> I know it's hard on the screen. Um,
thanks everyone. Um, so just a couple
quick updates. Um, one, um, I'm not on
the planning board in Dover, so um,
don't have all the specifics. Um, and I
have to I was trying to look quickly,
but we do have a couple larger, um,
developments, um, either underway or or
recently approved. Um, continuing to try
to meet um, Dover goals around um, both
affordable housing and also just having
a diverse housing stock. Um, and that
has consistently been one of the goals
of city council the last couple years.
So, um, I think folks are encouraged to
see that continuing proposals continue
to come in um, and trying to balance
obviously the community impact, the
environmental impact, but also making
sure that we're contributing to housing
stock. Um, I did also want to make sure
that folks were aware there have been
some pretty um, ongoing intense
conversations um, in Dover recently,
particularly around um, the mil foil in
Willand Pond. And so if anybody has
experience with mil foil or would like
to chat further, ultimately the the
council's decision was to go forward
with um a um diver assisted suction
harvest method um which was a little bit
different than the state recommended
plan, but I know that there's a lot of
folks interested in figuring out a
long-term plan um to improve Willen
Pond. But I was just thinking in our
regional capacity um if that is another
issue that other communities um
obviously Summerssworth um connected to
Willen Pond but maybe other communities
um I think there's um it was an
interesting and challenging process and
there might be some joint learning we
could do about how to manage dealing
with this issue in the sort of
intersection of recreation, human
health, environment, water, all of that.
Um and then lastly wanted to just share
on behalf of a colleague of mine and
maybe this already got circulated. Um
but UNH Cooperative Extension is running
an outdoor economy academy coming up
this spring. Um so particularly folks
looking at the intersection between the
environment outdoor um and economic
development downtowns um and sort of
healthy um uh environment. There's three
visits. I put the link in chat. Somebody
can maybe grab that and add that to the
notes. Um but I thought others in this
group might be interested in that
upcoming uh training or a networking
opportunity. Thanks.
>> Just a comment uh for
Barington's wrestling that very issue
particularly Swed's lake and mil foil
invasion and so
connecting the offline and I can give
you a whole encyclopedia of things that
we've done are doing and plan to do uh
going forward. So good place to start.
Yeah,
>> great. Thank you so much.
>> My cabin in Maine, our lake had similar
issues and one of the big things that we
that was implemented that really stopped
it from repeating was having volunteers
at the boat launch ensuring that boats
going in and out were cleaned and didn't
have anything on them ahead of time. I
mean once it's in the waterway it's it's
gets
remarkably difficult. You'd need to keep
it out of the waterway and keep it from
coming back or against ready.
>> Great. Thank you.
>> Northwood has paid people to do that.
>> This is great. If anybody wants to have
a subworking group, we I may uh um Yeah,
realizing it's a regional issue. Um uh
yeah, thank you so much.
ready. Oh, okay. So, um Dover, uh is in
the process uh of kicking off jump
starting its uh 10-year update to its
transportation chapter of the master
plan. So, that's an opportunity for our
community to look back at the last 10
years of kind of our transportation
development and projects that have
occurred, but also and then start to
plan, you know, kind of the future of
what transportation looks like for
Dover. But also I think where it applies
to this body too is like how is Dover
both part of a bigger part of the
region. How does it how do the
interconnection points at last um
last SRPC meeting we had a a a bit of a
discussion on the the
tragedy of the death on old uh Rochester
Road. And that's one of those points
where maybe we start to think about what
the future of these interconnections
that are um shared spaces look like. And
um maybe not individual projects at this
point, but what does the vision look
like as we start to think about how
people move through those spaces? And
it's just an opportunity to talk more
about some of the things we really all
care about. So um if you have input or
want to chat about that, I'll be on that
committee um as we move forward. and um
I'm really looking forward to it. So,
>> I just want to say that we are going to
be working on the Dober transportation
master plan chapter along with partners
at BHB. So,
>> yes,
>> we're looking forward to it.
>> Thank you, Morgan St.
All
right. Then um moving on to our next
item. We have minutes from March 20th.
Uh
any discussion there?
Uh the minutes from February 20th.
>> Oh, February 20th.
>> I read I read and didn't think. Yes.
>> Um well, just a note, I I was attending
the
Unless I miss it. I didn't see my name
in the grocery list of productions.
>> Pickles.
I'll move to approve with the addition
of Mike's name.
Moved
>> by Michael Williams. Second by N.
Seconded by John Nuke.
All in favor roll call
I I
>> I
wasn't there. So I abstain.
>> Yes. I
>> hi
>> Steve.
>> Hi
>> Steve Brown.
Chris.
when
I
>> all right. Thank you.
Uh regional plan workshop.
Are folks online able to see the screen?
Yes.
>> Okay.
Great. So, I will uh
so for the remainder of the meeting,
we're going to be uh chatting a bit
about the regional plan um which has
been an ongoing project over the last
year. Um and we are scheduled to
complete it at the end of this calendar
year. Um so I'll start by giving just a
quick overview reminder of the
components of the regional plan and how
uh they're each going to be adopted at
different times. So for the next update
for the Stratford regional plan, we are
leveraging the metropolitan
transportation plan which is being
updated this year. Comprehensive
economic development strategy that said
which is being updated this year to feed
into the plan as the economic
development and land use uh I'm sorry
and transportation sections um of the
broader plan. And then we're also going
to be doing chapters related to land use
and environment as well. And at the end,
we're going to be creating an executive
summary bridge document that's going to
tie all of the different areas together
from these street components to have one
cohesive brand at the end of the year
which will act as um kind of a regional
vision for the Statford region for the
next 10 years. So some of the key data
are listed up here on the screen. The
said um is set to be adopted in June. It
is the furthest along thanks to all of
the info from Nwall and your assistant
and the strategy committee. Um the MTP
is under construction as well and that
is set to be adopted in September of
this year and then towards the end of
the year in November and December when
the land use environment section and
also that executive summary and bridge
document just hired together.
So for the first few minutes of uh this
part of our meeting today, I wanted to
just quickly uh go over and remind folks
of uh where the sense is at. So the
lenses, aims, and goals have been
finalized. Um so this was thanks to all
of your help over past meetings and our
strategy committee. Starting on page
eight of your packets are the uh final
themes, lenses and goals sort of said.
So we have four lenses that are kind of
the overarching principle that are going
to touch on all areas of what we talk
about um to promote economic
development, job creation, employment in
the region and that's regional
partnerships and collaboration,
resiliency, quality of life and
community identity and age friendliness.
And then also up here, just to quickly
remind you all of our final themes, um
we have housing um as a critical
component of economic development in our
region, supporting businesses,
innovation and entrepreneurship,
uh supporting workforce development,
education, and child care. And then
ensuring that our communities are
healthy and vibrant.
and all of the I didn't want to put all
the goals up here again because there's
a lot of them live text on the screen,
but those are all in your packets um
organized by the different formatting.
So, the next component of the sets is
developing the action items that support
all of the different goals that are
outlined in your reading packet. So I
believe it starts on page
um
11 the page of f landscape and there's a
color we went through our previous sets
and identified the different action
items that we can take as an
organization that were relevant to bring
forward into our new sets. And then we
also generated some new action items for
the rework and new themes and goals that
were developed for the next five years
set uh of uh the next five year timeline
for RS. So uh these are in draft form
and they're organized based on which
theme they align most closely with and
then there's also a section at the start
for action items that support all of the
themes. So what we are going to do uh
for a few minutes kind of a rapid fire
activity. Uh Jen, Mark uh Jen and Mark
are setting up different posters around
the room. There are five of them. And
what are on these posters are the same
draft action items that are in your
everyone's going to be getting uh 10
sticky dots. And what we are asking you
to do is use two dots per poster. So you
only get a very limited amount. And you
can put both of those dots on one action
item. You can do one on one action item,
one on another. And we're asking what
feels like the kind of highest priority
action underneath that.
There's also a section at the bottom of
the poster and we're going to distribute
sticky notes around the room too where
you have additional ideas about the
action items um or any additional
feedback for things that could be action
items underneath these thematic areas.
We'd ask you to write those up on the
sticky note and stick that onto the
poster or you could write right on the
poster.
Um, so yeah, so we are asking folks to
uh we don't have too much of a crowd.
Uh, maybe two or three people go to each
different poster around the room and
we're asking that you spend no more than
two or three minutes at each poster. Um,
and uh, we'll keep a clock and we'll
just ask folks to rotate around the room
for the next poster in a clockwise
fashion so that we can get some initial
feedback on these draft uh, draft action
items for the sense.
Any questions?
>> Yes, Michael, if we have comments about
um the other stuff, the changes and goal
statements, how do you want us to
provide those?
>> So, those are in final form. Um at this
point
>> we can make some revisions but we're not
gonna make big revisions
finetuning.
>> Sure. Yeah. We can do fine tune and
tuning. Um our strategy committee has
accepted them at this point and we took
the the round of feedback we did with
you all um and incorporated them in. If
there are, you know, pressing things
that need adjustment, then we can
change.
>> You changed some. Well, yeah. So, um,
and I don't know if you want do talk
about it now or if there's time after we
do the dot things, maybe I can bring up
otherwise I can talk to you offline.
>> Just the the the
wording from the lenses down to some of
the themes and goals changed in a few
places and it also kind of changed the
connotations. Sure. Not necessarily in a
good way, at least from my perspective.
>> All right, let's get started with the
dots though. Couple questions.
>> Yes.
>> A after the action items are set, say in
the five-year plan,
is there going to be an annual plan then
created from that fiveyear? And in the
annual plan, do you get down to more
specific
action items? or my my issue here as a
bug
is that I don't see these as action
items. These are objectives.
An action item, and you can Google it,
is something that's very specific.
It also it had it identifies the task
and who it's assigned to. It's has a
clear deadline and identifies the
measurable results.
So, so to give you an example, um,
>> it has a clear ending.
>> It has a clear ending. And so, almost
every one of these uses the term
support, continue to work with,
cultivate.
Those are technically not action items.
And as a planner, I it it just bothers
me. An action item would be say for
example maintain open communication with
businesses and municipalities
uh regarding economic development
issues. So that's what's listed here as
an action item. I would say that a clear
action item toward working towards that
would be work with ED organizations,
businesses and communities to create a
series of workshops regionally to be
held a minimum of two or three times a
year.
That's more specific. It can be graded.
Uh you know, you can determine it. And
so that's why, you know, I guess these
are okay for a fiveyear, but I'm
wondering when we get down to the
annual, can we get down to more specific
action items that are measurable?
>> So, I don't I don't believe our action
items change in language between what we
do in our one year updates and our five.
>> Um, but that doesn't mean they can't.
Um,
>> I would need to check EDA guidance.
>> Yeah, I think I think Yeah, Steve, I
hear what you're saying. Um I think part
of what we need to do is we need to now
articulate the how we do these things.
Yeah. And that's what you're you're
speaking to.
>> Yeah. I have you know we create plans.
We're planners. These plans go on
shelves.
>> Sometimes they just have dust on them.
>> The plans that actually get actuated are
the ones that say this is how we're
going to do this and this is when it's
going to be done by who and what's the
measurable. That's how a plan gets put
into effect. So,
>> you know, I I could take these action
items and I could probably look at AGO
New York's CED and it'd be probably the
same. You know, what how is Wakefield
>> um how do we benefit from these action
items? it, you know, there there has to
be I think I would recommend when we get
down to the annual
personally I'd prefer we change the term
action items because I have again
>> can we say
>> the definition of action?
>> No, they need to be action items. I
would I would definitely recommend folk
in this room um if you do have feedback
and and Steve especially taking yours
into consideration um to please
articulate that on the posters and send
it to Natalie and I over an email. Um
and we'll take down notes as well.
>> Um the plan needs to be adopted in June.
Um so
we need to ensure that the feedback that
you all have today um is uh collected by
us in an effective way to be able to
make these changes. Um we have our
strategy committee meeting next week
where we're going to do this activity
with them. But then after that point we
won't really have much time to make
additional changes. So I would just uh
ask folks to please be very thoughtful
with your feedback today and any
followup that you have a high
worth I concur with Steve and when I
work with big industry sometimes many
stick 10,000 employees 80% of my work is
done when they get to the point where
they're defining action items in a way
that they can actually say that to the
employee and they both know what it's
the mission
Um, when they get to that point, 80% of
my work that's done and they they get
it.
>> That's like I highlighted my comments in
bold here. You might just want to look
down.
>> Those guys did a better job at, but it's
similar. It's like,
>> yeah, any please send your comments to
Natalie and I. Um, that would be very
helpful in this process. Um, one thing
to remember too is these are actions
that we can do as an organization. We
are not outlining actions for other
organizations to do. So, we have to make
sure that they're within the bounds of
what we offer as services as well.
>> Right. I I just think we need to be
cognizant of the terms we use,
>> particularly if we are going to call
them action items. Um, continue to
maintain, cultivate. Those are not
action items.
>> I'm sorry.
>> They're they're everyday activities.
>> They're objectives. Yeah. they're what
we're trying to do, but
I think we need to get down to the
specifics.
>> All right.
>> So,
my concern is, and I agree with this
conversation,
is we don't have the resources to do all
these quote unquote action items. So I
think we need to differentiate between
an action item that we can do and an
objective that we support. They are
different. I agree with you Steve
because if I look through this we don't
have resources to do
>> because that's that's why it's two dots
per poster. Um because we do need to
kind of synthesize we do need to
prioritize it. And I think I don't know
maybe you're listening to this and
thinking about next steps um is we take
the feedback on what we at least have
here now and those that rise to the top
um within each category we better flesh
out and make them like and show how they
are actionable and measurable. Um and we
make we boil our energy down to focus on
those that rise to the top. those that
don't rise to the top, you know, they
can go into the narrative as like here
are some other objectives that we strive
to achieve, but we focused on these
priorities. Um,
>> yeah, it's very important that
>> we be able to accomplish their exact.
>> Okay,
>> so let's start picking up the ones we
think should be priorities.
>> So, and each one of these posters are
different, right?
>> They are. Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, so basically we want check
them all out before you start putting
too many dots.
>> Mike or Jen, do you mind muting the room
so that the online folks can
>> Thank you. Hi everyone.
>> Hello. Um, so yeah, I'll just help post
host the online portion for um, voting
on the action items for the set. So
please let me know if everyone was able
to open that link that I sent in the
chat. Okay, great. So yes, you can Why
don't we use the thumbs up emoji for
voting?
let's see. Do you all have you probably
don't have the ability to leave
comments, right? or do you
>> you do okay if you want to add anything
please feel
>> yeah we can add comments
>> okay that sounds good um one thing I
didn't have time to touch on because I
know we're running short on time with
the overall group but one I completely
agree with the comment that was made
that we want to make sure that the
actions are things that we can just take
a look at and basically check off be
able to check off and say was this
something that I was able to complete um
I just wanted to mention like in the
past said that's something that we've
differentiated with the action items
action items have been ongoing action
items
um I think we called it ongoing and um
what ongoing meaning like these are
things that always happen like there is
no deadline in sight but for example
like the the tri- region economic
development stakeholders group that's
something that we host every single
month so it's ongoing
um and then a separate category for
those action items that do have an
engine site. So these when we pulled
these through when we pulled these
forward for this update um you'll see
that those aren't differentiated in that
way but they're mixed in. Like for
example, one thing that I can probably
point out is um like complete the
regional housing needs assessment
implementation project and promoted as a
tool for municipalities looking for
guidance on balancing housing.
production needs with environmental
protection like that is something that
we're expecting to end um fall of 2020
or I guess winter 202026. So
so yeah maybe maybe one thing to think
about is maybe we continue to separate
those two things. Just wanted to throw
that out.
I didn't personally quite follow what is
being asked of us at the moment. Could
you just sort of explain that?
>> Yeah, of course. Um, yeah, sorry about
that. So what Mike was saying is these
are the action items that were developed
based on the goals that we um have been
developing based on the state um the
strategy committee feedback and based on
your all's feedback. So um these are so
yeah you just need to vote on each
action item. So the first column the all
those action items apply to all of the
themes in the sets. Um and then there's
four themes that follow. So just use two
votes basically. So he what he was
saying is in-person folks get two sticky
dots to vote. Um you want to prioritize
the actions that are listed on here. So
what is the priority for the all what is
what are the two priorities for housing?
What are the two priorities for business
innovation and entrepreneurship and so
on. Does that answer your question
Steve?
Okay.
>> Thanks.
>> You're welcome.
Natalie, I'm just wondering if we can
like safely assume that some of the
items that are on here that kind of have
to be done, we can not vote on like
treads. It has to happen. Can we just
skip that?
Um
I think if it's a priority
I would say vote on it because I mean
yeah
treads I strategy committee has to
happen. treads is some it's an effort
that we've like tried to continue and
we've
in the past like this was something that
was funded by the state and then they
stopped funding it but we found a way to
like made it make it fit still within
our work so we've pushed it forward um
but yeah it's we we want to know that
there is support to keep on pushing it
forward
>> got it thank you Yeah.
So yeah, the two categories I was
talking about before in our previous
sets and how we differentiated them.
There's ongoing for those things that
don't have an end in sight and the other
category is in progress for those things
that are more like checklist type
things. This is done. We completed it.
But those are not they're not separated
in this way just to be clear here in the
in the activity
Natalie. It seems like there's
opportunities, lots of overlap between
some of these things and some of them
might be kind of here's a goal like
cultivate good partnerships and then
there's this is how we'll do it, right?
Then they're they seem to be nested.
Does that something we want you might
want us to comment on and said you could
combine these or
integrate them?
>> Yeah. Do you mean within the themes or
do you mean
>> within the themes? Yeah,
>> within the themes. Okay.
>> Yeah. I will since it's hard to make
like a general comment on the Padlet
like that I will make sure that I make
it in my notes so that I can share it
with the rest of the team. So
>> was there anything specific that you
were looking at Steve just to so I can
take a look at it? Well, for example,
cultivate strong relationships with a
wide variety of organizations
and then maintaining open communication
with like so it's like okay if we want
to cultivate positive relationships we
have to maintain open communications
like those are
you know both connected
>> yeah connected to each other right
>> that makes sense
We're going to take three more minutes
for this activity.
>> I might I will not get done.
Three.
>> Yeah. Sorry, we're so tight on time.
But this this act this Padlet is going
to remain open. Um, so if you need to do
anything post the meeting, please feel
free to go.
Okay, I'm starting to see some some
themes rise to the top
or some action items, I should say.
Being 10:00 a.m., it looks like
Mike will probably unmute and we'll move
into the next activity. But until then,
please feel free to take this time and
keep on working on this if you need to.
All right, thank you all. And um like we
shouted about
for more feedback um please email
Natalie and I um we're going to be doing
a similar activity to this with a little
bit more time with our economic
development strategy committee next
Friday. Um, so we're hopeful to bring
forward any feedback you all provided on
the posters and provide over email to
them and kind of synthesize some
stronger uh action items. So, thank you
all.
>> Are you going to send something out to
us saying this is what
this came out?
>> Yes. Yep.
>> It look pretty evenly distributed.
It's going to be some key ones, but
>> yeah. So, I will say that the the
language used in these drafted action
items is very similar to what was in the
last five years sense. Um, so I think us
moving towards more actionability is a
uh good
thing for this next five years.
Uh folks online, are you all able to
hear us and see the screen again? Cool.
All right. So, I just wanted to spend
one quick minute on some other SDS items
um regarding some draft vision
statements that were developed for the
SDS overall, which we're going to ask
you all for some feedback on uh after
this meeting um through like a little
Microsoft form. Um but that'll get sent
out after this meeting. um today and
then I also wanted to uh just share a
reminder about the priority project
solicitation which was launched at the
start of the month. Um so just as a
reminder priority projects are things
submitted by public entities like
municipalities or nonprofits. They can
be private public partnerships as long
as a you know public entity is kind of a
lead on the project.
um projects need to align with our said
thematic areas. Um and having a project
in the SDS opens it up to a potential
for economic development administration
funding. But it really kind of the the
the main reason to have a project in the
SDS nowadays is to show that a project
in a community or in a small part of our
region aligns with the broader kind of
regional goals and regional vision for
economic development. um it can help
strengthen other funding applications
for grants or different things like
that. In the past, we've uh uh
organizations have leveraged being in
the SDS to go after other funding and
we've written letters of support for
them to help them go after this. Um so
it is definitely useful to have a
project in the SDS in your community. Um
the deadline for priority project uh
submissions is the end of the month on
the 31st. uh we have already reached out
to all of the um representatives from
communities and organizations who have
supported projects in the past and are
working with them to either update those
projects to ensure that they align with
the new SDS so that they can continue
keeping them in the SESS and ask for new
projects. We've also reached out to um
points of contact of all of the
municipalities in our region um to ask
if there are any new projects to submit
to the SDS. So I I would ask all of you
to maybe remind folks in your community
like town managers or town engineers. I
think the more times they hear this from
different people, the more uh likely
they are to potentially submit a project
that is happening or plan to happen in
the community.
Um so please reach out to me um if you
do have any questions about how to
submit a project. Um it's a fairly easy
form online or we can provide a paper
form that we can enter the data in. Um
but we just ask that are completed by
the 31st of the month.
>> You have a question on that?
>> Uh Chris, your hands up.
>> I think that's very old. Sorry.
>> Any other questions on priority project?
Oh, so for the remainder of our time,
um, we would like to chat a little bit
about some of the other components of
the regional plan. So, transportation
topics and land use topics. So, some of
the other sections in your meeting
packets kind of identified um really
track thematic areas for these different
plans. So, the uh metropolitan
transportation plan is a little bit
further along than the land use and
environment section. So what we're
asking folks will do for the remainder
of this call is uh decide if you want to
talk about land use and environment or
transportation and then depending on
that decision we'll ask folks to kind of
filter over to one corner of the room
where we will uh gather a little bit
more feedback from you all regarding
some of the drafted thematic areas
presented in your packet. Um, so I think
in terms of corners of the room, you
have a preference where you want to go.
Maybe if you're interested in chatting
about transportation, um, over that way
towards that corner of the room and then
if you're interested in chatting a bit
more about the land use environment,
drought thematic areas, um, filter over
to that corner of the room. We'll give
folks a minute to do that and, uh, we'll
move folks online. Natalie is going to
be a similar
>> one. Sorry, one quick note. We will give
everyone um just a blank note card
because we know we're forcing you to
choose one topic or the other. So, we're
note card is if you have comments on
yours that you just didn't get a chance
to express or if you have comments for
the other group um that you wanted to
express but you weren't in that group,
we still want your your notes. Uh we'll
leave everyone with a note card here so
you can jot us down some notes.
>> All right, making
>> thanks. Thanks, Jen. Um so for the
online folks I threw a link in the
meeting chat and that is just our
um it's our meeting packet but that
includes what Mike is referencing. So if
you go to page 16 in the meeting packet
16 in the yeah 16 you'll see the
Stratford MTP draft themes and goals
and um some overall questions that we're
looking for you to answer is are the
themes distinct enough as presented? So
is there we want to make sure that there
isn't too much overlap between them. Um,
do the draft goals strike a good balance
between aspiration and realism? And are
there any major topics that aren't
covered or that you think should be
highlighted more? Um, and then below
that, you'll see each theme for
transportation. And then starting on
page 19, um, you'll see the themes,
proposed lenses, and initial draft goals
for the land use and environment
portion. Um, unfortunately we don't have
a ton of time. I think we went a little
bit over some of the other parts. So,
we'll have 12 minutes for both of these.
Um, so I know it's a a big ask, but if
you if we all want to get started on the
transportation one, if you can since
this isn't a Padlet, so you can't leave
any comments, you can let me know. Um,
and I have a notes a notes document
going so I can add your notes to it.
So, just let me know any thoughts that
you have.
I was talking with Colin the other day
on the phone about um transportation
stuff and uh he I was looking at the
bike level of stress map
and I uh it was it was
I guess what I'm hoping for is um
better tools to find the safest ways to
get places. Uh it's a bit of a maze. you
see all these red areas that that means
it's dangerous in one way or another or
unappealing and and it's uh that how do
you find coherence in all the data is
the challenge. Uh so I would love to to
come up with some kind of way of of like
even just for for me or as an example
like I don't know how to get places even
though I'm kind of a policy wonk on the
best ways of getting places.
there's there's not safe ways because
there's these obstacles every which way
you go you go.
>> Yeah, I hear you. And I think that would
fit really well into the reduced gaps
and barriers in the pedestrian.
We would call it maybe active
transportation network instead of just
pedestrian. But um you know there could
be could be broader. But I I I think
speaking as a
both as a do resident and involved in
that but then also on the sea coast area
bicycle riders that is a a common thread
that we hear from a lot of people. Um,
uh, Dover does not have a bicycle and
pedestrian plan that was identified in
the 2016 chapter as something that they
need to have worked on, but it is
unfortunately not has not risen to the
level of priority to kind of really
designate the time and effort to do
that. Um, but that's I think where
uh that's I think part of this missing
piece of information that would help
Steve help myself to get to and from
places um safely. So I I think yes that
I I I think I I I agree with with that
draft goal, but I would also say maybe
include um bicycles as well um or other
other sorts of
non-car transportation. So,
>> what I find exciting, not to be too um
negative, that we do have this huge
network of colonial era roads that that
go everywhere you might want to go. And
especially if you have a little bit of
help from an ebike to to get over a
little bit rougher terrain, you know, a
little bit of rehabbing of what is
already there and it's just been
neglected for a long time could find
coherence. Um, I intend.
>> Are you talking about like class six
roads?
>> Some of them are class six roads. A lot
of them are not even classified as a
class anymore. They're just there as a
trail that no one has maintained for a
lot lot of years.
Um, part of the reason I ask about that
is because, um, you know, as a surveyor,
I deal with all of the, uh, old roads
and things like that and
maintaining property rights and access
rights on things like class 6 roads or
abandoned roads, old, like you say,
colonial era trails. um
starts getting into uh some of those
property rights issues that I could see
being uh problematic. Honestly, I would
much rather prefer to see um old uh rail
lines and
honestly better public transportation as
far as like um buses, trolleys,
whatever. Um you know across the whole
region.
>> Sure. Those those are good all good good
things. Um I think at least in Bington a
lot of this land is conservation
commission um managed so it's it is
somewhat coherent and I don't think it's
broken up by property owners so much
a a goal I'm slightly confused by in
this section is the increased passenger
rail frequency through the region only
in that are we trying to increase the
number of people from Maine and
Massachusetts that are taking the train
or Is it people in our region that are
taking the train to Maine and
Massachusetts? I or people taking the
train from Dover to Exiter or
so Maine luckily has a robust budget um
more robust than the state of New
Hampshire and so they subsidized their
train. So you can take a train from
Brunswick to Portland for $4. um if you
take the train from do to exit or it's
13 or $14. So the I think the biggest uh
you in intra regional I think is kind of
out of the question when you think about
the alternatives and the cost. Um unless
it is the option for people to be able
to to get from one town to the other.
But um I guess I'm I I want to see what
the spirit of that goal is and what are
the action items to kind of how are we
getting more people onto trains. I love
the idea of more people using rail to
get places. It's just um to which places
and from which places and you know um
who and why.
Okay,
>> that makes total sense and I wish I
could answer that question for you, but
>> I'm Yeah, yeah, for sure.
>> I was just going to jump into the quick
thought of two different ones. The the
housing impacts theme, I appreciate the
concept, but I think maybe like some
continued work on wording around that
one. Um, because I think there's just
like something about framing it as
housing impacts that is I don't think
it's quite what is intended by it. Um,
but I think the point raised is really
important about people having to live
like and it ties to the equity
conversation or a theme below because
people end up having to live really far.
Um, so like there's some links there,
but there so I really like the theme. I
just and I don't I know it's not help
like I just can't think of a way to to
reframe it. Um, one of the other the
theme I just lost my train of thought on
what was it? Oh, I think it was on the
state of good repair theme. Um, and I
was trying to read back fast, but I felt
like this could benefit from a little
more of the multimodal language and
references to just make sure that when
we're talking about state of good
repair, it ties to rail trails, it ties
to bike paths, it ties to, see what you
were mentioning at the beginning of like
good shoulders on the roads so that you
can ride an ebike. Um, so it felt like
this could be another place to just
underscore the the multimodal um piece a
little bit more as well.
I don't know how many of you have ridden
a train any real distance lately, but um
that it's so popular is is interesting
because a lot of the aspects of the
experience are pretty bad. So um uh
that's thoughtprovoking. I mean, it
could be a lot better. Even just cutting
back the trees more reliably so that
it's there aren't huge delays often just
from trees being down on a fair day.
That would be a start.
So, I used to ride the uh down Easter
from Portland down to do on a pretty
regular basis and
honestly compared to driving it was
about a thousand times better.
I have to agree with that.
>> I Me too. I I
especially with the kind of more
recently with the the track. They are
doing track work in Maine. I'm not sure
in New Hampshire, but to increase the
ability to host I think they're adding a
second track in certain areas to be able
to have two-way travel, which is going
to speed things up.
>> Careful.
All righty. Um,
>> yeah, they're doing that in um the I
want to say kind of Sanford area.
>> Yep.
>> Great.
>> If we have a minute or two to for the
Landes chapter, I um I have some
thoughts about it and I just saw Steve.
>> Yeah, I was just gonna move on to the
land.
>> Steve, you should you're Steve raised a
really good point that I agree with. So,
I want to if he's somewhere he can
speak, I think that's good to chat
about. I just thought I would write it
down because I didn't know we were going
to get to it. That was my thing. Um, but
the overall point was it feels like, you
know, there's a broader
I forget what the terminology here is of
a lens of environmental stewardship. It
feels like that that's actually absent
from all the themes and goals pretty
much. I mean there's nods towards it and
um but I don't feel like it's called out
in any particular way as we get deeper
down. Um although I am was curious about
I think this is something Dober is
looking at in its master plan is that
idea of how do we start to measure
ecosystem services and use those
measures in our planning and decision-m
and I'm wondering if that's a way to
embed environmental stewardship or the
an awareness of environmental services
into
our planning. So that was that's the the
general idea.
>> The the other thought I had, you know,
the idea as we get down into the equity
uh theme,
um love having the, you know, ensuring
all voices are part of the conversation.
It seems a sub point of that is having a
uh UNH student in commission meetings.
That's great. But I who are all the what
are the voices that are absent and how
are we actually going to engage with
them? I think if that's going to be a a
theme and a goal, there's a lot of work
to be done there that we need to think
about. How do we connect with those
people and make it easier for them to
participate, whoever they are?
>> In terms of land use, um, as a
homesteader, uh, I've been doing this
already and I think it's that's great.
Um but I I think in general given the
lot of things going up from gas or
transportation to food um more and more
places will need to be producing
meaningful amounts of food for us to be
eating at all. Uh I I think uh
conservation land a lot of places will
need to be rethought how they're
approached so that there's grazing
options so that there is
um more more potential for the many
people who want to raise food to have
access to land which is a tricky topic
given our reliance on property taxes for
instance.
>> Great. Okay.
Any other thoughts on land use and
environment?
Just I was trying I couldn't figure out
how to do it, but a thumbs up to what
Christa added to the chat as well.
Wait, it's
Great. Well, if there's no other
thoughts, I think we did really good and
getting through both of these documents.
So, I appreciate everyone uh prominence
and reading everything.
Um, just I'm going to drop in a link.
Stanford some good work on measuring
ecosystem surfaces. So, I'm dropping a
link into that something that you can if
it's helpful.
>> Yeah, that's great. Thanks.
>> So, Lindsay, if I just take a moment
here. Um, I just so Bington somehow
Swaines Lake Association persuaded the
conservation commission to fork over
money to put poisons in the water, which
is really ironic. I mean, I'm supposedly
it's safe. I'm deeply skeptical. Uh,
it's a really weird thing that just
happened in Bington and uh it's rather
disturbing. That's not the way we should
be spending our resources in my opinion.
>> Yeah, I saw your note on that. I have
some more things to follow up on. So,
thanks
if the group is still going in the room.
I think one that I'm rereading right now
um that I'm remembering
tripped me up a little bit, but the the
framing on number two of balanced
spaces, I think it's another one where
it just I'm not quite sure that that
framing
and again I'll do try to do more
thinking on that, but I think the the
other comment that I had related to that
is I felt like this was one spot too
that it's it's this funny balance of
like our high interest and green space
and waterways and all this calls for
thoughtful development. It still feel
and and I think the point is saying that
like in the context of those things we
thoughtful de development is the angle
we want to go but to me it reads a
little bit like we want always
development. Um and I think the point is
that like we want to balance all of
these things um is kind of what I was
taking away from that one. Um, but it
just felt it read a little like leaving
out that we also want places that are
places without development.
Um, I'm wondering
given that we're into our whatever year
of drought, you know, essentially and
recent research that the East Coast is
going to be increasingly vulnerable to
wildfire. Should we be thinking about
that urban wilderness interface more?
And in that, you know, we've got stuff
about, you know, coastal flooding and
being aware of sea level rise, but in
that community resilience,
you know, section, should we be
broadening our thinking beyond just sea
level rise, even though I understand why
that's there?
>> Absolutely. We need better fire access
roads, which could also double as uh
multi-use
uh trails. So yeah, I think that's
important.
>> Dude, that brings up for me the other
thing that I hope that we can do in this
document is highlight the
interconnectedness of all of these
things. So you know we I feel like it's
you know and because of the I understand
why but everything ends up feeling very
siloed and I think in the when we write
this document the interconnections or
the you know the dependencies of one
thing on the other and their impacts
like especially second third order
impacts we need to be thinking about how
do we communicate that and think more
systemically
around these questions.
Yeah. And find solutions that can double
up. Right. As Steve just pointed out,
>> I think that's a very good point. And
the fact that all of these problems,
issues, whatever, are all interconnected
is uh really important, I think, to
highlight.
Yeah. And I think to the it's like there
are also risks that a quote unquote
solution to one could make a different
one worse. And so to your point it's
like how do you think about this all al
all together which is hard but like I
think that's how we we make progress is
is doing the hard thinking.
>> Yeah. And there are tools and processes.
I mean this is not you there are ways to
do that which I think we can develop
that capacity. That could be a goal that
the capacity to think systemically as an
organization to help people plan
systemically.
>> First, I got I saw your comments in the
chat. That makes a lot of sense, too.
And I'll add that.
These all are really great comments,
though. I really appreciate it.
>> Yeah. And I I think it's like kind of
maybe because we think about this, I
think it it is in here um a bit. So this
is a it's not necessarily a critique,
but I think the um sort of continuing to
underscore that these aren't
like environment and environment isn't a
trade-off from land use.
>> Like having a healthy environment makes
it so that we can use the land that we
are using. Well, um, and so just like
continue to have that in the back of
folks minds while they're writing is
like avoid language that makes it sound
like we're we're picking one or the
other.
>> And yeah, both ends. It's a both ends.
>> An interesting example of the different
pressures that are tricky. Um, so
Satwaser, it's the biggest conservation
area. It's sort of uh north west of the
Lee circle. Um the main artery was the
original colonial road that goes through
it went right past a beaver pond. The
conservation commission uh to
accommodate the rare uh cedars and and
to let the beavers do what they want.
They rerouted a walking path around the
original road, which makes sense for
them. uh but it didn't really make it
bike friendly anymore. So uh it made
those trails a little incoherent. Some
of the values of the conservation
commission are not really to encourage
good access because they don't want
people out there partying and stuff. Um
so it's a it's a tricky balance they
make. If they had more resources, more
people helping to to work on trails, you
know, all those things could help.
Another aspect um that
excuse me I think that uh we need to
address is the fact that we're getting
legislative pressure from conquered on
some of these housing things and
environmental stuff that is not
necessarily helpful.
you know taking away some of the
I guess you could say home rule aspects
of zoning and things like that where
they are mandating certain changes which
some of them are good some of them are
bad but
it feels to me like they are
treating everything as a uh nail because
all they've got is a hammer.
Anyway,
Glenn, and you were saying that that you
feel like that's something that needs to
be addressed here, the legislative
pressure component from Congre.
Well, what I'm saying is that
as a collective of towns, you know,
regional planning
that we have the ability to
influence some of those legislators to
maybe be able to either push back or
help them realize that there are certain
regional issues
that they may not be cognizant of or
that
they might
benefit from our technical expertise
they don't necessarily have.
Great.
this kind of fits into and I don't know
if this is a theme or or something that
could assist in communicating the themes
and and this is my first time kind of
going through this document
as a process with the SRPC so you know
I'm I'm a little uh but like quantifying
things
some of where does the the ability to
collect data and share data amongst
communities kind of fit into this so the
I don't know that maybe it's a
communication piece or but also I think
specifically around
kind of quantifying and qualifying some
of these themes with with data
especially in the harder it's harder to
qualify
community and regional character or
something like I don't know I I'm just
finding new ways to communicate that in
a way that a administrator can look and
say,
you know, oh yeah, I can see this theme
running through different pieces of
data. I guess I I I don't know. Um,
but then also sharing that amongst
when it's something that doesn't just
end at Dover's borders. It's also
involved Summerssworth and Rochester and
all, you know, it's like there there are
ways that we can
uh kind of I don't know fit
I data collection I guess is as part of
this as is a a theme I'd like to see
as part of this or or making sure that
we have a way to to quantify aspects of
of these themes.
So yeah, I mean a huge part of what the
data team does is like the you're
familiar with the data snapshot that
they do every year. So maybe
>> maybe it's um how do we like better
utilize that as a tool to
decision?
>> Inserting it into aspects of this it
would get more mileage out of the data
snapshot too I think. But
>> in terms
>> Sorry.
>> Yeah. in terms of um tourism. So, so
Bington, you can see in the annual
fluctuations of population that this is
a tourist town. A lot of people come
here for the summers and um it's tourism
is important. Terrorism is important in
New Hampshire in general. Um and we had
a UNH facilitated visioning session on
what the people of Bington and one of
those things was public waterfront and
uh and several waterfront properties are
already owned by the town but for
various concerns of liability and fiscal
constraints they didn't actually want to
proceed with that. Uh so it was an
unfortunate combination of
circumstances. Uh it would it would be
great to I don't know I don't know what
their obstacle is other than money.
They're concerned about lifeguarding and
whatever or they wanted to be able to
sell the property. Um anyway, so it was
frustrating that even though hundreds of
people came out to say this is kind of
what we want, they said no thank you.
I wonder if there could be some I really
appreciate hearing that, Steve, because
my I always think water um both like
drinking and recreation and and all of
that. Um and I it's like not a fully
formed thought, but I wonder if there's
something on a regional scale if if
access to the sort of recreational and
human health benefits of of being in
water spaces ended up being some sort of
theme woven in here. And then that may
might mean that something that the um
regional planning commission could then
help places like um Bington and others
work through some of those those
challenges in a way that um cuz I think
there's some people that argue like
access to water is a human right and
other like not even just drinking water
but like access to these water spaces.
Um, so there might be a neat way to
think about how regionally we could
facilitate
uh recreational access to water, public
recreational, not private recreational
access to water.
I mean, there's places to swim around
here, but it's posted that you're not
supposed to.
I think we're going to be let in to the
meeting again. Um, just really quick, I
wanted to ask on the sets component. Is
everyone comfortable with where your
comments are and votes are, or does
anyone need to do more work?
>> Natalie, the one thing I couldn't figure
out where to put on was just similar to
the question we just had about land land
use is it felt like there's just like
some environment stuff missing from the
SDS. like healthy environment is really
important for our local economy and it
there's like kind of nods to it but it
just that was like the big gap but I
didn't know where to put it.
>> The system is shrinking
>> the fewer and fewer people are going to
be able to make the trip they need to
and so the way that we change the
reception is to have it run frequently
enough that we have more people on it.
Thank youful.
>> So, citizens form
and let's call
>> before we run we all run away. Um I know
the time is finite here. Have these
conversations and provide some feedback.
um encourage you uh any of the drafts
that we send out, please send us
comments back. We we do like getting
comments back. Um so, you know, be
proactive. Post this meeting if there
are things that that you think of or
didn't have a chance to express here
today. Also, please send them. You can
send your comments to any any one of us.
We're generally nice to one another and
we share um with one another. So make
sure the right person gets gets any of
the comments that you send in. So yeah,
just wanted to acknowledge that and we
will continue um continue having similar
conversations. Um probably not every
meeting um but as Mike mentioned, we've
got a staggered adoption for uh each of
the plan components uh throughout the
rest of the year. So we will be bringing
some pieces back for further stations.
All right.
Motion to adjurnn.
Moved by seconded by by Michael and
Michael Michael Williams. Michael
Lairman. Um all in favor I
>> um
on your check.