What’s New
CommuteSmart 2023 Buses, Bikes, and Brooms Challenge October 1st-31st
The Challenge is less than a week away! This October join the CommuteSmart Buses, Bikes, and Brooms Challenge to compete with organizations across the state to reduce the most single occupancy car trips! Anyone who participates will be eligible for rewards and gift card raffles. To join the challenge create or sign in to your CommuteSmart NH account, update your profile information to include your current organization, and track a sustainable trip during the month of May. To learn more visit the challenge page or join now on our online platform or app in the Apple Store and Google Play.
NHDES Water Source Protection Seminar
Join Us on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
In partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, we’re excited to invite you to a vital discussion on Source Water Protection.
Location: Horseshoe Pond Place Community Resource Center, 28 Commercial Street, Concord, NH 03301.
Can’t make it in person? Join us via Zoom: Zoom Meeting Link
- Meeting ID: 830 3244 6876
- Passcode: 9964
Discover how we’re tackling the challenges of preserving the long-term quality and availability of safe drinking water. Our speakers include:
- Pierce Rigrod, Supervisor, Source Water Protection Program, Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau, who will shed light on the historical focus of contamination and its evolution.
- Melissa Macheras, Source Water Protection Coordinator, Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau, will showcase outstanding projects and guide you on how to apply for the Local Source Water Protection Grant Program.
- Laura Weit-Marcum, Conservation Planner/Source Water Protection Grant Program Coordinator, Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau, will explore how land conservation plays a crucial role in protecting our water supply.
- Ian Dulin, Environmental Analyst from the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), will introduce a valuable toolkit for community leaders, “Protecting Drinking Water Sources in Your Community: Tools for Municipal Officials.”
Join us for an enlightening evening dedicated to safeguarding our drinking water sources. Together, we can make a difference!
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation. Save the date and join us for an informative and engaging event.
2023 Planning and Zoning Legislative Updates
During the 2023 session, the legislature enacted a number of pieces of legislation that affect local planning and zoning processes and regulations. In response, the New Hampshire Office of Planning and Development (OPD) and the New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA) have published a joint advisory, “Changes to Planning & Zoning Laws in 2023: A Guide for Municipalities” to assist land use boards and municipalities with how to implement HB 42, HB 252, HB 296, and SB 78.
OPD has also published a 2023 Planning and Zoning Legislation Matrix, which details the effective date, what state statutes (RSA) are affected and links to the adopted language for all planning and zoning related legislation enacted in 2023.
OPD and NHMA encourages municipalities to review the guidance memo with their planning staff, board members, and municipal attorney to become familiar with the requirements moving forward. For assistance or if you have any questions, please e-mail planning@livefree.nh.gov.
Governor’s Advisory Council on Intermodal Transportation (GACIT)
GACIT hearings are your chance to provide comments on the Draft Ten Year Plan to your Executive Councilor and NHDOT. If there are projects in the Ten Year Plan that are important to you or your community, you are encouraged to express that support through the GACIT process.
Our region covers portions of Executive Council districts 2, 4, and 5. CNHRPC staff will be at all of the meetings that are held in our region:
District 2: Thursday 10/5 in Concord, 6:30pm at NHDOT, 7 Hazen Drive
District 5: Tuesday 10/10 in Hillsborough, 7:00pm at the Police Department, 22 Municipal Drive
District 4: Wednesday 10/18 in Epsom, 7:00pm Epsom Central School, 282 Blackhall Road
You can find a map of the executive council districts, the draft Ten Year Plan, and the full GACIT hearing schedule here:
https://www.dot.nh.gov/projects-plans-and-programs/ten-year-plan
CNHRPC Regional Housing Needs Assessment
CNHRPC has prepared the 2023 Regional Housing Needs Assessment. As part of the project CNHRPC worked with The NH Office of Planning Development, the eight other NH RPCs, and Outwith Studio to develop the NH Housing Toolbox. The Toolbox can be found at nhhousingtoolbox.org.
To learn more about the project or to review the draft CNHRPC RHNA document please visit the project page. Central NH Regional Housing Needs Assessment.
Approved 2025-2034 CNHRPC Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
The 2025-2034 CNRPC Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) was approved by the CNHRPC Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on March 24th and by the CNHRPC Full Commission at their meeting on March 30th.
The TIP is a culmination of work beginning in July of 2022 seeking confirmation of continued support for transportation projects in the current 2023-2032 NHDOT Ten Year Plan, and soliciting new projects for consideration in the upcoming 2025-2034 Ten Year Plan. Several new potential projects were proposed by CNHRPC communities, which were subsequently evaluated scored by the TAC over the course of the summer and fall. These projects and proposed funding allocations are described in the Draft TIP document and were forwarded to NHDOT on March 31st.
Questions and comments can be directed to Craig Tufts at ctufts@cnhrpc.org or Mike Tardiff at mtardiff@cnhrpc.org, or by reaching us at 603 226 6020.
Changes to RSAs Governing Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment Timelines
The NH Legislature has enacted several changes to Planning and Zoning RSAs that will impact how boards conduct business and timelines governing processes. Among these are the duration of time Planning Board’s have to act to deem an application complete and the consequences of missing such deadlines. Please see the summaries provided in the links below:
A description of the changes: https://www.nh.gov/osi/resource-library/legislation/documents/opd-nhma-hb-1661-1021-advisory.pdf
A table comparing the revised language to the previous language: https://www.nh.gov/osi/resource-library/legislation/documents/hb-1661-summarytable.pdf
U.S. Census Bureau Releases 2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer
The U.S. Census Bureau has released an interactive data map viewer for a variety of 2020 demographic characteristics. Be sure to zoom in to see county- and tract-level data!
2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer
CNHRPC Regional Transportation Plan Corridor Spotlights
As part of the RTP, eight regionally significant corridors throughout the region have been identified to examine closely for key demographic trends, recent and historic land use patterns, and specific transportation projects. Titled Corridor Spotlights, the draft versions of these can be seen below. Also available for viewing is a historical timeline of transportation development within the region. CNHRPC Regional Transportation Plan Draft Documents:
- Historical Timeline
- Corridor Spotlights
CNHRPC Community Profiles Have Been Updated
The CNHRPC Community Profiles have been updated with newly released 2014-2018 American Community Survey data! View them here!
CNHRPC Member Communities
