Southeast Land Trust trails in Barrington. (
Photo Courtesy of
Emma Tutein)
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Happy February,
And just like that January is over and we launch into the first leap year of the decade. With the recent snow it seems like its winter again, although the early parts of this week made it seem like spring was just around the corner. And it just might be, with only 41 more days until the official start of Spring. But for now, take advantage of the skiing, snowshoeing and other wintery activities while you can!
In this issue you will find information on upcoming events spotlighting recycling practices in NH, our latest blog in the “Get to Know Team SRPC” series, opportunities for public input, our new Instagram, planning events of interest, the importance of internships in the planning field, CAW’s New Hampshire Flood Hazards Handbook for Municipal Officials Workshop, and community happenings.
Until Next Month,
Shayna Sylvia
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IN THIS ISSUE
A Spotlight on Recycling
SRPC's Latest Blog Post
Opportunities for Public Input
SRPC Launches Instagram Page
Planning Events of Interest
Highlighting the Importance of Internships
Save the Date: CAW Workshop
Community Happenings
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STAFF SNAPSHOTS - January
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Transportation workgroup at SRPC's Regional Workshop. (
SRPC Photo)
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Dover Land Use Meet and Greet Event where SRPC presented on the Dover Recreation Master Plan Chapter. (
SRPC Photo)
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Executive Director Jen Czysz presents on a panel at the UNH Department of Natural Resources and the Environment industry career fair (
SRPC Photo)
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Recycling has been an important issue lately, especially due to the fluctuating market for recyclables. Talking about effects to NH communities, Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) Executive Director Reagan Bissonnette led a recent NH Municipal Association (NHMA) webinar, which is now
online
for those that may have missed it. The webinar talked about shifts in recycling in the U.S. based on changes in China's newer import restrictions and policies. Reagan also talked about resources NRRA offers to assist NH and other states in the Northeast to best benefit from their recyclables.
The NRRA, as a resource, also offers events, trainings, and workshops for members (most of SRPC's 18 communities have a membership). NRRA's upcoming Member/Operations Marketing meeting will be held in the Stafford region, at the Lee Transfer station. This meeting, on Feb. 12 from 9 to 10:30 a.m., provides an opportunity for NRRA staff to share updates about the recycling markets, as well as a place for municipal members to share information with one another, including their challenges and success stories.
Strafford Regional Planning Commission is also planning a recycling related event, highlighting this topic at our next Commission meeting. The Feb. 27 meeting will feature Senator David Watters, who will be giving a basic overview of the findings and needs articulated in the
"Committee to Study Recycling Streams and Solid Waste Management in New Hampshire" report
. Joining him will be representatives from the Town of Rollinsford, who will talk about how they've adapted their recycling processes to adapt to the changing market.
The meeting will be held at the SRPC office in Conference Room 1A, 150 Wakefield Street, Rochester, NH from 3:45 to 5:30 p.m.
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Stephen Geis during sidewalk assessments in Rochester (
SRPC Photo)
.
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SRPC's most recent blog is the fourth in the "Getting to Know Team SRPC" series. Over the course of this blog series each SRPC staff member will be featured. The blogs include insight into what each staffer does at SRPC, their favorite projects and some other fun facts about each employee.
The most recent in the series features Stephen Geis, data collection intern.
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Opportunities for Public Input
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EPA Public Hearing on the Draft Clean Water Permit - Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public hearing for the proposed permit to reduce nitrogen pollution in Great Bay on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Department of
Environmental Services's Pease International Tradeport office in Portsmouth (222 International Drive, Suite 175). This offers an opportunity for communities to share their thoughts on the implications of the draft permit, which was publicized in early 2020.
In January the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publicized plans for reducing pollution in Great Bay, one of the Northeast's largest estuaries. The EPA's
draft clean water permit
calls for communities surrounding great bay to reduce nitrogen loads entering Great Bay over the next 23 years. This is due to nitrogen's negative effects on this natural resource, including low oxygen levels, algae blooms, eel grass bed decline, and the impacts on local birds, fish, and other marine life.
A public comment period pertaining to the draft permit is also open until March 9, 2020. Comments must be submitted by the close of the comment period either in hard copy form or electronically to: Michael Cobb (
Cobb.Michael@epa.gov
), U.S. EPA, Region 1, 5 Post Office Square, Suite-100 (06-1), Boston, MA 02109-3912.
Amendment #3 to the 2019-2022 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
–
Public Hearing on Feb. 21
The Strafford Regional Planning Commission, functioning as the federally mandated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Strafford Region, is holding a comment period and public hearing for the proposed Amendment #3 to the adopted 2019-2022 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
The TIP is a prioritized list of federal and state funded regional transportation projects programmed for the next four years. The amendment is necessary to account for project changes and to maintain consistency with the 2019-2022 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
Amendment #3 impacts projects listed in the 2019-2022 TIP, which is part of the 2017- 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan for the region. The public comment period for this amendment begins on Feb. 6, 2020 and will end at the close of business on Feb. 20, 2020.
The public is encouraged to submit comments before the end of the business day (5:00 pm) on Thursday, February 20th, 2020, or at a public hearing at 9:00 am on Friday, February 21st, 2020 which will be held at the Strafford Regional Planning Commission offices at the address below.
Copies of the proposed amendment will be available for public review at the Dover, Rochester, and Somersworth public libraries and city halls, as well as the Strafford Regional Planning Commission office and
website
. Copies can be sent to interested parties upon request. Comments can be forwarded to
Colin Lentz
at 603-994-3500, or can be sent via mail (see out address in the footer).
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SRPC Launches Instagram Page
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The SRPC Instagram launched on January 16. We are excited to use this platform to share photos of our beautiful region, events and meeting, staff, and other projects we are working on. We hope that you will follow along with us
@strafford.rpc
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Planning Events of Interest
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NH Municipal Association Retooling Your Zoning to Improve Housing Affordability Webinar - Wednesday, Feb. 26
On Feb. 26 the NH Municipal Association (NHMA) will hold a webinar on “
Retooling Your Zoning to Improve Housing Affordability and Supply
.” Legal Services Counsel Steve Buckley and Municipal Services Counsel Natch Greyes will host the training, providing a review of the municipal challenges and innovative solutions related to meeting the housing needs of current and future residents. As explained on the NHMA website, “This webinar will also explore current “hot topics” including tiny homes, accessory dwelling units (ADU’s), short-term rentals, workforce housing and housing density.”
Learn more or register
online
.
SAVE THE DATE: 26th Annual Spring Planning & Zoning Conference - Saturday, May 30
The Office of Strategic Initiatives will hold its 26th annual spring conference at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord on Saturday, May 30 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details about the conference will be forthcoming, and information will be posted on
OSI's wesbsite
as it is available. Registration is $75 per person and will open in April. Contact
Danielle Craver
, OSI's Administrative Secretary for more information.
Planning Events of Interest
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Highlighting the Importance of Internships in the Planning field
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2017 data collection interns. [L to R: Mason Twombly (now a regional environmental planner at NRPC) Molly Audet (now a planner in Lexington, MA), Derek Bartlett (now a permit specialist at Vivint Solar), and Stefanie Casella (now a regional planner at SRPC)]
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Strafford Regional Planning Commission, like most other regional planning commissions in the state, has had a strong internship program for many years. Three out of our eleven staff members started their SRPC careers as interns and have now been working at the Commission for between two and eleven years.
SRPC has long recognized the importance of internships as they allow an individual to gain professional work experience and acquire important skills in a supportive learning environment. Commenting on his current internship in out latest
"Get to Know Team SRPC" blog series
post, Stephen Geis, senior at UNH, reflected, "Being able to have co-workers there for assistance and teaching me something in a closer, more intimate environment has been great. Jackson Rand, and our previous GIS Planner Marcia Moreno Báez have really expanded my GIS potential, and have helped me grow my related professional skillset."
UNH Extension, another local entity with a strong internship program, also recently highlighted the importance of internships by
publishing an article
including an interview with Nashua Regional Planning Commission's (NRPC) Mason Twombly. Mason, a former UNH Extension intern, also worked at SRPC in the summer of 2017 assisting with data collection efforts.
Commenting on his time at UNH Extension, he shared, "
I developed a lot of skills with Extension that I now need working in the public sector. I was able to do data collection and analysis, which is present in almost every aspect of my job at NRPC. I attended and scribed for charrettes and community meetings, which helped me understand the application of planning principles in the real world." Mason is now a regional environmental planner at NRPC.
Current internship openings at SRPC include a data collection position for summer 2020.
This position was marketed by our former intern turned regional planner, Stefanie Casella, and our Executive Director Jen Czysz, at this week's UNH Department of Natural Resources and the Environment industry panel and career fair. The posting for this position can be found on
our website
.
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Save the Date: New Hampshire Flood Hazards Handbook for Municipal Officials Workshop
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The NH Coastal Adaptation Workgroup (CAW) will be holding an upcoming workshop on the handbook on April 30 at the Lee Safety Complex Lee, NH. The three-hour workshop (9 a.m. - noon) will allow attendees to learn how to help their communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from floods.
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UNH Synchronized Skating Showcase
Sunday, Feb. 9
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Whittemore Center
The UNH Synchronized Skating team will staring in its final showcase off the 2019-2020 season. The event will take place on Sunday, Feb. 9 at the Whittemore Arena
! In addition to the team performance, additional performances by freestyle skaters, ice dance, theater, pairs and other synchro teams from the New England area will be featured
Tickets are $6 at the door.
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Annual Ice Fishing Derby
Saturday
, Feb. 15
6 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Various Locations in Wakefield
The Wakefield Parks and Recreation Department will hold its annual ice fishing derby on Saturday, Feb 15. It
will take place at Lovell Lake, Great East Pond, Pine River Pond, and Balch Lake.
Registration will be open @ 6am on Derby day. Weight in will start at 8 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. sharp
.
Awards will be given to the heaviest fish in the following categories: Rainbow Trout, Pickerel, White Perch, Yellow perch, and Black Crappie.
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Intro to Nature Awareness at Tuckaway Farm
Saturday, Feb. 29
2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Tuckaway Farm
Head on over to Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd) in Lee for a training on simple techniques and activities from Ryan Busby that will awaken our senses, such as: Wildlife Tracking, Bird Language, “Fox Walking,” and Pattern Recognition. As explained in the event description, "When we begin to see the subtle patterns and behaviors on our landscapes as clues we can unlock the mysteries of nature and engage fully as resourceful and resilient people and communities." Organizer Ryan Busby is an Outdoor Educator, Certified Permaculture Designer, and Wilderness First Responder.
Associated event fees are on a sliding scale.
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