September 2019 Strafford Regional Planning Commission Newsletter

Summer flowers ( Photo courtesy of Shayna Sylvia ) Happy September,  While the last two weeks marked the end of summer for many students and teachers, the rest of us don't have to let summer go quite yet! With over two weeks of summer left there is still plenty of time to enjoy the warm weather (although secretly I've been enjoying the intermittent fall temperatures). Fall isn't the worst either, with football, apple picking, and the beautiful foliage to look forward to. Here at SRPC we are prepping for the upcoming Governor's Advisory Council on Intermodal Transportation (GACIT) hearings, wrapping up sidewalk inventories in Rochester, and getting ready to welcome our new GIS Planner. In this issue you will find information on the new topic for the September Commission meeting, staff news, available grant funding, the release of the New Hampshire Coastal Flood Risk Summary, planning events of interest, SRPC staffers touring the Wagon Hill Living Shoreline project, opportunities for public input, and community happenings. Until Next Month,  Shayna Sylvia

IN THIS ISSUE CHANGE OF TOPIC: SRPC's Q1 Commission Meeting Staff News Grant Corner New Hampshire Coastal Flood Risk Summary Released Planning Events of Interest SRPC Staffers Tour Wagon Hill Living Shoreline Opportunities for Public Input Community Happenings STAFF SNAPSHOTS - JUNE Stefanie Casella, data collection and analysis assistant, sets a bike/pedestrian counter on the Dover Community Trail. ( SRPC Photo ) Participants at SRPC's National Night Out outreach in Somersworth write their ideas for what could make Jules Bisson Park even better. ( SRPC Photo ) Shayna Sylvia, Communications and Outreach Planner, poses at Swain's Lake, near where she assisted with the collection of a traffic count in Barrington. ( SRPC Photo)

CHANGE OF TOPIC: SRPC's Quarter One Commission Meeting

SRPC's quarter one Commission meeting will be held on Sept. 26 at 3:45 p.m. at the SRPC Conference Room in the Rochester Community Center. The meeting, which was previously going to focus on the Pathways to Play project, will feature a presentation by Alexx Monastiero, State Hazard Mitigation Officer for the NH Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM).  Her presentation will cover information on hazard mitigation plans, funding programs, and example projects. The theme is also timely, given that September is National Preparedness Month.  Please save the date; we hope for you to join us in September!

Staff News

SRPC Thanks Gordon Lewis for Successful Internship Friday, Aug. 30, marked data collection intern Gordon Lewis' last day at SRPC. Gordon was hired in June and worked alongside Stephen Geis, SRPC's other summer intern who is staying through the fall.   During the 2019 field work season, Gordon worked with Stephen, and data collection and analysis assistant Stefanie Casella to complete traffic counts, conduct road surface management system assessments, and assess sidewalks through the SADES (Statewide Asset Data Exchange System) sidewalk assessment program. To date, 103 counts have been set for the 2019 field work season. Additionally, Gordon researched methods to measure the economic impact of transit service which help launch a new SRPC project in coordination with Rockingham Planning Commission and COAST.   All of us at SRPC will miss Gordon's great attitude, willingness to assist and jump into ongoing projects, and boisterous spirit.   We wish Gordon the best as he heads back to his junior year at Middlebury College.

SRPC Thanks Marcia Moreno B áez for Time at SRPC Friday, August 9 marked GIS planner Marica Moreno Báez's last day at SRPC. Marcia started in July 2018 and throughout her time here provided GIS and technical support for a variety of projects. Among Marcia's most notable projects are: Conducting base analyses, preparing maps, and processing data input from outreach for the Pathways to Play regional recreation mapping project Integrating data inputs and running the Seacoast's transportation model Updating and maintaining MapGeo for member communities Completing hazard mitigation maps for Rochester and Madbury Updating standardized GIS layers and maps Organizing server data structure Assisting with census data New Durham Build Out Analysis Barrington's Natural Resource Assessment The entire SRPC staff will miss Marcia's warm personality, ability to always be in a good mood, and her impressive GIS skills. We wish her luck in her new job working as a visiting assistant lecturer & research associate at the University of New England.

Grant Corner

FY 2019 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) & Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Grant Program - Applications Due Jan. 31, 2020 FEMA has posted the Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) funding notice for the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grant programs. The total amount of funds available through the PDM grant program will be $250 million, while the FMA program has $160 million available, $70 million of which is prioritized for community flood mitigation projects and FMA advance assistance. FEMA will offer a series of webinars in September and October on the grants for prospective applicants, which will cover how to use Mitigation eGrants , the system FEMA uses to accept and process all grant applications. Applicants may attend any session. Upcoming sessions are listed below. View the complete webinar schedule. FEMA will offer a webinar on the FY19 notices of funding for prospective applicants. The upcoming webinars are on Tuesday: Sept.10, at 2 pm Eastern Time (1 pm Central, 12 pm Mountain, 11 am Pacific) - Register Sept.17 at 2 pm Eastern Time (1 pm Central, 12 pm Mountain, 11 am Pacific) - Register Learn more about each program on the FMA and PDM factsheets. Non-Profit Training Resource Fund - Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis The Non-Profit Training Resource Fund, an initiative of the TD Charitable Foundation, provides grants to charitable organizations for employees to attend approved classes and courses that will enhance job performance. For the purpose of the grant, charitable organizations are described as organizations that are tax-exempt under IRS Code 501(c)(3), a public school or other qualified state or local governmental entity and not be classified as a private foundation.  Grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded to organizations within the TD Bank market area on the East Coast that focus on affordable housing, economic development, financial literacy, or after-school and extracurricular programming. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis in 2019 and will be reviewed monthly.  Learn more online .

New Hampshire Coastal Flood Risk Summary Released

The 2019 New Hampshire Coastal Flood Risk Science and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) Steering Committee announced the release of its 2019 report in a press release issued on Sept. 3 . The 2019 New Hampshire Coastal Flood Risk Summary is comprised of two parts, including a summary of the science ( Part I ) and guidance for how to use the science in decision-making ( Part II - DRAFT ). A large group of partners were involved in the creation of this report including representatives of the NH Department of Transportation, NH Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, NH Office of Strategic Initiatives, NH Department of Administrative Services, NH Fish and Game, NH Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Rockingham Planning Commission, Strafford Regional Planning Commission, and the University of New Hampshire. As noted in the press release they assisted "in supervising an update of storm surge, sea-level rise, precipitation, and other relevant projections originally summarized in the 2014 report to the New Hampshire Coastal Risk and Hazards Commission." "Part I of the New Hampshire Coastal Flood Risk Summary includes updated projections for relative sea-level rise, coastal storms, groundwater rise, and extreme precipitation." Other topic addressed in Part 1 include the effect of melting glaciers, ice sheets, and global greenhouse gases, as well as the effects of increased precipitation and how sea-level rise effects groundwater levels. Part II of the Summary provides DRAFT Guidance for using projections of coastal flood risks in NH. "The DRAFT Guidance presents overarching principles and a step-by-step approach for incorporating projections for relative sea-level rise, coastal storms, groundwater rise, and extreme precipitation into state and local land use planning and decision-making." This draft will be workshopped at upcoming public input events (see the "Opportunities for Public Input " section of the Newsletter. For more information, view the NHDES website .

Planning Events of Interest

New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA)/Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) Fall Land Use Law Conference - Saturday, Oct. 5 Registration is now open for the New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA)/Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) Fall Land Use Law Conference on Saturday, Oct. 5. NHMA and the OSI will be co-hosting the Fall 2019 Land Use Law Conference at the Holiday Inn in Concord. The full day workshop is intended for municipal officials with an interest in or responsibility for municipal land use regulation including members of planning and zoning boards, planners, land use administrators, select boards, town and city councilors, building inspectors, code enforcement officers and public works personnel.  Registration is $100 and includes continental breakfast, lunch, and program materials. Space is limited. Register, or learn more online . Radically Rural - Thrusday, Sept. 19 and Friday, Sept. 20  Radically Rural™, a two-day summit focused on bringing together individuals passionate about creating vibrant, robust rural communities and eager to learn, connect and lead the charge, will take place in Keene on Sept. 19 and 20. This is the second year of the summit, which includes sessions on arts and culture; entrepreneurship; community journalism; main street; working lands and renewable energy. Full session descriptions, schedules and tickets can be found on the event website . P lan NH Conference on Placemaking - Thursday, Oct. 17 and Friday, Oct. 18 On Oct. 17 and 18, Plan NH will hold its Conference on Placemaking at The Hotel Concord. This day and a half long conference is designed to teach attendees about placemaking and its emerging role in community planning (including transportation planning!) and design. Creative placemaking will also be a key theme, and attendees will learn how the arts can play a significant role in enhancing public spaces of all sizes. To register, or to learn more, visit the event page .

SRPC Staffers Tour Durham Wagon Hill Living Shoreline

On Thursday, Sept. 5, Shayna Sylvia, communications and outreach planner, and Kyle Pimental, principal regional planner, met with Durham Public Works director Michael Lynch. The meeting allowed SRPC staffers to review the kiosk design that will be installed at Wagon Hill Farm on the Oyster River shoreline. The educational display being designed by SRPC details the timeline for the newly installed living shoreline project at Wagon Hill farm . Once finalized the sign will include information on what a living shoreline is, what types of living shoreline strategies were used in the Town’s installation, the history of Wagon Hill Farm in relation to the shoreline project, the implementation of the project, and information on sea level rise.   Following the meeting, Michael brought Shayna and Kyle the shoreline at Wagon Hill Farm, giving them a tour of the work done to date. This included tree removal and grading, adding fill to the shoreline, planting salt marsh vegetation, building a stone toe, placing tree roots from removed trees as a wave barrier, installation of a fence, new walkway and lookout, and the installation of a stormwater filtering system.   The project is set to be complete in the coming weeks, with the kiosk sign being installed shortly after. The Town hopes this will be the first of a few phases to restore the shoreline at the park.   For more information on the project contact Kyle Pimental at 603-994-3500.

Opportunities for Public Input

State Pedestrian & Bicycle Plan Outreach @ Dover's Sunday Farmers Market SRPC staffers will be joining NH Department of Transportation (NHDOT) consultant Alta Planning + Design at the Dover Farmers Market on Sunday, Sept. 8, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Attendance at this event will allow an opportunity for those interested to provide feedback on and learn more about the state's Pedestrian & Bicycle Transportation Plan . Large scale maps will be provided so participants can mark which roadways and intersections need improvements to make walking and biking safer and more enjoyable for all!  For those not able to attend, but wanting to share their input, a survey is available online . Other events will also be held across the state. View the list here .

Public Input Sessions for the Draft NH Coastal Flood Risk Guidance Join the NHDES Coastal Program, UNH Cooperative Extension and NH Sea Grant at one of two public sessions to collect input on the DRAFT New Hampshire Coastal Flood Risk Summary Part II: Guidance for Using Scientific Projections . The public input workshops will be held on: Tuesday, Sept. 10, 4:45 – 7:30pm Seacoast Science Center 570 Ocean Boulevard Rye, NH 03870 REGISTER HERE Wednesday, Sept. 11, 4:45 – 7:30pm Newmarket Millspace 55 Main Street Newmarket, NH 03857 REGISTER HERE Light dinner will be provided at both workshops. If you cannot attend a workshop or if you would like to provide additional input you can comment online.

Governor's Advisory Council on Intermodal Transportation Hearings The Governor's Advisory Commission on Intermodal Transportation (GACIT) will hold 20 public hearings across New Hampshire to review and receive input on the update of the State's Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan (TYP) (2021-2030). The purpose of these public hearings is to receive comments/testimony on transportation projects and priorities included in the draft 2021-2030 TYP as recommended by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to GACIT. The hearings are hosted by the Executive Councilors for each of the five council districts. Communities in the Strafford region are located in four of the five council districts. View the schedule here . Two hearings are scheduled in the SRPC region on: Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. in the 1st floor cafeteria of the McConnell Center in Dover Oct. 2, at 6 p.m. at the Frisbie Memorial Hospital Community Education & Conference Center in Rochester

Community Happenings

23rd Annual Antique Car Show Sunday, Sept. 8 Noon – 4 p.m. Woodman Museum The Woodman Museum invites classic and antique automobile owners to its 23rd annual Antique and Classic Auto and Motorcycle Show on Sunday, Sept. 8. This event will take place on the grounds of The Woodman Museum, and the event ticket includes museum admission. The event is free to members. For non-members the fees are as follows: $13 for adults, $7 for children, and $10 for seniors. Beer and food from Bad Lab Beer Co will be available for purchase.   Motor vehicle enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy viewing pre-WWII motorcars, pristine restored antique and classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, 70s muscle cars and contemporary marvels. Vehicle owners will be on hand to discuss.  Learn more on the Facebook event page.

Rochester Fair   Thurs., Sept. 12 - Sun., Sept. 22 Various Times Rochester Fairgrounds The Rochester Fair is open Thursday-Sunday with different events each day. Fan favorites include the school bus derby (Sept. 14 & 21 at 7 p.m.) and horse pulling (Sept. 21 at 11 a.m.). Head on over to the Rochester Fairgrounds for great food, rides, and entertainment. Visit the Rochester Fair website for admission prices and the full schedule of events..

Eat the Invasive Species (and taste seaweed beer too!) Wednesday, Sept. 25 4 – 6 p.m. Join the UNH department of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems and New Hampshire SeaGrant for a fun and tasty info session. This is the first of a 3-session Food & Sustainability outreach series beginning on September 25th from 4-6pm at Barton Hall (Across from the Greenhouses, follow the lawn signs!). The green crab is an invasive species that has wreaked ecological and economic havoc along the New England coast for decades. There are a lot of ways to eat these little guys and they are also fun to harvest yourself. While you are over on this side of campus, the UNH brewing students will be hosting an open house with beer tasting in the Barton Hall brewery (*ID required for tasting). If you are interested in the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Major, the Brewing Minor, or just want to see your friends eat a tiny green crab like popcorn, stop by and say hello! We will have small bites made with green crabs, homemade seltzer and soda from the UNH brewery, harvesting and recipe cards, homebrew beer recipes, and more! Learn more on the Facebook event page.

Strafford Regional Planning Commission  150 Wakefield Street, Suite 12 Rochester, NH 03867 www.strafford.org *All icons are courtesy of flaticon.com

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