SRPC's Shayna Sylvia with her Explore Moose Mountains co-presenters at at the NNECAPA Conference
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Planning
Four SRPC staffers attended the annual Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association (NNECAPA) conference this week at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods. Kyle Pimental, principal planner, James Burdin, senior regional planner, Shayna Sylvia, communications and outreach planner, and Stefanie Casella, data collection and analysis assistant attended, with James and Shayna presenting.
The conference featured a variety of sessions on topics such as innovative outreach techniques like pop-up planning, supporting outdoor recreation economies and related benefits, planning in coastal communities, storytelling for advocacy, housing innovation and reform in relation to tiny, accessory and short-term options, and many others. Shayna and James presented on
Explore Moose Mountains
, and maintaining a work-life balance, respectively.
The next NNECAPA conference will be held in Burlington, VT from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 2020.
Learn more about NNECAPA
online
.
Pieces of Interest
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Transportation
This week marks the culmination of a three-year effort by SRPC to assess the condition of sidewalks in Rochester. This was a pilot project to provide a comprehensive assessment of pedestrian infrastructure in the city. Staff followed a data collection protocol developed through the
Statewide Asset Data Exchange System
(SADES) – a partnership between Regional Planning Commissions, state agencies, and the
Technology Transfer Center
at University of New Hampshire to create a public database of critical infrastructure across the state. Stef Casella began the assessment when she started with SRPC and has seen it through with help from other staff. Most recently, Stephen Geis and Jackson Rand helped with final data collection and GIS mapping. A team effort of staff walked all 51 miles of sidewalk in Rochester looking at the condition of pavements, crosswalks, and curb ramps.
SRPC and Rochester staff worked together to ensure the data were complete and accurate. Rochester is currently working with consultants to update the city’s master plan chapters on Transportation and the Downtown. The completed assessment will help Rochester plan for sidewalk repair and maintenance and identify critical gaps in the pedestrian network as the city works to become a more pedestrian-friendly community.
Oh, and by the way, this season the data collection team also successfully set, and had accepted, all 109 NHDOT traffic counts and several supplemental counts for our municipalities!!!
Pieces of Interest
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Economic Development
On Tuesday this week, the Strafford County Public Health Network and the City of Rochester held a timely workshop on lead removal.
Signed into law on February 8, 2018
, SB 247 ensures that all 1 and 2 year old children in the state will be tested for lead and institutes more stringent requirements to address potential exposure to lead.
Communities need to respond to this new legislation.
Lead paint is present in much of our housing stock here in the Strafford region and presents a significant public health risk, particularly to young children.
The workshop was well attended by a positive mix of residents, property owners, and landlords. Participants heard from representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services about the effects and dangers of lead poisoning and, also, methods to detect and mitigate lead exposure. The program equally emphasized the negative economic impact of lead exposure on our communities including increased health care, special education, and decline in earnings over a lifetime.
The session was designed to connect attendees with a list of resources and information, as well as spreading awareness and caution. For further information and resources, click
here.
Contact
Nancy O' Connor
, program content coordinator, at 603-994-3500 for more information.
Pieces of Interest
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