SRPC's Monthly Newsletter | |
|
|
Greetings!
I hope you all had a chance to get outside and enjoy the warm weather this week – a phenomenon known in New England as the first false spring. While short-lived, it was a taste of what is to come as we are less than three weeks away from spring! As a reminder, don't forget to set your clocks ahead Sunday, March 10 as we officially ‘spring forward” out of winter. Although, for me, losing that hour of sleep is less of a ‘spring’ and more of a groggy shuffle.
There’s a lot going on here at SRPC, including the latest Commissioners field trip and a significant milestone in hazard mitigation planning.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Megan Taylor-Fetter
|
|  |
|
Commissioner Field Trip
Farmington Fire Chief bids farewell
Staff news
Completion of first round of Hazard Mitigation Plan
CAW’s Annual Rising Tides Event
Planning Events of Interest
Public Input Opportunities
Grant Corner
Community Happenings
|
Staff at Flight Coffee in Dover | | |
Commissioner's Take a Field Trip to Flight Coffee in Dover | |
Partnerships, collaboration, adaptation, listening, and building on your assets. All of these were topics of discussion at the February 22nd SRPC Commission meeting held "on the road" in Dover. The meeting was hosted at Flight Coffee in Dover and included a wonderful panel discussion with Flight's owner, Ben Cole; City Business Development Office Staff, Reid Bickley and James Burdin; and the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce President, Margaret Joyce. Panelists spoke about their successes to-date, what challenges they face, and what they think is next for Dover. Reid Bickley said it best, saying that “…the next big thing for downtown Dover is about providing an experience.” With nearly every storefront either filled or programmed, the Business Development Office is turning their attention towards providing activities and events for visitors to downtown. Participants were especially impressed with the community-forward mentality of Flight, offering their space for community groups and providing an environment where people feel welcome and comfortable. Margaret provided insight into how events have attracted visitors into downtown, such as the Cochecho Arts Festival, Christmas Tree lighting, and Apple Harvest Day. | |
Many thanks to James, Ben, Reid, and Margaret for their participation, for sharing their knowledge and for their contribution to making Downtown Dover a success! | |
|
Farmington Fire Chief Bids Farewell
After 25 years with the Farmington Fire Department, Chief James Reinert begins a new chapter of his career as the Fire Chief for the Town of Alton. Chief Reinert started in Farmington 25 years ago as a young call member and worked tirelessly to become Fire Chief in 2015. Best of Luck to Chief Reinert!
| |
Just keep swimming!
SRPC staff member Jackson Rand is getting his feet wet (again)! After a 12 year competitive swimming career, four years of teaching swimming lessons, and then a 10 year hiatus, he is now giving back by teaching swimming lessons again. Jackson is very excited to be sharing his knowledge by teaching children how to swim and the basics of water safety. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…
| |
COMPLETION OF FIRST ROUND OF HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN | |
|
Early last week, SRPC received the final approval letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Barrington’s Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Update. This marked a significant milestone as it officially completes our first round of mitigation updates with Barrington as the first plan that complies with the new Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide, which went into effect in April 2023.
As a result of the new guidance, SRPC staff overhauled our plan template to adequately address the required changes, including improvements to the planning process to incorporate a broader range of sectors, community lifelines, and community-based organizations that support underserved communities; inclusion of climate change in the risk assessment; a renewed focus on building codes and land use regulations; and the consideration of both current and future risks.
In addition to Barrington, this round included New Durham, Rollinsford, and Somersworth. A big shout out to our hazard mitigation team – Lisa, Stephen, and Blair – for this accomplishment.
| |
CAW’s Annual Rising Tides Event Returns March 9-12, 2024 |  | |
What to Enter: Participants may submit photographs or videos that show high water, flooding, flood impacts, flood safety, flood mitigation, flood proofing, erosion, local landmarks, buildings, bridges, culverts, piers, seawalls, roadways, beaches, people, wildlife, salt marsh, rivers, and estuarine environments. Photographs and videos must be taken along New Hampshire’s tidal shoreline. For tips on where to go, explore the Picturing Rising Tides Map.
How to Enter: Photo and video entries must be submitted via the online entry form available on the CAW website during the Contest Submission Period, March 9-12, 2024. Entries submitted via mail, email, or social media will not be accepted.
Picturing Rising Tides Events: Back by popular demand, CAW will host two site visits during the submission period. These visits provide an opportunity to take photos or videos of high tide flooding and learn about local impacts of sea level rise. Volunteer board members and municipal staff, technical assistance providers, natural resource professionals, researchers and students, elected officials, interested residents or community leaders are especially encouraged to attend. Stay tuned for more information and event registration coming soon. Registration will be free.
Visit the CAW Website for official rules and more information about how to enter, what to enter, recognition, and events.
Questions? Contact Lucy Perkins at Lucy.L.Perkins@des.nh.gov or 603-559-9101.
| |
PLANNING EVENTS OF INTEREST | |
|
2024 Northern New England Planning Conference
CALL FOR SESSIONS: DEADLINE: Friday, March 1st, 2024
The Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association (NNECAPA) is pleased to host its 2024 Conference from Monday, October 28th through Wednesday, October 30th at the Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa in Stowe, Vermont. This multi-day conference is intended to provide opportunities for engagement, collaboration, and (re)establishing partnerships with your colleagues, new and old, throughout New England.
As planning begins for the 2024 conference, the Conference Committee is seeking ideas for presentations that will provide conference attendees with a program that is interactive, informative, and inspirational! More details can be found on the NNECAPA website. Send your ideas to the Conference Committee by Friday, March 1, 2024. For more details visit the NNECAPA website.
Other Events
March 5th, from 1pm- 2pm EST: Beyond Playgrounds: Navigating the Intersection of Parks & Recreation with Sports Tourism
March 13, 2PM CST: Creative Change Coalition, Technical Assistance Workshop: Meaning-Making Through Murals
March 21 1pm EST: Human Transit Webinar
Mar 26, 2024 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM : NH Housing Homeownership 2024 Conference
April 13-16, 2024: Register Today for NPC24 to Experience Planning in Action!
November 3-5, 2025: Save the Date: 2025 Northern NE Planning Conference at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, Portland, Maine
| |
PUBLIC INPUT OPPORTUNITIES | |
|
Newmarket Master Plan
The Town of Newmarket is creating a new Master Plan and we want to hear from you! On Saturday, March 16th from 8:30am to 12pm we are hosting a Community Workshop in the Cafeteria at the Junior/Senior High School. This workshop is for everyone! Join us for a family-friendly event including breakfast, booths on housing and open space, and activities focused on creating a vision for Newmarket over the next 10 years.
| |
|
Featured Opportunity:
PREPA GRANTS 2024-25
"The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) invites proposals from municipalities, watershed groups, and partnering organizations within the Piscataqua Region Watershed for projects resulting in achievement or significant progress toward achievement of one or more of the proposed actions for their community identified in the 2020 Piscataqua Region Environmental Planning Assessment (PREPA), planning or regulatory projects to protect natural resources and/or water quality, or projects related to climate vulnerability, adaptation, and/or preparedness. Visit PREPA to review results by municipality from the 2020 assessment.
For 2024-2025 projects, eligible applicants may submit proposals requesting up to $25,000 in grant funding. A total of $100,000 is available for projects for 2024-2025. For all projects, a minimum of 15% must be budgeted for community engagement. For example, a project seeking $25,000 in grant funding must allocate at least $3,750 of grant funding toward community engagement. Applicants must outline how the project will advance diversity, justice, and inclusion as part of the application. Projects should be 12 to 18 months in duration and are expected to begin June 3, 2024, and conclude no later than December 12, 2025. You can read about previously funded projects on the PREPA Grants webpage. Example projects and average costs are available in the RFP.
If you’d like to discuss a project idea, contact Abigail Lyon (Abigail.Lyon@unh.edu or (603) 862-3729).”
Other Opportunities
NH CDFA Tax Credit Application and Program Guide: Applications DUE March 8
2024 Food Provider's Network Mini Grant: Applications DUE March 14
2024 Young Black Climate Leaders Youth Futures Fund: Applications DUE March 29
NH Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food: Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program DUE 4:00 PM, April 1
USAging Funding for Community Care Hubs: DUE April 5
DNCR Land & Water Conservation Fund Grant: DUE June 7
Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program FY24 NOFO Now Open
NHDES Get the Lead Out of Drinking Water: Funding for Schools and Childcare Programs
| |
|
Strafford Regional Planning Commission
150 Wakefield Street, Suite 12
Rochester, NH 03867
www.strafford.org
| | | | | |
