BITS AND PIECES

A Weekly Update from the Strafford Region

SRPC principal regional planner Kyle Pimental showcases NH's cocktail for the state competition alongside fellow NHPA members, a fun tradition outside of the professional development opportunities at the NNECAPA Annual Conference. (Photo courtesy of Donna Benton)

Planning

During the week of Monday, Oct. 17, executive director Jen Czysz, principal regional planner Kyle Pimental and senior regional planner James Burdin attended the Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association (NNECAPA) Annual Conference.  

This year's conference took place at Sunday River in Maine, with the theme "Serendipitous Partnerships, Unique Results" and featured sessions on topics like building social and community resilience, public arts, traffic calming and affordable housing among others.  

Favorites sessions among SRPC staff included,  

• Working With Planning Consultants – Discussion of how to effectively design project development, scoping, budgeting, and procurement to strengthen relationships with consultants and get the best project results. 

• Affordable Housing through the Looking Glass: Rethinking Sustainable Low-Mod Ownership Options – A look at the evolution of older housing stock, manufactured housing and Cooperative forms of ownership to revitalizing energy-efficient manufactured housing as a viable option for affordable home ownership. 

Next year's conference will take place from November 6 - 8, 2023, at Wentworth by the Sea.  

Transportation

Economic Development

On Friday, Oct. 21 senior regional planner James Burdin attended a grant writing workshop for the EDA Brownfields program.  

SRPC has operated its brownfields assessment program since 2015 to facilitate the cleanup and reuse of brownfield properties in our region. The US EPA defines a brownfield as “real property, where the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.” Examples of brownfields include former gas stations, mills or industrial buildings, dry cleaners, leaking underground storage tanks, or buildings with lead or asbestos.  

SRPC has allocated all grant funds from its current assessment grant and received a short extension to Dec. 2022 to complete final deliverables. The workshop James attended is in preparation for SRPC to resubmit its application in November. 

To date, SRPC has supported over 17 sites receiving assistance, contracted with a consultant to complete 22+ Phase I and II assessments, with over $13,040,950 leveraged funds towards cleanup and redevelopment of SRPC brownfields sites. 

Learn more on the SRPC website.  

October 21, 2022