Community Power’s default residential, small business electric rates drop 26%

The Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) announced a reduction in Community Power rates in the state, effective Feb. 1 to July 31, 2024. The base electric rate for Dover Community Power customers will be reduced by 2.8 cents to 8.1 cents per kilowatt-hour, marking a 25.7% rate reduction.

This adjustment results in the state's lowest residential and small business electricity base rate. For a monthly usage of 650 kWh, the estimated energy supply cost is expected to decrease from $71 to $53.

The Dover Community Power program is voluntary, allowing eligible customers to opt in or out. Those not automatically enrolled have alternative electricity options such as third-party suppliers, net metering, or are commercial and industrial customers who use a significant amount of electricity.

For more information visit www.communitypowernh.gov/dover or call 866-603-7697 (POWR).

NH PBS Panel Discussion on Housing Challenges and Solutions

Community & Consequences panel discussion. From left: Sarah Marchant from the NH Community Loan Fund, Eric Chinburg of Chinburg Properties, Sarah Wrightsman from NH Housing, Planning Director Donna Benton, and Deborah Flannery from Evernorth.

Planning Director Donna Benton participated in a panel discussion about housing challenges in cities and larger municipalities around New Hampshire as part of the NH PBS program, Communities & Consequences: Working the Housing Problem. 

Communities & Consequences focuses on the thousands of state residents who are struggling to find affordable and inviting housing in their communities. In the episode featuring Director Benton and the City of Dover, viewers gain insight into the processes undertaken by New Hampshire cities to create new housing units. The featured perspectives contribute to the ongoing dialogue on housing issues and foster a greater understanding of the challenges and potential solutions in the region.

To view the episode, click here.

Upcoming Land Use Meet and Greet

The Land Use Meet and Greet is an annual event held by the Planning Board that highlights the participating City Boards, Commissions, and Committees and their work in the prior year and their focus on the year ahead.

At the event, Planning Department staff will provide updates on ongoing projects and those being completed in 2024. This will include an overview of the latest update project on the Master Plan: the Conservation and Open Space Chapter. There will also be a presentation by Housing Navigator Ryan Pope on city efforts to address community housing needs.

The full agenda for the Land Use Meet and Greet can be viewed here.

Planning Review Question

The Department of Planning and Community Development would like your input! We'll be featuring a question in each edition of the Planning Review, and we'll also share the results from the previous week.

This week, we're looking ahead to the new year and asking:

"What key priorities or projects do you think should be focused on for community development in the upcoming year?"

Let us know here: https://polco.us/f9npmr

Here are the results from last week's poll, which asked, "Do you know where to find information on the Dover Community Power program?"

For those who answered "no" to this question, you can find all the latest information on Dover Community Power at www.communitypowernh.gov/dover.

Dover Download podcast: Your guide to what's happening this week

In this week's episode, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Mike Gillis about the evolution of the podcast over its first two seasons and what listeners can expect going forward.

In This Week in Dover History, we learn about the devastating fire that destroyed the Morrill Block Building in downtown Dover.

The podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and by clicking here.

Upcoming Meetings

Conservation Commission, 1/8/2024

The Conservation Commission will meet on Monday, Jan. 8. On the agenda:

• Conservation Fund Request for Staff Administrative Costs;

• Letter of Support for NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge Proposal;

• Discuss updates on the Natural Resource Inventory project and Conservation and Open Space Master Plan chapter;

• Review Correspondence received from NHDES;

• Hear an update from the Forest Management Subcommittee.

Click here to find the complete agenda, where minutes will be posted when available.

Arts Commission, 1/8/2024

The Arts Commission will meet on Monday, Jan. 8. On the agenda:

• Review the Commission's budget;

• Review the Council presentation by the Commission on the Americans for the Arts, Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 impact study;

• Discuss updates for ongoing projects including the Commission's work with various other public bodies like the Graffiti Committee and Waterfront Committee;

• Review and report on 2024 Commission Goals and planned projects.

Click here to find the complete agenda, where minutes will be posted when available.

Land Use Meet and Greet, 1/9/2024

The Planning Board will be holding a workshop, the 2024 Land Use Meet and Greet, on Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 5:30 p.m. On the Agenda:

• Presentations on the Open Space and Conservation Chapter of the Master Plan, Impact Fees, and City Efforts to Address Community Housing Needs.

• Members of various boards, commissions and committees will provide activity updates from the previous year.

Click here to find the complete agenda, where minutes will be posted when available.

Planning Board, 1/9/2024

The Planning Board will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 7:00 p.m.. On the Agenda:

• Election of Officers.

• Consideration and acceptance of Transfer of Development Rights for Brian Slovenski, Assessor’s Map L, Lot 111, zoned R-20, located at 306 Dover Point Rd. Proposal is to purchase two additional living units, for a total of six living units, within three buildings. *(TRAN-2023-0005)

• Discussion of Impact Fees.

• Public Hearing of the draft FY25 CDBG Annual Action Plan. All persons wishing to speak on the Plan are urged to attend. * 

• Discussion of Land Use Amendments/Goal Setting.

Note: * denotes public hearing; (20XX-XXXX) denotes the application number.

Click here to find the complete agenda, where minutes will be posted when available.