September 2, 2022
Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
As we are nearing the upcoming Primary Election on Sept. 13, and the General Election on Nov. 8, you may wonder where signs are permitted in Dover. 

Generally, political signs are permitted to be placed on private property, when the property owner has given permission to do so. Political advertising may not be placed within any city-owned rights-of-way or affixed to utility poles or highway signs. In accordance with state regulations, political advertising may be placed within state-owned rights-of-way as long as the advertising does not obstruct the safe flow of traffic and the advertising is placed with the consent of the owner of the land over which the right-of-way passes.

If a political sign is seen as not in compliance with the rules and regulations, it is encouraged to first give the candidate a courtesy call before reaching out to city staff. If the signage continues to remain in non-compliance, a written complaint may be filed with the City of Dover during which staff will investigate and determine the validity of the complaint. If a violation is found, the candidate will receive notice that they need to remove or relocate the offending sign within 24 hours. Should the action not be taken to remove or relocate within the provided time frame, staff from the Police Department or Community Services will confiscate the sign and a violation will be written and acted upon. 

In terms of signage outside of political advertising, each zoning district in Dover has its own regulations, whether residential or non-residential.

There are 20 general sign regulations and the most frequently asked about are below.

  • Rotating signs are not allowed;

  • Signs shall not be illuminated in a flashing manner;

  • Signs shall not be painted or affixed directly to any building;

  • All signs are prohibited in the public Right of Way;

  • Electronic Message Centers are not allowed. 

Permits for signs are issued by Zoning Administrator Natasha Kypker, provided that the sign meets all applicable regulations. Click here for more information on Sign Regulations in Dover.

To apply for a sign permit, please visit the Permit Portal.

Questions or concerns regarding a sign or sign ordinance? Please email N.Kypfer@dover.nh.gov
Upcoming Community Trail Event
Join us on the Dover Community Trail between Rutland Street and Fisher Street for an interactive Chalk Walk on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18! Volunteer artists will be creating chalk scenes for you to enjoy along this section of the Trail. Be sure to join in the scenes for some great pictures!

Community members of all ages are invited to this family-friendly event.

To follow along with the event and for more information, please click here.

You can also click here to follow the Dover Community Trail on Facebook.
Reminder
Have you checked out the Dover Community Oyster Garden yet? The Oyster Garden is an interactive installation of three oyster cages filled with baby oysters in the Cochecho River.

The Nature Conservancy has been hosting public workshops where you can explore the importance and biology of oysters and learn how to collect data on how fast they're growing.

You can find the schedule and sign up for Oyster Workshops at Dover's Community Oyster Garden by clicking here.
Not able to attend a workshop with The Nature Conservancy? Simply pull up the cages yourself to explore and learn on your own!

Look for the Dover Community Oyster Garden sign in Henry Law Park next to the Children's Museum of New Hampshire at 6 Washington St. to find the three oyster cages

Here's the Planning Department's Resilience Manager, Jackson Kaspari, observing and documenting the growth of the baby oysters.
Dover Download podcast:
Your guide to what's
happening this week

In addition to each week's email edition of Dover Download, the City of Dover offers a weekly podcast. The podcast is hosted by Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker, who chats each week about the city's programs, services, public bodies, and projects. Each episode also takes a brief detour to the past with a look back at the week in Dover's history.

The podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and at https://anchor.fm/cityofdovernh.
Planning Word/Phrase of the Week: Mixed-Use

Mixed-use is a kind of development or design that blends multiple uses. Depending on the zoning district, a mixed-use development could include residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment uses in one space.

In zoning districts that permit mixed-use developments, you may see singular structures that incorporate a number of the uses listed above. Examples of such zoning districts in Dover are those that make up the Central Business District (CBD) which can be viewed by clicking here.

You can find out more about where mixed-use development is permitted in Dover and what it can look like by clicking here.

If you have a word of the week or topics that you want to hear about, please email E.Bassegio@dover.nh.gov.
Upcoming Meetings
Technical Review Committee, 9/8/2022

The Planning Board's Technical Review Committee (TRC) will meet on Thursday, September 8, at 10:30 a.m. On the agenda:

  • Site Review for TSB Properties, LLC, Assessor’s Map D, Lots 12-1, zoned IT, located at Production Drive. Proposal is to construct five warehouse buildings totaling 24,420 square feet. A Wetlands Protection District Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for wetland impact will also appear before the Planning Board. *(P22-62)

  • Site Review for White Birch Armory, (Owner: Recon Realty, LLC) Assessor’s Map G, Lot 3-A-100, zoned CM, located at 80 Industrial Park Dr. Proposal is to construct a 20,287 square feet addition to increase office and warehouse space on site, including additional parking, landscaping, lighting, and stormwater management improvements. A Wetlands Protection District CUP for wetland impact will also appear before the Planning Board. *(P22-63)

Note: * denotes public hearing; (PXX-XX) denotes Planning Board application number.

Find the complete agenda, where minutes and an audio recording will be posted when available, here:

Planning Board, 9/13/2022

The Planning Board will meet Tuesday, September 13, at 7 p.m. in the McConnell Center, Room 306. On the agenda:

  • Discussion and possible vote of a Minor Subdivision for Canney Brook Engineering and Consulting, CBF2 LLC., (Owners: Canney Brook Engineering and Consulting, CBF2 LLC. and Helen F. Preston Revocable Trust of 2009), Assessor’s Map K, Lot 6, zoned R-40, located at 105 Middle Rd. and Back Road. (2 new lots) *(P22-09) 

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Unitil Granite State Gas Transmission, Assessor’s Map M, Lot 47-C, zoned R-12, located at Gerrish Road. Proposal is to construct a pipeline inspection equipment station which will impact 3,500 square feet of wetlands. *(P22-36) 

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Public Service Company of New Hampshire, doing business as (d/b/a) Eversource Energy, (Owners: State of NH, Nancy & William Hunt, Eric & Robyn Thompson) Assessor’s Map K , Lots 1-A & 2, as well as, Assessors Map M Lots 105, 105-1, & 100-A zoned R-12 and R-40, covering various lots within the utility right of way. Proposal is to replace five deficient utility structures/poles along the R169 Electric Transmission Line creating 8,778 square feet of temporary wetland impact and 32,838 square feet of combined temporary buffer impact to the Conservation and Wetland Protection Districts. *(P22-54/COND-2022-0004) 

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Minor Subdivision for First-Rate Real Estate Group, LLC., Assessor’s Map H, Lot 32, zoned CM - Commercial Manufacturing and located at 45 Knox Marsh Rd. (1 new lot) *(P22-59/SUBM-2022-0003) 

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Minor Subdivision for Heron Bay Partners, LLC Assessor’s Map H, Lot 4, zoned IT and RCM Overlay, located at Cielo Drive. (1 new lot) *(P06-25H)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit Amendment for Heron Bay Partners, LLC., Assessor’s Map H, Lot 4, zoned IT and RCM Overlay, located at Cielo Drive. Proposal is to modify the CUP which was granted for the original development approval. *(P06-25G) 

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Site Review using Transfer of Development Rights for Heron Bay Partners, LLC., Assessor’s Map H, Lot 4, zoned IT and RCM Overlay, located at Cielo Drive. Proposal is to construct a total of 56 units with 52 of the units by Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) in seven townhouse style multi-family buildings in place of the two previously approved congregate care buildings. *(P06-25F) 

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Knox Marsh Development, LLC, Assessor’s Map 39, Lots 104 & 105, zoned G & R-12, located at 36 and 38 New Rochester Rd. Frontage build-out of 38.7%, where 60% is required and lot coverage of 15.2%, where 50% is required. *(P22-28)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Site Review for Knox Marsh Development LLC., Assessor’s Map 39, Lots 104 & 105, zoned G & R-12, located at 36 and 38 New Rochester Rd. Proposal is for construction of six single-family homes behind the existing single-family homes for a total of eight units. *(P22-27)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Storage Barn, LLC, (Owners: TSB Properties, LLC) Assessor’s Map D, Lot 12-2, zoned IT, located at Production Drive. Proposal is to allow Self-Storage Use in the IT District. *(P22-66/COND-2022-0018)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Storage Barn, LLC, (Owners: TSB Properties, LLC) Assessor’s Map D, Lot 12-2, zoned IT, located at Production Drive. Proposal is to allow 10,310 square feet of wetland buffer impact. *(P22-51/COND-2022-0003)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Site Review for Storage Barn, LLC, (Owners: TSB Properties, LLC) Assessor’s Map D, Lot 12-2, zoned IT, located at Production Drive. Proposal is to construct five storage buildings totaling 12,000 square feet. *(P22-50/SITE-2022-0004)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Site Review for Dover Coast, LLC., (Owners: Dover Coast, LLC and Pookath Holding Company), Assessor’s Map 28, Lots 13, 14, 15, & 15A, zoned G & O, located at 725 Central Ave., 4 Brick Rd., Brick Rd. and 10 Brick Rd. Proposal is to construct a new three-story 15-unit multi-family residential building at 725 Central Ave. plus two shared surface parking lots on abutting lot with a single-family being converted to a duplex. The Planning Board previously approved up to 12 units to be purchased via Transfer of Development Rights. *(P21-53)

Note: * denotes public hearing; (PXX-XX) denotes Planning Board application number.

Find the complete agenda, where minutes and an audio recording will be posted when available, here:
Results of Recent Meetings
Planning Board, 8/23/2022

The Planning Board met on Tuesday, August 23, where it:

Moved to continue the following items to the next meeting of the Planning Board on September 13:
  • Consideration and acceptance of a Minor Subdivision for Canney Brook Engineering and Consulting, CBF2 LLC., (Owners: Canney Brook Engineering and Consulting, CBF2 LLC. and Helen F. Preston Revocable Trust of 2009), Assessor’s Map K, Lot 6, zoned R-40, located at 105 Middle Rd. and Back Road. (2 new lots) *(P22-09)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Public Service Company of New Hampshire, doing business as (d/b/a) Eversource Energy, (Owners: State of NH, Nancy & William Hunt, Eric & Robyn Thompson) Assessor’s Map K, Lots 1-A & 2, as well as, Assessors Map M Lots 105, 105-1, & 100-A zoned R-12 and R-40, covering various lots within the utility right of way. Proposal is to replace five deficient utility structures/poles along the R169 Electric Transmission Line creating 8,778 square feet of temporary wetland impact and 32,838 square feet of combined temporary buffer impact to the Conservation and Wetland Protection Districts. *(P22-54)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Minor Subdivision for First-Rate Real Estate Group, LLC., Assessor’s Map H, Lot 32, zoned CM - Commercial Manufacturing, and located at 45 Knox Marsh Rd. (1 new lot) *(P22-59)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) Amendment for Heron Bay Partners, LLC., Assessor’s Map H, Lot 4, zoned IT and RCM Overlay, located at Cielo Drive. Proposal is to modify the CUP which was granted for the original development approval. *(P06-25G)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Site Review using Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for Heron Bay Partners, LLC., Assessor’s Map H, Lot 4, zoned IT and RCM Overlay, located at Cielo Drive. Proposal is to construct a total of 56 units with 52 of the units by TDR in seven townhouse style multi-family buildings in place of the two previously approved congregate care buildings. *(P06-25F)

  • Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Unitil Granite State Gas Transmission, Assessor’s Map M, Lot 47-C, zoned R-12, located at Gerrish Road. Proposal is to construct a pipeline inspection equipment station which will impact 3,500 square feet of wetlands. *(P22-36)

Note: * denotes public hearing; (PXX-XX) denotes Planning Board application number.

Click here to watch the meeting. Find the complete agenda at:
Technical Review Committee, 8/25/2022

The Planning Board's Technical Review Committee (TRC) met on August 25, where it reviewed:

  • Site Review for Wooden Ruler Realty, LLC (Owner: Wong, John & Wong, Mo Y Trustees of the Mo Y Wong Living Revocable Trust of 2006), Assessor’s Map 6, Lots 32 & 40, zoned CBD-G, located at 42-44 Third St. Proposal is to construct a 103,000 square foot mixed-use building with commercial on the First Floor and a below grade parking and 58 residential units. A Conditional Use Permit for street trees and benches on Third Street will also appear before the Planning Board. *(P22-60) 

Note: * denotes public hearing; (PXX-XX) denotes Planning Board application number.

Find the complete agenda, draft minutes, and an audio recording of the meeting here:
Open Lands Conservation Committee, 8/25/2022

The Open Lands Conservation Committee met on August 25, where it:

  • Heard staff reports on Public Land Conservation Projects such as potential areas for monitoring, trails, and community gardens. Staff also presented on easement monitoring.

  • Discussed outreach and education events for upcoming months.  

Find the complete agenda, draft minutes, and an audio recording of the meeting here:
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CITY OF DOVER NEW HAMPSHIRE
City Hall, 288 Central Avenue
Dover, NH 03820
(603) 516-6008
Monday - Thursday
8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.