Throwback photo of winter outside the Rochester Community Center. (SRPC photo)

Greetings,

I hope everyone is enjoying the first week of the new year and making some headway on new year's resolutions. It also looks like we have some snow to look forward to today, and in the upcoming week - which is good for those looking to hit the slopes.

Here at SRPC we are kicking off our CHAT Action Plans, are finalizing a submission in partnership with COAST for CMAQ funding for CommuteSMART Seacoast, and will soon be diving into an update of our Data Snapshot.

In this issue you will find information on SRPC's latest job posting, videos and maps; CAW's Rising Tides contest site visits; planning events of interest; SRPC's next resiliency roundtable; funding opportunities; a goodbye to SRPC senior regional planner James Burdin; the latest RPC feature in NHMA's Town and City and community happenings.    

Until Next Month,  

Shayna Sylvia 

IN THIS ISSUE

SRPC's Latest Job Posting, Maps and Videos

CAW's Rising Tide Site Visits

Planning Events of Interest 

SRPC's Next Resiliency Roundtable w/ NHSaves

Grant Corner

Staff News: A Goodbye to James Burdin

Latest RPC Feature in NHMA Town and City

Community Happenings  

SRPC staffers Kyle Pimental and Shayna Sylvia pose as members of the NHPA Executive Committee at the NHPA Annual Meeting on Dec. 2. (SRPC photo)

SRPC staff pose at the Early Education Center in Barrington following a successful community master plan forum on Dec. 10. (SRPC photo, L to R: Colin Lentz, Blair Haney, Autumn Scott, Shayna Sylvia, and Winders).

JOB POSTING

SRPC Hiring for Senior Regional Planner

Strafford Regional Planning Commission (SRPC) seeks a full-time regional planner to join its team of hardworking, motivated individuals dedicated to providing the highest quality of public service in a friendly, progressive environment. SRPC’s staff work as an innovative and collaborative team focused on supporting our 18-member communities.

The Senior Regional Planner manages the Strafford Economic Development District and provides a suite of technical assistance to our communities and partners. The position involves development of the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and collaborating with the SRPC staff team on a variety of economic development and land use planning initiatives. The Senior Regional Planner provides direct planning assistance to SRPC’s member communities on issues related to land use, master planning, economic development, housing, and hazard mitigation as requested.

Learn more online.

MAPS

In December, GIS planner Jackson Rand and planning technician Stephen Geis completed a trail mapping project for the town of Lee.

The outcome includes maps for three town-owned properties.

In 2023, the Lee Trails Committee hopes to post these on the town's website and have QR codes at the various sites.

View the maps on the SPRC website.

VIDEOS

At the Dec. 13 Seacoast Economic Development Stakeholders meeting, participants heard an update from the workforce development subcommittee, revisited the CEDRs grant metrics, were asked to provide measurable impacts of the SEDS call on their work, discussed a final list of metrics needed for BEA in December, and closed out with roundtable updates.

On Thursday, Dec.1, SRPC held its quarterly Commission meeting.

Business items included approval of the minutes from the previous Commission meeting.

Following the business items, SRPC staff presented the draft Regional Housing Needs Assessment. Commissioners were then engaged in a discussion about anything that was missing from the document and asked to reflect on the question "How much housing do we need?" following a review of projections.

On November 4, 2022, SRPC held a joint meeting of the SRPC TAC and Policy Committees.

Members of the TAC reviewed designs and cost estimates for candidate projects, discussed project rankings, and recommended a ranked order of candidate projects to Policy.

The Policy meeting then convened where members

reviewed and discussed the project list recommended by TAC and voted on ranked order of projects.

Catch Up on Some Past Events You May Have Missed!

Floodplain Management Basics for Community Officials

The webinar recording from the NH Floodplain Management Program’s webinar, Floodplain Management Basics for Community Officials, that was held on December 12, is now available on the NH Office of Planning and Development’s YouTube page. The presentation slides and mentioned resources are available on the NH Floodplain Management Program’s Training and Education webpage. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Katie Paight, State Floodplain Management Program Coordinator.  

Housing Trends in New Hampshire: Diving into the Data - PLAN Webinar Recording

On Thursday, Dec. 17 the NH Office of Planning and Development hosted its monthly Planning Lunches at Noon (PLAN) on “Housing Trends in New Hampshire: Diving into the Data.” This recording is now live on OPD's Youtube page.

(OPD) Planning Lunches at Noon (PLAN) Monthly Webinar Series “2023 Planning and Zoning Legislation Primer” – Thursday, Jan. 19 from noon - 1 p.m.

The next webinar in the NH Office of Planning and Development (OPD) Planning Lunches at Noon (PLAN) Monthly Webinar Series is “2023 Planning and Zoning Legislation Primer” on Thursday January 19, 2023 from 12 to 1:00 P.M 

Noah Hodgetts, Principal Planner in the OPD will be joined by Natch Greyes, Government Affairs Counsel at the New Hampshire Municipal Association and Tim Corwin, Deputy Director of Planning and Development for the City of Lebanon/Chair of the New Hampshire Planners Association Legislative Committee to discuss planning and zoning legislation proposed for the 2023 legislative session. This hour-long webinar will include an overview of the legislative process (key dates, committees, types of votes out of committee); a lesson on how to track legislation on the NH General Court’s website including where to find committee hearing dates and where a bill is in the process; and how planners can engage in the legislative process before providing a rundown of planning and zoning bills, which have been filed for the 2023 session. There will also be time for questions and answers at the end of the webinar.

Register online.

Join SRPC for its next Resiliency Roundtable focused on "Improving Your Energy Efficiency with NHSaves" on Monday, Jan. 23 at 1 p.m.

Representatives from NH Saves will join SRPC to discuss energy efficiency and cost-savings opportunities through the NH Saves program. The session will conclude with a Q and A with the presenters David Beaulieu, Brad Hunter, and Frank Melanson.

Registration is required in order to receive the link to the meeting.

Learn more on the SRPC website.

Save Our Granite Stages Round 2 - Due Jan. 27

Save Our Granite Stages (SOGS) Round 2 will provide grants to nonprofit and for-profit New Hampshire performing arts venues that seat 1500 or less and performing arts production entities that produce in such venues. Venues and production entities that received initial Shuttered Venue Operator Grants (SVOG) are also eligible. The maximum grant in this category is $25,000, and awards are subject to a pro rata share of the available funding.

This funding category recognizes that the Granite State’s performing arts venues are among the hardest hit businesses in the COVID-19 pandemic. These cultural hubs are critical to local economies and tax bases as employers, tourism destinations, and revenue generators for neighboring businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and retail. Performing arts venues are a very important part of the state’s creative economy, which is valued at nearly $2.9 billion (2020) by the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Learn more and find important applications documents on the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts website.

Grants for Energy Improvements at Public School Facilities - Concept Papers due 1/26/2023

The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced first-of-its-kind investments to make clean energy improvements at K-12 public schools. Funds will position school districts to make upgrades that will lower facilities’ energy costs and foster healthier learning environments for students. 

Schools can now apply for the first round of the Renew America's Schools grant, up to $80 million of the $500 million program, to make energy improvements especially in the highest-need districts across the country. The Energy Champions Leading the Advancement of Sustainable Schools Prize (Energy CLASS Prize) program is also accepting applications for up to 25 local education agencies to receive $100,000 to staff and train select administration and facilities personnel as energy managers.

Learn more online, and access application documents here.

Start Planning Early! LCHIP's Grant Round 22 will open in 2023

Each year the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) provides funding for the conservation and preservation of New Hampshire's most important natural, cultural and historic resources.

Prospective applicants must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) through LCHIP’s online grant management portal in May 2023. 

In the meantime, learn more and start brainstorming about projects in your community today!

SRPC Thanks James Burdin, Senior Regional Planner

Friday, Jan. 13 will mark senior regional planner James Burdin's last day at SRPC. James was originally hired in January 2017 and had a large role in managing SRPC's economic development district programming among other important projects and responsibilities.

During his time at SRPC, James worked on the 2021-2025 CEDS and subsequent updates, facilitated the bi-weekly Seacoast Economic Development Stakeholder calls, engaged in multiple projects and gained supervisory experience through the process of SRPC's CARES Act program, compiled report for any projects of regional impacts, and has been the contract town planner for Northwood for the last five years.

All of us at SRPC thank James for his role on the SRPC Team and will miss his extensive planning knowledge that he shared with colleagues, his enthusiastic attitude, and his sense of humor in his affinity for clever planning acronyms and SRPC April Fools Newsletters.

Throughout the year the NH Municipal Association (NHMA) partners with the Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs) to write articles in its section entitled, "NHARPC Corner".

This month fellow planners Craig Tufts (CNHRPC), Jay Minkarah (NRPC), Olivia Uyizeye (UVLSRPC), and Theresa Walker (RPC) authored an article titled "Reboot your Natural Resources Inventory."

The piece covers the "what and why" of a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) before diving into the importance of tailoring the document to its community, paying attention to coastal differentiation, how to engage your community, the importance of co-occurrence mapping, and the best way to communication the results.

View the article in the January/February 2023 edition of Town and City.

Disaster!

Jan. 6- Jan. 29

Various Times

Head on over to the Rochester Opera House for Disaster!, which opens tonight!

Set in the wildest decade ever, DISASTER! delivers earthquakes, tidal waves, infernos and unforgettable 70s hits like “Knock On Wood,” “Hooked On A Feeling,” “Sky High,” “I Am Woman” and “Hot Stuff” — plus, an outrageous cast of performers from New York to Maine!

Don’t just take our word for it. See for yourself why audiences and critics are wild for this hilarious homage to the era of bell-bottoms, platform shoes and the hustle. From the moment the glitter ball starts spinning you’ll be dancing in your seat…and rolling in the aisles.

Learn more.

Winter Foraging Walk at Misty Meadows

Jan. 14, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Join Misty Meadows Herbal Center in Lee for a Winter Foraging- Plant Walk with Jessica Daigle

During this 3 hour plant walk, Instructor Jessica Daigle will shine a light on the abundance and magic still available in the depths of a New England winter!

Participants will stay on the property at Misty Meadows and explore the forests on the grounds while sipping hot herbal tea!

As participants adventure, they

will get an up-close look at the plants that they can use as food and medicine even in the winter wonderland!

Dress warm, bring a bagged lunch, a foraging basket if you’d like, and a

curious mind! 

Cost is $49/person. Learn more.