Bits and Pieces: A Weekly Update from the Strafford Region

BITS AND PIECES

A Weekly Update from the Strafford Region

PLANNING

SRPC participated in the kick-off meeting for its collaborative Flood Smart Seacoast project on Wednesday, Jan. 19. Partners on this project include the NHDES Coastal Program, NH Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM), the NH Office of Energy and Planning Development, Rockingham Planning Commission, UNH Cooperative Extension/NH Sea Grant, and the Town of Hampton.

The Flood Smart Seacoast project seeks to increase regional capacity and coordination for greater coastal resilience in New Hampshire. This will be done by establishing a technical assistance program focused on coastal floodplain management and hazard mitigation. It will also provide direct assistance, through a technical assistance grant process, to:

help coastal communities incorporate the coastal flood risk guidance in decision making
adopt higher floodplain management standards
access FEMA funding for coastal resilience projects

The partners listed above will be collaborating to enhance technical knowledge through training, conducting local outreach and other technical assistance projects.

It is the goal of the Flood Smart Seacoast project to give communities the best science, tools and guidance to prepare for and adapt to changing coastal hazard conditions.

STAFF CONTACT

Kyle Pimental

PIECES OF INTEREST

Watch the Path of a Raindrop From Anywhere in the World

PUBLIC INPUT OPPORTUNITY: Take the NH Coastal

Watershed Plan Needs Assessment Survey

TRANSPORTATION

Principal regional planner, Kyle Pimental, attended a special meeting of the NH Planners Association (NHPA) on Friday, Jan. 22. This event served as an opportunity for NHPA's constituency to hear from and ask questions to Congressman Pappas on the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Congressman Pappas explained the high-level components of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, including an increase in investments in New Hampshire's roads, bridges and transit and what part planners play in the process of implementing these funds.

Learn more about the act on the White House website.

STAFF CONTACT

Kyle Pimental

STAFF CONTACT

Colin Lentz

PIECES OF INTEREST

Governor Sununu Sends Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan to the Legislature

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In September 2021, Strafford Regional Planning Commission launched its Consultant Technical Assistance (CTA) program. This effort supports support small businesses as they work to recover from impacts of Covid-19, and provides, through private consultants, FREE technical support in:

Website Development
Marketing and Advertising
Graphic Design
Audio Visual Support
Generic IT services
Cybersecurity

After a successful first phase of the program, where support was provided to over 40 businesses in all the above categories, SRPC will be launching a second phase this month.

Small business owners interested in participating in the CTA program should navigate to the online survey, to sign up to receive assistance in any of the categories listed above. Business owners will then be contacted by an SRPC staff member, who will coordinate the details of the request, including scheduling of the initial consultation with a service provider.

STAFF CONTACT

Natalie Moles

PIECES OF INTEREST

NH Tourism Launches Winter Campaign

Can multi-income housing help solve New Hampshire’s affordability crisis?

Strafford Regional Planning Commission | 603-994-3500 | srpc@strafford.org| www.strafford.org

January 21, 2022