BITS AND PIECES

A Weekly Update from the Strafford Region

Planning

The Somersworth Community Housing Workshop last Thursday, September 14 was a big success! Nearly 50 people attended a workshop at the Black Box Theater to discuss housing needs in Somersworth. The evening began with keynotes presentations from Jen Czysz, Executive Director of SRPC and Nick Taylor, Executive Director of the Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast. Exhibits were shown by the Somersworth Housing Authority and the Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, and there was a panel discussion featuring Tory Jennison (Strafford County) and Michelle Mears (City of Somersworth Planning Director), and three breakout groups. Many thanks to the City Staff, SRPC staff, community leaders, residents, business owners, developers, and other stakeholders who came to talk about ways to build support for more diverse, affordable and accessible housing in this great City! Check out the presentations on the Living in Somersworth: A Housing Plan for the city project webpage and stay tuned for more exciting updates from this important project!

Above: Black Box Theater with workshop participants and displays.

Below: GIS Planner Jackson Rand greeting participants at the check-in table.

Transportation

What would happen if you couldn’t drive your vehicle for an extended period of time? How would you get to work? School? Arrange childcare? Could you get a ride? For how long? Can you walk or bike to those places? Would you feel safe doing so?

A number of times each year, we challenge you to think about your transportation habits in this way. Yes, it’s time for the Buses, Bikes, and Brooms Challenge! The October CommuteSmart challenge falls also on the Week Without Driving Challenge and National Public Transit Week!

CommuteSmart challenges your workplace or school to commute sustainably! Compete against other seacoast and statewide employers of all sizes in getting to work or school without driving alone. Try walking, biking, taking transit, or carpooling!

Want to set up a team for your workplace? Get in touch with Principal Planner Angie Cleveland today!

Economic Development

Left: Barbara Holstein and Michael Bobinsky discuss the Business Operations theme.

Below left: Mark Richardson and Ashley Wright discuss emergency preparedness. Mark Davie takes notes.

Below Right: Angie Cleveland leads commissioners in testing out a live-poll feature activity.

Yesterday, Thursday, September 21, Commissioners gathered at the SRPC office for the quarterly commission meeting, where they participated in a workshop for the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). Recent meeting structure adjustments proposed by commissioners have included a better balance of meetings based on staff efforts, and a more interactive nature of the various commission meetings. During the meeting, commissioners were invited to use their smartphones to participate in a live poll, where results displayed live on screen during a presentation. In this activity, commissioners prioritized strategies within the various topic areas of the CEDS, while Principal Planner Angie Cleveland provided context for each. This led the group into breakout sessions, where they brainstormed action items through the frameworks of resilience, equity, and engagement, each facilitated by an SRPC staff member.

Thank you to all who participated!

Announcements

GACIT, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Intermodal Transportation, has public hearings scheduled through September to receive comments on the draft Ten Year Plan. Three hearings are being held in the Strafford region this month:

• Durham Town Hall

Tues. Sept. 26, 3pm

• Rochester City Hall

Thurs. Sept. 28, 4pm

• Dover City Hall

Thurs. Sept. 28, 7pm

DOT wants to hear from YOU!

Link to TYP Survey via Metroquest

There is one remaining public meeting for the Route 108 Complete Streets project: 

• Rochester Public Works Building

Tues. Sept 26, 3pm



Information about the project can be found on DOT's website.

SRPC is requesting statements of qualifications to provide on-call engineering services in support of transportation planning efforts throughout the region. Efforts include scoping and developing preliminary cost estimates for transportation improvement projects that may be funded with local, state, or federal dollars (including FHWA and FTA). This RFQ is due Fri. Sept. 29.  

Contact Senior Planner Colin Lentz for more information. 

SRPC will be accepting proposals for Qualified Environmental Professionals with proven expertise performing environmental site assessments, management plans, quality assurance project plans, groundwater and soil sampling, remediation planning, cost estimates and cost control, and community outreach awe nd public presentations. All proposals must be received by Fri. Oct. 6 at 5pm.

Contact Senior Planner Lisa Murphy for more information.

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

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September 22, 2023