SRPC's Monthly Newsletter

May 3, 2024

Greetings!

It’s true - April Showers bring May Flowers! It’s nice to see everything turn from brown and grey to lush green and bright colors.

It has been another busy month at SRPC with the completion of the annual Data Snapshot. Staff are working hard to wrap up the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy update, developing natural resource inventories for the towns of Lee and Dover, and updating Somersworth’s Land Use & Natural Resources Master Plan Chapter.

I hope you all have a great weekend and May the 4th be with you!

Megan Taylor-Fetter

In this Issue

Staff News

Partner Spotlight

Planning Events of Interest

Grant Corner

New Planning Resources

Public Input Opportunities

Community Happenings

STAFF NEWS

Farewell Autumn

Please join us in saying farewell and good luck to Autumn Scott. Autumn has taken a new position at a local business, Level Acres Farm, located in her home state of Rhode Island where she will be supporting their communications and community outreach. We’re all grateful for her time with the planning commission and wish her the best.

Luna, the office mascot, gives goodbye kisses to her friend Autumn

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

NNECAPA Retreat

Last weekend, Assistant Director, Kyle Pimental, joined several colleagues at the AMC Highland Center at Crawford Notch to participate in the NNECAPA Executive Committee Retreat. NNECAPA stands for Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association and whose mission is to improve and promote the standards and quality of planning at all levels in the States of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. In addition to some fun team building exercises, the retreat sought to develop an initial draft work plan for 2024-2025 and discuss important financial decisions. Kyle has served on the Executive Committee as the New Hampshire Conference Representative for the past several years.

PLANNING EVENTS OF INTEREST

The Dollars and Sense of Multi-Family Development

Grow America (formerly National Development Council) Senior Director Corey Leon will present a workshop designed for professional and citizen planners on multifamily housing development financing. The purpose of the workshop is to educate planners and planning board members on how multifamily housing development is financed and to understand what impacts the local regulations, and processes they administer, have on the ultimate cost of development.

This day-long course delves into the steps of the development process with special attention to the financial aspects of income-producing property. We will discuss the importance of TIME (both the concept and the acronym), how most banks size their loan offer, and how equity investors decide on a project.

The workshop will be held Wednesday, May 22 from 8 AM - 5 PM at New Hampshire Housing's offices at 32 Constitution Dr., Bedford. This course is presented by NH Housing and the NH Planners Association.

Registration deadline: Friday, May 10.

Other Planning Events of Interest

May 6, 6pm-7pm: Tenant Talk Live Webinar

May 7, 9am-4pm: NHMA 2024 Local Officials Workshop—FREE!

May 9, 9am-1:30pm: NHMA 2024 A Hard Road to Travel Workshop

May 11, 8:45am-3:30pm: NHOPD Spring 2024 Planning and Zoning Conference

May 16, 9am-3:15pm: NHDES Source Water Protection Conference

May 17, 9am-4pm: 2024 NH Food System Statewide Gathering

Grant Corner

2024 NH Coastal Resilience Grant Opportunity

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Coastal Program is requesting 2024 Coastal Resilience Grant (CRG) applications for projects. For the purposes of the CRG funding opportunity, coastal resilience is the capacity of a coastal community or coastal system to adapt in a changing climate—not only measured by the capacity to “bounce back” quickly from shocks and stresses like storms, but also, and perhaps more importantly, measured by the capacity to “leap forward” by fostering sustained and equitable achievement of community goals and ensuring the social, economic, environmental, and cultural wellbeing of all peoples and habitats over the long-term.

Other Opportunities

ME & NH Climate Resilience Funding Database

USDOT: Key Notices of Funding Opportunity Tracker

HUD Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Program

Due May 15: Champions of NH Farms Grant Program

Due May 31: NH Farm Future Fund

NEW PLANNING RESOURCES

New "Disaster Mind" Game Developed for High School Students by FEMA Region 8

PUBLIC INPUT OPPORTUNITIES

Dover Housing Survey and Visual Preference Activity

The Dover housing survey is still ongoing. You’ll have an opportunity to share information about your neighborhood and housing story, including details about your housing costs. In person, there is an opportunity to share the types of housing you feel make a good fit in Dover! In the coming weeks, you may find interactive poster boards at the city clerk’s office, the library, and senior center to share your thoughts.

Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZSPQRHG

Reach out to Mark Davie for more information!