Bits and Pieces: A Weekly Update from the Strafford Region 02/23/2024

BITS AND PIECES

A Weekly Update from the Strafford Region

Planning

Zoning audit for the City of Dover as part of a HOP grant

On Thursday, February 22, Regional Planner Mark Davie met with the Community and Environmental Planning (CEP) class at UNH, instructed by professor Kelly Giraud to discuss a partnership with SRPC to conduct a zoning audit for the City of Dover as part of a Housing Opportunity Planning grant aimed at tackling the housing crisis. The City of Dover is pursuing a zoning audit for the purpose of unlocking potential for missing middle types of housing. As part of this process, the CEP class, comprised of planning, geography, and finance students, are taking the lead on a market and inventory analysis, in addition to getting formative experience working with a zoning ordinance and meeting with local stakeholders. We are so excited and grateful for the assistance of UNH!

STAFF CONTACT

Mark Davie

PIECES OF INTEREST

Thursday, February 29, 2024, 2:00 PM: The rules for the proposed Municipal Green SnowPro (GSP) Program have been published and the public hearing has been scheduled.

Saturday, March 2 from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Join SELT's (Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire) Volunteer Program Staff at The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature for the second annual Volunteer Field Season Kickoff!

March 2024 UNH Business and Industry Professional Development & Training schedule

April 13-16, 2024: Register Today for NPC24 to Experience Planning in Action!

Transportation

Highway Safety Performance Measures

Transportation

Last Friday, the RPC Commissioners discussed and approved federal highway safety performance targets for 2024. Staff recommended an alternative approach from previous years; one that reflected a more ambitious policy on safety improvements. Previously, targets were set based on looking only at past crash data. The new approach sets annual targets by determining a desired long-term goal, and calculating a maximum number of crashes that can occur in a given year based on a five-year rolling average.

Achieve a 75% reduction in the number of fatalities by 2033. To make progress on this goal, there can be no more than 12 fatalities in 2024.

Achieve a 50% reduction in the number of serious injuries by 2033. To make progress on this goal, there can be no more than 50 serious injuries in 2024.

Achieve a 100% reduction in the number non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries by 2033. To make progress on this goal, there can be no more than 4 fatalities in 2024.

There is a lot of work to be done to achieve these goals and targets. Strafford RPC staff will be compiling action steps to prioritize and implement. Contact Transportation Planner Colin Lentz to discuss safety targets and actions in more detail.

STAFF CONTACT

Colin Lentz

PIECES OF INTEREST

US Department of Transportation launches $5m slag cement research initiative

NH DOT wraps up Celebrate Engineers Week

Economic Development

2024 Solar Eclipse in New Hampshire

On April 8, 2024, Northern New Hampshire will be witnessing a total solar eclipse, which involves 100% coverage of the sun. Other parts of New Hampshire, including our region, will experience a partial solar eclipse (95% coverage of sun). Don’t miss out on the opportunity to view this rare phenomenon directly from the path of totality- NH will not be in the direct path of a Solar Eclipse again until 2079!

To prepare for this unique event, go to VisitNH for eclipse facts, planning tips, and a look at various eclipse events.

STAFF CONTACT

Natalie Gemma

PIECES OF INTEREST

Sundays, February 4 – 25 and March 10, & April 21, 2:00 - 3:30 PM: New Hampshire Black Heritage Trail celebrates Black History Month : Elinor Williams Hooker Tea Talks

Mar 26, 2024 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM : NH Housing Homeownership 2024 Conference

March and April weekends: NH Forest Society opens registration for New Hampshire Maple Experience Events.

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

Get Social With SRPC!

February 23, 2024