“FRIDAY
UPDATES”
Friday, June 4, 2010
The N.H. Memorial Room at the MUB on campus
by the late John Hatch
For residents planning ahead, the
Transfer Station and
Beverly
Burrows and Barbara Langley at Memorial Day
Ceremony
Crowds converge on downtown
THANKS
TO ALL WHO MADE
This past Monday,
Ron Streelman (Parade
Marshall), Terry Sharbaugh (Durham Evangelical Church), Michael Bradley
(St. George’s), Thomas Coover, Diana Carroll and the Town Council, Durham Fire,
Police & Ambulance Corp, the Newmarket Colonial Militia, the Boy Scouts, the
Girl Scouts, Ed Durnall, Jerry Chase & Pam Weeks, Lou Henry (US Postal
Service), the Oyster River High School & Middle School Jazz Bands, Ray
LaRoche (DPW), the Durham Public Library, ORPP, Moherimet Elementary School,
Barbara Langley & Beverly Burrows (American Legion Auxiliary), Judy McGann,
Jean Olson and Amy Cunningham, Tom Hafner, John Lamontagne, Joe Tostado (MUB),
as well as all of the numerous others who made the day a success. We
also want to thank Parks and Recreation Director
DiMambro home at
NEW
SITE FOR
Town has entered into
a Purchase & Sale Agreement with a local resident to purchase a
3-acre site to be the new home of the Durham Public Library. The site is located
at
This is an exciting development for
the Town which has been searching for years for an ideal site that is close to
the schools and to the downtown business area, has plenty of parking, and is
large enough for a library. This site meets all those criteria and
more.
The Durham Public Library is
currently located in a leased store front property in the
The new site includes a private
home, with an impressive brick façade, which will be integrated into the new
library building. Money for the purchase comes from private donations already
collected by the Board of Trustees over the past several years, including
$100,000 from an anonymous donor who last year promised the gift, if a site
could be found in this calendar year. The full purchase cost for the property is
$600,000, all of which will be paid for by the Board of Trustee’s building fund,
at no additional cost to
Within the next few weeks, the
property will undergo a “due diligence” inspection, to insure there are no
impediments to constructing a library on the land. As that work progresses, the
Town Council will hold a public hearing on the acquisition which the Council
strongly supports to such a degree that it authorized the Town Administrator to
negotiate and execute a Purchase and Sale Agreement.
The current owner is Dr. Arthur
DiMambro, a retired physician and well known artist, who expressed enthusiasm
that his property can be used for a library. He has promised to donate several
of his paintings for display, once the new building is constructed.
The next steps will be to commission
a design for a new library and then begin an intensive fund-raising campaign to
help pay for its construction.
Officers Holly Rouleau
and Frank Weeks during ORPP visit
ORPP children marvel at
Durham Police cruiser
ORPP VISITS
DURHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Durham Police were visited by a
large group of young people and their parents this week as the Oyster River
Parents and Preschoolers (ORPP) toured the facility. Officers Holly
Rouleau and Frank Weeks fielded a number of questions about police and all the
equipment they carry. The officers had a chance to talk about encountering
strangers, wearing bicycle helmets, and safely crossing streets. The
highlight, however, was when the officers showed the young folks the police
cruisers and of course the lights and siren.
NEW
TAX INCENTIVE FOR DOWNTOWN
ECONOMIC
REVITALIZATION (ER-Z) ZONE
In July 2009, The Durham Town
Council authorized Administrator Selig to move forward with an application to
the New Hampshire Economic Revitalization Zone Program, managed by the
Department of Resource and Economic Development (DRED) for four zoning districts
within
Last week, the Town received formal
notification that its application was approved
designating
The Economic Revitalization Zone Tax
Credit Program provides state tax incentives for ER-Z projects which are
available to qualifying new and existing businesses in the state. This includes businesses within
The program encourages ER-Z projects
that meet certain state economic objectives, such as stimulating economic
redevelopment, expanding the commercial and industrial base, creating new jobs,
reducing sprawl, increasing tax revenue, and remediating Brownfields sites. The
primary goal of the program is to increase the quality of ER-Z projects which
will contribute to the economic vitality of the state and of course
To read more about this program if
you are considering making a significant investment in your
It is our hope this program will
help spur continued investment within our downtown
core.
WHAT
IS THE
The Durham Business Association
(DBA) is an active, non-profit organization comprised of businesses and
professionals working together to foster a “Good Neighbor” approach toward the
local government, the residents, and the students living and working in the
Through partnership with the Town of Durham and the University of NH, DBA encourages
economic growth and well-being, tourism, civic pride, and community
awareness.
The Durham Business Association
founded in 1996, promotes the interests and concerns of the business community
in the greater
The mission of the Durham Business
Association (DBA) is to encourage business and professional people to work
together in a planned manner with both the Town of
The Durham Business Association is
located on the first floor of the Durham Town Office.
To learn more about the Durham
Business Association or to become a member, go to: www.durhambusinessassociation.com
or email durhambusinessassociation@gmail.com.
DBA
HOSTS FORUM ON PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED STUDENT HOUSING PROPOSAL OFF TECHNOLOGY
DRIVE NEXT TO GOSS MANUFACTURING
As noted over the last few weeks, a
purchase and sale agreement has been signed for a 40 acre parcel of land owned
by the Woodward family next to Goss Manufacturing located on Technology Drive
(Technology Drive is on the far end of Old Concord Road beyond the Route 4
overpass) by Capstone Companies, a national student housing company (http://www.capstonecompanies.com/about.php?PHPSESSID=15426d4ac0f734a1ab414265f6962752),
which is interested in constructing a 600 +/- bed professionally managed student
housing development potentially adding significant assessed value in the tens of
millions of dollars range to the Durham tax base in this part of town.
Capstone’s cottage program, the type of project envisioned by the
company in
These new urbanist neighborhoods
offer a variety of facilities, from free-standing residences to town homes and
lodge buildings, providing one to five bedroom living arrangements. The
Capstone cottage neighborhoods offer features such as scenic lakes, walking
trails, open green spaces, and community buildings. To view Capstone's
product type, go to http://cottagebuildersinc.com/.
See also http://www.multifamilyexecutive.com/student-housing/creekside-of-auburn.aspx
.
While the present zoning in the ORLI
districts (where the Woodward parcel is located) allows for multi-unit student
housing in traditional large multi-unit structures as a conditional use by
right, Capstone prefers to utilize a new urbanist approach such as that
suggested in the B. Dennis Strategic Plan which would require single family
and duplex uses as well within this district.
To view a letter provided to the
Town Council regarding this change from the Durham Business Association which
echoes similar concerns raised by the Durham Landlord Association, click HERE. To view a
memorandum from Town Councilor Neil Niman endeavoring to address questions
regarding this zoning change, click HERE.
To further facilitate this
discussion the DBA will be hosting an information session with a representative
from Capstone Companies on Thursday, June 10, 2010, at 8:15 A.M. The
session will be held in the
What downtown
B.
DENNIS COMMERCIAL
After edits and additions to the
document, the Durham Commercial Core Strategic Plan created by B. Dennis Town
Design has arrived in its final form. The Plan is a detailed description of the
planning Charrette held in November of 2009. It also includes an analysis of
Planned Pilot Reconfiguration of
In an effort to move forward aspects
of the B. Dennis Strategic Plan involving making downtown Durham more pedestrian
friendly, Administrator Selig asked the Public Works Department to develop a
test/pilot program for implementation this summer along Petteebrook Lane which
would involve narrowing the traveled way utilizing paint and cones from two
lanes to one, adding a designated bicycle lane, and including an additional 10 -
20 parking spaces to support downtown businesses along the left-hand side of the
roadway. If the configuration is successful, we would hope to continue it
into the fall and possibly make it a permanent addition to
After much discussion, the following
reconfiguration of
·
The roadway will consist of 17 new
parking spaces all on the southern side of Pettebrook. Between the egress
of Store 24 and
·
The roadway configuration will
consist of (south to north) parking spaces that will be 10’ wide with a single
12’ travel lane and finally a 6’ bicycle lane for a total of
28’.
·
Signage at the intersection of
·
There will be no fees associated
with this trial parking period. The immediate goal is to determine if this
pattern will function safely and appropriately.
Director of Planning and Community
Development
To view an enlarged version of the
traffic reconfiguration click HERE
.
QUAD
WAY PILOT PROGRAM TRAFFIC CHANGE PLANNED FOR JULY 1ST
As part of our efforts to improve
downtown traffic patterns consistent with the B. Dennis Strategic Plan staff and
University officials have focused on the ability of traffic to exit
In order to move forward the Town
Council’s goal of sustainability, Administrator Selig has been working with Town
department heads and transportation officials from the
A
RENTAL REGISTRY REQUIREMENT FOR
As the Durham Rental Housing
Commission continues its evaluation of the pro’s and con’s related to the idea
of instituting a Rental Registration Program in Durham, Councilors and Rental
Housing Commission Members may find the following article of interest forwarded
to me by a Town Councilor. The article is titled, “License landlords to improve health and
safety” and can be viewed at http://westernfrontonline.net/2010052512337/frontline/frontline-license-landlords-to-improve-health-and-safety/
ORCSD
Strategic Planning Survey – your feedback is
needed!
The ORCSD Strategic Planning
Oversight Committee is conducting a community survey to gather input from
community members regarding the
Some of the 14
questions asked include:
o
What are some of the district’s
strengths?
o
What are some areas where you think the district can
improve?
o
How do you rate the ORCSD in educating our
communties’ youth?
o
How do you rate the ORCSD in meeting the needs of the
community?
o
In what programs . . . do you think the district
should invest MORE money and personnel?
o
In what programs . . . do you think the district
should REDUCE money or personnel?
Please click on the following link
to participate in this survey: http://www.unh.edu/survey-center/orcsd510.html.
“BUDGET
COMMITTEE” DISCUSSED AT
At this week’s Oyster River
Cooperative School Board (ORCSD) meeting, there was public comment and school
board discussion regarding the idea of creating a “budget committee” for the
district. In
An advisory budget or “finance”
committee is formed by a school board to advise it relative to
budget matters. The advisory budget committee’s membership and
responsibilities are determined exclusively by the local school board which is
ultimately free to incorporate or disregard the committee’s recommendations as
it deems most appropriate. With an advisory budget committee, the school
board as the governing body of the district remains the final arbiter of what is
placed on the school meeting warrant with the exception of petition warrant
articles.
A statutory budget
committee, unlike an advisory budget or “finance” committee, has
legal standing under the provisions of state law. According to RSA 32:1,
the purpose of the
statutory budget committee is to “assist voters in the prudent appropriation of
public funds.” The N.H. Supreme Court has said that the
purpose of the statutory budget committee is
“to provide a committee with special knowledge to oversee and analyze the
expenditures of the various towns and districts” of the state.
A statutory budget committee provides an advisory opinion on spending directly
to the voters, not simply to the school board, but it is the school meeting, not
the budget committee, that sets the budget for the district. The
relationship between the budget committee and the local board of education (or
board of selectmen) within a district (town) does create some natural
tension. The system is designed so that more than one set of minds
considers budgetary issues. The statutory budget committee can
second-guess a school board by proposing amounts for various purposes that are
higher or lower than those proposed by the board itself. In the end, the
voters at school district meeting are free to disagree with both the school
board and the budget committee. The adopted budget and warrant articles
set the actual spending plan for the district. There is one
exception: In districts (or towns) with a statutory budget committee, the
total bottom line amount appropriated by the voters at school district (or town)
meeting cannot exceed the total
amount recommended by the budget committee by more than 10 percent except under very specific
circumstances outlined within the statute.
The complete state law dealing
with statutory budget committees can be found within RSA 32, the Municipal
Budget Law, at http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/iii/32/32-mrg.htm
.
RSA 195:12-a addresses the formation
of statutory budget committees for cooperative school districts which states as
follows:
I. A
cooperative school district at an annual meeting, under a proper article in the
warrant, may vote to establish a budget committee pursuant to RSA 32:14 and may
rescind such action in a like manner. The budget committee shall have the same
number of members as the cooperative district school board plus one additional
member from the school board as provided in this paragraph. The terms of office
and manner of election of members shall be determined in the same manner as for
the cooperative school board. Whenever it is voted to establish a budget
committee, the moderator in the first instance shall appoint the members of the
budget committee, except for the additional member appointed from the school
board, within 15 days of the vote establishing the committee. The members
appointed by the moderator shall serve until the next annual meeting when the
meeting shall elect their successors. No member of the cooperative school board
shall be appointed or elected to the budget committee except that the
chairperson of the cooperative school board shall appoint a member of the board
to serve on the budget committee with all the powers and duties of any other
member of the committee. After appointment or election the budget committee
shall promptly organize and choose a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and
secretary. The secretary shall keep records of the proceedings of the budget
committee, which shall be public records open to public inspection.
II. Such
cooperative school budget committee shall have the powers and duties of the
municipal budget committee under the provisions of RSA 32 insofar as the budget
for the cooperative school district is concerned and insofar as RSA 32 is
applicable to the cooperative school budget.
AMENDING
THE “NOISE ORDINANCE”
On Monday, June 7, 2010, the Council
will hold a continued 1st reading on amending the Town’s Noise
Ordinance. This proposal addresses several shortcomings of the existing
Noise Ordinance that had been adopted by the Town Council in 1992. Working
closely with Rental Housing Commission to address a host of issues surrounding
the challenges of previously single-family homes reverting to student rentals,
the police department reviewed all ordinances for their relevance, effectiveness
and/or deficiencies. One unwelcome result of student rentals in previously
residential neighborhoods is the hordes of late night walkers traversing through
areas where residents are attempting to sleep, seeking the next party
location. While many of these walkers are respectful and appropriate, many
others are loud, boisterous, and obnoxious in their tenor, language, and
behavior creating undo disturbances to residents.
The overall goal of this ordinance
is to eliminate the references to specific measured noise levels, meters, or any
other device that previously made prosecution in court difficult if not
impossible. The language employed in this amendment simplifies the
standard of proof and eliminates any required devices depending instead upon any
person being annoyed or disturbed by the noise. The amendment also will
make the noise ordinance go into effect at 10:00 PM rather than 11:00
PM.
On May 17, 2010, the Council
discussed the proposed ordinance, made suggestions for additional amendments,
and postponed further action on the proposed ordinance to its June 7, 2010
meeting.
To view the actual ordinance
language, click HERE
[
”DISORDERLY
HOUSE” ORDINANCE
For more than a year the impact of
The Rental Housing Commission has
been working diligently to develop potential ways in which to address these
various issues, including the creation of a rental registry, a property
maintenance code, a large gathering permit, amending the Town’s current Noise
Ordinance, and crafting a Disorderly House Ordinance.
The Council has been presented with
a proposed amendment to the current Noise Ordinance, and on Monday evening will
continue a First Reading on this ordinance. In addition, the Commission
has completed a draft Disorderly House Ordinance, modeled from other ordinances
across the country, which is ready for the Council’s consideration and
action.
The “Disorderly House” ordinance
focuses not on the tenant, but on the property owner of a rental unit with the
idea that ultimately the owner needs to be responsible for the behavior
occurring on his/her property. It is not to target the responsible owners,
but to ensure that property owners actively have a stake in and take
responsibility for what is actually going on at their properties and the
implications their properties have on quality of life issues for the broader
community.
Per the proposal, after a first
disorderly event the owner will be notified. After a second disorderly event,
the Police Chief will request to meet with the owner of the property to discuss
ways to alleviate the issues and the owner will be fined $300. After a
third event the owner will be fined $500 and meet with the Police Chief and 3
representatives of the Durham Rental Housing Commission to discuss ways to
alleviate the problems and show that steps have been taken to evict the tenants
and/or remedy the situation. The owner and the Police Chief will then sign a
document outlining the steps that need to be taken to resolve these
disturbances.
After a fourth event and all
subsequent events there will be a fine of $1000.
Councilors
should note that this item is improperly placed on the Agenda as “unfinished
business”. Because this is the first time this proposal has come to the
Council, it should be listed as “new business”. My hope is that we can
address this oversight at the start of Monday’s
meeting.
To view the draft ordinance, click
HERE
The
Open weekly rain or shine through
mid-October, the
“All local, all the time” is how
market organizers describe the
The season kicks off with an
abundance of bedding plants, veggie transplants, hanging flower baskets, salad
greens and herbs from Moriarty’s Greenhouse and Wake Robin Farm. Early birds in
June also may catch asparagus, peas, radishes and even
strawberries.
Two fruit growers are among the five
farms at market this year. Collectively, they’ll bring a wide variety of greens,
seasonal vegetables, berries, sweet corn, tomatoes, peaches, apples, herbs, cut
flowers and more. Meadow’s Mirth adds organic to the mix and specializes in
heirloom variety veggies.
Local honey and eggs will come from
the newest addition to the market: Hollister Family Farm, of Lee. Fresh-pressed
and hard cider will be available (in season) from Applecrest Farm Orchards and
Nottingham Orchard. Applecrest will also come bearing pies, cider donuts and
other baked goods.
Throughout the season, the Durham
Farmers’ Market will also feature surprise guest vendors, community groups and
special activities in conjunction with
Keep up with what’s in season—and
what’s at market—by subscribing to the market’s weekly
e-newsletter. You can also find the Durham Farmers’ Market on
Facebook and at “Market03824” on Twitter, or get directions and access the
vendor list online at www.SeacoastGrowers.org. Better yet, come visit the
Durham Farmer’s Market in person.
LAST
CHANCE TO RESERVE A SPOT AT THE
The
Durham Bazaar, a flea market for residents of the Oyster River Community, will
be taking place on Saturday, June 12th from 9am – 1pm. For $10
anyone can get a spot in the Churchill Rink to sell their wares. Baseball
cards, plants, antiques, baked goods, artwork, etc…all are welcome. Spend
the day at the rink shopping, playing on the
PUBLIC
MEETING SCHEDULE
The following public meeting is
scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town
Office. All meetings begin at 7:00 PM and are held in the Council chambers at
the Town Hall unless otherwise indicated below. To view the agenda for the
meeting listed below, please click HERE.
All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library
for checkout and viewing.
Town Council – Monday, June 7,
2010 To view Council Agenda and Packet, go to: http://www.ci.durham.nh.us/GOVERNMENT/council/council_packets/2010_June_7_Council_Packet.pdf
Planning Board Quarterly Work
Session – Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Conservation Commission – Thursday,
June 10, 2010
Stay
current with all Durham P&R programs by viewing the June Recreation
Reminder, please click HERE.
Also, visit our website at http://www.ci.durham.nh.us/COMMUNITY/recreation.html or on Facebook - search ‘Town of Durham
Parks.’
To register for any of the classes
below, please contact Durham P&R Director
§
Wednesday, June 9th – Free
Yoga at Wagon Hill Farm – Noon to 1:00pm
§
Saturday, June 12, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM –
The Durham
Bazaar. Reserve your spot today!
§
Thursday, June 24, 1:00 PM – Line
Dancing begins. Pre-registration
required.
§
Thursday, July 1 – Individual/Family
Tennis Lessons. Call to schedule a
lesson.
§
New Zumba, Pilates, Bootcamp schedule
with Kathy Kerrigan – Click HERE
COMMUNITY
EVENTS
§
The 9th annual Strafford County Master Gardener Plant
Sale will be held Sunday, June 6th at Ocean Bank on
Newmarket Rd. (Rte. 108) in Durham from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. Proceeds from the
sale will benefit gardening education projects in our county. Master Gardener
volunteers will be on hand to help you select plants and to answer any gardening
or landscaping questions you may have.
§
July 5-9, 8:30 – Noon,
§
August 2-6 and August 9-13,
§
9th Annual ORYA Golf
tournament is being held at Wentworth by the Sea Country Club
on Monday June 21st. Registrations forms are available at www.oryarec.org.
Visit our website at www.durhampubliclibrary.org for
more information.
§
Sat., June 5, 10:30 AM: Children’s Gardening
Workshop
§
Lyme Disease Support Group, Tues. June
8th, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
§
Bookeaters,
Middle School Book Group, Weds. June 9th, 2:45- 4:00 p.m.
Join this Middle School Book Discussion
Group facilitated by Ruth Wharton MacDonald. This month's book is
Boy Meets
Boy by David
Levithan
§
Tue., June 15: Summer Reading Registration
begins for “Make a Splash, Read. Make Waves At Your Library”, a fun 5-week
reading program for children and teens which begins on June 29th
running through July 29th.
Capt. Adams gundalow at far left
across from tall
ships
Capt. Adams gundalow anchored off
Wagon Hill Farm
CAPT.
ADAMS GUNDALOW AND TALL SHIP LYNX IN
In the above photo, the Capt. Adams
Gundalow (far left) can be seen sitting at the dock across from the tall ship
Lynx during the tall ship’s visit to
The Captain Edward H. Adams is a
replica gundalow that is currently maintained by the Gundalow Company, a
What
Have a good
weekend.
Todd
Todd I. Selig, Administrator
Town of Durham
15 Newmarket Road
Durham, New Hampshire 03824
Tel
(603) 868-5571
Fax (603) 868-5572
tselig@ci.durham.nh.us
www.ci.durham.nh.us
The
Town of