Planning Board Meeting

 DURHAM PLANNING BOARD

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Town Council Chambers, Durham Town Hall

7:00 p.m.

AGENDA

I.          Call to Order

II.        Roll Call and Seating of Alternates

III.       Approval of Agenda

IV.       Town Planner’s Report

V.        Reports from Board Members who serve on Other Committees

VI.       Public Comments

VII.      Review of Minutes (old):  

VIII.    Public Hearing – Proposed amendment to the Aquifer Protection Overlay District.  Section 175-6 of the Zoning Ordinance:  a) Remove requirement to connect with Town sewer (It is not available in most of the district);  b)  Make single-family residences exempt from the requirement to connect to an underground stormwater system.  Recommended action:  Vote to initiate amendment if acceptable.

IX.       Public Hearing – Proposed amendment to the Office Research District for front setback.  Reduce the front setback in the Table of Dimensions from 50 feet to 30 feet for minor and collector streets (This will not change the setback for Dover Road/Route 108). Recommended action:  Vote to initiate amendment if acceptable.

X.        Strafford Regional Planning Commission.  Presentation about SRPC from Mike Lehrman, Durham representative on the commission.

XI.       Site Plan Regulations – Invasive Species.  Review of a proposal from the Durham Conservation Commission to amend the site plan regulations regarding the list of prohibited invasive species.  Recommended action:  Schedule public hearing.

XII.       Planned Unit Development Ordinance.  Proposed Planned Unit Development (PUD) ordinance.  PUD’s are special zoning tools which allow for flexible and innovative planning for large scale mixed-use projects.  A draft ordinance has been prepared to accommodate the potential development of The Edge project at UNH, located westerly of the intersection of Main Street and Mast Road, and other potential large mixed-use projects.  Recommended action:  Continue review.

XIII.       Other Business

XIV.      Review of Minutes (new):  January 8, 2025 and January 22, 2025

XV.    Adjournment                                                                                                           

*ZOOM ACCESS

The Town of Durham offers access to meetings with Zoom and Durham Cable Access Television (DCAT) as a convenience to the public. Zoom is generally reliable for watching meetings and offering comments when allowed.  However, due to factors outside our control, occasionally access on Zoom does not work properly.  We cannot guarantee that Zoom will always be available seamlessly and suggest that people who want to ensure being able to watch and participate attend the meeting in person.

To access any LIVE Zoom Public Meeting, you must be Registered.  This link will take you to the registration page: https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/boc_dcatgovernance/zoom-video-meeting-schedule.   If you have difficulty logging in, contact DCAT: 603-590-1383.

*OTHER INFORMATION

1)      Public hearings and public comments.  The public is welcome to speak at all public hearings and during the Public Comments time.  Comments on all matters, except those for which a public hearing is on the agenda, should be made during the Public Comments time (including comments on agenda items this evening).  The public may speak and submit written/email comments on any germane subject except active matters where the public hearing has been closed.   When a public hearing will be held soon for a specific item board may require that comments be made at the hearing.

2)      Submission of comments in writing.  Send emails and letters to Michael Behrendt, Town Planner, at mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us or at the address above. Substantive comments about current board matters, except where the public hearing is closed, will be a) emailed to the board;  b) mailed to the board if received by the Thursday before the meeting or given to members at the meeting if received later; and c) posted on the Town’s website.

Any email, letter, or document that is pertinent to a decision which the Planning Board is expected to make at the upcoming Wednesday meeting, must be received in the Planning Office by the prior Monday at 5:00 p.m. or the board will consider the material only at its discretion (This limitation does not apply to comments made at the public hearing).

3)      Other information.  Files on the agenda items above are available for review on the Town website https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/.  Agendas marked as “Preliminary Agenda,” are subject to change.  The final agenda will be posted on the Town’s website on the Friday prior to the meeting. To see background documents related to specific agenda items, see the agenda on the website and click on any green highlighted items.

4)      Contacting us.   Call (603) 868-8064 or email Michael Behrendt, above, or Tracey Cutler, Administrative Assistant, at tcutler@ci.durham.nh.us.

5)      Recommended actions.   Actions recommended by the Town Planner are shown above.  The board may or may not take these actions and may take other actions not stated.

6)      10:00 pm.  The board will take up a new item of business after 10:00 pm at its discretion.

7)      Communication aids.  Please provide the Town 48-hours notice if any aids are needed.

8)      Next meeting.  The next regular board meeting will be on March 12, 2025.