“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

February
19, 2010

 

 

Courtesy Scott
Gagne, LGC staff

 

Durham resident
and City of Rochester Planner Michael
Behrendt has published a book titled The Architectural Jewels of Rochester New Hampshire:
A History of the Built Environment. Michael is featured in the
February 2010 edition of the New Hampshire Town and City magazine,
published by the New
Hampshire Local
Government Center. To read the article, click HERE.

 

 

Durham
Business Association Candidates Forum

On Tuesday, February 23, 2010, beginning at
7:00 PM, a Candidates Forum for
Town Council and Library Trustee candidates will be held in the Council Chambers
of the Town Hall located at 15
Newmarket Road. The forum is being planned and hosted
by the Durham Business Association (www.durhambusinessassociation.org),
moderated by Town Moderator, Chris Regan, and will be broadcast on the Durham
Cable Access Television (DCAT) channel, Channel 22.

 

DBA members and the public are
invited to attend and to participate by submitting questions for
Town Council and Library Trustee candidates who are running for these elected
offices at the March 9, 2010 Town Election.

 

Questions may be submitted by email
to the Durham Business Association at durhambusinessassociation@gmail.com
no later than Friday, February 19, 2010

 

Please Note: The Durham Business
Association is a 501 (c) (6) nonprofit and does not promote, endorse any
specific political candidates.

 

Candidate
PROFILEs for Town
Elected Offices

Citizens interested in learning more
about the prospective candidates who have signed up to run for various Town
elected offices in March may now view candidate profiles of each candidate. To
view this information, click HERE.

 

Town
Election - March 9, 2010

The 2010 Town Election will be held
on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at the Oyster River
High School.  Polling
hours are from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Voters will park in reserved spaces along the
front of the school and use the Multipurpose Room entrance. To view a sample
ballot, please click HERE.

 

            

Mixed-use 3-story
commercial/residential
building            
Bryant Park West under construction on Mast

at former Houghton Hardware site on
Jenkins
Court          
Road. Photos courtesy Tom
Johnson

 

NUMEROUS
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD IN DURHAM

There is a lot of new construction
activity in Durham. Moe’s Sandwich Shop will be moving into
the Philips 66 Service
Station on Dover
Road into the former Dunkin Donuts space that was
vacated when they moved over to the Irving Station about 5 years ago.
St. Georges Episcopal Church, Park Court, has
started its renovations that include some minor additions and ADA accessibility. The
Unitarian Universalist
Fellowship at 20
Madbury Road has added a major addition along with
interior renovations of the existing building. The Sigma Beta Fraternity house at
26 Madbury
Road has been closed for the past academic year while
major gutting and overhaul of the interior has been done, along with a side
addition for a required second exit stair enclosure. Sigma Beta plans to reopen
in June for occupancy. Peter
Murphy, 22 Rosemary
Lane, has built a 3-story 4-unit Townhouse building
to house 8 occupants in each Townhouse. The building is near completion for June
occupancy. Matt Crape,
6 Jenkins
Court, is constructing a new mixed-use 3-story
commercial/residential building with housing for 60 students on the former
Houghton Hardware store site. Permits have been issued to Slania Enterprises at 12 Jenkins Court for
a 3-story addition and a new 3-story building at 14 Jenkins Court.
The interior of the former RKG Offices
owned by Dick Gsottschneider on Mast Road Extension are being
converted into a combination residential/office mixed use. Back in the woods off
Mast
Road and Spinney Lane is a new private home being
built by David Sawyer. A
substantial addition is being made to the Hoene property at 281 Mast Road as
well as the recent completion of a horse barn. An indoor riding structure is
planned to start soon for their prized competitive horses. Bryant Park West at 262 Mast Road is
currently under construction. Two 3-story apartment buildings housing 120
students are under construction for an anticipated occupancy in late summer. The
new 9 single-family home project on the new Sophie Lane is starting off of
Bagdad and Canney Roads. Jack Farrell, 46 Bagdad Road,
recently completed a new solar powered, heat smart single-family custom home.
Jack Farrell is now starting another new home at 12 Woodside
Road.  A new custom home is also under
construction at 557 Bay
Road, and the Dame Farm Ryan home that was destroyed
by fire last year is also under re-construction at 321 Dame Road. At
239 Piscataqua
Road the homeowner has started new
additions to their waterfront home. In this same area, an existing camp is going
to be torn down and a new home and detached garage will be built at 14 Cedar
Point Road.   In addition to all of the
new construction there are many back up power electrical generators, roof and
ground mounted solar systems, and the usual kitchen, bath, and interior
remodeling that is always on-going around town.

Is it time for you to apply for your
building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire permits for additions,
renovations, roofing, siding, windows, or other plans this spring or
summer?  Please call ahead to 868-8064 if you need to speak or meet with
the Zoning, Code Enforcement, and Health Officer Tom
Johnson.

 

Trust
for Public Land
Spruce Forest Project Update - Durham to Proceed with Submittal of Grant
Application

In March 2008, representatives from
the Trust for Public Land (TPL)
approached Administrator Todd
Selig to request that the Town submit an application for the
preservation of approximately 171+/- acres of Sprucewood/Tecce land as part of a
Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) grant application due
later that month.  Given that the Town Council had recently rezoned the
area in question to Office Research and Light Industry (ORLI) to promote taxable
development and that there was insufficient time available to thoughtfully weigh
the merits of the application before the grant due date, Administrator
Selig declined and suggested that instead TPL work with the Town,
University, and other partners over the next year to develop a program that
would meet the needs of all parties – land conservation, economic development,
enhanced graduate/affordable faculty housing for UNH, and potential recreation
field area for Durham residents.

On May 18, 2009, Gregg Caporossi, TPL Project Manager,
attended the Town Council meeting and provided Councilors with a presentation
regarding the TPL’s interest in conserving the land in question.  The TPL
has been in discussions with Dave Garvey and Jack Farrell, who have controlling
interest in the property. The idea of a possible project was to work toward
conserving several pieces of land, and as part of the process, to work with UNH
to identify a parcel closer to the town that could be developed economically to
broaden the tax base.

 

After a lengthy discussion, the
Council on May 18th generally indicated its interest in supporting the
project as then envisioned. Since that time, the Administrator has been engaged
in ongoing discussions with the TPL, Messrs. Farrell and Garvey, and the
University of
New
Hampshire.

 

As the project progressed, it became
clear for a variety of reasons that the timeframes for TPL, the property owners,
and UNH did not coincide for such a collaboration … so efforts were made over
many months to identify other parcels on which economic development could be
created in conjunction with the Spruce Forest parcel.  These included: 
Depot
Road parking lot, Durham Business Park, Pettee Brook Parking Lot, Store 24
Parking Lot, and others. 

 

After much consideration it appeared
that the Grange site, with a 2009 appraisal value of $650,000, could be an
“elegant solution.”  Ideally poised to leverage a Mill Plaza
development coming on line, the Spruce forest owners introduced Town
officials to a variety of large external development corporations, and one of
these, SORA Holdings based in Towson, Maryland, expressed interest in December 2009 in the
Grange parcel and a Mill Plaza redevelopment. 

 

Unfortunately, a March 2009 CECLP
grant deadline precluded the ability of SORA to bring forward a bona fide
development proposal in time for the community to realistically consider whether
the $650,000 Grange asset would in fact leverage the kind of new taxable
development necessary to replace the loss of economic potential within the 171
acre Spruce Forest parcel. 

 

At the February 1^st
Council meeting, there was concern expressed regarding utilizing the Grange as a
Durham asset contribution toward the conservation
of the Spruce
Forest area.  There
was also concern around the viability of locating municipal ball fields off
Mill
Road, the confidential restricted appraisal which had
been prepared for TPL on the parcel, and whether the project had ultimately
become a pure conservation project versus one that could realistically be
expected to leverage the creation of new taxable value. 

 

In response to the February 1st
discussion, Mr. Selig worked on behalf of the Town to provide as
beneficial an arrangement for the entire community as possible while
being responsive to Council concerns which had previously been expressed. 
This included the following:

 

1. De-link the
   Grange from the program.
   
2. Durham’s contribution would be $400,000
   or 10% of the final appraised value of the Spruce Forest area at closing, which ever is
   less, with a minimum contribution of $300,000
   
3. The Durham
   Conservation Commission has indicated a willingness to support the full
   $400,000 purchase price utilizing Land Use Change Tax proceeds
   
   
4. A minimum of 5-10
   acres located off Mill
   Road will be reserved for the potential creation of
   recreation fields with the possibility of more acreage being set aside. 
   [Note that there has been NO analysis as
   to the viability of recreational field development, there is no money budgeted
   for the development of ball fields, and it has not been discussed whether we
   even desire fields in this location.]
   
5. Conversations are
   taking place as to whether approx. 28+/- acres of Colasante land adjacent to
   Spruce Forest and Spruce Hole could also be leveraged as part of the project
   -- as well as whether it would be possible to set aside approximately 3.5
   acres of land for the creation of affordable housing (a Council goal) along
   Mill Road – all as part of this project. 
   
6. We plan to
   evaluate whether the implementation of a new zoning provision allowing for the
   Transfer of Density Credits from the Spruce Forest project to our Central Downtown
   Core could in fact leverage the kind of new taxable value the Council has
   aspired to create for the last several years. 
   
7. Public access
   will be guaranteed as part of the project.
   
8. The Town will
   have the ability to connect municipal infrastructure such as water lines from
   the Spruce Hole Well across the Spruce Forest parcel to meet the community’s
   future infrastructure needs.

 

After a lengthy discussion on Monday
evening, February 15th, a majority of the Council felt comfortable with Mr.
Selig moving forward to submit the CECLP grant application for the Spruce Forest project
in partnership with the Trust for Public Lands.  Mr. Selig will
be working with TPL in the coming weeks to submit the application by March
15th. 

 

Durham
Police Officers Association Pancake Breakfast

On Saturday, February 27, 2010, from
8:00 – 11:00 AM, the Durham Police Officers Association (DPOA) will hold a
pancake breakfast fund-raiser for the Chief Ray Burrows Scholarship Fund at the
Durham
Evangelical Church, 114 Dover Road.  The Chief Ray Burrows
scholarship is offered every year to an Oyster River High School Senior who is
interested in pursuing a career in public service.  Suggested donation is
$5 for adults and $3 for seniors/children. 

 

Durham
Police Recruit in Training

Matthew Brown, a new recruit hired
to replace the vacancy of retiring police officer Ed Levesque, continues his
training at the NH Police Academy where he receives the core knowledge necessary
to work as a police officer in New
Hampshire. The academy, which is 14 weeks long, requires
the recruits to live on-site, except for weekends. While paramilitary in nature,
the day begins at 5:30AM with an exercise program to strengthen the body and
improve endurance. After breakfast the curriculum turns to classroom training in
laws, ethics, report writing, human relations, first aid, and many other topics.
The day ends at 9:30 pm after a short study period.  Besides exercise and
classroom training, there are practical exercises involving firearms,
scenario-based training on everything from traffic stops and defensive tactics
to building searches. Motor vehicle stops can even be simulated inside the
facility, which contains a realistic street scene and is capable of holding
several vehicles.  Outside, there is a "track" for the practical driving
exercises where "skid cars" are used to simulate less-than-ideal driving
conditions, including glare ice on ordinary pavement.

Matt is at the half-way point of his
training at the academy and will graduate April 9^th.  Upon
return, he will begin 12-weeks of Field Training with specially trained senior
Durham
officers.  During this period Matt will be shadowed at all times learning
and being evaluated on the policies, procedures and the nuances of policing in
Durham. 

 

Assistant
Town
Engineer Position

The Department of Public Works began
interviewing for the Assistant to the Engineer position today. 
Applications for this position were due on February 8^th. 
Fifteen applications were received and seven individuals were selected for an
interview. All interviews will be concluded by Monday afternoon of next
week. 

 

PURCHASE
OF Compost Bins and Rain Barrels

The Department of Public Works is
participating in the Northeast Resource Recovery Association’s (NRRA) annual
compost bin sale.  Within the past year, the DPW has received many
inquiries regarding the rain barrels, so the department agreed to also offer
this product to interested parties.  A sample compost bin and rain barrel
can be seen in the lobby of the Town Hall and have information sheets attached
to them.  Anyone desiring to purchase one of these items can complete an
order form and either drop off or mail both the forms and a check to Durham
Department of Public Works, 100
Stone Quarry Drive, Durham
NH 03824, no later than April 1st, 2010.  Checks
must be made out to NRRA.  Compost bin:  $42 - Rain barrel: 
$60.  A pickup will be scheduled for late April once it has been
coordinated with the NRRA.  Order forms can be requested via e-mail at publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us,
picked up at the Town Hall and Public Works buildings, or obtained by clicking
HERE.

 

Annual
Appointments of Citizens to Fill Vacancies on Various Town
Boards

On April 30, 2010, terms on various
Town boards, commissions, and committees will expire. In mid-April, the Town
Council will begin the process for making its annual appointments/reappointments
to Town boards, with appointments to take effect May 1, 2010. The Durham Town
Council is seeking interested residents of the Town of Durham who have the
ability, desire, and time needed to fill these vacancies. Citizens interested in
board appointments should contact the Town Administrator’s office at 868-5571
and ask for a board application form, or stop in at the Town Clerk’s office
located on the first floor of the Town Hall, 15 Newmarket Road, and complete an
application.  Applications are also available on the Town’s web site at: www.ci.durham.nh.us under the heading
“Features” at the bottom of the page. Completed applications may be mailed to
the Town Administrator’s office, or submitted via email to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us. Deadline for
receipt of completed applications is Friday,
March 26, 2010.

 

Conservation Commission - (2 regular
vacancies; 1 alternate vacancy)

Durham Cable Access Television
(DCAT) Governance Committee - (1 regular vacancy; 1 alternate
vacancy)

Durham Energy Committee (3
vacancies)

Economic Development Committee – (1
regular vacancy; 1 alternate vacancy)

Historic District Commission - (1
vacancy)

Integrated Waste Management Advisory
Committee - (2 vacancies)

Lamprey River Management Advisory Committee – (3
vacancies)

Parks and Recreation - (3 regular
vacancies; 1 alternate vacancy)

Planning Board - (2 regular
vacancies; 1 alternate vacancy)

Rental Housing Commission – (1
Tenant representative vacancy; 1 Neighborhood representative
vacancy)

Strafford Regional Planning
Commission & MPO Policy Committee - (1 vacancy)    

Zoning Board of Adjustment - (2
regular vacancies; 1 alternate vacancy)

 

Application
for Elderly Exemptions  

Eligible citizens may apply for an
Elderly Exemption or other exemptions/credits (Veterans Credit, Blind Exemption,
Solar, etc.) by the deadline of
April 15, 2010 for the 2010 spring
tax bill. An application may be obtained from the Planning, Zoning, and
Assessing Office located on the first floor of the Town Hall, 15 Newmarket
Road.  Questions regarding these exemptions can
be directed to the Planning, Zoning, and Assessing Office at 868-8064. Current
criteria and exemption amounts for the elderly are as
follows:

 

Income
Criteria

           
Single net
income:                 
          Not more than
$32,500.00

           
Married, combined
income:            
Less than        $43,700.00

 

Asset Criteria

           
Net
assets:                                        
Not in excess of $200,000.00

 

Age Eligibility
Criteria                                 
Exemption Amount

           
65 years up to 75
years:                  
$125,000.00

           
75 years up to 80
years:                  
$175,000.00

           
80 years or
older:                             
$225,000.00

 

PUBLIC
MEETING SCHEDULE

The following public meetings are
scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town
Office. To view the agendas for the meetings listed below, please click HERE. 
All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library
for checkout and viewing. 

 

Candidates Forum sponsored by DBA –
Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Planning Board – Wednesday, February
24, 2010

Parks and Recreation Committee –
Thursday, February 25, 2010

 

Oyster
River School Board meeting schedule, please click HERE. 

Durham
Public Library Board of Trustees meeting schedule, please click HERE.

DCAT
Programming Schedule, please click HERE

 

DURHAM PARKS & RECREATION
FEBRUARY REMINDER

Stay up-to-date on all of Park &
Recreation’s current classes and programs.  Click HERE to view the February 2010 Reminder. Check
out a new class being offered starting in February: Introductory Art – Drawing
& Sketching.

 

COMMUNITY
EVENTS

§        
UNH Office of International Students and Scholars: Cultural Connections Schedule of
presentations by international students. Open to the public. For more
information, contact Leila Paje-Manato, 862-3491, Leila.Paje-Manalo@unh.edu.

§        
Tuesday, March 2, (inclement weather: Wednesday, Mar
3), 6:30 – 8:00 PM, Moharimet Elementary
School: Growing
Places 15^th Annual Art Show Special. Artwork by the infant
and toddler classes. Refreshments will be served.

§        
Wednesday, March 3, Noon, UNH Paul Creative
Arts Center, A219:  ArtBreak: Lecture & Discussion by Bruce
L. Mallory, Professor of Education. Free to the public. For more information,
visit www.unh.edu/moa, or contact museum.of.art@unh.edu,
862-3712.

§        
Wednesday, March 10, Noon, UNH Paul Creative
Arts Center:  ArtBreak: Gallery Talk with artist Langdon
Quin who discusses his work currently on view in Acts & Memory: Paintings by Langdon Quin,
1900-2010. For more information, visit www.unh.edu/moa, or contact museum.of.art@unh.edu,
862-3712.

§        
Wednesday, March 10, Noon, UNH Paul Creative
Arts Center:  ArtBreak: TBA. For more information, visit
www.unh.edu/moa, or contact museum.of.art@unh.edu,
862-3712.

 

BOBCAT
BOLT 5K/10K RACE

On Saturday, May 15,
2010, the Bobcat Bolt 5K/10K race and Oyster River Festival will be held at the
Oyster
River High
school where the race will begin. The Bobcat Bolt
and the Oyster River Festival are part of the larger goal to bring the Seacoast
together to celebrate with sport, live music, art, and a positive community
building effort. Proceeds from the races go directly to The Oyster River Alumni Association.
This non-profit organization will donate the proceeds to The Durham Teen
Initiative for the construction of a youth center in Durham in the names of
Josh and Nate Hardy. Registration
is $35 ($25-UNH student, $20-OR student) and can be completed online at www.bobcatbolt.com. Following the race,
the Oyster River Festival will commence with live music, art exhibitions, and
food vendors on-site. For more information, contact Race Director Christopher
Jerard at cj@bobcatbolt.com or Festival
Director Anita Mathur at orh92@yahoo.com. Residents should expect traffic delays; especially in
the area of the Oyster River
High
School.

 

“EVENING
OF THE ARTS FOR HAITIAN RELIEF” CONCERT TO REPLAY ON CHANNEL
22

On Friday, February 12^th,
the Community Church of Durham, UCC, held an “Evening of the Arts for Haitian
Relief.” Over $4,000 was raised to assist the United Church of Christ in its
mission to restore lives and create new opportunity for the Haitian
people.

 

For those who were unable to attend
the concert, the event was taped and will be rebroadcast over Durham’s cable channel,
Channel 22 on Friday, February 19^th at 9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00 PM,
as well as Wednesday through Friday February 24^th, 25^th,
and 26^th at 9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00
PM.

 

Weekly
Police Arrest Report

 

Week – 10	6 UNH (60%)	4 Other (40%)
*2009/10 Academic Year – 593	366 UNH (62%)	223 Other (38%)
Calendar Year – 50	32 UNH (64%)	18Other (36%)

*Commenced September 1, 2009 

 

Historical data
for the same week

This data represents the 2009/10
Academic year report which begins anew each August

when UNH students begin arriving in
Durham.

Year	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Week	14	21	15	21	10
Academic Year	760	602	506	561	593
Calendar Year	98	99	65	84	50

 

NEW
HAMPSHIRE
TRIVIA & TIDBITS

“Born in Manchester in 1933, William "Billy" Pappas was a
three-sport standout-lettering in football, basketball and baseball-in high
school and at the University of New
Hampshire. His achievements continued beyond school
when he was named to the All-U.S. Air Force football team. He's a member of the
Wildcat Athletics Council Hall of Fame.“ AmericanProfile Magazine –
First appeared: 7/26/2009

 

And from Mr. Selig’s 4.5 year old
daughter…

Q:  What kind of fish does a
cat like for dinner?   

A:   A cat
fish!

 

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 Durham has developed a
list server. The server provides interested individuals with updates and
announcements concerning the community. Individuals interested in subscribing
should send an email to Town_of_Durham@ci.durham.nh.us
and type the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.