Friday Update July 09, 2010

“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

Friday,
July 9, 2010

 

 

This year’s Durham fireworks merged
into a single composite photograph

Courtesy Richard
(Dick) Lord

 

It has been a hot week—a good time
to spend the afternoon at the UNH Outdoor Pool.

 

 

WATER
CONSERVATION ALERT

It has been quite a few weeks since
the region has received any substantial rain.  Town and UNH officials met
yesterday and decided that if we do not receive some much needed rain this
weekend, the UNH/Durham Water System (UDWS) will be issuing a Stage 1 water
conservation alert next week.  The UDWS is operated jointly by the Town of
Durham and UNH,
and the system maintains a Water Conservation Plan with 4 Stages of water
conservation measures.  Stage 1 is primarily about informing the System’s
water users that the water resources are beginning to be stressed and to be
cautious about how and when water is used.   These are common sense
measures such as watering your lawn or garden early in the morning rather than
the middle day, waiting until your dishwasher is completely full, or doing only
full loads of laundry instead of partial loads.  The message of the day is
to conserve water whenever possible and don’t use water
unnecessarily.  

 

To view the Durham/UNH Water
Conservation Management Plan, click HERE.

 

Water
Conservation Tips

§        
Turn off the water after wetting your toothbrush. Try
not to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and
fill a glass for mouth rinsing.

§        
Rinse your razor in the sink.  Fill the sink
with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as
running water, with far less waste of water.

 

 

Old
Landing Pumphouse – Time to Raze the Structure?

In 1933, the Old Landing Road
pump sewage station was built in conjunction with the Durham/UNH primary water treatment plant.  The pump
station conveyed sewage flow from the College Brook Interceptor and the Pettee
Brook interceptor lines. 

 

In a 1954 it was concluded that the
Old Landing
Road pump sewage station and the sewage interceptor
lines were close to being at 100% capacity due to the continuing expansion of
the University as well as the Town of Durham.  The Madbury Road sewage
collection system needed to be re-routed in order to relieve the overburdened
Pettee Brook line.  In the early 1960’s, the Beards Creek interceptor line
was constructed as well as the new Dover Road pump station.  By 1965, the
system had gained capacity and the Old Landing Road pump station was by-passed
and discontinued. 

 

The existing wet well in the
building was pumped down to the outside manhole.  The wet well is
approximately 13 feet deep with a conical bottom sloped to the existing pump
piping that is still in place in the wet well.  The wet well conforms to
the lower, back two-thirds of the building.  A drain in front of the
building at the stairs currently discharges to the wet well, but nothing
else.  All current sewage flow is diverted around the building. 

 

For many years the unused and
outdated Old Landing Pumphouse has languished.  Windows to the rear were
broken out some time ago and replaced with wooden boards.  The roof on the
building is now in need of substantial repair/replacement. 

 

While its conversion to an ice
cream/snack stand or bathrooms has been considered over the years, ice
cream/snacks would not be appropriate to store or sell from this location due to
obvious sanitary concerns from sewer gasses below and bathrooms, if desired,
would be more effectively made available through an appropriately designed
facility to meet present day universal access
standards.

 

Because the
building no longer serves a useful purpose, the Administrator is considering the
possibility of moving forward with the development of a plan to raze the
structure.  Feedback regarding the structure is sought.
Please email feedback to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us. 

 

Property
Assessed Clean Energy “PACE” Bonds: Innovative funding to accelerate the
retrofitting of buildings for energy efficiency – a Model for Durham?

Innovative local governments across
the country including Durham are looking for ways to reduce energy
consumption and electricity costs, as well as working with residential and
commercial sectors to create programs and incentives that encourage
community-wide building retrofits.

 

One innovative financing model that
shows promising results in incentivizing energy efficiency improvements in
communities is Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE). Hailed as one of the
“Breakthrough Ideas for 2010” by Harvard Business Review and a “World Changing
Idea” by Scientific American, PACE financing is being successfully implemented
in a number of cities and counties across the
country.

 

A PACE bond is a bond issued by a
municipality or intragovernmental organization where the proceeds are lent to
commercial and residential property owners to finance energy retrofits
(efficiency measures and small renewable energy systems) and who then repay
their loans over 20 +/- years via an annual assessment on their property tax
bill. PACE bonds can be issued by municipal financing districts or finance
companies and the proceeds can be typically used to retrofit both commercial and
residential properties.

 

This year House Bill 1554 was
adopted by the N.H. State Legislature which for the first time enables
communities to consider PACE as a viable potential public policy.  The
Durham Energy Committee will be evaluating this program and will likely provide
a presentation to the Town Council in the coming months regarding the PACE
approach.

 

Continued
Public Hearing and Action on
Ordinance # 2010-07 to Allow Single Family Homes and Duplexes in the Office Research & Light
Industry (ORLI) Zone as a
Conditional Use and to allow Single
Family Homes in the Multi-Unit
Dwelling/Office Research (MUDOR) Zone as a Conditional
Use

 On Monday, July 12, 2010, the
Council will hold a continued public hearing on proposed amendments which are a
result of initial discussions about how to amend the zoning in the ORLI District
to enable the development of properties in the district with a mix of housing
choices.  In reviewing the Table of Uses it was discovered that the ORLI
District did not allow single family or duplex dwelling units and the MUDOR
District allowed duplexes but not single family dwellings.  In addition to
allowing a mix of housing types within a development, the proposed amendments
would make current nonconforming single family and duplex dwellings in these
districts conforming, but would allow new single family and duplex units only by
Conditional Use. 

 

Section 175-21 of the Zoning
Ordinance describes the Conditional Use process designed to allow certain uses
that are not normally permitted within a certain zone. A Conditional Use may be
approved by Planning Board if the application is found to be in compliance with
the strict approval criteria outlined in section 175-23 of the Zoning Ordinance.
Conditions may be placed on a Conditional Use permit by the Planning Board to
ensure that the Conditional Use will have a positive economic, fiscal, public
safety, environmental, aesthetic, and social impact on the Town. At least five
members of the Planning Board must vote in favor of the issuance of a
Conditional Use permit for an application to be approved. 

 

Prior to the time the Town rewrote
the Zoning Ordinance in 2004 and 2006, single family and duplex dwellings were
an allowed use in the OR District that is now the ORLI and MUDOR. 

 

With a vote of 6-1 the Planning
Board recommended that the Town Council approve the amendments.

 

First
Reading on Amending Section 175-41(F)(7) “Development Standards in the Central
Business District” of the Durham Town Code to Change the Requirements for the
Maximum Height of Mixed-use Buildings in the Central Business Zoning
District

On Monday, July 12, 2010, the
Council will hold a first reading on a zoning proposal initiated by the Economic
Development Committee (EDC) to allow more flexibility for mixed-use buildings in
the Central Business District.  Currently, the ordinance requires the first
two floors of a four story structure to be commercial and the third and fourth floor to be residential.  The
amendment would allow the owner/developer of a building to have flexibility on
how to use the second, third, and
fourth floors.  The first floor is required to contain nonresidential space
and the remaining floors would have
a combination of two floors of residential units and one
additional floor of nonresidential space, in any combination.  The Planning
Board unanimously recommended that the Town Council approve the
amendment.

 

Presentation
from Contract Assessor Planned for July 26th

We have arranged for Jim Rice,
Durham’s
contract assessor from Cross Country Appraisal, to provide an update to the Town
Council on July 26^th regarding abatement applications received for
2009. 

 

 

DURHAM
MARKET PLACE
DONATES NEW EQUIPMENT TO THE DURHAM FIRE
DEPARTMENT

On July 1, 2010, while shopping for
lunch to the Durham Marketplace, Durham Firefighters Barry LaVigne & Pete
Leavitt were surprised by Perry Shaw who, along with several store employees,
presented them with a brand new, top-of-the-line refrigerant detector. 
This generous gift was in response to an emergency call at the marketplace last
April, when a refrigerant leak in a cooling system caused one employee to be
overcome and the stores in the plaza evacuated.  The Durham Fire Department
responded, secured the scene along with the help of the Durham Police, tended to
the injured worker with the assistance of McGregor Memorial EMS, and eventually
isolated the hazard.  When he learned that the DFD did not own the proper
type meter to detect this type of hazardous material, Chuck Cressy stepped up to
the plate stating “We found out the department didn’t have a meter to detect
refrigerants, so we just decided to just go purchase one for you.”  The
meter; is able to detect a large array of refrigerant gasses, and has the
capabilities of evaluating such will be placed into service after all members
are trained in its use.  The Durham Fire Department is grateful for the
generosity of the owners and staff of the Marketplace for this potentially
life-saving device, and the department and citizens alike will surely benefit
from the new meter’s use.

 

Sergeant
Mike Bilodeau to attend the FBI National
Academy

Sergeant Bilodeau applied for
admission based upon Chief Kurz’s recommendation almost four years ago.  In
late February, the FBI contacted Chief Kurz and scheduled Sergeant Bilodeau to
attend the National Academy commencing Monday July
13^th.  

 

The FBI National
Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia, is a highly prestigious school for
current and future police leaders and managers.  This is an invitation only
opportunity providing a course of study for law enforcement leaders that serves
to improve the administration of justice in police departments and agencies at
home and abroad and to raise law enforcement standards, knowledge, and
cooperation.  Its mission is "to support, promote, and enhance the personal
and professional development of law enforcement leaders by preparing them for
complex, dynamic, and contemporary challenges through innovative techniques,
facilitating excellence in education and research, and forging partnerships
throughout the world."  

 

The National Academy is an intensive
ten-week academic environment where approximately 250 police officers from every
State and a number of foreign countries take graduate college courses in law,
behavioral science, forensic science, understanding terrorism/terrorist
mindsets, leadership development, communication, and health/fitness. All of the
students participate in a wide range of leadership and specialized training, and
they share ideas, techniques, and experiences with each other.  While at
the FBI facility, Sergeant Bilodeau will be provided with meals, live in the
dormitories of the FBI academy and participate in a number of physical
activities.  There is no cost to the Town of Durham except for some minor ancillary
fees.  Sergeant Bilodeau will return to Durham and join four other National Academy graduates employed by the police
department, Chief Dave Kurz, Deputy Chief Rene
Kelley, Captain Sean
Kelly and Detective Sergeant David Holmstock. 

 

 

OYSTER
REEF CONSTRUCTION IN THE OYSTER RIVER

Oyster reef construction will be
on-going in the Oyster River during the week of July 12. 
The Nature Conservancy and University of New
Hampshire researchers will be working just off-shore
of the Wagon Hill landing in the channel.  The barge operator uses a small
spud-type platform that will spread clamshell in a thin layer along the bottom
of the channel and the edges of the mudflat.  There will be no
inconveniences to boat navigation, even when the barge is working.  The
shell is deployed one-ton at a time using a crane on the barge.  The reef
work will start approximately 150 feet off shore from the Wagon Hill Park landing and extend upstream for
approximately 400 feet, and 100 feet toward the channel. An acre of oyster
reef will be recreated in the river that once may have had 100 acres of live
reef but now has only a small native population. The new reef is expected
to attract approximately 125,000 young oyster “spat” from spawning adults in the
estuary this summer.   250,000 juveniles will also be added to the reef
from UNH hatchery operations later this season.  If the reef takes hold, it
is expected to provide habitat for 1M or more oysters that will remove nutrients
and sediments from the water column, provide fish habitat, and create new
spawning stock for the rest of the estuary.  The operation will be clearly
visible from shore and spectators are encouraged to come down and have a
look.

 

UNH
OUTDOOR POOL EVENTS AND INFORMATION

Thank you to all who participated in
the UNH Outdoor Pool Penny Drop Treasure Hunt this past 4^th of
July!

 

Swim under the lights at the UNH
Outdoor Pool and enjoy some BBQ on Wednesday, July 14^th & August
11^th from 7:00 – 9:00 PM.  Membership or day pass
required.  Hamburgers, chips and soda will be available for
purchase.

 

Come and cool off in the UNH Outdoor
Pool this summer!  New family memberships available! Pool hours are Noon to
7:00 PM, 7 days a week!

 

PUBLIC
MEETING SCHEDULE

The following public meetings are
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(s) 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, July 12,
2010.  To view the complete Council packet for this meeting, please click
HERE

Zoning Board of Adjustment –
Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Planning Board – Wednesday, July 14,
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 DAY
2010

The
date for Durham Day 2010 has been set for Sunday, September 26^th from
12:30 – 4:00 PM at Wagon Hill Farm. All Durham based Committees, Commissions or
non-profit groups are encouraged to setup their own individual table display at
the event.  If you are interested in securing a table display area or are a
resident interested in volunteering at Durham Day please contact P&R
Director Michael Mengers at mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us,
817-4074.

 

Live
Folk Music and Guided Trail Walk at Wagon Hill Farm on Friday, July
23^rd

Join the Parks &
Recreation Department for an evening of great music, family, friends, and a
fantastic view of the Little Bay.  At 6:00 PM Durham’s very own Clearly
Related String Band will perform their unique style of “Old Timey Music from the
Northern Appalachians” that is rich with Folk, Country, and Bluegrass
style.  So come on down and bring a picnic, a blanket, a lawn chair, and
your dancing shoes.  Before the show, at 5:00 PM, enjoy a guided trail walk
of Wagon Hill Farm organized by the Conservation Commission.  Member Malin
Clyde will discuss shoreline habitat, identifying wildflowers, looking for signs
of wildlife, and an overview of Appalachian oak-pine habitat.  The walk
will meet at the Wagon Hill parking lot.  The concert and trail walk are
free, with donations accepted and going to the band.  Contact
Michael Mengers, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, 817-4074
with any questions. Please click HERE for more
information.

 

SPACE
STILL AVALIBLE IN YOGA CLASS BEGINNING JULY
15^TH

There
are still a few spots available in the upcoming Parks & Rec yoga
class.  The class begins on Thursday, July 15^th at 5:30 PM. The
group will meet at the Parks &
Rec Building every Thursday for 8-weeks. 
The fee for the program is $40.  To register please contact P&R
Director Michael Mengers, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us,
817-4074.  For more information CLICK HERE.

 

DURHAM PARKS AND RECREATION
PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

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 Michael Mengers at 817-4074 or mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us or visit the
Town Clerk’s Office.

 

§        
Monday, July 12, 6:00 PM, ORHS Field:
  Adult/Teen Pickup Field
Hockey

§        
Wednesday, July 14, Noon – 1:00
PM:  Free Yoga at Wagon
Hill Farm

§        
Thursday, July 15, 5:30 PM:  Thursday Evening
Yoga Begins – Preregistration
required

§        
Friday, July 23, 5:00 PM:  A Band by the
Bay. The Clearly Related String Band and a guided trail walk of
Wagon Hill Farm.

§        
Saturday, July 24, Churchill Rink: :  Puppy
Class (9:00 AM) and Dog Obedience Class (10:00 AM) begins

 

COMMUNITY
EVENTS

§        
July 5-9, 8:30 – Noon, UNH Paul Creative
Arts Center:  Music For Youth. Designed for band
students entering 5th and 6th grades in the fall. Daily instrumental lessons are
taught by experienced UNH music education majors. For more information, contact
Sarah DeTurk at sarah.deturk@gmail.com.

§        
August 2-6 and August 9-13, Museum of Art, UNH Paul
Creative Arts Center:  Summer Art Camp. For
complete description of classes or to register on-line, visit www.unh.edu/moa or contact Catherine A. Mazur
at Catherine.mazur@unh.edu,
862-3713.

§        
MUB Summer Series 2010 begins July 7^th.
Everything is FREE and OPEN to all! For more information and to view schedule of
events, go to www.unhmub.com or call Dave at
862-1586.

 

Durham
Public Library Programs and Events

Visit our website at www.durhampubliclibrary.org for
more information.

 

§        
Tue., July 13:  Summer Reading Program “Make a
Splash, Read.  Make Waves At Your Library” in its fun third week for
children and teens which runs through July 29th. 

§        
Tue., July 13, 10:30 AM:  Pre-school Storytime –
Rain/Rainbows

§        
Tue., July 13, 6:30 PM:  9-12 yr. old program –
Wii Night at the Library again

§        
Wed., July 14, 6:30 PM:  All ages –
Earreverence, 7 member acapella group performs

§        
Thu., July 15, 10:30 AM:  All ages - Wildlife
Encounters at the ORHS Multi-purpose room

§        
Thu., July 15, 3:00-4:00 PM:  6-8 yr. old
program – Surfing/Water Sports

§        
Thu., July 15, 4:00-5:00 PM:  Young adult
program – Teens working on the dplteenblog will meet!  Interested in
writing a review of a book, play, movie, event?  Email the children’s
librarian at ekleinmann@ci.durham.nh.us  or
stop by the circulation desk and we’ll put you in contact with our partner, YA
author Megan Frazer, who is helping us with this blog.

 

MCGREGOR
MEMORIAL EMS – UPDATED EMERGENCY MEDICAL
INFORMATION FORMS

The McGregor Memorial EMS recently
updated its emergency medical information forms that Town residents use to help
McGregor better treat them in an emergency.  Please refer to the links
below to access these forms.

 

Emergency Medical Form - Adult,
click HERE.

Emergency Medical Form - Elderly,
click HERE

Emergency Medical Form - Child,
click HERE

 

FROM
“DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE A HISTORY –
1900-1985”

“Town bookkeeping in the early years
of the twentieth century was simple and straightforward. Payments for services
were explicit, especially for work on roads. Less weighty, perhaps, but
important nonetheless, were payments for timely items; for example, $110 was
paid for brown-tail moth nests in 1905, and $225 in 1906 (at 4 cents per dozen
nests); $505.75 was paid out for dog damages in 1920 (though more than just
twelve months may have been covered by this large sum); and a bounty of $20 for
a bobcat was paid in 1923.” Published in 1985 by the Durham Historic
Association.

 

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.