Friday Updates - June 18, 2021

Friday, June 18, 2021

JUNETEENTH: A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM

On Juneteenth, June 19, 1865, U.S. Brigadier General Gordon Granger and his troops landed at Galveston, Texas confirming the news that the Civil War had ended and that enslaved African Americans in the Confederacy were now free. In 1980, Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas and has since been adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia. Today, this date is still celebrated across the US with family gatherings, parades, picnics, and fireworks.

President Biden signed a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday on Thursday afternoon. The holiday, which lands on June 19th every year, commemorates the ending of slavery in the U.S.

Because this is a new federal holiday, it has not as yet been considered for incorporation into the Town's annual holiday schedule.

(The image utilized above is Courtesy 4ClickOnDetroit via the World Wide Web.)

COE DRIVE DAILY ROAD CLOSURE - June/July 2021, 7AM - 5PM, for 5-10 Days

The contractors for the new Oyster River Middle School project are working with the Durham DPW and Police Departments and have requested a road closure during the workday to efficiently work on the sidewalk. The closure will only be used when needed on the days when heavy equipment will be working on the uphill lane and sidewalk area.

At all times, access to the homes on Coe Drive will be available via the private road parallel to the hill on Coe Drive.

Signage will be present at either end of the closure to redirect through traffic, so the private road does not become a through travel path.

On some days, a road closure will be the quickest and safest way to get the work done and restore Coe Drive traffic. It is anticipated that the Coe Drive work will be done this summer while school is closed, and traffic is light in the area.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE TOWN CLERK-TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE - Friendly reminders to all our Durham residents that Tax Bills are due July 1, 2021.

The Town of Durham collects property taxes bi-annually. The first property tax bill is an estimated half for the whole year. The first bill for 2021 was mailed on May 25, 2021 and it is due by July 1, 2021.

Water/Sewer Bills: Due June 11, 2021.The Town of Durham sends bills for water and sewer on quarterly basis.  The second installment for 2021 was mailed on May 11, 2021 and it is due by June 11, 2021.

Dog Licenses: Past Due. Dog licenses must be renewed each year by April 30.  Please note that late fees began accruing on June 1, 2021.  If this is your first time licensing your dog in Durham, please provide the clerk’s office with a copy of your rabies certificate.



New Operating Procedures: Effective June 1, 2021. The Town Clerk-Tax Collector’s office opened the interior office doors to the public on June 1, 2021. The walk-up window in the Town Hall lobby is no longer necessary and has been closed. At this time, masks will still be required to enter the office and social distancing practices will be observed (limited to 3 customers in the office at one time). Office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm, and 8:00am-6:00pm the first Monday of every month.  

Questions may be directed to the Town-Clerk-Tax Collector’s office at 603-868-5577.

HATS OFF TO THE DURHAM PLANNING BOARD – An often underappreciated group of dedicated community volunteers who much of the time perform quasi-judicial review of development applications.

What is a Planning Board? The Planning Board is an organized group of selected members of the Durham community appointed by the Town Council tasked with helping to develop the future needs, wants, and vision of a community – typically through an advisory, non-binding Master Plan.

This is accomplished through the Planning Board’s regulatory and non-regulatory functions, which include the creation of site plan and subdivision regulations and the review of development applications for compliance with local zoning (regulatory) as adopted by our 9-member elected Town Council, Durham’s legislative body. 

The Durham Planning Board is currently reviewing several complex development applications with various levels of impact, perhaps isolated to a specific neighborhood or geographic area, or perhaps impacting broader cross sections of the community in various ways. These applications require much due diligence as part of the planning process as a result of their complexity and the range of issues involved, and because there is opposition (whether from a half dozen neighbors or from a broader part of the community). 

In some cases, regrettably, a few residents have been harsh in criticizing the board and even individual board members. A short explanation about the Planning Board and the process for development review is in order.

Planning Board members (like members of all other Town boards and commissions) are volunteers appointed by the Town Council.  They do receive nominal compensation of $500 per year. The chair receives $650 per year versus $500.  There are rules that the members are expected to follow regarding how meetings are run, how members conduct themselves, and how members interact with the public, but there is also some discretion involved and members make the best judgments they can given the numerous constraints and sometimes confusing and conflicting guidelines involved. During an active development application, Planning Board members act in a quasi-judicial capacity, which means they must generally follow many of the same standards of jurors in a trial. This means that board members should not discuss aspects of a pending application with either the general public or the applicant outside the formally noticed boundaries of a Planning Board meeting.  

The work of the board is rewarding in many ways but can be thankless at times. We applaud those who are willing to come forward to tackle the difficult matters confronting Durham!

In reviewing an application, the Planning Board is required to follow the standards and process delineated in the Durham Zoning Ordinance and the Site Plan Regulations or the Subdivision Regulations along with those articulated in myriad state laws (“statutes”).  Sometimes the review takes a long time – as more documentation is provided, as new concerns are raised, as revisions to plans are made in response to comments, or simply to work through the extensive issues involved - and we all must be patient. 

Board members need to be objective and keep an open mind about a project until all pertinent information has been submitted. An individual member might not like a project but if the application meets the various requirements the project must be approved. Input from the public is important and certainly welcome, but, again, it is the rules that determine whether a project is approved rather than its popularity. Ideally, the values supported in the community (best expressed through the Master Plan) will be reflected in the rules that are adopted for development but the situation is more complicated: the community often has multiple views on issues, state law sets the guidelines for what regulations a town may adopt, and developers have certain fundamental legal property rights that cannot be impinged upon in New Hampshire.

We sometimes hear complaints from residents that the board is limiting opportunities for public input or making decisions before obtaining public input. Yet, the Durham Planning Board’s treatment of public input is as generous, if not more generous than in most other communities (from our observations): the board usually keeps the public hearing open all through the review, allows residents to say their peace no matter how long it takes (though it can set time limits on speakers), and treats written comments with much care, including posting them on the website. We also receive numerous and ongoing complaints from applicants that the board allows for too much participation by the public. Indeed, the Planning Board is always wrestling with finding the right balance in enhancing transparency, public engagement, fairness, and efficiency, while seeking to make the right decision and pushing for the highest quality in development possible.

Your support for our hard-working Planning Board members, along with those on the other Durham boards who must make difficult decisions on land use applications – the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the Historic District Commission, and the Conservation Commission – is appreciated. 

And, of course, please consider submitting your name to serve on these boards or any other Town board or committee. Feel free to contact Michael Behrendt, Durham Town Planner, at mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us or at 603-868-8064 with any questions or concerns.

GARRISON ROAD WATER MAIN BREAK

Durham Public Works Water Department crews assisted UNH in locating last week’s water main break on Garrison Avenue. Digital correlating logger leak detection software was used and pinpointed the break within three feet.

Barred owl. Courtesy Scott Shamesman

UPDATES FROM THE DURHAM PLANNING BOARD – Two significant applications postponed to July at applicants’ request

The Planning Board had two significant projects on its agenda for this Wednesday – the parking lot at 19 Main Street and the Mill Plaza redevelopment – but both projects have been postponed to July at the applicants’ request. 

The board will discuss a proposal from the Agricultural Commission to rezone a number of lots in the vicinity of Piscataqua Road from Residence Coastal to Rural. The latter zone allows for a simpler process for certain agricultural uses. 

The board will have a discussion about the general Planning Board process and Town Planner Michael Behrendt will give a presentation about architecture and architectural regulations (helping to explain how the Town’s regulations are implemented.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT MAINTENANCE

Two hundred and seventy membrane diffusers were replaced by Wastewater Division team members Daniel “Max” Driscoll and Lloyd Gifford. The membranes are used for the oxygen transfer in the aeration tanks to keep the microbes that treat the wastewater healthy and deliver the required amount of oxygen. These membranes are good for approximately five years before they begin to start plugging up, requiring the aeration blower to work harder to deliver the oxygen needed. Once the aeration train tankage is swapped, the same will be completed with remaining aeration tanks.

ABNORMALLY DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS PERSIST – Residents, Businesses and Institutions are encouraged to practice wise water use where possible

The NH Monthly Drought Outlook for June, July, and August indicates drought conditions will persist in the areas currently experiencing drought, which include small portions of Coos County, Grafton County, and Sullivan County. As depicted in the figure below, Durham is located in an area of the state which continues to experience abnormally dry conditions. The prediction is considered to be of moderate certainty as temperatures are expected to be above normal, which has a drying effect. 

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the town also encourage those relying on private residential wells to begin conserving now. Due to COVID-19, people are at home more often, which means a higher than usual demand on residential well supplies. To protect your well supply, it is recommended that outdoor water use be limited and water use be staggered, allowing the well time to recharge between demands. As drought conditions develop, more municipalities and water utilities will impose outdoor water use restrictions. 

Through many years of deliberate planning and strategic investments, the Town of Durham and the University of New Hampshire have developed an exceptionally robust public water system which relies on a combination of surface water and ground water supplies.  With UNH out of session, our system demand has decreased to approximately 715,000 gallons per day compared to around 1.2 million gallons per day when UNH is in session. In accordance with our water conservation plan, the Durham/UNH system would declare a Stage 1 Drought Warning when 1) the Lamprey River reaches a flow of 16 cubic feet per second (CFS) and 2) no substantial rain is in the forecast, and 3) the system demand reaches 75% of the available capacity. Currently these conditions have not be met.  

The system is currently blending from approximately 70% Spruce Hole Well and 30% Oyster River at the Water Treatment Plant, as well as drawing from the Lee Well, while the Lamprey River pump station is offline due to an electrical pump failure. This condition may continue for the near term while repairs are made further reenforcing the importance of maintaining a redundant and resilient water system while encouraging wise water use and conservation.  

Watercolor of Durham Public Library. Courtesy Ellen Lonske