LETTER: Regional Master Planning

The following is a letter to the editor. To submit your own, email michael.ryan@patch.com

By Neelima Gogumalla

The Sustainable Communities Initiative proposed by the Regional Planning Commissions in NH allows local towns to come together and develop a long term planning vision for their communities, the region and the state. Described by some as a ‘Master Plan on steroids’ it is a collaborative grassroots effort to integrate local interests, priorities and perspectives into regional plans and ultimately into a state-wide strategy.

The nine regional planning commissions in the state will work with their individual towns to gather information on their planning efforts with respect to land use, transportation, housing, economic development, environmental planning, and public health among other issues to develop a comprehensive plan for the region. It is does not diminish the individual town’s Master plan, zoning or their vision for the future. On the contrary, it would enable towns to review each other’s best practices, goals and plans and arrive at a consensus-based document. During the information gathering process, each town has the opportunity to learn from and comment on their neighbor’s economic development plans and use of shared resources like water, housing inventories and potential transportation initiatives. Once the document is completed it will be a reference tool for the towns and the region. Communities can adopt some, all or none of this purely advisory plan once it is completed.

Funding for the project is provided by a grant from Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by the Nashua Regional Planning Commission, the lead applicant for the grant. Windham is a member of the Rockingham Planning Commission and signed a letter of support for the grant application last August. Recently, there seems to be a lot of confusion about this program and some in the community seem to be under the impression that signing the partnership agreement would mean giving up local control. Nothing could be further from the truth as the final document is advisory to the towns. A majority of the towns recognize the benefits of being a part of this initiative and have signed on to be a contributing part of it. This is a collaborative relationship and does not take away from local control.  HOWEVER, not being involved might put Windham at the risk of losing some control as our silence precludes our input and feedback while our neighboring towns make plans that affect our shared resources, opportunities, traffic and quality of life. It is in the best interest of Windham to ‘take a seat at the table’ from the very beginning, put forth our priorities and cooperate with our neighbors as they develop their individual plans and the regional plan for a sustainable future.

Working with our regional planning commission has been a good thing for Windham. They have contributed tremendously to Windham’s development over the last 40 years as a resource for the Planning Board and Selectmen for the following projects:

• Village Center zoning review/recommendations
• Hazard Mitigation Plan(s)
• Conservation/Open Space Ordinance amendments
• NH111/Wall Street/Village Center Corridor Study
• Economic Development and Community  competitive analysis (CTAP)
• Impact Fee Study &  Implementation (CTAP)
• Canobie Lake & Cobbett’s Pond sewer extension feasibility study (CTAP)
• Agriculture Commission support (CTAP)
• Open Space Plan (CTAP)
• Energy Technical Assistance – Town Center Building Assessments & Recommendations
• Hi Resolution Aerial Photos;  Land Use Maps; Build out Analysis
• Windham Rail Trail support
• CART transit system startup

The Sustainable Communities Initiative is yet another advisory project which will greatly enhance and protect our rural oasis by integrating sustainable development goals and principles in our priorities for future development.

Neelima Gogumalla
Go Green Windham
1 603 858 1776