Regional Environmental Planning Program

REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING PROGRAM

The Regional Environmental Planning Program (REPP) is a partnership between the NH Department of Environmental Services and the nine regional planning commissions across the State. The program began in 1997 and since that time many environmental planning projects have been completed and many more are planned. The following is a summary of some past and future work in this program.

Innovative Land Use Controls Tool Kit
RSA 674:21 authorizes local planning boards to adopt any of an itemized list of innovative land use controls, but contains little guidance on what innovate land use controls are, or how to use them. The REPP contract for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 provides funding for all New Hampshire regional planning commissions to collaborate on this tool kit, which will include topics such as: intensity and use incentive, transfer of density and development rights, planned unit development, cluster development, flexible and discretionary zoning, environmental characteristic zoning, inclusionary zoning, and village plan alternative subdivision.
DRAFT Inclusionary Housing Model Ordinance
DRAFT Energy Efficient Development Ordinance

Energy Efficient Development Forum - April 2006

Open Space Plans
Over the course of several REPP contracts, SNHPC has been working with interested member communities to develop Open Space Plans. These plans identify existing open spaces and protected lands in the community and then analyze existing undeveloped lands to determine their priority for open space preservation. Some features studied include areas with sensitive plant and animal habitats, wetlands, water resources, potential sources of pollution, unfragmented lands, and historic features, among many others.

Open Space Plans have been completed for the following communities:
Candia – Hooksett – Raymond – Weare

Open Space Plan development is ongoing for the following communities:
Chester – Deerfield

Local Resource Protection Priorities
During 1997 and 1998, SNHPC, along with the other regional planning commissions, collaborated with representatives of its member communities to identify and map unprotected natural and cultural resources they would be interested in preserving. This data was then reviewed and updated again in 2004, features that had since been preserved were removed from the list, new priorities were added, and some old ones were removed.

Maps of the priorities updated in 2004 were created in 2005 for the following communities:
Auburn – Bedford – Candia – Chester – Derry – Goffstown – Hooksett – Londonderry – Manchester – New Boston – Raymond – Weare

Note: the Town of Deerfield elected not to participate in this mapping effort.

Sprawl Indicators Workgroup
The sprawl indicators workgroup is comprised of representatives of the nine regional planning commissions, NHDES, and other State agencies. The ultimate goal of this group is to develop a set of indicators that can be utilized by New Hampshire municipalities to objectively measure sprawl in their community. To meet this goal, the regional planning commissions have undertaken several mapping projects to generate the base data needed for calculations. During fiscal year 2004, SNHPC mapped all key destination points in the region as well as community centers. These GIS layers will be expanded upon during fiscal years 2006 and 2007.




			REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING PROGRAM The Regional Environmental Planning Program (REPP) is a partnership between the NH Department of Environmental Services and the nine regional planning commissions across the State. The program began in 1997 and since that time many environmental planning projects have been completed and many more are planned. The following is a summary of some past and future work in this program. Innovative Land Use Controls Tool Kit RSA 674:21 authorizes local planning boards to adopt any of an itemized list of innovative land use controls, but contains little guidance on what innovate land use controls are, or how to use them. The REPP contract for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 provides funding for all New Hampshire regional planning commissions to collaborate on this tool kit, which will include topics such as: intensity and use incentive, transfer of density and development rights, planned unit development, cluster development, flexible and discretionary zoning, environmental characteristic zoning, inclusionary zoning, and village plan alternative subdivision. DRAFT Inclusionary Housing Model Ordinance DRAFT Energy Efficient Development Ordinance Energy Efficient Development Forum - April 2006 Open Space Plans Over the course of several REPP contracts, SNHPC has been working with interested member communities to develop Open Space Plans. These plans identify existing open spaces and protected lands in the community and then analyze existing undeveloped lands to determine their priority for open space preservation. Some features studied include areas with sensitive plant and animal habitats, wetlands, water resources, potential sources of pollution, unfragmented lands, and historic features, among many others. Open Space Plans have been completed for the following communities: Candia – Hooksett – Raymond – Weare Open Space Plan development is ongoing for the following communities: Chester – Deerfield Local Resource Protection Priorities During 1997 and 1998, SNHPC, along with the other regional planning commissions, collaborated with representatives of its member communities to identify and map unprotected natural and cultural resources they would be interested in preserving. This data was then reviewed and updated again in 2004, features that had since been preserved were removed from the list, new priorities were added, and some old ones were removed. Maps of the priorities updated in 2004 were created in 2005 for the following communities: Auburn – Bedford – Candia – Chester – Derry – Goffstown – Hooksett – Londonderry – Manchester – New Boston – Raymond – Weare Note: the Town of Deerfield elected not to participate in this mapping effort. Sprawl Indicators Workgroup The sprawl indicators workgroup is comprised of representatives of the nine regional planning commissions, NHDES, and other State agencies. The ultimate goal of this group is to develop a set of indicators that can be utilized by New Hampshire municipalities to objectively measure sprawl in their community. To meet this goal, the regional planning commissions have undertaken several mapping projects to generate the base data needed for calculations. During fiscal year 2004, SNHPC mapped all key destination points in the region as well as community centers. These GIS layers will be expanded upon during fiscal years 2006 and 2007.