LOCAL PLANNING ASSISTANCE

While development often has widespread, regional impacts, most land use decisions are made at the local level. SNHPC recognizes and supports this long-standing tradition and offers many services that support local planning officials. These services range from offering training workshops for Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment members to preparing manuals and handbooks intended to better equip local planning officials. 

When a community has a development project with regional impacts, SNHPC works with the community, as well as the surrounding communities, to address concerns and help formulate a solution that will benefit the region as a whole. 

SNHPC is also available to assist with zoning, tax, and base-map updates, offer project specific technical assistance and provide information on various State and Federal programs of benefit to municipalities.

This year SNHPC is pleased to announce two new programs designed to help Planning Boards address many of the daily regulatory and non-regulatory functions that they are responsible for. These two new programs are the Circuit Rider Planning and the Planning Board Assistance (PBA) Programs.

1. Access to the planner at least one day per week at the work site as well as by telephone, email, and scheduled meetings in our Manchester office;
2. Attendance at one meeting of the planning board per month;
3. Full processing of applications and other administrative duties;
4. Drafting and posting meeting agendas and minutes;
5. Planning board training;
6. Planning guidance and advice;
7. Interpretation of local ordinances and regulations;
8. Full plan review and comments;
9. Assistance with specific needs, such as capital improvement programs, planning research, and drafting and updating ordinances, etc.; and
10. Updates and changes in planning board requirements and responsibilities.