PLANNING BOARD AGENDA

PLANNING BOARD AGENDA

PUBLIC HEARING on Proposed Zoning Amendments

6:00 p.m. at Old Town Hall

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2025

Call to Order 

Pledge Allegiance 

Roll Call by Chair 

Open Public Hearing 

ARTICLE 35 – ZBA Appeals Deadline (RSA 676:5) 

What changed: \ State law now requires all appeals of administrative decisions to be filed within 30 days of the decision. 

 Article 35   Middleton amendment: \ Update Article 35 to add a subsection stating that appeals under RSA 676:5 must be filed within 30 days. 

Impact: Clarifies the deadline and aligns the ordinance with state law. 

Article 35 to add a subsection stating that appeals under RSA 676:5 must be filedwithin 30 days 

Impact: Clarifies the deadline and aligns the ordinance with State Law 

What Changed: State Law now requires all appeals of administrative decisions tobe filed within 30 days of the decision. 

ARTICLE 20 – Occupancy Restrictions 

What changed: \ Municipalities may not limit occupancy to fewer than 2 persons per bedroom or require occupants to be related. 

Article 20 Middleton amendment: \ Remove the “maximum of three residents per unit” limit in Article 20 – Housing for Older Persons. 

Impact: \ Eliminates an occupancy cap that is now prohibited. 

ARTICLE 20 – Residential Parking Requirements 

What changed: \ Municipalities may not require more than 1 parking space per dwelling unit for residential uses. 

Article 20 Middleton amendment: \ Update Article 20 – Housing for Older Persons to reduce required parking from 2.25 spaces to 1 space per unit. 

Impact: \ Brings parking standards into compliance with state law. 

ARTICLE 24A – Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) 

What changed: \ ADUs must be allowed asofright wherever singlefamily homes are permitted. Towns must allow: 

• Attached or detached ADUs 
• ADUs sized 750–950 sq ft 
• Conversion of existing structures, even if nonconforming 
• No additional review beyond a building permit 
• Owneroccupancy  

Article 24A Middleton amendments: \ Update Article 24A to: 

• Allow attached and detached ADUs 
• Allow conversions of existing structures 
• Apply the same standards as singlefamily homes 
• Adjust size requirements 
• Remove extra Planning Board review from the permit process 
• Retain owneroccupancy 

Impact: \ Modernizes ADU regulations and ensures compliance with state law. 

B-1 District and 4 Corners District – Residential Uses in Commercial Zones 

What changed: \ Municipalities must allow multifamily (3+ units) in commercial zones with adequate infrastructure. 

Middleton amendments: \ Add “multifamily dwelling” to permitted residential uses in: 

• B1 District 
• 4 Corners District 

Impact: \ Expands residential options in commercial areas as required by statute. 

ARTICLE 22 and ARTICLE 5A – HomeBased Child Care 

What changed: \ Family and group family childcare must be allowed as an accessory use to any primary residential use, with no site plan review. 

Article 22 Middleton amendments: 

Article 5A 

• Add homebased daycare to Article 22 – Home Enterprises 
• Remove outdated daycare references from Article 5A 

Impact: \ Ensures homebased childcare is permitted in all districts where singlefamily homes are allowed. 

Article 23 Family Compound 

Summary: Completely remove Article 23 of the Zoning Ordinance.  

• Family Compound” is, by definition, a relationshipbased land use, which is now prohibited per HB 457 
• Creates enforcement problems 
• Conflicts with new ADU laws (HB577) 

Add a note stating the date rescinded.  

Article 5A BASE ZONING DISTRICTS USES 

1. SUNRISE LAKE DISTRICT 

5. FENCES  

3. NO fence, in the Sunrise Lake District, shall exceed 4 (four) feet in height. 

What changed: Increases height of fence in Sunrise Lake District 

ARTICLE 42 

C. – BUILDING PERMITS 

1. A building permit shall be required for the construction, enlargement, alteration, or relocation of any building or structure, and for any work requiring review under this Ordinance. 

2. The following activities do not require a building permit unless otherwise specified in this Ordinance: 

a. Ordinary repairs that do not involve structural changes. 

b. Interior renovations that do not alter means of egress, loadbearing elements, or lifesafety systems. 

c. Fences six (6) feet in height or less. 

3. A building permit is required for any fence exceeding six (6) feet in height. 

Fence height shall be measured from the natural grade at the base of the fence on the lowest side. 

4. The Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer shall review all building permit applications for compliance with this Ordinance and applicable state laws. 

5. A building permit shall be issued when the proposed work complies with all applicable regulations and shall expire twelve (12) months from the date of issuance unless substantial work has commenced.  

What changed: requiring a building permit Town wide for fences over 6 feet 

ARTICLE 6 A (pg. 16) and Article 5 B (pg. 7)  

A.              GENERAL DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS. 

2.          Frontage.  There shall be a two hundred (200) foot minimum road frontage per individual lot on a class V or better road (pg. 16) 

What changed: The wording to “on a Class V or better road.” 

DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS  

Vesting and Building Code Appeals 

What changed: Amend the Development Regulations (Subdivision and Site Plan Review) to allow 3 years to reach “active and substantial development or building” and amend the exemption period per 674:39 to 7 years instead of 4. 

• Close Public Hearing 
• Any additional business that comes before the Board 
• ADJOURNMENT