Peterborough has received a grant to promote changes in zoning regulations to allow for more housing options in the town.
The Mutual Technical Assistance Grant is awarded by Plan NH, a non-profit foundation for raising awareness of the impact of the built environment in New Hampshire cities and towns.
Ivy Vann, who chairs the Peterborough Planning Board, said the grant is going to contribute to what the board is calling the “new village project.”
“The goal is to find out what people want,” she said.
She said that there is no specific geographical or usage intent for the project, only that it would likely included by residential and commercial space.
The plan is to zone it with a form-based model, meaning that use of zoned space is not as important as the physical look and structure of the building. The goal is to have new development seamlessly incorporated into an existing, functioning community aesthetic.
“We want to make sure what you build works,” she said.
The board will be putting together a steering committee with citizens and representatives from local businesses.
In a press release Plan NH Executive Director Robin LeBlanc said the goal is to be “thinking differently about what is and is not allowed in our communities, and how we can proactively accommodate the changing needs of people who want their town to always be home.”
Boscawen, Franconia and Hinsdale also received grants from the Mutual Technical Assistance program.