To the editor:
Peterborough’s Traditional Neighborhood Overlay Zone II (TNOZ II) and TNOZ I create spot zoning and unaffordable housing. Spot zoning occurs when an area is treated differently (inconsistent uses and densities) than the surrounding properties and cannot be justified on the basis of public health, safety, or general welfare of the community, or in accordance with a comprehensive plan.
The Zoning Simplification Amendment (ZSA) was defeated last year. The ZSA proposed to delete all statutory purposes of zoning and rezone the entire Town on the basis of TNOZII and TNOZI, because rezoning that is supported by the public is not considered spot zoning. This year, citizens have put forth a petition to Repeal TNOZ II and Amend TNOZ I because the Planning Board still uses them to supersede the Family, General Residence, Rural, and West Peterborough districts via sewer and water line connections. TNOZ II allows high density housing, apartments (10 units per building), and commercial uses in zoned single family neighborhoods where these uses and densities are not supposed to be allowed. TNOZ I allows 16 multi-family units per acre in the General Residence district. The amendment reduces this to 7 units per acre. The Pine Street Apartments are 6 units per acre.
Did the Planning Board mislead the public into urban zoning with buzzwords such as traditional neighborhoods and affordable housing? Over the last two years, eighty-five dwellings are the result; but no affordable housing. TNOZII and I are denser than Milford, Keene, Concord, Nashua, and Manchester’s residential zoning districts with sewer and water. They are denser than Manchester’s zoning for a manufactured housing park. Does the greater community consider this a traditional neighborhood? Evidently the cities in New Hampshire have more concern for the quality of life of their residents than Our Town does.
It is up to the townspeople to see through the emperor’s new clothes and Vote Yes on citizen petition Amendment 15 to Repeal TNOZ II and Amend TNOZ I.
Sharon Monahan
Peterborough