The Temple Planning Board has hired two consultants to assist with updating town planning documents to address ongoing housing needs in town, and tentatively set dates for community forums to begin receiving public feedback.
The board recently received a $55,744 grant, available through InvestNH and administered jointly by NH Housing, Plan NH and UNH Cooperative Extension, to put toward investigating planning and zoning solutions to housing issues. The board plans to go through a process of collecting community feedback and using it to update the town’s master plan, as well as crafting possible amendments to the town’s zoning ordinance to put before voters.
During a recent board meeting, the board spoke with two potential consultants, Carol Ogilvie and Ivy Vann, to help with the process. During its meeting on Tuesday, the board agreed to hire both candidates to assist with the process.
Planning Board Vice Chair Bruce Kullgren said that while the consultants were there to help with the process, he wanted residents to know that ultimately, the changes will be in their hands. Kullgren said he has heard concerns that the Planning Board will attempt to “push through” an agenda, but said it would be impossible to enact any changes the majority of voters didn’t support.
“I just want to be sure the word gets out, for people that don’t know, we don’t make the law. After this process of going through these forums, we’ll probably propose something next March to be on the ballot, and it will be voted on by the town,” Kullgren said. “Certainly, zoning, we can propose it, but it needs to be voted on by the town.”
Likewise, Select Board representative George Willard noted the consultants are hired to assist the town with the process, and can make recommendations, but the ultimate decision of what direction to take will be up to the members of the Planning Board and then ultimately the public.
Kullgren made the motion to hire both Ogilvie and Vann as consultants on the project, which was seconded by Willard and agreed upon unanimously by the board.
The board has also begun planning for community feedback in at least three community forums, planned for the first Planning Board meetings in April, May and June.
Dates are currently tentative, depending upon whether the board receives applications, which would take priority.
The meetings, planned for April 4, May 2, and June 6, would all be held at the Town Hall main room at 7 p.m., with a Zoom option offered for those who cannot attend in person.
The April 4 meeting is planned to be a “Zoning 101” session, where the board can go over the basics of the current issues, and the town’s current zoning.
Planning Board Chair Christine Robidoux said the following two sessions would narrow in on more specifics, based on the feedback received at the first session and through other avenues.
“We will decide on other topics after more community engagement, as specific areas of interest are identified. And of course the work on the master plan and regulatory review will begin soon, and the forums will be one of the ways we share and gather information,” Robidoux said.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.