Peterborough voters will elect a new Select Board member and a new member of the Zoning Board at Tuesday’s election. 

Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the second floor of the Peterborough Town House at the corner of Grove and Main streets, as the Community Center on Elm Street is under construction. Voters requiring accessibility will be able to vote on the first floor of the Town House. 

The Select Board and the Zoning Board of Adjustment are the only contested elections. The candidates for the Select Board are Bonnie Tucker and River Marmorstein. Tucker,  70, has had a career in biotech and health care, and is now a public health consultant for the NH Community Health Institute. She currently serves on the Peterborough Affordable Housing Committee and has cited affordable housing and supporting the goals of Peterborough’s master plan, including conservation, as her primary goals. 

Marmorstein, 27, is a lifelong Peterborough resident, ConVal graduate and community advocate who has worked a first-responder with local police and fire departments. He lists affordability and lowering Peterborough’s tax burden as his top priorities. 

For the open spot on the ZBA, Daron Janis is running against Christopher Maidment. Janis, 46,  is an attorney with experience in real estate who has appeared before the ZBA on several occasions to represent the community. Maidment, 36, did not respond to a request for information. He has also run for the NH House of Representatives. 

Zoning amendments proposed

The Peterborough Planning Board and the Planning Department have proposed three zoning amendments this year.

The first would revise the minimum lot-size requirements in the Family District to make the requirements for creation of a duplex consistent with the those in the General Residence District. Currently, property-owners in Peterborough’s Family District must have a minimum of 50,000 square feet to build a duplex and 40,000 square feet to build a single-family residence, while in the General Residence District, only 20,000 square feet is required for either. 

The Family and General Residence districts converge in multiple neighborhoods in Peterborough, including at Prospect and Vine streets, Elm Street and Winter Street, Scott Street and Laurel Street and Granite Street and Pine Street.

If the amendment passes, a total of 72 properties in downtown Peterborough would be permitted to subdivide into two units. The frontage requirements in the Family District would stay the same, with 150 feet required per unit. Currently, half of the properties in the Family District are too small to be divided into two lots. 

The second proposed zoning amendment would apply to only one property, 75-77 Hancock Road/Route 202. The owners, longtime Peterborough residents,  have requested that the property be rezoned from the Commercial District to the Village Commercial so that they can sell the building to interested parties. Currently, properties in the Commercial District are restricted to low-income housing. The change would allow the property to be converted to market-rate housing. 

The third zoning amendment proposes changes in the Revised Wetlands Overlay Protection Zone. ThePeterborough Conservation Commission proposed the changes to clarify existing regulations.

Petition warrant article calls for closure of Bass Road

Residents of Bass Road have put a petition warrant article on the ballot requesting the Town of Peterborough reclassify the east end of Bass Road to a Class VI road. The change would mean the town would no longer maintain the road and that access to Bass Road from Route 101 would be restricted.

Residents of the road who spoke at Peterborough’s deliberative session in March said the that the road has become a “dangerous cut-through” between 101 and Route 123, with drivers traveling at excess speed on the rural road. The proponents of the article, including Alexis Walker and Clover Fiandaca, also said that turning onto Bass Road from Route 101 is increasingly dangerous and has been the site of many accidents.

The Peterborough fire and police departments have stated they support the reclassification of the road as long as emergency vehicles could still get through.  The article states that the road would be “subject to gates and bars.” 

Warrant articles support capital reserves, TIF districts 

Peterborough’s regular warrant articles include allocations for the town’s capital reserve funds and trust funds,  including the for the transfer station, police and fire departments.

Article 3 is Peterborough’s proposed budget for fiscal 2026, which is just over $19 million. Both the Select Board and the Budget Committee unanimously recommend  passing the budget. If Article 3 passes, the town is not required to convene a Town Meeting on Wednesday.

Articles 11 and 12 propose to raise and appropriate funds raised from Peterborough’s three TIF districts in West Peterborough, the downtown area and South Peterborough and placed in the corresponding trust funds.

Article 15 proposes the town set aside $15,000 to fund a celebration of the 250th anniversary of Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Monadnock Center for History and Culture has volunteered to spearhead organization of an event in Peterborough. 

Article 17 proposed the town modify the elderly tax exemption so that a person who meets all the qualifications will be granted a tax exemption on the first $100,000 of their property’s value.  The complete requirements for the elderly tax exemption can be found at peterboroughnh.gov/departments/assessing/elderly_and_blind_exemptions.php.