Peterborough voters will decide on candidates for town offices and weigh in on six proposed zoning amendments during town elections Tuesday, May 14.

Voting takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Peterborough Community Center on Elm Street.

The zoning amendments include a proposal to rezone properties in the Family District into the General Residence zone. Amendment 2 proposes removing Peterborough’s existing elderly housing ordinance due to creation of a loophole in the state that would permit dense development; the amendment notes that elderly housing is protected by other ordinance. Amendment 3 proposes removing the owner-occupancy requirement and and the minimum parking spot requirement for accessory dwelling units. 

Amendment 4 puts forth a revision of the existing Open Space Residential Development ordinance, which encourages developers to create communities with clustered housing, and Amendment 5 proposes removing the mandatory two-spot parking minimums at new residences. Amendment 6 recommends continued support of a tax-incentive program for business owners which incentivizes the development of buildings that are not being used, including historic structures. 

Contested races on 2024 include Planning Board, Budget Committee and Zoning Board.

Andrew Dunbar, Stephanie Hurley and Sarah Steinberg Heller are running for the two open spots on the Planning Board. Hurley and Steinberg-Heller currently serve on the Planning Board, and Dunbar is an alternate. 

The four candidates for the three spots on the Budget Committee are Albert Lenos, Richard Lesser, Donald Parkhurst and Charlie Hough. Lenos, Parkhurst and Lesser currently serve on the Budget Committee. 

Four people are running for the two open spots on the Zoning Board: Leah Seymour, Ivy Vann, Jonah Orion Wheeler and Paul C. Laroche. 

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Uncontested elections include Bill Kennedy for Select Board, Linda Guyette for town clerk, L. Phillips Runyon III for moderator, Anthony Pascale for supervisor of the checklist, Mandy Sliver for treasurer,  Thomas B. Mullins for trustee of the trust funds and Dick Dunning for cemetery trustee.  Karen Struthers and Laura Hanson are running for the two library trustee positions, and Zoe Wroten-Heinzmann and Catherine “Sue” Forrest are on the ballot for the two spots on the Recreation Committee. 

Article 3 asks voters to approve the town budget of approximately $17.6 million. The complete proposed budget for July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, is available at peterboroughnh.gov/government/town_meeting/index.php.  

Article 4 asks voters to approve $120,000 for the town’s pay-as-you-throw (PAYT)  program at the town recycling center. The program is self-funded by revenue from the sale of trash bags, which go into the PAYT revenue fund.

Articles 5 to 11 ask voters to approve capital reserve funding for town departments, including fire, police, public works, roadway systems and recreation facilities, as well as  software upgrades needed for the town mapping system (GIS).  Article 12 asks voters to approve $434,210 for the Bridges, Culverts, and Dams Expendable Trust Fund. 

Articles 13 to 15 ask voters to approve the creation of three expendable trust funds from the escrow accounts funded by Peterborough’s three existing tax increment finance districts, in West Peterborough, Greater Downtown Peterborough and South Peterborough. Creation of these funds have zero tax impact. 

Article 16 requests voters to revise Chapter 59 of the Town Code book regarding animal control. The article proposes that a first offense receives a warning, second offense  will be a $100 fine, and a third offense would result in a court date.  

presented at open session

Peterborough’s open session of Town Meeting is 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, on the second floor of the Peterborough Town House. Members of the Fire and Rescue Station Building Committee will make a final presentation about proposed fire and rescue station project, also called the municipal campus, adjacent to the Community Center on Elm Street. The proposed new facility will share a parking lot with the Community Center and incorporate the existing “Motor Pool” building.

The town is asking voters to support the $10.6 bond, which will provide the bulk of the funding for the new fire station. It requires a two-thirds vote to pass.

Assistant Town Administrator Seth MacLean, project leader for the fire station proposal, noted that the new fire station has been in development for over twenty years. 

“For over two decades, dedicated individuals have championed the vision of a new fire station. Led most recently by the appointed building committee and staff, we've delivered a project that balances the operational requirements of our regional fire and ambulance services with the financial goals prescribed to the team in advance of conceptual design development. Through extensive direct community engagement, we've fine-tuned the budget, design, and sustainability considerations while addressing broader needs for the Elm St. site,” MacLean said. 

Information about the fire station project is available at peterboroughprojects.info. 

Peterborough’s annual report, containing the ballot and all warrant articles, is available on the Town Meeting page at peterboroughnh.gov/government/town_meeting.  For information about the proposed zoning amendments, go to peterboroughnh.gov/government/boards_and_committees/planning_board/_22_zoning_proposals.php.