Keith Christopher
New hires welcomed to NH-based firms
Keith Christopher, PE, has joined Weston & Sampson as a federal program manager in its Portsmouth office. He most recently served eight years with Naval Facilities Engineering System Command (NAVFAC) as the design director for the Public Works Department in Maine.
He will play a lead role in managing and growing the firm’s federal practice in New England. His knowledge of the four public shipyards and NAVFAC design standards will allow him to immediately support ongoing projects while also seeking new opportunities.
Logan Johnson
Sullivan Construction has appointed Logan Johnson, PE, as vice president of business development. Johnson brings over 15 years of experience in the construction and engineering sectors, with a focus on business development and project management.
Before joining Sullivan Construction, she worked for the nonprofit NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire, where she managed the development of over 200 units of affordable housing for New Hampshire families.
Bring Back the Trades (BBTT) recently welcomed Shana Brunye as its new administrative director. With over 20 years of executive leadership experience, Brunye will help streamline operations, strengthen partnerships and ensure long-term sustainability for the nonprofit.
Her passion for supporting the trades and building a skilled workforce aligns with BBTT’s mission to empower the next generation of tradespeople through education, mentorship and scholarships.
Aldermanic legislative committee proposed following HB 60 discussion involving evictions
The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen are expected to create a new committee that will advocate on state legislation impacting Manchester following discussion at their meeting on Tuesday.
Discussion relating to the proposed committee came after several members of the public urged the city to take a stance opposing HB 60, a piece of pending state legislation that would allow landlords to issue 60-day notices to tenants forcing them to vacate in leases longer than six months.
Ward 3 Alderman Pat Long, who also serves as a State Senator, said that he could understand landlords not wanting to rent to certain tenants, but disapproved of evicting tenants without cause, believing that this would harm the city’s efforts to combat homelessness.
Long also said that an eviction can act as a black mark against tenants obtaining new apartments, but Board Chair Joseph Kelly Levasseur said that the issue is more complex, as a tenant given a notice to leave that leaves before eviction does not have an eviction placed in their record and a landlord denying such a tenant an apartment due to an eviction would have grounds for a lawsuit.
Long followed his comments on the bill with a question to Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais what the procedure would be for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to express their viewpoint on legislation, stating that there had been a committee regarding such matters under former Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas. Ruais said he would be amenable to the re-creation of such a committee. A comparable committee already exists on the Manchester Board of School Committee.
Ward 8 Alderman Ed Sapienza supported the committee concept, hoping that the board could share its opinion on federal legislation as well.
Ward 5 Alderman Anthony Sapienza made a motion that the board should share its collective opposition to HB 60 immediately, although Ruais asked if such a vote could be delayed until all members of the board had a chance to read the bill.
Ward 10 Alderman Bill Barry said he is opposed to the bill, but agreed with Ruais’ decision to allow more deliberation before the board takes a stance.
HB 60 received a 10-7 Ought-to-Pass recommendation from the New Hampshire House of Representatives Housing Committee last month and goes before the entire House of Representatives as the sixth scheduled item in the chamber’s regular calendar on Thursday. If the House consents to the recommendation on Thursday, the bill would next head to the New Hampshire Senate this spring. — Manchester Ink Link staff
Rural zone change proposed in Peterborough
Sharon Monahan, a wetlands scientist who is a member of the Peterborough Zoning Board, proposed introducing a zoning change that would allow development of three-acre backlots in the rural zone at Monday night’s meeting.
Monahan pointed out that several existing developments in Peterborough, including the Nubanusit Neighborhood and the Long Hill Road neighborhood, were built on backlots with only 150 feet of frontage enabling the access drive.
“The average lot price in Peterborough is $259,000 an acre. It is much higher than surrounding towns,” Monahan said. “There are many people who want to build individual homes in Peterborough and who do not want to be a part of a development. They don’t want to be part of an HOA (homeowners association) and they want to build the house they want to build, but the lots are not available. This would be baby steps to create more developable land.”
Monahan’s proposal would allow creation of a backlot with of a minimum of three acres in a minor subdivision in the Rural District, and reduce Rural District frontage to 150 feet instead of 200, which would be the same as the Family District.
Board Chair Carl Staley suggested the board start the process of reviewing the zoning change in time for the March election. Board member Lisa Stone, who was participating remotely, volunteered to spearhead researching the impacts of the proposed change.
Monahan said she would like the proposal moved forward to public hearing.
“Every time I propose something, you tell me there’s not enough time to put it on the ballot,” she said.
The board agreed to schedule a hearing for the proposal.
The Peterborough Planning Board approved minor changes to the Wetland Overlay Protection Zone as recommended by the Peterborough Conservation Commission.
Conservation Commission co-Chair Francie Von Mertens proposed the changes at the Jan. 13 meeting of the Planning Board. The recommendations stipulate that building sites retain a natural vegetative buffer, or swale, adjacent to wetlands rather than building retention ponds to mitigate stormwater. The Conservation Committee also recommended adding a clause stipulating that the Planning Board may request third-party review of a site if necessary before granting a Conditional Use permit to an applicant.
The board approved the changes.
Ken Theriault, representing his parents, who are the owners of 77 Hancock St. in Peterborough, asked the board to rezone the property from Commercial to Village Commercial zoning in order to potentially create housing lots at the site.
The property, which includes what was formerly the Theriault home, is located on Route 202 and surrounded by commercial buildings.
“It looks like a house, but it is currently office space,” Theriault said.
The property could potentially be subdivided into 49 lots. The board voted to move the matter to public hearing.
Planning Board member Andrew Dunbar brought up the issue of regulations around short-term rentals such as AirBnB’s in Peterborough.
“I’m not for it or against it. I just know a lot of towns are talking about the issue and I wondered if we should be thinking about the impact on Peterboorough,” Dunbar said.
Town Planner Danica Melone said that there are currently no New Hampshire laws around short-term rentals.
“Any ordinance we create would not have legal backing,” Melone said.
Ivy Vann, a Peterborough resident who is an urban planner, said the town could create regulations around issues such as parking or noise, and Melone agreed.
“I don’t recommend the town try to create ordinance around short-term rentals. We can look at creating rules around the behavior,” she said.
Select Board member Bill Kennedy said so far, he did not know of any short-term rentals in Peterborough causing any problems.
“There are several on my street and they are no problem at all,” he said. — Jesseca Timmons, Monadnock Ledger-Transcript
