Public Hearing Items of Note for Monday’s, July 8th City Council Meeting:
1. Amending ordinance reorganizing municipal departments to streamline development opportunities by maximizing staff knowledge, skills and abilities.
Community Development Department will consist of the Administration, Planning, Engineering, and Code Services.
Planning Department will oversee, Zoning and Code departments, creating new position titles of Administrative Coordinator, Assistant City Planner - Planning, Assistant City Planner - Zoning, Planning and Zoning Inspector.
2. Amending the ordinance to reflect the Community Development Department reorganization to transfer zoning and other responsibilities from the Code Administrator to the Deputy City Manager for Development.
3. Amending the zoning ordinance to allow casinos or gaming facilities as an accessory to non-residential use in areas zoned CU (Urban Commercial), CVP (Civic Performance), IS (Institutional), IN (Industrial), and UT (Urban Transitional) for occasional events. In Ward 5, these zoned areas include:
west of North State Street from Penacook St to just before Dolan St (IS),
St. Paul's School campus (IS),
the hospital campus and properties along Pleasant Street: 290 on the northside, 270 on the southern side (IS),
properties around Pleasant and South Spring St intersection (CVP),
88 Pleasant St to the Stables (IS),
Concord High School campus to 200 Pleasant St -excluding 190 Pleasant St (IS).
How I am working on sustainability, livability, and equity:
Examining Concord streets and sidewalks as part of the Complete Streets working group to update the Transportation Chapter of our Master Plan. Check out my new weekly blog that specifically looks at accessibility and connectivity via sidewalks: Where the Sidewalk Ends, available here.
Working with residents, School District, City staff, education and construction professionals to understand the financial, environmental, and accessibility losses of building a middle school and fields at Broken Ground.
Working with Overcomers Refugee Services - Women's Program to help attendees learn about and participate in local government.
Highlights for committees that I serve:
Energy and Environment Advisory Committee is gearing up for robust outreach and education around Community Power by identifying specific groups and events.
Transportation Policy Advisory Committee - Discussed ideas for slowing speeds on Iron Works Road to include art installations, temporary medians, and tree plantings. 107,000 riders on CAT buses with the expectation of 10% more this year. McKee Square community meeting will likely be in September.
Tree Subcommittee - New member and Ward 5 resident Steve Winnett who works for the Environmental Protection Agency, is a forester and has experience examining heat islands, climate change, and environmental justice. 25 trees were planted during FY2024, 24 of them through the sustainable tree grant program. 435 trees have been planted since 2013 with an 81% survival rate.
THANK YOU, LIFEGUARDS!
For the first time in many years, there are enough lifeguards to keep our pools and splash pad open for the season.
Please thank lifeguards for their service to our community when you see them!
Scenes from Ward 5: St. Paul's School, 325 Pleasant Street and Dunbarton Road
St. Paul's School, a college-preparatory boarding school established in 1856, owns 2,000 acres in Ward 5, including all the land surrounding Turkey Pond, Little Turkey Pond, and Library Pond. When Langley Parkway Phase 2 was built in 2008, Dunbarton Road became a private street with right of passage for pedestrians and cyclists along it and the discontinued portion of Silk Farm Road. Little Turkey Pond is accessible by continuing straight on Dunbarton Road to the Crumpacker Boathouse and docks.
Little Turkey Pond is a beautiful place to swim; however, there are no lifeguards.
Books I am reading/listening: Alchemy by Rory Sutherland. Audiobook available at the Concord Public Library.
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. Book and audiobook available at the Concord Public Library
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