1. What are some of the responsibilities of the Francestown Planning Board?
Per RSA 674:1, it is the duty of the Planning Board to prepare and amend a Master Plan for the town to guide the development of the community. This Master Plan lays the groundwork and justification for all of our zoning ordinances and regulations.
The Planning Board reviews all proposed new subdivisions and non-residential site plans to ensure compliance to our ordinances and regulations, and most importantly, our Master Plan.
The Planning Board is also responsible for creating a maintaining a Capital Improvements Plan. The CIP looks at our capital needs for the next 6 years and tries to recommend an implementation schedule to maintain as much of a level tax rate as possible. We meet yearly with each department to determine what their future capital needs will be. Items such as fire vehicles and equipment, highway vehicles, road maintenance projects, town building projects, are some of the expenditures the board would look at. The CIP also lays the groundwork and justification for the assessment of Impact Fees.
2. How many members are there on the Planning Board?
The Planning Board is comprised of six voting members, one ex-officio voting member from the Board of Selectmen and three alternate members. Alternate members vote only when a voting member is absent or recuses themselves from a case.
3. What rules does the Planning Board follow?
The Planning Board is bound by the State of New Hampshire RSA ’s (Revised Statutes Annotated), the Francestown Zoning Ordinances, and is guided by the Francestown Subdivision Regulations, Site Development Regulations and our own Planning Board Rules of Procedure.
4. What projects is the Planning Board currently working on?
Aside from an active schedule of public hearings on applications for subdivision, the Board is currently reviewing fee schedules associated with both the Site Development and Subdivision Regulations. In 2008 and 2009, we will be updating the Land Use and Community Facilities sections of the Town’s Master Plan. In January of 2009 we will be meeting with Town Departments to prepare the Capital Improvement Plan
5. How do I get on the Planning Board’s Agenda?
Applications for Subdivision, Site Plan Review, or Design Review may be left for the Planning Board at the Selectmen’s Office in the Town Offices, 27 Main Street, Francestown, or may be submitted by special arrangement with the Planning Board Chair. Cases are heard on a first-come, first-served basis. Depending upon the backlog of work, cases are usually heard at Public Hearing no less than 30 and no more than 60 days from receipt of the application.
If you are unsure of the procedures or have questions for the board prior to completing a formal application, you are welcome to request a Preliminary Consultation with the Board. Preliminary consultations are advisory only, discussions are non-binding, and no formal decisions or permitting can be made.
6. How do I get access to all of Francestown' s Ordinances and Regulations?
Printed copies are available at town hall for a fee. Francestown’s ordinances and regulations are also available on the Regulations and Ordinances page.
7. How can I join and be a member of the Planning Board?
Contact the Planning Board Chair or the Selectman’s Office and ask if there are any current openings on the board. Better yet, come on down to our meetings and ask us in person. We normally meet on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 7 PM in the town offices meeting room. Members serve three year terms, unless someone is appointed to fill a vacancy due to a resignation, in which case the term is for the unexpired portion of the original member’s term.
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