Planning Board ยท Meeting
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Discussed
Purpose and scope of the Capital Improvement Plan
At the May 28, 2026 work session, a Rockingham Planning Commission assistant director described the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) as a long-term money plan. It usually covers at least six years. It helps a town plan for large costs and keep tax rates steady. She said the CIP is advice only. It helps balance each year's budget with long-term spending. She also said CIP committees should include members from many departments, not just the planning board, so that more people share what the town needs. She said department heads are important for finding both needed and wanted capital items. No vote was recorded on this topic.
Fitting CIP updates into the yearly budget
At the May 28, 2026 work session, the Rockingham Planning Commission's assistant director recommended adding CIP updates to the yearly budget process. She said work should start in spring, before budget season, and be updated every year. She said this lowers effort and cost over time. She also said the plan should give short details and reasons for each capital expense, and that the information should be open to the public. No vote was recorded on this topic.
Impact fees and how they can be used
At the May 28, 2026 work session, the Rockingham Planning Commission's assistant director explained that impact fees are charges tied to expected capital costs from growth. They can only pay for growth-related costs, not regular upkeep. She said many small towns collect these fees but struggle to use them because there is little growth. A board member said some impact fees, such as school impact fees, had to be returned after six years because the population did not grow as expected, which made it hard to justify spending them. No vote was recorded on this topic.
Sidewalk payments from developers
At the May 28, 2026 work session, the Rockingham Planning Commission's assistant director said payments from developers into a sidewalk fund, agreed through negotiation, are a way to offset a project's effects and are not impact fees. These can be written into site plan or subdivision rules. A board member said Newfields has a sidewalk plan that developers who do not build sidewalks have partly paid for. No vote was recorded on this topic.
Community survey for the Master Plan
At the May 28, 2026 work session, the Rockingham Planning Commission's assistant director said online and paper surveys can gather resident input. They can include multiple choice, open-ended and map-based questions. She said they often get 10% to 30% of people to take part, depending on outreach. She suggested sending surveys before public hearings, then sharing the results and holding in-person meetings on specific topics. She estimated the cost at $4,000 to $5,000, which could possibly come from the planning board budget. The board discussed forming a committee for the Master Plan and CIP with help from Glenn Greenwood. No vote was recorded.
+ 6 routine items