MANCHESTER, N.H. – Another day, another community meeting about the proposed zoning ordinance rewrite.
On Wednesday, the City of Manchester’s Planning and Community Development Department arrived at McDonough Elementary School in Ward 4 to let residents and others know about how the proposed zoning changes would impact the character of that area.
Stretching from approximately Bridge Street to Hanover Street and Union Street to I-93 with a few exceptions, Ward 4 is comparable to many other wards in the city where greater density is allowed the closer the ward gets to the center of the city.
In Ward 4, the area west of Ashland Street is that region of high density and much like Ward 5 to the south, the proposed rewritten zoning ordinance seeks to simplify things in this more densely populated area.
Like Ward 5, this portion of Ward 4 has eight different types of zones and the proposed rewrite aims to get rid of five types of zones in the current zoning ordinance. The “Civic Institutional” zone type and the “Urban Multifamily Professional Office” zone are slated to be removed completely from the ordinance and the “Urban Multifamily”, “Residential Two-Family” and “Neighborhood Business” zones have slightly different names in the proposed ordinance and in this area they will be replaced with an MX-2 (Mixed-Use General) zone.
Manchester Director of Community Development and Planning Jeffrey Belanger said that here, like many other parts of the city, the ordinance change aims to reflect what is already there: a mixture of moderate density housing with some interspersed business uses. A small sliver of MX-1 (Mixed Use-Neighborhood) zoned-area is also proposed for the northeast part of this area west of Ashland Street. This zone is similar to the MX-2, but has more restrictions on business activities.
Between Ashland Street and Mammoth Road, the central part of the Ward, there is further MX-1 south of Hanover Street and west of Hall Street and another MX-2 near Tarrytown Road. In that area north of Hanover Street, an R-2 (Residential Two-Family) district is proposed, as Belanger noted that there are already 60 duplexes in that area.
West of Mammoth Road in Ward 4 is primarily R1-B (Residential Single-Family) except for a few MX-2 and BC-2 (Business Corridor – Neighborhood) zones and an R-M (Residential – Multifamily) and R1-A (Residential Single-Family Low Density) north of I-93.
However, Ward 4 resident Ann Yuscavage said the reason why she and many of her neighbors came to the meeting was not to hear about changing zoning boundaries or what would or wouldn’t be allowed in certain areas, but discuss how to make their neighborhoods and the city as a whole become a better place.
“No matter which part of the city you live in, nobody was saying ‘not in my backyard’, but everybody was expressing that a lot needs to be fixed to make it more livable for everyone in the ward,” she said.
One concern in particular was speeding motorists, with Yuscavage hopeful that the city will eventually install four-way stop signs at the corner of Amherst and Belmont Streets. Ward 4 Alderwoman Christine Fajardo said that speeding is an issue in the ward as drivers often use side streets to find quicker routes between Bridge Street and Hanover Street.
Fajardo also found the meeting productive and praised city staff for their ability to explain changes proposed within the draft ordinance rewrite. She also stated that in order to address the city’s problems, such as a lack of housing, the city may also have to prepare for new problems that arise from addressing those current problems.
“It think it all comes down to density. Whenever we talk about more of anything (such as housing), it can bring more of the challenges we’re already facing,” she said. “I think there will need to be acknowledgement that we need to grow and change as a city along with reasonable concerns about how to practically support that growth and change.”
Votes of most important issues to meeting participants up to this point.
Walkability/Bikeability – 214
Housing – 188
Architectural Quality/Neighborhood Character – 174
Allowing Neighborhood Business in More Places – 87
Streamlining Permitting – 86
More Parking/Parking Enforcement – 29
Enforce speeding laws/Speeding on side streets – 17
Renovating/Improving Existing Housing – 7
Housing Affordability – 3
Flooding – 3
Record these meetings – 3
Jobs and Housing on Hackett Hill – 3
Less Density/Reduce Crime – 3
Traffic Noise – 3
Infrastructure investment – 3
Maintain Green Space 3
Reduce setback rules on accessory structures – 3
Recreation Activities/Children’s Sports – 2
Amoskeag Bridge Impacts – 2
Speed Bump on Milford Street – 2
Entry/Exit Roads – 2
Get rid of useless stop signs – 2
No more chicken restaurants/Cash for Gold on South Willow St – 2
Less Bars/Clean up Elm Street – 2
Ensure Sununu Youth Center land has affordable/ADA accessible housing – 2
Create boarding housing – 2
Don’t allow homes near city’s water supply – 1
Climate Change – 1
Public Transportation – 1
Prohibit short-term rentals in single-family residential zones – 1
Ensure home values do not drop due to development – 1
No 5G towers in residential areas – 1
Safety/More Lighting – 1
Increased housing variety – 1
Stormwater – 1
Previous meetings:
Ward 8 – South Manchester residents express concern over zoning proposal
Ward 10 – Ward 10 gets look at its proposed zoning future
Ward 12 – Zoning ordinance community meetings kick off with Ward 12 gathering
Ward 11 – Zoning rewrite draft proposes more mixed-use in Ward 11
Ward 1 – Gamut of perspectives at Ward 1 zoning gathering
Ward 7 – Community zoning meetings reach halfway point
Ward 6 – Concerns raised with the limited changes proposed for Ward 6
Ward 5 – Three types of zones removed in simplified new Ward 5 zoning proposal
Remaining meetings
- Aug 28 6 p.m. — Ward 2, Smyth Road Elementary
- Sep 4 6 p.m. — Ward 9, Bishop O’Neil Youth Center
- Sep 7 10 a.m. — Ward 3, Palace Theater Spotlight Room
Residents who can’t make the designated time for their ward are welcome to attend other meetings.
Residents who are unable to attend the meetings can submit comments at manchesternh.gov/landusecode.