MANCHESTER, NH — Public comment during the Oct. 21 meeting was uncharacteristically brief, but two Ward 1 residents made their voices heard over the future of the former Sununu Youth Development Center property, urging city leaders to keep control of the site’s destiny and maintain their neighborhood’s quiet, residential character.
The public comment session during the Oct. 21 Board of Aldermen meeting referenced the Oct. 16 information meeting at which state and city officials discussed the 157-acre parcel’s pending sale and potential rezoning. Residents packed that session with questions about zoning, traffic, and transparency. Tuesday night’s remarks echoed and expanded those concerns.
Gary Hunter of McCarthy Street summarized what he said were the “five huge concerns” raised by roughly 150 residents who attended last week’s meeting. Chief among them was opposition to changing the property’s zoning from the city’s most restrictive residential category, R-1A, to a mixed-use district that could allow multifamily housing or commercial development.
“Ward 1 residents want a residential neighborhood, not a business or multi-family zone,” he said, warning that heavier traffic and urban density would “dramatically change the character of the North End.”
Hunter also cited safety issues on River Road, the narrow two-lane route leading to the YDC property.
“Walkers are already endangered,” he said, urging aldermen to imagine trucks and construction traffic added to the mix. He asked the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to keep the stricter zoning, seek a right-of-first-refusal from the state, and consider a fundraising partnership so the city could purchase the land and create a plan that serves the city.
Bryce Kaw-uh, another Ward 1 resident who also is chair of the planning board and a candidate for Ward 1 Alderman, also spoke. He built on Hunter’s idea, saying Manchester should “seize control over our own destiny” by submitting its own offer to buy the land rather than wait for the state’s process to unfold. He suggested using a tax-increment-financing (TIF) district to fund improvements such as road upgrades, green-space preservation, and sewer extensions — investments he said could pay for themselves over time.
“The city could create a master plan for the YDC property in collaboration with local residents and stakeholders,” he said, envisioning a mix of senior, starter, and affordable housing alongside park land.
Other speakers offered broader reflections on city priorities. Richard Irving of Ward 2 praised Mayor Jay Ruais’ first-term work on affordable housing and downtown safety but said more progress is needed. Troy Micklin of Ward 9 urged the city to adopt a “Better Way”-style program akin to a program in Albuquerque, that links people who are in need with paid cleanup work and mental-health and housing support to strengthen neighborhoods.
After the comments, aldermen voted to take all remarks under advisement and file any written submissions for review.