MANCHESTER, N.H. – A proposed ordinance amendment designed to help curb the city’s housing crisis got a review from the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) as well as members of the public earlier this week.
According to Manchester Department of Planning and Community Development Director Jeffrey Belanger, the proposed amendments would affect two types of housing in the city. First, townhouse and multifamily housing regulations would be relaxed, increasing the number of units permitted per lot without an increase in required lot area from three to four in zoning districts; and reducing the minimum number of parking spaces needed in Urban Multifamily (R-3), Redevelopment Mixed Use (RDV) and Civic Institutional (C-1) zoning districts (see Manchester Zoning Map here).
The amendments would also allow accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, by right in all residential areas.
Belanger noted that the Manchester Planning Board supports the amendments and that in 58 requests for parking requirement reductions in recent years, all 58 were approved by the Planning Board.
“There’s no point in sending someone to a board and have them wait a month and pay the fees if it’s just going to be a rubber stamp,” said Belanger.
The amendments were brought up twice on Tuesday night, beginning with the BMA Committee on Bills on Second Reading. There, BMA Chairman Joseph Kelly Levasseur felt that the term “crisis” was not appropriate regarding the city’s current housing availability, instead believing that the lack of housing in the city actually reflected positively on Manchester.
“We don’t have a major problem, we have a major demand,” he said. “People want to move here. There’s no law on the books that we must provide a house for everyone that wants to live here.”
Levasseur and Ward 7 Alderman Ross Terrio also expressed concern regarding parking, with Terrio concerned about snow storage areas and Levasseur stating that there is already not enough parking in certain areas of the city, such as the West Side.
Belanger responded to Terrio’s concern by noting setback requirements would not change with the amendments, leaving required area near the edges of properties to remain in place for snow after storms.
He also noted that while parking is a requirement for most New Hampshire residents, land is a scarce resource in the city and decisions would have to be made if the city’s housing shortage is to be addressed.
“If we’re picking priorities, we’re leaning toward housing and away from parking,” he said.
The amendments were recommended by the committee and after the special public hearing later in the evening, the full board accepted the recommendation. The next step in the process for the amendments is the BMA Committee on Accounts, Enrollment and Revenue Administration.