Regional Impact Developments
Developments of Regional Impact are defined in NHRSA 36:55 as any proposal before a local land use board which in the determination of such local land use board could reasonably be expected to impact on a neighboring municipality, because of factors such as, but not limited to, the following:
I. Relative size or number of dwelling units as compared with existing stock.
II. Proximity to the borders of a neighboring community.
III. Transportation networks.
IV. Anticipated emissions such as light, noise, smoke, odors, or particles.
V. Proximity to aquifers or surface waters which transcend municipal boundaries.
VI. Shared facilities such as schools and solid waste disposal facilities.
The Rockingham Planning Commission has a formal process for evaluating any such proposals when the agency is made aware of a determination by a land use board that such a project is being reviewed. A standing committee, the Regional Impact Development Committee exists, with a designated member of staff as support, to convene a meeting to review the proposal and prepare written comments that are sent as the Commission’s reply to the land use Board that made the regional impact declaration.
The Committee meeting is a publicly noticed meeting at which the design team for the subject project is offered the opportunity to present their proposal. The Committee also invites the land use board chairman for the town that declared the project to have regional impacts to offer the town’s perspective on the project and appropriate officials from all impacted neighboring towns are invited to participate and comment as well.
To assist communities in making declarations of regional impact of projects, the Commission has developed the following guidance document:
