FY2012 CITY COUNCIL EXPECTATIONS OF
CITY MANAGER
4.
Continue to communicate with the community through hosting of periodic ward and
neighborhood meetings such as quarterly Dover Discussions along with exploring
new methods to increase interaction and participation by citizens in local
governance and community forums.
The Department of Planning and Community Development
continued to update its blog, face book page and twitter feed to communicate
with the public. The Department of Planning and Community Development has 154
Facebook (City of Dover NH Planning) friends and 300 followers on Twitter
@DoverNHPlanning).
During the month of April, four (4) Planning blog posts were
drafted, one looking at the relationship between planning and home
improvements, two reviewing the Director of Planning and Community
Development’s recent trip to the National Planning Conference. The final
covered the March report to the Manager. The blog had over 400 page views in the month
of April, which brings the total page views to over 10,400 for the blog.
The Department of Planning and Community
Development promoted the Dover Community Trail through the facebook fan page
for the trail (with 311 fans), as well as a Sustainable Dover facebook fan page
for the trail (with 136 fans).
The Director of Planning and Community
Development filmed two promotional videos for Dover Download to air on Channel
22. The videos highlight the Dover2023 Community Visioning project, and upcoming
Planning Board workshop topics.
The Director of Planning and Community
Development and Assistant City Planner attended the thirteenth annual Dover
Pride Clean Up Day, produced by Dover Main Street. The Director served as the
City’s liaison with Main Street and its volunteers, and the Assistant City Planner
worked alongside residents in cleaning up areas of Henry Law Park.
The Department of Planning and Community
Development held three community input sessions in April as part of its Dover
2023 Community Vision project. The three were neighborhood meetings at the
three elementary schools (April 10, 12 and 16). These meetings further refined
and prioritized the visions elements that had been expressed at the March
meetings. The information will be refined further at the May 1 and May 5th
communitywide meetings.
The Director of Planning and Community Development was a
featured speaker at the Dover Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs meeting.
At this meeting the Director spoke about Dover 2023, and about planned
transportation projects in Dover.
8.
Attend workshops and participate in other education opportunities to further continuing
professional development.
In April, Planning
and Community Development staff
participated in one (1) seminar. The topic was developing leadership skills.
The focus was on informing Baldridge based institutions on ways to review and
improve systems.
The Director of Planning and Community Development continued
to be part of the team developing conference topics and themes for this year’s
New Hampshire Planner’s Association annual conference in May.
The Director
of Planning and Community Development continued as one of the 35 participants
in the Leadership Seacoast program. This program is 9 full days, spread out
over 4 months, designed to challenge personal assumptions about critical issues
while exploring diverse ideas, resources and practices. This is all done with a
focus of the seacoast region. In April, the group visited Concord as part of
Government Day.
The Director of Planning and Community Development attended the
National Planning Conference, produced by the American Planning Association.
This four day conference focused on rethinking planning initiatives and
modernizing systems and techniques to communicate ideas to the public. The
Director attended sessions on funding opportunities, using zoning maps to
convey more than just zoning boundaries, climate change, innovative web page
and tablet tools to communicate plans and planning to the public, and sessions
on management strategies to bring efficiencies to plan review processes.
9.
Develop a closer working relationship with the School Department and all other
City Departments. Further explore and pursue opportunities where City and
Schools can combine and/share services for the benefit of the community and report
to the City Council.
10.
Support local businesses to aid in the community’s economic growth by working
in conjunction with local economic development groups and business
organizations.
The Director of Planning and Community Development continued
to work with the Economic Development Director to review the proposed infill
development proposal and its revisions, as presented by River Valley
Development. This included attending the City Council workshop reviewing the
infill opportunities.
12.
Complete the implementation of the ongoing energy efficiency improvements and provide
periodic reports of energy savings.
Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) has completed the first quarter
energy report for the City. JCI completed energy upgrades and improvements to City
buildings and facilities as part of a guaranteed energy savings contract with
Dover. The City is on track to save $319,463 in the first year of the contract
with JCI which started in November through October, annually for a ten (10)
year period. Fiscal year to date savings are $186,516. The report can be viewed
at www.dover.nh.gov, under “Current City
Reports.” The report is titled: Johnson Control M&V Report 1st Quarter
Report
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
UPDATES:
FOCUS/GOALS:
Planning
and Community Development staff worked in April with staff at COAST to review
locations for bus stops and ways to improve transit frequency. The review
focused on handicap accessibility and installation of bus shelters at stops.
These shelters will allow users to be protected from the elements while waiting
for the bus.
Planning
staff continued to work encouraging participation in May’s Bike/Walk to work
week. The City has hosted a free breakfast to “green” commuters for the past
two years and plans on promoting the event this year, as well.
Planning
staff worked with Strafford Regional Planning Commission staff to complete an
application for the designation of Route 108 from the Durham line to Portland
Avenue as a scenic byway promoting the mills in Dover. This application will be
forwarded to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation for review and
inclusion in this Federal program. Additionally, staff withed with the
Commission on a Coastal Grant to review fluvial erosion concerns along the
Cochecho River. Dover staff will assist the Commission with in-kind matching
efforts for a grant the Commission received. Finally, Planning staff worked to
educate the Commission staff regarding Dover’s Park and Ride facilities. This
work included background, grants applied to fund the projects, user statistics
and operations overviews.
Planning
staff worked on the Community Trail, to assist in its completion. This work
included working to develop bids for the construction of the connector under
the Spaulding Turnpike and Whittier Falls Way. Work also included reviewing
drainage and vandalism concerns along the Fisher Street to Folsom Street
portion and reviewing sign needs along the whole length of the trail. Finally,
staff updated trail maps online and in promotional material.
Planning
staff worked with residents of the Atkinson, Belknap, Cushing and Lexington
neighborhood as part of the traffic calming project contained within the CIP.
This project is investigating options for traffic calming that will work best
for the neighborhood. Jeffery Taylor and Associates has been retained to assist
the neighborhood and staff in this project. The project is intended to be
completed this summer.
In
addition to the day to day activities in the Planning Department, staff
facilitated the following applications before Boards and Commissions:
Planning Board
·
Continued
a public hearing on renovating a former shoe factory/warehouse into 42 units of
housing located at 1 Dover Street.
·
A
site walk was held April 3, 2012 for the Dover Street project.
Zoning Board
·
Tabled
a variance request for Salmon Falls Holdings for 46/48 Arch Street from Section
170-12 and 170-40 of the Zoning Ordinance.
o
This
will allow for the erection of a 3 unit dwelling, where single family are
allowed by right.
·
Granted
a variance request for McQuade realty at 2 Sumner Drive from Section 170-12.A
of the Zoning Ordinance.
o
This
allows a Commercial Recreation facility in the Rural Industrial District.
Conservation Commission
·
A
request for a NHDES Permit by Notification for John Gesek located at 127 Spur Road.
o
This
allows a the owner to conduct work adjacent to the Bellamy River in a tidal
wetland to replace six existing creosote timber pilings on a fixed pier with
new pressure treated pilings in the same locations.
Transportation Advisory Commission
·
Endorsed
a group of residents who wish to install walkability signs to improve
pedestrian mobility in Dover.
o
This
pilot project will be done in conjunction with City staff.
·
Approved
a request to add a stop sign on Dover Street at Park Street.
·
Approved
a request to add two stop signs on Ham Street at Park Street.
·
Approved
a request to remove a one way restriction on the Woodman Park School access
road.
·
Approved
a request to remove a prohibition of parking on Central Avenue, southbound,
near Tuttle Square (Silver Street).
Energy Commission
·
Held
an organizational meeting, approving rules, identifying when meetings will
occur and discussing the election of officers.
Ensure timely preparation and presentation
of the FY13 – 18 Capital Improvements Program.
The
Capital Improvement’s Program was approved by the City Council on December 14.
Coordinate update of Land Use and
Transportation chapters of the Master Plan, through development and implementation
of Speak Out Dover and associated survey programs.
Work
continued on the Dover 2023 visioning sessions. Three were held at the
elementary schools in April, on the 10, 12, and 16th. These sessions
sought to prioritize the results from the March meetings and to refine the
direction that vision elements might direct the City to take. These elements
will be further refined in May.
Review, and update as needed, the
Community Development Block Grant program to ensure compatibility with Best
Management Practices.
The Director of Planning and Community
Development and the Community Block Grant Coordinator met with representatives
from HUD to discuss changes that might be put in place, which will refine the
process, while still meeting federal guidelines. These include the presentation
of data and the solicitation and collection of application information.
Promote streamlining plan review through
use of electronic means amongst internal staff (smart board at TRC etc).
Pricing
of the installation of a smart board in the Second Floor conference room in
City Hall has placed this project on hold.
Analyze the City Code to ensure that
City regulations encourage sustainable practices in city operations and
encourage green practices by residents and business owners.
The
Planning Board has undertaken a review of the final 5 land use amendments
suggested by the EPA Building Blocks report. These amendments act to promote
alternative energy sources, reduce the City’s carbon footprint and encouraging
use of sustainability through resource allocation. The Planning Board reviewed
these on April 24th, and is continuing to support 4 of the 5
amendments.
Develop educational opportunities for
staff and board/commission members that are low resource cost, whether through
staff presentations to boards/commissions, or web based education.
The
Director of Planning and Community Development worked with the Planning Board
Chair to develop an educational program for the 2012 workshops that occur the
second Tuesday of the month for Planning Board members. The April topic is land
use board orientation and sidewalks vs shoulders for roadways. The May topic
will be issues facing Great Bay and the Capital Improvements Program.
Increase outreach and education to
business and residents on benefits of infill development and transit oriented
development as means to develop and redevelop in Dover’s urban core.
The
Assistant City Planner and the Economic Development Director continue to
develop outreach materials for businesses on Dover’s sign regulations.
The Director of Planning and Community
Development is developing an invitation to business owners. The invitation will
be to meet with Planning staff and discuss the relation between developing a
quality of life Dover residents would like, while being supportive of economic
development.
Coordinate discussions and
implementation of improved pedestrian and vehicular way finding signs in
downtown Dover.
Planning
staff met with residents who wish to work on this project. The project will be
a pilot project, which the residents are fundraising to support.
DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION & ENHANCEMENTS
The Director of Planning and Community Development was
selected to moderate a session on using Arts and Culture in revitalizing a
community as part of this year’s New Hampshire Planner’s Association annual
conference in May. The session will be the closing session.
Planning and Community Development staff
assisted the Community Services and Inspection staff with a review of
outstanding issues on several projects, and took the lead on reaching out to
the developers. The plans/projects are as follows:
·
Gladiola
Way
·
Willand
Pond
·
Silver
Street reconstruction request for proposals.
·
Nelson
Street reconstruction request for proposals.
·
Centennial
Drive
·
Property
at the intersection of Ham and Park Streets
·
99
Columbus Avenue
·
Olive
Meadow Lane
Planning staff worked with land owners
of property at the following locations on development or redevelopment
opportunities:
- NH Coffee on Sumner Drive
- Spruce Lane
- 544 Tolend Road
- 37 Dover Point Road
- 28 Dover Point Road
- Thornwood Commons project
- 6 Dover Point Road
- Temple Israel
- 44 Arch Street
- 1 Washington Street
- 23 Horne Street
- Various properties owned by Robbins Auto Parts Realty
- Properties at the intersection of Oak Street and Central Avenue.
- The Herbal Path
- Property on Dover Neck Road
- Property on lower Central Avenue
- Dover Community Garden
- Dover Fields project on Durham Road.
DEPARTMENTAL ACKNOLWEDGEMENTS
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