Election Day and the Planning Board

Hello,
  Attached and emebedded below is a Grafton Focus Special Edition.

Regards,
Karel Pluhar
The Grafton Focus Group

The Grafton Focus

Grafton, New Hampshire                                          March
7,
2008
Special Edition                                                 e-mail:
efocus@mailup.net

Join us at Candidate's Night –Friday, March 7th   - 7:00 p.m. -
Grafton
Town Hall

Meet the candidates, take the opportunity to ask questions!




Election Day - March 11th at the Grafton Vol. Fire and Ambulance
Station
- Polls open 8 am - 7 pm
--PLEASE VOTE-- Your vote can make a difference!


1. Why Do We Have a Planning Board?

New Hampshire towns have planning boards in order to ensure that the
town itself has some control over how it grows.  People may believe
that
growth is either good or bad, and that is an interesting debate.  One
thing that is not debatable is that growth is inevitable and expensive.

Growth requires new or upgraded roads, improvement in services such as
police, ambulance and fire protection, as well as increases in capacity
of the local school system.  While more homeowners in town means that
the town will collect more tax revenues, the costs of growth frequently
exceed the increased revenues.

Historically, as towns across the state grew, they realized that these
costs of growth were not being made up by increased tax revenues.  So,
towns went to the legislature in Concord asking for a means to manage
the costs of growth.  The legislature determined that it was not a good
idea for the state government to try to manage growth.  Instead, the
legislature decided to create a system of local control.  That way,
each
town would be able to manage its own growth without interference from
Concord.

To establish local control, the legislature passed laws authorizing
towns to create local planning boards.  The boards would hold local
meetings where interested citizens of the town could gather to discuss
how they wanted the town to grow.  Based on what it learned in these
meetings, the planning board would draft a master plan encompassing the
ideas of the citizens.  The master plan would then be proposed to the
town for adoption at town meeting.  Once the master plan was adopted,
the planning board would draft regulations to put in place the ideas
set
out in the master plan.

Grafton did all these things years ago.  The town voted to establish a
planning board; the board worked with interested citizens and
residents
to create a master plan, and the board has adopted regulations to
implement the master plan.

2.  What Does the Planning Board Do?

The planning board's primary job is to protect the health, safety and
welfare of the people in the town by managing the town's growth as
required by the master plan.

The major way that the town grows is when large tracts of land are
divided into smaller residential lots.  When these subdivisions of land
take place, the planning board is required to review them.  This review
is to protect the buyer of the subdivided lots, the abutters of the
subdivided lots, and the town taxpayers.  How it does all three is as
follows:

   a.    Protection of Buyers of Subdivided Lots.
The planning board looks to make certain that buyers of subdivided lots
can actually build a home on the lots.  The board makes certain that
the
lots will be suitable for a well and a septic system.  The board makes
sure that there are no wetlands that would make it impossible for the
buyer to build on the lots.  The board also makes sure that the lots
conform to Grafton's ordinance that requires all building lots to
consist of 2 or more acres.  Also, if the subdivision is going to need
to have a new road built to provide access to the new lots, the board
makes sure that the road is built to town requirements so that
emergency
vehicles will be able to get in and out.  Also, if the new road is
privately maintained, the board makes sure that there is a plan in
place
to make sure that the maintenance is kept up.  This is again necessary
for the safety of the people living in the houses that are serviced by
that private road.

   b.    Protection of Abutters of Subdivided Lots.
    The planning board, as part of the review process, holds a public
    hearing on the subdivision.  All abutters of the land that is
    proposed for subdivision are notified in writing by certified mail
    that the subdivision has been proposed, and that a hearing will be
    held, and when.  At that hearing, the abutters and other citizens
of
    Grafton have the opportunity to tell the planning board any and all
    concerns that they may have about the proposed subdivision.

For example, if one abutter is concerned that removal of trees and
building of a home on the proposed subdivision may cause water to run
over his or her lot, that abutter can tell the board.  The board can
then look into that and require the subdivider to take remedial action.

Another abutter may be concerned that increased traffic on the road
caused by the subdivision might be dangerous.  The board can then look
into that and require changes to the road to improve safety.

    As you can see, one of the board's most important functions is to
    make certain that the public is involved in how the town grows.

   c.    Protection of the Town's Taxpayers.
One of the most costly aspects to growth occurs when a subdivision
results in major expenses to the town.  For example, if the subdivision
is large enough to require that a road be built to provide access to
the
new lots, the risk to the town is that the subdivider may not complete
the road after people have bought lots and have moved in.  In that
case,
the homeowners may be able to require the town to complete the road,
which will be very costly.  That cost will be paid directly by the
taxpayers in increased taxes.  In order to protect the town from that
risk, the planning board can require the subdivider to post a bond
equivalent to the cost to build the road.  Then, if for whatever reason
the subdivider does not complete the road, then the town can use the
money from the bond to complete the road itself.

Another issue related to road construction is if the subdivision will
increase traffic on a current town road so much that the current road
will need to be upgraded, the planning board can also require the
subdivider to pay the costs of that upgrade.  This way, this
particular
cost of increased growth will not be passed on to the taxpayers.
Whether we think growth is good or bad, I think we all agree that the
costs of growth should be borne by those who will benefit.  A
subdivider who creates a large subdivision stands to make substantial
profit from the sale of the lots.  One of the planning board's jobs is
to make sure that the subdivider does not make that profit at the cost
of the taxpayers of Grafton.

3.  What Happens if the Planning Board is Abolished?
This is a hard question to answer - since this has not happened in
another New Hampshire town, we don't know exactly what would happen.
State law says that all land use control activities previously done by
the board cease immediately with the abolition of the planning board.
We do know that the State will not pick up the slack - there are no
provisions in state law to allow the State to take over the planning
process.  The Board of Selectmen does not have the authority to do what
the planning board does, either.  That means that no local authorities
will be looking out for the buyers of lots, the abutters of subdivided
lots, or the taxpayers of the town in the way that the planning board
does.  Notice to the public and provisions for public comment on
proposed subdivisions will stop.  No board that is accountable to the
voters and taxpayers of Grafton will have any say in how a subdivision
is planned, built, or paid for.

The planning board has an important role in keeping Grafton the town it
is, and that we all want it to be.

One has to ask oneself:   How does the Town benefit from abolishing the
Planning Board?

The Grafton Focus
was formed by citizens interested in finding and providing information
relevant to local government, identifying issues of concern for the
betterment of Grafton, finding resources, and seeking solutions.
--
  The Grafton Focus Group
  efocus@mailup.net

10:36 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Election Day and the Planning Board

Hello,
  Attached and emebedded below is a Grafton Focus Special Edition.

Regards,
Karel Pluhar
The Grafton Focus Group

The Grafton Focus

Grafton, New Hampshire                                          March
7,
2008
Special Edition                                                 e-mail:
efocus@mailup.net

Join us at Candidate's Night –Friday, March 7th   - 7:00 p.m. -
Grafton
Town Hall

Meet the candidates, take the opportunity to ask questions!




Election Day - March 11th at the Grafton Vol. Fire and Ambulance
Station
- Polls open 8 am - 7 pm
--PLEASE VOTE-- Your vote can make a difference!


1. Why Do We Have a Planning Board?

New Hampshire towns have planning boards in order to ensure that the
town itself has some control over how it grows.  People may believe
that
growth is either good or bad, and that is an interesting debate.  One
thing that is not debatable is that growth is inevitable and expensive.

Growth requires new or upgraded roads, improvement in services such as
police, ambulance and fire protection, as well as increases in capacity
of the local school system.  While more homeowners in town means that
the town will collect more tax revenues, the costs of growth frequently
exceed the increased revenues.

Historically, as towns across the state grew, they realized that these
costs of growth were not being made up by increased tax revenues.  So,
towns went to the legislature in Concord asking for a means to manage
the costs of growth.  The legislature determined that it was not a good
idea for the state government to try to manage growth.  Instead, the
legislature decided to create a system of local control.  That way,
each
town would be able to manage its own growth without interference from
Concord.

To establish local control, the legislature passed laws authorizing
towns to create local planning boards.  The boards would hold local
meetings where interested citizens of the town could gather to discuss
how they wanted the town to grow.  Based on what it learned in these
meetings, the planning board would draft a master plan encompassing the
ideas of the citizens.  The master plan would then be proposed to the
town for adoption at town meeting.  Once the master plan was adopted,
the planning board would draft regulations to put in place the ideas
set
out in the master plan.

Grafton did all these things years ago.  The town voted to establish a
planning board; the board worked with interested citizens and
residents
to create a master plan, and the board has adopted regulations to
implement the master plan.

2.  What Does the Planning Board Do?

The planning board's primary job is to protect the health, safety and
welfare of the people in the town by managing the town's growth as
required by the master plan.

The major way that the town grows is when large tracts of land are
divided into smaller residential lots.  When these subdivisions of land
take place, the planning board is required to review them.  This review
is to protect the buyer of the subdivided lots, the abutters of the
subdivided lots, and the town taxpayers.  How it does all three is as
follows:

   a.    Protection of Buyers of Subdivided Lots.
The planning board looks to make certain that buyers of subdivided lots
can actually build a home on the lots.  The board makes certain that
the
lots will be suitable for a well and a septic system.  The board makes
sure that there are no wetlands that would make it impossible for the
buyer to build on the lots.  The board also makes sure that the lots
conform to Grafton's ordinance that requires all building lots to
consist of 2 or more acres.  Also, if the subdivision is going to need
to have a new road built to provide access to the new lots, the board
makes sure that the road is built to town requirements so that
emergency
vehicles will be able to get in and out.  Also, if the new road is
privately maintained, the board makes sure that there is a plan in
place
to make sure that the maintenance is kept up.  This is again necessary
for the safety of the people living in the houses that are serviced by
that private road.

   b.    Protection of Abutters of Subdivided Lots.
    The planning board, as part of the review process, holds a public
    hearing on the subdivision.  All abutters of the land that is
    proposed for subdivision are notified in writing by certified mail
    that the subdivision has been proposed, and that a hearing will be
    held, and when.  At that hearing, the abutters and other citizens
of
    Grafton have the opportunity to tell the planning board any and all
    concerns that they may have about the proposed subdivision.

For example, if one abutter is concerned that removal of trees and
building of a home on the proposed subdivision may cause water to run
over his or her lot, that abutter can tell the board.  The board can
then look into that and require the subdivider to take remedial action.

Another abutter may be concerned that increased traffic on the road
caused by the subdivision might be dangerous.  The board can then look
into that and require changes to the road to improve safety.

    As you can see, one of the board's most important functions is to
    make certain that the public is involved in how the town grows.

   c.    Protection of the Town's Taxpayers.
One of the most costly aspects to growth occurs when a subdivision
results in major expenses to the town.  For example, if the subdivision
is large enough to require that a road be built to provide access to
the
new lots, the risk to the town is that the subdivider may not complete
the road after people have bought lots and have moved in.  In that
case,
the homeowners may be able to require the town to complete the road,
which will be very costly.  That cost will be paid directly by the
taxpayers in increased taxes.  In order to protect the town from that
risk, the planning board can require the subdivider to post a bond
equivalent to the cost to build the road.  Then, if for whatever reason
the subdivider does not complete the road, then the town can use the
money from the bond to complete the road itself.

Another issue related to road construction is if the subdivision will
increase traffic on a current town road so much that the current road
will need to be upgraded, the planning board can also require the
subdivider to pay the costs of that upgrade.  This way, this
particular
cost of increased growth will not be passed on to the taxpayers.
Whether we think growth is good or bad, I think we all agree that the
costs of growth should be borne by those who will benefit.  A
subdivider who creates a large subdivision stands to make substantial
profit from the sale of the lots.  One of the planning board's jobs is
to make sure that the subdivider does not make that profit at the cost
of the taxpayers of Grafton.

3.  What Happens if the Planning Board is Abolished?
This is a hard question to answer - since this has not happened in
another New Hampshire town, we don't know exactly what would happen.
State law says that all land use control activities previously done by
the board cease immediately with the abolition of the planning board.
We do know that the State will not pick up the slack - there are no
provisions in state law to allow the State to take over the planning
process.  The Board of Selectmen does not have the authority to do what
the planning board does, either.  That means that no local authorities
will be looking out for the buyers of lots, the abutters of subdivided
lots, or the taxpayers of the town in the way that the planning board
does.  Notice to the public and provisions for public comment on
proposed subdivisions will stop.  No board that is accountable to the
voters and taxpayers of Grafton will have any say in how a subdivision
is planned, built, or paid for.

The planning board has an important role in keeping Grafton the town it
is, and that we all want it to be.

One has to ask oneself:   How does the Town benefit from abolishing the
Planning Board?

The Grafton Focus
was formed by citizens interested in finding and providing information
relevant to local government, identifying issues of concern for the
betterment of Grafton, finding resources, and seeking solutions.
--
  The Grafton Focus Group
  efocus@mailup.net

10:36 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Informational meeting about abolishing the planning board

The Grafton Focus Group is hosting an informational meeting about
     the planning board. The meeting will be held on February 22nd at
     the old Town Hall at 7:00 pm. There will be a warrant article to
     abolish the planning board on this year's ballot.  Dave Rienzo, a
     member of the planning board, will be at the meeting to answer
     questions about what the planning board does, and to discuss how
     the town would have to function if there was no planning board.


On Friday March 7th, the Grafton Focus Group will host a candidate's
night, as we do every year before the election. Candidate's night will
be held at the Town Hall at 7:00 pm.

12:30 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Property Evaluations; Town of Grafton

Hi Grafton efocus subscribers,
    You probably just got a letter from the town's property assessors
    showing a whopping increase in your property assessment. Seems like
    everybody's valuations went up about 52 or 53%. I would like to 
test
    that. If you take your new property evaluation and divide it by 
last
    year's evaluation, you should get a number like 1.52 or 1.53. That
    is, a property assessed at $100,000 last year would be assessed at
    152,000 this year. When you divide 152,000 by 100,000 you get 1.52.

If you will grab a calculator and send me the number you get as a 
result
(don't send me your property evaluations, just the result of dividing
this year's evaluation by last year's), I will  send all of you the
result - the average property evaluation increase. Just put the number
in the subject line of the email, you can leave the email blank if you
wish. 

The good news is that if everybody has been hit by the same increase,
then the tax rate will be decreased proportionately, and everybody will
be paying about the same property tax they paid last year. So that is
what I want to find out, is the increase about the same for everybody?

Thanks for your help,

Karel Pluhar
The Grafton Focus Group

    
-- 
  The Grafton Focus Group
  efocus@mailup.net

8:29 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment