Housing Committee Minutes

MINUTES

Housing Committee Meeting

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Virtual Meeting – 7:00 PM

Committee Members: Barbara Freeman (Chair), Richard Wright (Planning Board), Christopher Hernick (Planning Board), Matt Mynczywor, Christopher Millette, Denise Mitchell, Joanne Lord, Steph Spaulding and Kristen Schultz, and Russell Smith (Selectman).

Public Attending
Peter Stanley (Consultant to the Newbury Planning Board).

1. Approval of Meeting Notes from 1/26/21- No corrections or additions
2. Moving Forward After the Public Outreach Meeting

Ms. Freeman noted that the response to the outreach meeting on 1/26/21 was meager.Most of the attendees were committee members.

The Committee members agreed they would like to try to increase participation of Newbury residents. They will do this by increasing communication and awareness. Future meetings will be posted on the website. Ms. Freeman has created a meeting schedule that includes the meeting topics and a FAQ that will be posted on the website. A link to zoom will be posted when the meetings are remote.The meeting schedule and FAQ document will also be distributed to gathering places in town including the Town Hall, Newbury Library and Newbury Post Office and Newbury Transfer Station.Town organizations will be asked to post the meetings on their Facebook page.

Ms. Freeman informed the group that Ms. Zanderigo has agreed to handle communications with Baker Hill Golf course and Kearsarge Neighborhood Partners.

Ms. Shultz committed to going to a future Fire Department meeting to discuss the Housing Committee and its mission.

A Google form will also be on the town website so anyone can anonymously ask a question to the Committee.

1. Planning for March and April Meeting

Ms. Freeman noted that the meeting schedule for March and April includes sessions for the committee and the town to learn more about workforce and affordable housing.She has invited experts to present and answer questions in a panel at the March meeting. The panelists would include a for-profit housing developer, a non-profit housing developer and a non-profit funding agency.

She has reached out to the Catch CEO (in Concord) in hopes he could attend the panel. There is currently an interim CEO, and she is unsure if he will have the time availability to take part in this panel.

Ms. Freeman asked what the Committee members might want to ask the panelists.

The following were some questions that Ms. Freeman will pass along to the panelists in hopes that they will be able to have answers readily available on the night of the meeting.

• Please give examples of for-profit funding housing such as multifamily, single and other types of family housing.
• It was agreed that a slide presentation would be beneficial.
• What, in their opinion, is the biggest restriction within New Hampshire regulations for these housing options.

Ms. Freeman asked the Committee members what they would like Steve of RP&D to provide examples of at the plan site visits. The Committee members suggested the following:

• Examples of housing options in a rural setting.
• Affordable housing options.
• Housing that would work well in South Newbury.
• Commercial mixed with housing options.
• Small studios with communal space.
• Subsidized Housing.

Planning further analysis

Is the map RP&D created and the online mapping from the assessor adequate for the  field work the committee will do?   It was decided, yes.

Do we ask RP&D to do additional policy and regulation review/audit of Newbury's land-use regulations?  It was decided, yes.  Chris Hernick is writing a grant proposal for additional funds for our work and he can include the estimated $1200. that it will cost to review Newbury's regulations.

1. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 8:11 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Donna Long

Recording Secretary