Raymond Voter Information Project

Article 2 — Zoning Amendment 1

Time Extension for Emergency Water Line Zoning

Text of 2011 Town Warrant Article 2

Raymond anticipates an emergency water main extension from Batchelder Road at Route107, down Route 102, to the Mottolo Superfund site off Blueberry Hill Road.¹ Historically, tying into town water has allowed automatic residential rezoning with smaller requirements for minimum lot size, road frontage, and setbacks—which allows higher density development.² Since temporary limits on zoning changes are the usual way to handle orderly planning for municipal services (schools, police, fire, etc.) necessitated by unexpected situations, the Planning Board recommended, and voters passed (2010), an 18-month suspension of automatic rezoning in this corridor.³ This amendment closes an approximate four-month window during which automatic rezoning could resume before the plan could be Publicly Noticed to the voters for the 2012 election.

A YES vote extends the current suspension of automatic residential rezoning for this corridor to December 31, 2011.

A NO vote terminates the current suspension of automatic residential rezoning for this corridor on September 8, 2011.

Reasons why some voters might vote yes:

• Allows the Planning Board additional time to hear comments from other town boards and the public.
• Allows the opportunity for any potential rezoning for this corridor to be submitted to the voters rather than taking place automatically.
• Maintains protection against potential sudden increased residential density in this corridor, for which the town is not prepared, during the window between the September 9, 2011 termination of the existing temporary suspension of automatic rezoning, and Public Notice for the Zoning Public Hearing for the 2012 election. (Note: Proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments become binding upon posting Public Notice, and remain binding until the voters make their decision.)⁴

Reasons why some voters might vote no:

• Affected landowners who tie into the new water line and want to seek immediate automatic residential rezoning to allow higher density development, will lose the four-month window of opportunity, and may lose the option entirely pending the outcome of the 2012 election.

References:

1. For more information about the Mottolo Superfund, see: http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/waste/hwrb/fss/superfund/mottolo_pig_farm.htm
2. Richard J. Mailhot, Raymond Code Enforcement Officer, Nov. 5, 2010 letter referencing the Raymond Zoning Ordinance 3.200 and 3.210.
3. 2010 Ballot Warrant Article 3 (Zoning Amendment #2) passed 772 to 571. See also Raymond Zoning Ordinance 5.100: Area and Dimensional Requirements.
4. RSA 676.12:I:(a) & (b) and 676:12:VI.

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