Support Lebanon housing initiatives

As we are all painfully aware, housing here in the Upper Valley has become increasingly scarce and largely unaffordable to the average worker. Most of the new housing that has been constructed over the past decade has been in the form of large-scale apartment projects. While these projects serve a valid purpose, they often don’t fit into established neighborhoods, and they do nothing to address the needs and desires of those who want to own their own home and not become perpetual renters. On March 14, Lebanon voters will have the opportunity to support several zoning amendments that will begin to address the issue of affordable home ownership.

One of the proposed amendments would create a provision for “cottage developments” (sometimes referred to as “pocket neighborhoods”) consisting of up to 16 single-family homes clustered around a common open space. Similar developments have been created in multiple locations around the U.S. and provide both a means for young families to purchase an affordable home of their own and a way for seniors to downsize from current homes which may be too large for their needs. One of the keys to successful cottage developments is intelligently crafted regulations which allow them to be incorporated into existing neighborhoods while retaining and enhancing neighborhood character and vitality. Our proposed regulations are designed precisely with this goal in mind.

There is no one solution to the current housing problem. What is critical to maintaining a healthy, vibrant community is a variety of housing options for both renters and owners. Cottage developments can play a critical role in this. An interesting source of additional information on this option can be found at https://rosschapin.com/projects/pocket-neighborhoods. Information specific to Lebanon’s proposal can be found on the city’s Planning and Development Department website (https://lebanonnh.gov/440/Planning-Development) and will also be available at the various polling locations on March 14.

Tim McNamara

mayor, city of Lebanon

Kluge for Enfield Selectboard

I will once again be running for the position of Selectman for the town of Enfield. I have served 5 terms thus far, and my 15 years of service to the citizens of this town have been a great education. From the Great Recession to the COVID pandemic, I have gained experience, knowledge, and a clear sense of both the past and the road into the future.

Enfield has made a clear commitment to both maintaining and renewing its infrastructure: Whitney Hall improvements, an Emergency Services complex, water and sewer line improvements, and more. All this will require careful management and careful budgeting. My years as a Selectman — and my time as the Selectboard’s representative to the Planning Board (12 years) and to the Budget Committee (three years) — give me a solid foundation of knowledge to help guide the town through these challenges.

After 34 years teaching at Kimball Union Academy, I am retiring after this school year, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to devote even more time to our town. I would appreciate your vote so we can work together to keep Enfield a great place to live, work and enjoy. Thank you.

John W. Kluge

Enfield

Reject opening up development for Charlestown watershed area

Charlestown residents will vote on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Warrant Article 3 on the Town Ballot would allow multifamily housing to occur in the Zone D watershed area of town. Currently, Zone D safeguards forests and agriculture. Recreational opportunities abound in this area for hikers, hunters, snowmobilers, and scouts. The undeveloped land in Zone D protects landowners of Charlestown and surrounding towns from erosion and flooding, provides clean water and is a haven for plants, birds and wildlife.

Although Article 3 states multifamily housing will be allowed by special exception, no clarification is provided as to what special exceptions will be considered. Recent actions by town officials have been arbitrary and shown their unwillingness to follow state requirements and safeguard conservation lands. In granting a building permit for a mansion atop Perry Mountain accessed via an historic Class VI road, town officials have turned a blind eye to their contractual obligations to protect conservation easement land, and to ensure new development follows building code requirements. They have been unwilling to apply the Watershed Guidelines to prevent damaging runoff to surrounding properties. If this is done for a single-family dwelling, there is little hope town officials will apply safeguards when approving a new multifamily development.

In a recent survey, sent to all Charlestown taxpayers, 94% of respondents stated that the town should protect its natural resources. Article 3 is at odds with the declared wishes of town taxpayers. Five other zones comprising a significant amount of land are already available for development of multifamily dwellings in Charlestown. Why destroy this valuable watershed zone for this purpose? Vote no on Article 3 and vote to protect our town’s natural resources!

Sharon Francis

Charlestown

Cedric Fisk

Charlestown

Jeffrey Lessels

Selectboard member, Charlestown

Bonnie Remick

Charlestown

No on Charlestown article

We are writing in response to the March 5 Valley News article regarding the expansion of Charlestown Zone D to allow multifamily dwellings (“Voters to consider housing solutions”). In this article the chair of the Planning Board stated this is a goal in the Charlestown Master Plan. Neglected in the discussion are the goals in this same plan to protect the very area which Article 3 will open to large development projects.

The Master Plan establishes goals to protect natural resources such as those found in Zone D. One such goal is to restrict building on steep slopes in order to prevent damaging runoff causing thousands of tax dollars in road repair. Another important goal is to protect multiple areas of rare plants and species of concern. Other goals work toward adding protections for vernal pools and wildlife habitat. And yet another goal is to consider creating a wildlife habitat/corridor overlay district to include all Charlestown properties abutting the Acworth town line, the Unity town line south of Unity Stage Road, and the Langdon town line east of South Hemlock Road.

Opening Zone D to multifamily housing puts these goals at risk. Charlestown already has multiple lands open for multifamily housing that have yet to be used for this purpose. Allowing multi-family housing in Zone D can lead to loss of important natural resources such as clean water, rare plants, and species of concern. Development in this highly elevated zone can also cause damage to surrounding properties and harm area streams and brooks due to the runoff created once land is disturbed.

On Tuesday, March 14, we urge Charlestown residents to vote no on Article 3. Protect Zone D from unnecessary and irreversible damage that would impact Charlestown and its bordering towns.

Katie Lajoie

Charlestown

Leanne Mortell

Unity

Is partisanship preferable to proficiency?

On March 14, the voters of Claremont have the opportunity to choose the composition of the School Board and select a budget from two alternatives. In support of an informed electorate, I interviewed the School Board candidates. These interviews are being aired on channel 8, and are available on the CCTV website, look for “Your Candidates.”

Partway through the interview process, the Claremont Democratic Committee announced its slate of candidates. As a result, I could only ask two of the five candidates about this partisan endorsement. I wish I had been able to discuss this with each of them.

The Claremont school system faces serious challenges specific to Claremont, which have nothing to do with the ongoing money laundering operation in Ukraine, the governor of Florida’s war against Disney, or any other national political issues. RSA 193-H2 states, “On or before the 2013-2014 school year, schools shall ensure all pupils are performing at the basic level or above on the statewide assessment established in RSA 193-C.” Ten years later, barely 25% of our students meet this requirement. Rarely are these two facts included in discussions of funding constitutionally adequate education.

Nonpartisan local elections are preferable as they allow local officials from different parties to collaborate to deliver much-needed local services that have nothing to do with party politics. In contrast, partisan local elections lead to the sort of political ghettoization of the electorate, as seen in the nation’s larger cities.

Our students and schools face significant challenges. Our School Board elections suffer from notoriously low voter turnout. Like firearms, ballot boxes are inherently dangerous. They do not have brains. Their safe operation requires that you bring your brains. Become informed about the candidates’ positions on our school system’s various challenges, and be sure to vote on March 14.

Kevin Tyson

Claremont

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