Reference Library

Growth Management

Resources

• HB 1260—Municipal Growth Management. 
  Reforms the local growth management (GMO) enabling statutes, RSA 674:22 and 23 by requiring that the adoption of a GMO be based on a need or capital infrastructure deficiency established through a study that "shall consider the municipality’s projected growth rate and the municipality’s need for additional services to accommodate such growth."  It also requires the planning board to annually assess the municipality’s progress toward meeting the identified needs or deficiencies and that the ordinance itself contain a specific termination date.  The law took effect on July 8, 2008, but those municipalities that already had a GMO in place will have until July 1, 2010, to make revisions to comply with the new law. 
• "How to Planning Guide Series" publications from the Strafford Regional Planning Commission
• "How To … Manage Community Growth"
• Growth Management , Lecture #1 Municipal Law Lecture series, Fall 2002 (revised 8-19-04), Stephen C. Buckley, Esq., Bossie, Kelly, Hodes, Buckley & McGrath, P.A.
• "MANAGING GROWTH IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: CHANGES & CHALLENGES", December 2000
• Status of Growth Management and Phased Development in New Hampshire (a summary prepared by Carol Ogilvie, revised October 2002)
• Script of the Community Growth Management video (no longer available)

Articles

• Here’s some basic info fresh from Sutton’s recent (unsuccessful) attempt at an interim residential permit cap … [more …]
• Weare growth restriction ruled legal, Concord Monitor, May 19, 2006
• (Hampton) Growth law is shot down, By Patrick Cronin, Seacoastonline.com, June 2, 2006
• Planning for NH’s Future, a series of articles in the Union Leader about growth in the state by Scott Brooks
  • "Planning for New Hampshire’s future", December 11, 2005
  • "Growth divides Chester", December 12, 2005
  • "Gridlock expected to grow", December 13, 2005
• "Hooksett: No go on growth control", By Matthew Call Union Leader Correspondent, June 20, 2006
• "Town defends growth ordinance", By Kate Davidson, Concord Monitor, December 8, 2006 "The town of Boscawen is asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit that claims the town's new interim growth management ordinance, which temporarily limits housing projects and blocks the construction of subdivisions, is illegal and unconstitutional."

Local Examples

• List of towns with growth management ordinances (RSA 674:22) or interim growth management ordinances (RSA 674:23) as self-reported by municipalities responding to the annual OEP survey of municipal information.
• List of towns with both a growth management ordinance and an impact fee ordinance as self-reported by municipalities responding to the annual OEP survey of municipal information.
• Examples of interim ordinances:
  • Belmont adopted 3/9/04 Belmont Web site
  • Farmington adopted 9/30/03
  • Gilmanton adopted 3/9/04
  • Northfield adopted 3/11/03. (They adopted a longer term ordinance in 2004.)
  • Northwood proposed 10/11/04 Northwood Web site
  • Peterborough adopted 9/10/02
• Examples of local ordinances (contact each municipality to confirm that the example given is the latest version of their ordinance):
  • Barnstead (adopted/amended in 2003)
  • Bow (adopted/amended in 2003)
  • Brookline
  • Canterbury
  • Chichester
  • Derry
  • Epsom (adopted/amended in 2003)
  • Exeter
  • Fremont
  • Greenland
  • Harrisville
  • Hopkinton
  • Hudson
  • Litchfield
  • Londonderry
  • Loudon (adopted/amended in 2003)
  • Northfield (Article 5, adopted 3/9/04)
  • Pittsfield (see ARTICLE 20, DEVELOPMENT PHASING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT, which begins at the end of "PAGE 5" on the links provided to reach various sections of the ordinance.)
  • Sandown
  • Wilton

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