This web page provides up-to-date information, resources, and training for planning and zoning board members and staff members to utilize during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Upcoming Trainings and Events
- NHMA's COVID-19 Call for Municipal Officials – Every Thursday from 1 to 3 pm
Recurring Thursday weekly call by NHMA attorneys for municipal officials and employees on issues and matters arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. All municipal officials from member municipalities are encouraged to listen in. The purpose of the calls is to learn about continuing and new issues municipalities are facing, as well as to try to answer questions. - UNH Cooperative Extension Webinar: Tips for Improving your Hybrid (Virtual/In-Person) Meetings – August 5, 2020 from 10 to 11 am
Managing a meeting with members participating in person and others attending remotely can be challenging and presents obstacles beyond those of wholly virtual meetings. This free webinar will provide best practices for planning and managing these types of meetings to ensure that the meeting runs smoothly and all participants can be actively involved.
Executive Orders
- Governor’s Emergency Orders (Issued Pursuant to Executive Order 2020-04)
Office of Strategic Initiatives
- Tips for NH Land Use Boards During COVID-19 Outbreak
(UPDATED May 27, 2020)
Public Meetings and Right-to-Know Guidance
- Department of Justice
- Memo and Checklist regarding How to Conduct Emergency Meetings in Compliance with New Hampshire's Right-to-Know Law in Light of COVID-19 Concerns (State of New Hampshire, Department of Justice, March 31, 2020)
- Memo and Checklist regarding How to Conduct Emergency Meetings in Compliance with New Hampshire's Right-to-Know Law in Light of COVID-19 Concerns
- New Hampshire Municipal Association
- Remote Public Meeting Options (May 5, 2020) - this document includes a list of virtual meeting services and some helpful instructional and sample materials from the Town of Raymond utilizing the Zoom meeting platform
- Electronic Meeting - Right-to-Know Law Checklist (Prepared by James W. Kennedy, Esq. City Solicitor, City of Concord, March 26, 2020)
- NHMA Guidance Regarding Public Meetings and COVID-19 (March 24, 2020)
- NHMA Guidance on COVID-19 & The Right-to-Know Law (March 16, 2020)
- Governor Sununu's Memo to Municipal Officials regarding The Right-to-Know Law (March 16, 2020)
- NHMA General COVID-19 Resources
- Remote Public Meeting Options
Best Practices on Virtual Meetings
- UNH Cooperative Extension
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Meeting People Where They Are: Tools for Engaging your Community this Summer and Fall - Session 2 (UNH Extension, July 22, 2020)
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Meeting People Where They Are: Tools for Engaging your Community this Summer and Fall - Session 1 (UNH Extension, July 15, 2020)
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Rockingham Planning Commission Uses New Interface to Host Public Hearing (UNH Extension Blog, May 14, 2020)
- Lessons Learned from a Remote Public Hearing Webinar Recording (UNH Extension, May 8, 2020)
- Advanced Tools for Managing Zoom Meetings Webinar Recording (UNH Extension, May 1, 2020)
- Tips and Tools for Virtual Meetings (UNH Extension, April 29, 2020)
- Remote Public Meetings in the Time of COVID-19 Webinar Recording (UNH Extension, April 24, 2020)
- Best Practices: Hosting a Virtual Meeting (UNH Extension, March 27, 2020)
- Best Practices: Participating in a Virtual Meeting (UNH Extension, March 26, 2020)
- UNH Cooperative Extension General COVID-19 Resources
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- Miscellaneous Guidance
- How to Keep Your Zoom Chats Private and Secure (Wired, April 5, 2020)
- Public Meetings with Zoom, Implementation Experience in the State of Rhode Island (March 30, 2020)
- Online Alternatives to In-Person Public Meetings During an Emergency (LinkedIn, March 15, 2020)