[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6086402,"mediaKeyId","2896185-d3e2808dc6e5b2e523dc0c20749f97b4","parentId",2896185,"title","Portsmouth council hears housing committee report, public comments and approves several housing and land actions; asks staff to study resident parking","audioSeconds",5597,"startMs",1298000,"endMs",6895000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896185-d3e2808dc6e5b2e523dc0c20749f97b4&start=1298&end=6895","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896185-d3e2808dc6e5b2e523dc0c20749f97b4/thumbnail_1298000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6086402/New-Hampshire/Portsmouth-council-hears-housing-committee-report-public-comments-and-approves-several-housing-and-land-actions-asks-staff-to-study-resident-parking","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086402-0300f3feebd96b266370d019e5c27a83/orig.mp4?Expires=1770940220&Signature=YxfceyAEKjmx6F1XPgACHvGNRErVgHrj0Z8kvPKSB-dqYX5HnGtYGNKSz6qqSsmeqO2Okp~fp87HddrkqL45s~VNWR8cJKVUMnvwTETMlvcnSBXfwYyv6w0AtF5PlHq1ywMwfInCY8D39T4ojs0T6OiIGoL421kpFcGQhQ5o8Ilp~7BhjPIyKfrzVhENXUn9XmljDeFnFEoST9FAlINV5xYwrDPDYmzcGiWp~780gJ~O9bG~dT~DYYJ9xfEk3FbVUfODaGOPGnAAhZZ4TFhEd1C7cGnLi15N3sZdp7nWV3nVNPWi-IqXLt2aYikdGdZ8Y5IwB0iDlU6tDc5Tvj~bCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-08T14:57:01.033Z","article","At its April 7 meeting the Portsmouth City Council received a report from the mayor's Blue Ribbon Housing Committee, heard multiple public comments urging more affordable housing in the city, authorized a new below‑market rate housing trust, approved several land‑use and administrative items and asked staff to report back on the feasibility of a citywide resident parking program.

Blue Ribbon Housing Committee member Mary Loan briefed the council on its year‑long review of city‑owned lots as potential sites for below‑market housing. Loan said the committee narrowed an initial long list of city parcels to a short list of roughly seven potentially buildable sites and recommended examining the City Hall lower parking lot and 25 Granite Street as priorities for further feasibility analysis. \"There's an opportunity to turn a parking lot, car storage, into homes,\" Loan said, adding the committee considered walkability, proximity to services and site constraints such as wetlands.

During public comment, Gerald Duffy and other residents described personal experiences navigating Portsmouth's housing costs and urged the council to act quickly to expand permanently affordable units for working families and long‑time residents. Isabella Romero, a local housing advocate, said she faces being priced out of the city despite steady employment.

Council actions taken on housing and land items included formalizing a Portsmouth Below Market Rate Housing Trust and approving a settlement‑related payment allocation (the trust will receive public and private contributions as provided under the McIntyre settlement). Councilors voted to authorize the City Manager to execute the trust document so funds can be invested and spent under the trust's terms.

The council also acted on a series of staff requests with limited debate: it unmerged one previously merged lot (Lot 44 at 25 Sims Avenue) after the applicant narrowed the request; authorized a payment‑in‑lieu‑of‑taxes (PILOT) arrangement with the Friends of Lafayette House under a pilot agreement; and accepted an access easement for water service at 4059 Lafayette Road to allow tear‑down and valve access for the city's water crews.

Separately, the council authorized a 60‑day extension request for an encumbrance on the sidewalk at North Church for construction staging, then amended that extension on the floor to run only through May 6 to protect the Market Square/seasonal downtown operations; staff said they would follow up with the contractor to tighten the laydown plan and reduce sidewalk impacts where possible.

Recognizing parking as a persistent local constraint, the mayor asked for a feasibility report on a citywide resident parking program and mechanisms to limit parking permits for new development. The council voted to suspend rules and asked staff to analyze enforcement options, potential technology solutions and legal mechanisms to tie parking allocations to new developments. Councilors said a practical enforcement mechanism is needed so new housing does not overwhelm neighborhood street parking.

Votes at a glance (selected motions and outcomes from the April 7 meeting):
- Bellamy Reservoir easement bond: authorized up to $1,478,000 (resolution adopted).
- Co‑living zoning ordinance: passed first reading; public hearing and second reading set for May 5 (see separate coverage).
- City Below Market Rate Housing Trust: authorized City Manager to execute trust; funding from settlement and donor contributions to follow.
- Unmerge Lot 44 (25 Sims Avenue): approved per Planning Board recommendation.
- PILOT agreement, Friends of Lafayette House: authorized City Manager to enter agreement (amount described in packet; final amount to be confirmed in recorded agreement).
- Water service access easement (4059 Lafayette Road): accepted and to be recorded.
- North Church sidewalk encumbrance: extension approved as amended to May 6 for staging; staff to follow up on laydown vs. parking usage.

Staff updates: the City Manager reported the city signed the option to ground‑lease agreement with the Portsmouth Housing Authority for the Sherburne site and that the planning process for that project will proceed to the technical advisory committee and the Planning Board later this spring. The manager also reported the city had engaged consultants for a new master plan and listed upcoming community events, including a sustainability fair and a regional rail‑trail cleanup.

Councilors who spoke on these items included Councilor Taber, Councilor Cook, Councilor Dutton, Councilor Bagley and others. The meeting included a high level of public engagement on housing issues, and the council asked staff to return with more detailed analyses on parking, feasibility of potential city lots and zoning constraints that limit affordable housing production.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","4.7.2025 City Council","oneSentenceSummary","The council received a report from the mayor's Blue Ribbon Housing Committee, heard public testimony urging more affordable housing, approved a below‑market housing trust and several land and administrative actions, and directed staff to report back on a citywide resident parking program.","taxTitle","Portsmouth City Council, Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire","taxId",68330,"location","New Hampshire","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6086406,"Council authorizes bond up to $1.478 million to buy conservation easement to protect Bellamy Reservoir",861,4511000,5372000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896185-d3e2808dc6e5b2e523dc0c20749f97b4&start=4511&end=5372","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896185-d3e2808dc6e5b2e523dc0c20749f97b4/thumbnail_4511000.jpg","/articles/6086406/New-Hampshire/Council-authorizes-bond-up-to-1478-million-to-buy-conservation-easement-to-protect-Bellamy-Reservoir","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086406-a1e72d275d3dafa470d86b17ae4c212a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770940220&Signature=PuWJrVUqLcqhScwi-2xXyJhMBU9htttVIHkQt-CXnTrskpgKYzSWxE6CGx647DXdgBg40Wwz8fEPUlhEK~LYnngYhQrmN3xjVm~0U~WAJYhJ8QeBKuZnQLJmAI0Bk8XH~l3n0bTIiW8-tprKqjy4G98nHkyjsjnDVeJxNw0nwFwD9~WJ9uzbjwkzFb~PVNfbYJP5wcb8AARZkg2aSbHKcJwpALY6Mq37fcVDwz92vUJTXhBfi00vkVDVRYwKIokC5EXwQ7uIjJIN~83j29f6QjbzSnX2Ewp6FsAIlaqJF5h-oILTb4ybpHEorEYcpFjZutOL5YeY8iaLQwQNMmouoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Portsmouth City Council on April 7 voted to authorize a bond issue of up to $1,478,000 under the Municipal Finance Act to acquire a conservation easement on the Fernald property to protect the city's Bellamy Reservoir and its surface water intake.

Water Resources Manager Al Pratt told the council the parcel is roughly 45 acres with about three‑quarters of a mile of shoreline and sits immediately above the city's intake, where development could have a direct and immediate effect on water quality. Pratt said two state grants totaling $764,000 (a $739,000 award from the Drinking Water Groundwater Trust Fund and $25,000 from the Department of Environmental Services Local Source Water Protection Program) are in place. A third funding source -- $714,000 in congressionally directed federal funds -- has been requested but had not yet been disbursed at the time of the meeting.

\"The area right around the reservoir is the most important because this is direct runoff,\" Pratt said, explaining that the slope and location make the parcel a high priority for protection. He said the city is bonding now to allow the purchase to proceed promptly while grant paperwork and federal approvals are completed.

Members of the Safe Water Advisory Group and other residents urged the council to approve the bond. Andrea Amico, who leads the city's Safe Water Advisory Group, said the city cannot treat water as easily replaceable and praised the proactive purchase. \"You can't put a price on clean water,\" Amico said during the public hearing.

Resident and water professional Brian Guts also spoke in support, noting the reservoir's relatively undeveloped character and saying protecting the parcel preserves both the resource and its setting.

The council opened a public hearing, heard two supporters, and then voted by roll call to adopt the bond resolution. Roll call recorded Councilor Taber, Councilor Cook, Councilor Dutton, Councilor Blaylock, Councilor Bagley, Councilor Monroe and Mayor McEachern voting in the affirmative; the clerk announced the vote as unanimous.

Action taken: the council authorized a bond issue and/or notes under the Municipal Finance Act not to exceed $1,478,000 to purchase a conservation easement on the Fernald property to protect the Bellamy Reservoir water quality. The city expects to apply state grant funds and a requested federal allocation to reimburse the bonded funds as they are received.","Portsmouth City Council approved a resolution to borrow up to $1,478,000 to purchase a conservation easement on the Fernald property to protect the Bellamy Reservoir intake; staff said most of the cost will be covered by state and expected federal grants but timing uncertainty led to bonding now.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6086411,"Portsmouth council passes first reading of co‑living zoning change after debate over parking, management and rental terms",1714,2230000,3944000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896185-d3e2808dc6e5b2e523dc0c20749f97b4&start=2230&end=3944","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896185-d3e2808dc6e5b2e523dc0c20749f97b4/thumbnail_2230000.jpg","/articles/6086411/New-Hampshire/Portsmouth-council-passes-first-reading-of-coliving-zoning-change-after-debate-over-parking-management-and-rental-terms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086411-806dc1d218523cbd1f44288f2cb7e0b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770940220&Signature=iYYZUk5nANppOZLxRKn~6hXF4vcc9OsPx4BC6dX9njZafkXYe56xlD9Tfy4b~ryYPOomlQtWSpwEQoHvvwjW5HPM9G2RwAB~FNYWqZIe0VrK3vD5NASvZ7VHPPDOt2~GxibNb7Ecj3dIRJ55L7eXTqBzn5NWZp670HRQqHdJxrox7RUT52jtILA4mqzxhKUOS7ZB-BIpgoU33FIzhIsXN2sslF7~bcq3in5jD5Sl7TCOR02jveAy7f3JiWYvGcINbQk8CM8rc54-ZFAU4~xVpc5PB4DKa3Q-Ioa5Y8v~hX7QpCVnqG7Hx2FbS7hW5B1yT7d~gDt~ThlgYdVAsMVt0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Portsmouth City Council on April 7 voted to pass first reading and set a public hearing and second reading for May 5 on a proposed zoning ordinance that would add \"co‑living\" as a new use in the city's zoning code.

The Planning Board drafted the ordinance after several work sessions and a public survey designed to create an option for multiple unrelated residents living in shared units or converted office buildings. Councilors and staff emphasized the proposal was intended to expand housing type options in parts of the city, including the downtown and gateway areas.

Councilor Moreau, who brought the Planning Board's work forward, said, \"I think what's in here is a really good start,\" and asked the council for feedback on specific items still under review. The draft ordinance would add a new Section 10.815 (co‑living), amend supplemental use standards and add definitions to Article 15 of Chapter 10 (zoning).

A central topic of debate was parking. The draft ties parking requirements to proximity to public garages (a proposed 600‑foot threshold) and would require one parking space per four units in some situations. Councilor Bergman argued for housing over \"car storage,\" saying the city should prioritize homes where possible and called turning parking lots into housing \"a good thing.\" Councilor Cook urged removing parking requirements altogether, saying required parking can force luxury projects and raise costs.

Councilors also discussed the minimum rental term. The ordinance as introduced set a 30‑day minimum stay to distinguish co‑living from short‑term rentals. Several councilors said 30 days could be too short and suggested extending the minimum to 60 or 90 days to better serve traveling professionals and avoid creating de facto short‑term rental units. Councilor Begley and others noted the exemption helps attract workers such as traveling nurses, so the council asked the Planning Board to weigh market evidence.

On management, the draft initially required on‑site management for larger co‑living facilities. Councilors debated whether an on‑site manager should be mandatory or whether an on‑call service that can respond quickly would suffice; one proposal to specify an \"on‑call manager for every 40 residents\" was introduced for consideration but later not pressed to final amendment. The Acting City Attorney advised the council that the Planning Board would retain discretion to modify such conditional‑use terms and recommended any operational terms be defined clearly for staff enforcement.

Councilor Cook proposed broadening the definition of \"family\" so that people who form close emotional ties would not be excluded; the council instead voted to strike the specific family definition from the ordinance so the co‑living rules would not require occupants to meet that term.

The council amended the ordinance to expand where co‑living could be allowed as a conditional use, adding the G1 and G2 gateway districts and the CD4W character district (the downtown West End) to the initial downtown districts under consideration. Councilors left parking rule refinements, the final minimum stay length and operational definitions to the Planning Board to continue reviewing.

Action taken: the council voted to pass first reading of the zoning amendments (Article 4 additions, new Section 10.815, and Article 15 definitions) and scheduled a public hearing and second reading for the May 5 meeting; the council also voted to strike the defined term \"family\" from the ordinance and expanded the district list to include G1, G2 and CD4W. Additional technical changes and operational requirements were referred back to the Planning Board for refinement.

Councilors who spoke during the discussion included Councilor Moreau, Councilor Murrow, Councilor Bergman, Councilor Bullock, Councilor Taber, Councilor Cook, Councilor Dutton and Councilor Bagley; the Acting City Attorney advised on legal and noticing implications.

The Planning Board will continue to modify the draft and return recommendations on parking, minimum rental periods and management definitions before the May 5 public hearing and second reading.","The Portsmouth City Council voted to pass first reading of a zoning amendment to add \"co‑living\" as a use and sent the proposal to public hearing and second reading on May 5, 2025. Councilors debated parking requirements, minimum stay length, on‑site management and the ordinance's family definition before approving amendments to the draft.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Portsmouth council hears housing committee report, public comments and approves several housing and land actions; asks staff to study resident parking

Council authorizes bond up to $1.478 million to buy conservation easement to protect Bellamy Reservoir

Portsmouth council passes first reading of co‑living zoning change after debate over parking, management and rental terms