The Select Board voted on July 29, 2025, to hold a public hearing on Aug. 19 on a proposed addition to the town traffic ordinance that would create no-through-truck designations for specified streets.

Town staff presented draft ordinance language that, in staff's description, covers sections 2 through 6 of the draft and cites state authority that "allows the board to do that." The draft sets penalties at $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense, modeled on penalties used by other New Hampshire communities. The draft also lists exemptions: town and state government vehicles, school buses, fire and emergency vehicles, vehicles on emergency business, implements of husbandry (tractors), road repair and construction vehicles working on the street, garbage and trash collection vehicles, septic tank pumpers, wreckers towing disabled vehicles and propane/heating oil delivery trucks.

The draft includes additional exceptions so that commercial vehicles that must traverse the area to access a customary storage location, or those leaving or returning from such locations, are not unduly penalized. The ordinance would reference a map listing streets designated as no-through-truck routes and sets criteria for future requests, including residential character, road geometry (curves, blind hills), impact on adjacent roads and a prohibition on arterial roads being designated no-through-truck routes.

Board member motioned to schedule the hearing for Aug. 19; the board approved the motion. Staff told the board the chief of police had reviewed the draft and that a public hearing notice had been prepared for publication and posting to the town website.

Why it matters: The ordinance would restrict through truck traffic on interior roads that staff said are not designed for continuous truck use and establish fines and exemptions intended to limit unintended hardship on local commerce while protecting residential streets.

Next steps: The board will conduct the public hearing on Aug. 19 and then may vote to adopt, modify, or reject the ordinance after receiving public comment; the draft was included in the meeting packet and posted to the meeting screen.