Housing commission agrees to send letter supporting revised land‑use code to Board of Mayor and Aldermen

The Manchester Housing Commission agreed Oct. 8 to send a short memo of support for the revised land‑use code (second draft) to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, using a draft prepared by Commissioner Kate with some edits from other members.

Commissioners said they wanted the memo concise — essentially a short endorsement plus a closing sentence urging the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to pass the revised second draft — and asked staff to identify the correct recipient. They discussed keeping the letter under one page and combining language from several drafts so the letter is factual and not overly aspirational about outcomes the code itself does not guarantee.

Commission members reviewed several paragraphs in circulation and agreed to keep the opening statement and a closing recommendation. They asked staff to circulate a Word document with the final wording and a letterhead so the commission could submit it promptly. Commissioner Jess agreed to be a delegate for an upcoming public meeting about the sale of the Sununu Center and commissioners said Jeff would be asked whom to send the memo to at the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

The commission did not record a formal roll‑call vote on the letter in the transcript; the record shows consensus to proceed with the Kate draft with edits and to have staff transmit the final document. Commissioners emphasized accuracy in phrasing and avoiding language that overstates what the land‑use code will accomplish.

The item concluded with staff and commissioners agreeing on next steps: Kate will finalize edits, staff will check the proper recipient at the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (via Jeff), and a final Word file will be distributed for submission.

The commission adjourned at the close of the meeting after handling remaining agenda items.