The Manchester Housing Commission on Aug. 13 heard an update on the city’s land-use code rewrite, which staff and the steering committee revised to reflect recently enacted state housing laws including accessory dwelling unit (ADU) changes and minimum-lot standards. The draft code and an explanatory packet of new zoning districts are now posted for public comment on the city website, with about a 54-day comment window before the draft moves forward for formal votes.

Commission members said the rewrite consolidates changes prompted by recent state legislation — including ADU provisions and updated lot and parking standards — and that the planning department has prepared explanatory “cheat sheets” for the new districts. Jeff Blanchard gave a presentation to the steering committee on a second draft in the days before the commission meeting; that draft is currently in the public-comment period.

The commission discussed outreach challenges: survey results showed many residents rate housing as important and expressed openness to duplexes and triplexes in the abstract, but ward-level meetings produced stronger opposition to allowing those housing types in some neighborhoods. Commissioners noted that some neighborhoods that are effectively multiunit today remain zoned single-family and that aldermen have been responsive to constituent petitions.

Commissioners said the planning department has been meeting with aldermen and revising language in response to constituent feedback; staff described the current public-comment period as slightly shorter than originally planned so the rewrite can be considered and voted on before year-end. The commission encouraged broader public comment and discussed sending a letter of support from the commission to the steering committee to underscore the commission’s position in favor of the changes.

Commissioners and staff urged residents to review the draft on the Planning Department page at manchester.gov/landusecode and submit comments during the public-comment window. Several commissioners said the changes, particularly ADU provisions, could materially affect infill and housing options across the city if adopted.

Less urgent details discussed included a series of planning-board applications: several housing applications were tabled to allow applicants to resolve outstanding comments, and one applicant withdrew an application for a downtown project; another large proposal connected to a former Murphy’s Diner site was described as a six-story redevelopment and was noted in passing. Those items were informational updates from the planning board rather than actions by the Housing Commission.

The commission did not take a formal vote on the land-use code at the Aug. 13 meeting; members discussed outreach, possible commission letters of support, and next steps to coordinate with the planning department and aldermen before the code returns to public hearings and formal consideration.