Staff to place two expired Portsmouth use-permit extension requests on August agenda

Portsmouth City Council was told July 22 that two expired use-permit extension requests from the same applicant will be placed on the council's August agenda for a formal vote. Dr. Rhonda Russell, city planning staff, said the requests are Use Permit No. 2103, a proposal approved April 2, 2021, for a 280-unit multifamily development off Greenwood Drive, and Use Permit No. 2305, a 2023 approval for a 52-unit townhouse project on High Street. “We are not asking this evening that council take a specific action on the use permit extension request. Rather, it would be on your August agenda as an action item,” Russell said. The staff briefing highlighted different project milestones. Russell said the High Street project has an approved erosion- and sediment-control plan and has received a land-disturbance permit; she said construction activity has begun on that site. By contrast, Russell said the Greenwood Drive project remains in the site-plan review process and has not received final site-plan approval. Explaining the ordinance standard, Russell said, “The ordinance is very prescriptive in what constitutes, the project moving forward. The permit that has been approved for the High Street project is their erosion and sediment control permit. The ordinance stipulates that a building footing, foundation has to be completed to satisfy that requirement of commencing construction.” Council members asked clarifying questions on how the ordinance is applied. Councilman Hugo asked whether “dirt is moving” removes the need for an extension; Russell replied that the specific permit and the ordinance rule determine whether work counts as commencing construction and that she was happy to explain the distinctions. Councilwoman Thomas pressed for detail on what had delayed the Greenwood Drive project; Russell read an applicant-submitted explanation citing COVID-19, supply-chain disruptions, inflation, labor shortages and rising construction costs. No motion or vote on the extensions occurred July 22; staff stated the council would see the extension requests as action items at the August meeting, where council members can make a formal decision. Background and next steps: the Portsmouth zoning ordinance allows a one-year extension of use permits if the applicant requests it within 30 days of expiration; staff indicated they will present the permit-extension items with supporting materials at the August meeting so the council can vote.