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Attorney urges board to revise Housing Redevelopment Overlay to allow innovative land‑use controls for workforce housing
Summary
An attorney representing developers urged the Planning Board to amend zoning section 235‑21 (Housing Redevelopment Overlay District) to adopt innovative land‑use controls that would allow greater density and incentives for workforce housing redevelopment in targeted areas.
LACONIA, N.H. — During citizen comment Tuesday, attorney Ethan Wood urged the Laconia Planning Board to revise the city’s Housing Redevelopment Overlay District ordinance (section 235‑21) to make it subject to innovative land‑use controls and to allow greater flexibility for workforce and affordable housing redevelopment.
Wood said the overlay district, adopted in the mid‑1990s and covering a compact area where density is higher, has not been used by applicants in recent years and lacks incentives for redevelopment. He suggested rewriting the section to reference RSA 674:21 (innovative land‑use controls) and to add density and procedural flexibility that could spur redevelopment.
Chairman Charlie St. Clair and staff indicated the board would welcome a working draft and that any change would ultimately require City Council action. Planning staff said the board must vet ordinance language first and that staff and board members would work with Wood on potential amendments.
Wood said he would work with Planning Director Rob Mora to prepare draft language. Board members said they were receptive to making changes that encourage redevelopment of older lots with workforce housing potential.
What happens next: Attorney Wood and planning staff will collaborate on draft amendment language for Planning Board review; any amendments would later proceed to City Council for adoption.
