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Planning Board outlines zoning 'cleanup' and public outreach ahead of master-plan work
Summary
Concord’s Planning Board discussed a short program of interim zoning ordinance cleanups — addressing accessory dwelling units, parking, signs, definitions and other technical fixes — and proposed topic-driven public listening sessions before the next master-plan phase.
The Concord City Planning Board spent the latter portion of its Feb. 19 meeting discussing a set of interim zoning ordinance cleanups and how best to engage the public before the next master-plan drafting phase.
Chair Woodman said the board wants to address discrete, non-substantive ordinance fixes ahead of the master plan: “It won’t be part of the master plan at all. This is an interim zoning ordinance amendment to clean up things ahead of the master plan,” the chair said. Topics the board identified for focused outreach include accessory dwelling units (ADUs), parking, signs, definitions, lighting and snow removal; the board said some items will not require master-plan changes and can be handled as ordinance edits.
Board members discussed meeting formats and frequency for outreach. Several members favored small, topic-focused sessions rather than a single large forum. The chair proposed a subcommittee of three board members plus an architectural-design-review representative to run the sessions and report back to the full board. Staff will prepare topic packets in advance so stakeholders can review existing ordinance language and the specific provisions the board seeks comment on.
Members also discussed concurrent state-level housing legislation affecting ADUs and manufactured housing. Board members noted some bills may preempt local rules or provide timelines for municipalities to update ordinances; the board agreed staff should monitor the legislature and provide summaries to inform whether the board should wait for state action or proceed with local amendments.
The board asked staff to propose a schedule and suggested three to four focused outreach sessions, each with a specific topic bucket, and to return with options at a future meeting.
