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Planning Department wins board backing for new waiver workflow and DRI screening threshold
Summary
The Planning Board unanimously approved a three‑step process for handling waiver requests and set a residential development‑of‑regional‑impact threshold at 200 units; staff will update report templates and notify Lakes Region Planning Commission and abutting municipalities when projects meet the threshold.
Laconia planning staff proposed and the Planning Board adopted two procedural changes at the Feb. 4 meeting: (1) require the Planning Board to review and decide waiver requests prior to formally accepting an application as complete, and (2) adopt a development‑of‑regional‑impact (DRI) screening threshold to trigger intermunicipal notice. Both measures passed unanimously.
Under the new waiver workflow the Planning Department will receive applications with any requested waivers and (1) evaluate and present the waiver, (2) the board will vote to approve or deny the waiver and then decide whether to accept the application as complete, and (3) if accepted, the board will hold the public hearing. Staff advised applicants to submit full plans that meet site plan standards in parallel with waiver requests to avoid delays if the waiver is denied. The intent is to reduce returned/continued applications and avoid a second month of resubmittal for simple waiver denials.
Staff also proposed criteria for triggering DRI notice to abutting municipalities and the Lakes Region Planning Commission. After discussion the board set the residential screening threshold at 200 dwelling units (staff had initially proposed 350, based on five percent of current housing stock). Other suggested DRI criteria include nonresidential projects larger than 100,000 square feet, projects within 300 yards of municipal boundaries that require DOT driveway permits, industrial projects with anticipated emissions (light, noise, odors or particulates), projects that impact aquifers or surface waters crossing municipal lines, and shared facilities (schools, solid waste). The board directed staff to add the DRI flag and notice step to staff reports going forward.
Planning Director Rob Mora said staff will update Planning Department templates and return a checklist to the board showing how the new waiver/acceptance workflow will appear in application materials. Staff also said it will include DRI screening language in application memos and that notices will be sent to abutting municipalities and to Lakes Region Planning Commission when the new thresholds are met.
Board members supported the change as a way to reduce repetitive submissions and to ensure neighboring towns receive timely notice of large developments. The board voted unanimously to adopt the proposal and to set the residential DRI threshold at 200 units.
