Brentwood planning board leans toward '6 and 2' approach for Route 125 workforce housing

Kristen Aldred, chair of the Brentwood Town Planning Board, opened a work session framed as an informational meeting on workforce housing and multifamily options, saying the board invited developers and engineers to answer questions and help the board craft zoning language.

The session centered on how Brentwood should respond to recent New Hampshire legislation that participants said requires municipalities to allow more residential options in commercially zoned areas. Developers and engineers advised the board on what densities, infrastructure and site constraints would make projects feasible, and several board members signaled support for a baseline of six units per acre with a 20% affordable set-aside — commonly referenced in the meeting as “6 and 2.”

Why it matters: Planning board members said the town must offer “reasonable opportunities” for workforce housing to comply with state law and avoid potential legal challenges. The officials discussed trade-offs among density, septic and well capacity, wetlands constraints, and the upfront infrastructure costs developers face on unconsolidated parcels along Route 125.

Developers…