Developer Matt Bacon outlines mixed‑use rezoning plan for 40‑acre Otterston parcel in Hooksett

Developer Matt Bacon presented his concept for a roughly 40‑acre interior parcel off Post Road that he said is under agreement and slated for a rezone to Mixed Use District 2. He told the Selectboard the petition to rezone will be on an upcoming agenda and that the mixed‑use classification would allow commercial frontage, higher‑density housing in the parcel’s middle and lighter single‑family homes around the perimeter.

Bacon said the front 5–8 acres would suit neighborhood‑scale commercial uses such as a small building-supply or market, with the potential for a streetscape that includes first‑floor retail and second‑floor light offices. The middle stripe of the parcel, he said, would likely be targeted for higher‑density residential similar in character to nearby Carriage Manor Estates — possibly a small garden‑style apartment building intended for workforce households but not subsidized affordable housing. The peripheral areas, Bacon said, would hold about 20–25 single‑family homes sited to respect existing topography.

Bacon described physical constraints and preexisting studies. “It’s been under agreement for less than 2 months, and the rezone is the first step,” he said, adding that a boundary and topo and a wetland delineation exist and will be the basis for further engineering. He told the board he plans outreach to town staff and residents before marketing the site to potential tenants and buyers.

He also outlined site limits that affect design: a gas‑line easement runs through the parcel (which he said can take parking but not linear road frontage), some ledge in the southwestern corner and a mix of slopes that make periphery lots more suitable for single‑family housing. Bacon said the parcel has been marketed for years for commercial use and has not developed; he argued mixed use would better match the neighborhood character.

Traffic, utilities and planning board status Bacon said he has discussed the concept with town staff and received generally positive feedback. He said the planning board voted to place the rezone on a warrant article. He acknowledged outstanding items the town and developer must resolve: sewer and water capacity, intersection and access design, and state DOT review for any off‑site traffic improvements. He said he prefers to discuss capacity and access with developers privately before public hearings to coordinate solutions.

On housing mix, Bacon said he does not plan subsidized or Section 8 housing. “When I say workforce housing, what the definition of workforce housing is just that the rents happen to fall within a range that someone earning the median income can afford to live there,” he said. He told the board he will consider subdivision, condominium or lease options depending on market demand and planning constraints.

Next steps Bacon said he hopes to secure rezone approval and then present a broad vision to the planning board and town staff, followed by technical review and market outreach. He cautioned that engineering and detailed traffic analysis remain to be completed and that sewer capacity issues raised elsewhere in the meeting will need to be resolved for final approvals.