At its Nov. 6 meeting the West Swanzey Planning Board reviewed draft warrant-article language covering multiple proposed zoning amendments and discussed which items should go to public hearing in December.

Key items reviewed

- Wetlands Conservation District rewrite: Planner Adam presented a comprehensive rewrite to create a new Section 7, updating the district definition, permitted uses, and a conditional-use procedure. He said the draft had been reviewed by town counsel and that the full language would be available at the town clerk’s office. The board agreed the wetlands rewrite was large enough that it would likely need its own public hearing.

- ADU/AADU changes (state-mandated): The planner explained changes required or encouraged by the state, including removal of the town’s requirement that an accessory dwelling unit (AADU) have an interior doorway to the primary unit and permitting detached ADUs where single-family dwellings are allowed. The board agreed the language should match state requirements and discussed organization of the ordinance text for clarity.

- Parking ratios (state-mandated): The planner noted a state directive requiring lower municipal parking minimums (one parking space per unit for single-family, two-family and multifamily units); he said the board must note if state law mandates the change even if voters reject a local warrant article.

- Two-family (duplex) proposal: Staff proposed permitting two-family dwellings by right in districts that allow single-family housing (Rural Agricultural, Residence, and Village Business 1). The planner argued this would be a modest, incremental way to expand housing options. Several board members raised concerns about density, school impacts and town services. The board agreed to change one proposed density metric (moving from a 3.5-acre requirement to the underlying 3-acre minimum for the Rural Agricultural district) but declined to advance permitting two-family dwellings by right in Village Business 1 after members expressed concerns about the character and density of that district.

Board direction and schedule

The board discussed scheduling public hearings: a set of amendments (excluding the wetlands rewrite) was slated for a Dec. 4 public hearing, with the wetlands rewrite likely requiring its own hearing on Dec. 18. The planner noted the statutory deadline for the first public hearing posting is Jan. 1 and asked the board to finalize which amendments go to public hearing at the next meeting. The board agreed to prepare a voter guide explaining which changes are state-mandated and which are local proposals.

Points of debate

Board members expressed two recurring concerns: the impact of increased housing density on school enrollments and town services, and whether adopting two-family dwellings by right would meaningfully change the town’s housing stock. One board member requested vacancy/rent statistics for recent local multifamily projects to better assess housing demand. The planner said septic, water and health-office checks remain in place to verify any duplex proposal’s feasibility on individual lots.

Next steps

- Planner to revise draft language per board direction (e.g., set Rural Agricultural duplex density to the 3-acre minimum) and to prepare materials for the next meeting.
- Board to vote at its next meeting which amendments go to the Dec. 4 public hearing and which items (notably wetlands) need a separate hearing.

Speakers (attributed in article)

- Adam, planning staff (presented warrant-article drafts and legal context)
- Multiple Planning Board members (discussed density, school impacts and scheduling)

Authorities cited on the record

- State statute references: planner referenced applicable RSAs when explaining wetlands rewrite had been vetted with counsel and when describing state-mandated zoning changes (parking and ADU rules).