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Plaistow Planning Board posts slate of zoning amendments and citizen petitions for Jan. 15 public hearings
Summary
The board voted to post multiple zoning amendments (definitions, home‑activity/home daycare, conditional use procedures, enforcement, signs, and citizen petitions) for public hearings on Jan. 15; several items were also continued for further definition or coordination with related warrant articles.
On Dec. 18 the Plaistow Planning Board moved to post a large package of zoning amendments and two citizen petitions for public hearings on Jan. 15, 2025. Items voted for posting include: Z25‑1 (Article 1: editorial renumbering/statutory citation corrections), Z25‑2 (definitions), Z25‑3 (general provisions linking the ordinance to the master plan), Z25‑4 (district objectives and temporary‑structure language, continued for definition work), Z25‑5 and Z25‑6 (home‑activity/home‑industry and related definitions), Z25‑7 (conditional use permit framework), Z25‑9 (administration/enforcement language), Z25‑10 (temporary signs), and Z25‑11 (HB 1567 conformity item). Two citizen petitions (CP25‑1 and CP25‑2 filed by Daniel Kane) were scheduled for the same hearing date.
During the meeting board members emphasized that posting items for public hearing is a ministerial step that makes the drafts available for full public review; it does not constitute the board's final recommendation for or against passage. The board also discussed administrative details, such as ballot language formatting (short topical description on the ballot with full text in a supplemental packet and a separate voters' guide) and legal review of voters' guide wording.
On specific items the board took the following procedural actions:
- Moved and approved to post Z25‑1 (Article 1 renumbering/corrections) to the warrant (voice vote). - Moved and approved to post Z25‑3 (general provisions) to the warrant (voice vote). - Moved and approved to post Z25‑4 and the related definition work for public hearing on Jan. 15; the board also agreed to continue Z25‑4 in order to refine the temporary‑structure definition. - Moved and approved to post Z25‑7 (replacement Article 12 — conditional use permits) and Z25‑11 (HB 1567 conforming language) to ensure statutory compliance even if related items are changed. - Moved and approved to post Z25‑10 (temporary signs) to the warrant; that article includes updates to align the sign ordinance with federal law and to move fee language into the fee schedule. - The board also approved release of escrow funds ($1,695) for a two‑lot subdivision at 11 Spring View Terrace after staff confirmed recording and that conditions were met.
The board stressed that several items remain under legal review and that specific language in the voters' guide will be refined before publication to ensure voters can see what is changing and why. All posted items were scheduled for the Jan. 15, 2025 public hearing docket; some items (notably the wetlands buffer article) were continued to Jan. 15 to allow coordination with a separate map adoption process.
What happens next: Posted drafts and any supplemental materials will be made available on the Planning/ZBA office records and the board's meeting page; the Jan. 15 hearing will be the primary forum for public testimony on the posted amendments.
