Portsmouth unveils 101-project Capital Improvement Plan; council set to vote Dec. 8

Portsmouth city staff presented a proposed six‑year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that lists 101 projects and sets a path for the council to adopt the plan at its Dec. 8 meeting.

The plan groups projects into standard element sheets and appendices, and staff emphasized that the CIP is a planning tool rather than an immediate funding commitment. It includes 16 projects that are new or returning, three new projects originating from citizen requests, 82 carryover projects from last year and 16 items removed because they are complete or fall outside the six‑year window. Staff said the first year of the adopted CIP will be used to help build the non‑operating portion of the annual budget.

On funding, staff noted the city’s capital‑outlay policy that caps pay‑as‑you‑go capital outlay at 2% of the prior year’s budget. Last year the city allocated 1.08%; the FY27 proposal includes $1,950,000 in capital outlay (a $390,000 increase), representing about 1.3% of the prior‑year budget. City policy also directs that net debt service remain below 10% of the annual budget; staff said last year’s net debt service was about 7.97% and FY27 is projected at about 8.04% with out‑year pressures that will be managed by reprioritization as needed.

Staff described several funding approaches embedded in the plan: pay‑as‑you‑go capital outlay, bonding for larger projects, state and federal grants, and low‑interest loans for enterprise projects. Engineering and finance staff flagged a recently awarded SRF (State Revolving Fund) opportunity to support combined‑sewer work on Fleet Street tied to the city’s consent‑decree obligations.

The CIP highlights several near‑term priorities: municipal fleet upgrades and a new plan to electrify city vehicles; school improvements including a multi‑year renovation proposal for New Franklin Elementary; critical water and sewer investments, including PFAS treatment at Greenland and Collins wells (with anticipated Air Force reimbursement for the Collins wells); and transportation upgrades such as the Route 1 side path coordination with NHDOT, traffic‑signal replacement, and street paving priorities (Middle Street called out as a major upcoming project).

Department heads outlined a range of capital needs during the presentation: ambulance and ladder truck replacements, body‑camera and taser procurement, multiple fire station roof repairs, park and playground renovations, improvements to historic cemeteries (including design for a damaged Point of Graves wall), and investments in information technology and the public‑safety radio system.

Staff said many elements rely on additional grant or federal/state funding and that several projects are phased between design and construction years so exact bonding or spending years can shift. The City Manager and staff invited questions and requested written public comments; Planning Board review is scheduled for Nov. 20 and the council will hold a public hearing before the Dec. 8 adoption vote.

At the end of the session, the council opened public comment. Members of the Sustainability Committee urged a stronger greenhouse‑gas inventory and pushed for a microtransit/shuttle study; parents and school staff urged full funding for New Franklin renovations and playground improvements. Staff and councilors agreed to follow up with technical briefings, a planned school tour before final adoption, and additional Q&A on bonding and project readiness.

The council’s next formal steps are a public hearing and Planning Board consideration of the CIP; adoption is targeted for Dec. 8, after which the first year of the adopted CIP would be incorporated into the FY budget process.