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Council forwards Arts & Cultural Commission artist live‑work report to planning board
Summary
After presentations from Arts & Cultural Commission members and supportive public comment, the council voted to send the commission’s artist live‑work report to the planning board and encouraged consideration of zoning incentives and a CIP feasibility study.
The Portsmouth City Council voted Oct. 6 to send an Arts & Cultural Commission report on artist live‑work housing to the planning board for incorporation into the city’s master planning process.
Eli Kaner and Emma Stratton of the Arts & Cultural Commission presented the 90‑page report, saying the commission recommends funding a feasibility study to explore artist live‑work units and recommending zoning incentives for off‑site affordable artist housing. Emma Stratton told the council the commission obtained a quote from Artspace and has filed a citizen request to the capital improvement program (CIP) to fund the study.
During public comment, Jeffrey Cooper described the city’s history as a regional arts hub and urged the council to implement the report’s recommendations. Karen Rosania, a local artist and commission member, urged the council to fund a $65,000 feasibility study and to support zoning incentives that would create affordable artist live‑work housing.
A council member moved to forward the report to the planning board with the recommendation that zoning regulations be updated to include artist live workspace and to consider incentives in the master plan. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.
The council and presenters agreed the topic crosses multiple policy areas — housing, planning and economic development — and recommended the planning board and master planning advisory process treat the commission’s recommendations as part of a collaborative, multi‑agency effort. The presenters and several councilors also signaled they would advocate for the feasibility study during the CIP process.
Next steps: the report will be reviewed by the planning board as part of the master plan process; proponents plan to present at the CIP citizen request meeting and ask the council to include the feasibility study in the CIP for funding consideration.
