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Select Board reviews proposed Certificate of Regulatory Compliance ordinance to streamline building notifications
Summary
Town Administrator Emily Nolan presented a proposed Certificate of Regulatory Compliance ordinance intended to require developer/building notifications to help enforce existing land-use rules and avoid a town-wide PA-28 inventory; board members discussed fee limits under RSA 41:9-a and noted fees would be set after a public hearing.
Town Administrator Emily Nolan presented a slideshow explaining a proposed Certificate of Regulatory Compliance ordinance designed to improve enforcement of existing land-use regulations by requiring builders and developers to notify the town before starting work.
Nolan told the Select Board the ordinance’s priority is to uphold current land-use regulations and that placing the notification burden on developers could reduce the need for a town-administered PA-28 inventory form. She said a mandatory PA-28 would be annual, town-wide, and could require fines or fees; Nolan argued that adopting the certificate ordinance would be less costly in time and money than a PA-28 approach.
Select Board member Lianne Prentice cautioned that any fee structure must comply with RSA 41:9-a and be “reasonable.” Nolan confirmed that any fees associated with an ordinance would be established through a public hearing process. Discussion noted that if the ordinance is not adopted, the Select Board retains authority to use a PA-28 inventory form as an enforcement option.
The board did not adopt the ordinance at the meeting; materials will be part of forthcoming warrant-article discussion and the board expects to be prepared to present individual positions in Town Meeting debate.
