Committee recommends $50 Environmental Health subdivision review fee

The Planning & Economic Development Committee of the Nashua Board of Aldermen voted July 21 to recommend approval of ordinance O‑26‑019, which would add a $50 Environmental Health Department subdivision plan‑review fee to existing subdivision plan review fees.

Planning Manager Sam Durfee told the committee the fee is intended to cover staff time from the Environmental Health Department when plans come before the planning board. “Anytime that a plan comes before the planning board...there are multiple departments across the city that invest staff time, and this fee is to cover some of that staff time on the environmental health department side of things,” Durfee said.

Committee members asked for context on the increase. Alderman Amber Morgan said the health department had not raised the fee in at least 20 years, and called a modest increase from $40 to $50 reasonable. Alderman Matt Sullivan asked whether the increase reflected a percentage of actual staff time; Durfee said he would not estimate a percentage but described the fee as “a very good deal for the applicant.”

Amber Morgan moved to recommend approval and final passage of O‑26‑019. By roll call the committee recorded yes votes from Aldermen Matt Sullivan, Alderman Gregg, Amber Morgan and Alderman Tebow; the motion passed in committee. The committee accepted a related communication from Planning staff and placed it on file.

Because the committee recommended approval, the ordinance will move forward in the legislative process for consideration by the full Board of Aldermen.