Tamworth board sets Jan. 28 hearing on ordinance to replace building-notification form

The Tamworth Planning Board scheduled a public hearing for 5 p.m. on Jan. 28 to consider a draft ordinance that would replace the town’s voluntary building-notification form with a legally enforceable mechanism while leaving the substantive development regulations unchanged.

Board members said the change is intended to capture projects that were not reported under the voluntary system and to streamline tax reporting. Lianne Prentice, the board’s Selectboard representative, will present a synopsis at the hearing and the board requested that staff prepare an FAQ explaining the difference between the CRC and a permit. Emily (staff member) is compiling the RSA citation under which the original form was enacted and is collecting counts of past voluntary submissions to estimate tax-revenue impacts; the transcript notes the exact RSA citation and historical submission counts were not specified in the meeting record.

Members discussed outreach plans—posting materials on the town website, publishing notices in the Exchange, and issuing news announcements—and emphasized that the ordinance does not change existing development regulations but creates an enforcement pathway. The board also noted the position that would administer compliance has been funded for the past three years, and the draft indicates no additional town cost is expected; projected additional tax revenue from captured projects was described as a probable outcome but not quantified in the minutes.

The hearing will be held in the same meeting room on Jan. 28 at 5:00 p.m. and will include a presentation of the ordinance, a synopsis from the Selectboard representative, and an opportunity for public comment. The Planning Board asked staff to publish an FAQ and the RSA citation in advance of the hearing.