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Housing commission chair warns ACT 181 and flood‑zone designations limit village housing
Summary
Patty Eisenhaur, chair of the Housing Commission, told the Planning Commission that ACT 181 standards and local flood‑zone, floodway and river‑corridor designations are severely constraining new housing in village centers; staff said bylaws use WRC standards and the DRB recently approved a five‑lot subdivision.
Patty Eisenhaur, Housing Commission Chair (participating by Zoom), told the Londonderry Planning Commission that village housing development is being constrained by overlapping standards. "The ability to create new housing is severely limited because of the Flood Zone/Flood Way/River Corridor issue," she said.
William Goodwin, the town zoning administrator, responded that the Development Review Board had "recently approved a 5 lot subdivision" and noted the commission's bylaws currently reflect standards from the WRC rather than the State; he said he needs time to reformat the State's standards for the draft bylaws. Eisenhaur also asked whether a parcel labeled Village Commercial in the North Village shows a mapping discrepancy; Goodwin said he will check with the map maker.
The exchange frames a primary constraint the commission will need to address when it revises bylaws and prepares for the public hearing: reconciling state model standards, local WRC provisions, and flood‑plain mapping that affects buildable land. The Housing Committee plans a special meeting March 2 to review a bylaws proposal; Pam noted she may not be able to attend.
