Hillsborough Planning Board approves amendments to subdivision rules, raises buildable-area cap to 50%

On Feb. 5, 2025, the Hillsborough Planning Board voted unanimously to adopt amendments to the town's Subdivision Regulations after a public hearing and brief discussion. Planning Director Robyn Payson introduced the proposed changes to definitions in the regulations, including revisions to Buildable Area and a new Contiguous Area definition; the Board voted to approve the amended language.

Richard Head, chairman of the Conservation Commission, raised specific concerns during public comment about a proposed change that would have set Buildable Area at 25% of a lot and about the contours of the new Contiguous Area definition. Board members discussed those points, restored prior wording for the Buildable Area definition, added language to the Contiguous Area provision, and amended section 201-3 A, g so that the allowable Buildable Area was set to 50% of the lot (as recorded in the minutes). Susanne White closed the public hearing before the Board voted. The motion to approve the changes as amended was made by Steve Livingston, seconded by Bryant Wheeler, and "carried unanimously" according to the meeting minutes. The minutes do not record individual roll-call votes or verbatim speaker quotes.

The revisions change definitional language used in subdivision review; the minutes do not list an effective date for the amendments or note further implementation steps. Members asked for the changes to appear in the regulations as amended and recorded the Board's action in the minutes.