Plymouth, NH

Home Planning Board to hold second public hearing for proposed amendments on January 4th

The Plymouth Planning Board will hold a public hearing on January 4, 2024 at 6:30 pm on proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Plymouth, NH. The following sections are proposed to be amended:

• Article II, Definitions: Create a new definition for “dwelling, attached single-family”; amend the definition of “dwelling, multiple unit” to “dwelling, multifamily,” describing a building to be occupied by between three and six units.
• Article III, Section 304: Amend use table by updating names of certain uses for clarity; change multifamily dwellings not exceeding 6 units from a special exception to a permitted use within the multifamily residential zoning district; allow single-family attached dwellings, up to four units, as a permitted use in MFR, A, CI, and VC and by special exception in HC and ICD districts; and amend the provisions referencing parking for more than, less than, or equal to 125% of the minimum parking requirement to eliminate the internal conflict; remove Cluster Residential Development and replace with Open Space Residential Development; add footnote to the Table of Uses to refer to the Plymouth Subdivision Regulations for regulations that apply in Open Space Residential Developments.
• Article III, Section 304: Change the dimensional standard table to reduce the minimum required road frontage for a lot in SFR and MFR where off-site sewer is present from 100’ to 75’ and reduce minimum setbacks in those zones, which would also allow the option of using front setbacks based on the average of surrounding residential lots within 300’, but not less than 5’ or 10’, respectively; add a separate setback table for uncovered parking spaces, and reduce the minimum parking setbacks in some districts and allow parking as close as 5’ by special exception; change minimum lot sizes to a consistent unit of measure and replace the lot area per multi-unit building table with a consistent requirement for additional square footage per unit over one, differentiated by district; where off-site water and sewer is available reduce minimum lot size in SFR to 10,000 square feet and MFR to 7,500 square feet; remove dimensional reference to Cluster Residential Development and add footnote to refer to the Plymouth Subdivision Regulations; simplify lot size requirements by replacing one acre with 40,000 square feet, and half an acre with 20,000 square feet in all cases aside from lots served by on-site well and septic systems.
• Article IV, Section 411: Amend parking requirement table to eliminate unused uses; amend the multifamily dwelling and accessory dwelling unit parking requirements; adjust the setback requirements between parking facilities and property lines; update qualitative requirements including requiring a buffer provision for most new parking in the side yard; delete ambiguous wording in Section 411.4(C) and clarify throughout; amend Section 411.4(D) to apply to nonresidential uses only.
• Article IV, Section 416: Amend the accessory dwelling unit requirements by converting them from permitted by conditional use permit, to permitted in all zones which allow single-family dwellings aside from SFR, where they will be permitted by special exception. (Update the reference in Section 304 accordingly) This removes the need for Planning Board approval, and for a public hearing in most cases. Also remove inaccurate language referencing State statutes and simplify the purpose statement section; and change the required parking spaces to a minimum of one for an accessory dwelling unit, in addition to the spaces required for a single-family home.
• Article III, Section 304.2 and Article IV, Section 401.1. Amend these sections to consolidate the commercial co-location section and multiple buildings on a single lot section into a new Section 401.1 which would allow more than one principal structure on a lot subject to Site Plan Review where applicable; and provided relevant life safety, fire, and other requirements are met. Multiple single-family or two-family dwellings on a lot would be allowed by conditional use permit. Also removes “More than one main structure” from Section 304, Table of Uses.
• Article III, Section 304/Article V: Amend Section 304 and Article V to remove the current Open-Space Residential District requirements and replace with a reference to a new set of open-space residential district standards that will be housed in the Plymouth Subdivision Regulations. In section 304 remove the reference to Cluster Residential Development, add footnotes to the Tables of Uses and Area Dimensions to refer to the Plymouth Subdivision Regulations, and create a new definition for Open Space Residential District accordingly in Article II. 
• Article III, Zones, Maps and Regulations: Amend Article III, the Zoning Map, and Article XIV, to create a “Fairgrounds Road Residential Overlay District,” which would preserve the underlying zoning while allowing property owners the option of using the overlay district standards as an alternative, which mirrors the dimensional requirements of the single-family residential zone and allows single-family detached, single-family attached, two-family, and accessory dwelling units as permitted uses. This would overlay portions of the A and HC districts, roughly covering land along both sides of Fairgrounds Road stretching west from Main Street to the old Fairgrounds site, and as far north as the Plymouth Town boundary. 

The public hearing will be held at Plymouth Town Hall, 6 Post Office Square. Information about virtual attendance is available on the Town’s website. The full text of the proposed amendments can also be viewed on the Town’s website (https://plymouthnh.gov) or during business hours at Town Hall. Please contact the Planning & Development Department at 603-536-1731 or planning@plymouthnh.gov for more information.

Zoning Amendment Language for 1/4/2023