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The Rockingham Planning Commission (RPC) is a voluntary local public regional planning commission established under state law (RSA 36). It exists in an advisory capacity to provide professional planning assistance to local governments and to coordinate local and regional planning in the areas of land use, transportation, natural resource protection, and housing and economic development. The Commission, which is not affiliated with Rockingham County, serves a state-defined planning region that includes 27 municipalities in southern and seacoast Rockingham
County with a population of approximately 180,000. Commission membership is voluntary and is maintained through the payment of annual dues from each of the 27 municipalities based on their respective population.
The number of commissioners from each municipality is also based on population; Plaistow is entitled to 2 commissioners who serve 4-year terms. Alternates may also be named. Generally planning boards make recommendations to boards of selectmen who then appoint a person as a commissioner. The RPC is controlled by a Board of Commissioners (appointed from each municipality), who set policy, oversee the budget and decide what work the Commission will undertake.
The local technical services provided by the Commission include the preparation and updating of master plans, CIPs, open space plans, natural resource inventories and a variety of other planning documents; providing ‘circuit rider’ (shared) planners for smaller towns; assistance with the review of major development plans; developing GIS maps for town planning; assisting in grant applications for federal and state funds; drafting and update zoning ordinance and subdivision and site plan regulations. Specific local technical assistance provided to Plaistow included providing a Build-Out Analysis that shows how much undeveloped land is left in residential, commercial, and industrial zones. Regional planning services also include area wide transportation planning and project development, regional housing needs, regional
conservation and greenway planning, economic development strategies, the specific review of proposed developments that can be used to promote regional cooperation, and advising towns on proposed developments that could have regional impact. Plaistow is heavily involved with RPC transportation planning efforts, participates in quarterly Conservation Commission forums, and uses RPC as a resource for many Master Plan and GIS map update efforts.
Membership in the Commission enables communities to interact with each other and to be aware of the latest opportunities for local planning assistance, grant opportunities, direct assistance from RPC staff, and regional activities in which the Town should be involved. More importantly, being part of the Commission means our community has a voice (and a vote!) at the table where decisions are made about regional plans for transportation, land conservation, economic development, housing and many other issues.
Respectfully submitted,
Rockingham Planning Commission
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