Land Use Meet and Greet

On Tuesday, Jan. 9, the Planning Board hosted its annual Land Use Meet and Greet, highlighting the accomplishments of City Boards, Commissions, and Committees in the past year and outlining their goals for the year ahead. 

During the event, Planning Department staff presented updates on ongoing and upcoming projects scheduled for 2024. This included an overview of the update to the Conservation and Open Space Chapter of the Master Plan. Additionally, Housing Navigator Ryan Pope delivered a presentation on the city's initiatives to address community housing needs. 

This event is also an opportunity to express our gratitude to the committed volunteers comprising the City's Boards, Committees, and Commissions. We appreciate their dedication and positive impact on the City of Dover. Representatives of the following Boards, Committees, and Commissions took part in the event:

• City Council
• Planning Board
• Zoning Board of Adjustment
• Ad-Hoc Committee to Address Community Housing Needs
• Conservation Commission
• Energy Commission
• Open Lands Committee
• Transportation Advisory Commission
• Community Trails Advisory Committee
• Dover Business and Industrial Development Authority
• Parking Commission 
• Utilities Commission
• Recreation Advisory Committee
• Cochecho Waterfront Development Advisory Committee
• Downtown TIF Advisory Board
• Heritage Commission
• Arts Commission

Attendees at the Land Use Meet and Greet event.

Planning Department Resources

Did you know? The Planning Department offers a comprehensive range of resources to support the community's planning and development needs. The department's webpage is home to a wealth of information, including outreach materials, current project updates, zoning regulations, development guidelines, and the City's Master Plan. Check out some of these helpful resources:

Frequently Asked Questions

The Developer's Handbook

Master Plan

Zoning Tables

Climate Resources

Green Tips

The Planning Department is dedicated to serving as an information source on the City and development process for the public, City departments, and applicants. Looking for additional information? Please reach out to Outreach Coordinator Erin Bassegio at e.bassegio@dover.nh.gov or call the Planning Office at 603-516-6008.

Planning Review Question

The Department of Planning and Community Development would like your input! We'll be featuring a question in each edition of the Planning Review, and we'll also share the results from the previous week.

This week, we want to know:

Are you aware that the Conservation and Open Space Chapter of the Master Plan will be updated in 2024?

Let us know here: https://polco.us/m5t3he

Here are the results from last week's poll, which asked, "What key priorities or projects do you think should be focused on for community development in the upcoming year?"

Dover Download podcast: Your guide to what's happening this week

In this week's episode, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with John Storer, Community Services Director, and Brian Landry, Public Works Supervisor, about winter preparations and challenges in snow removal. 

In "This Week in Dover History," Mike Gillis discusses an event from 1924, where eight women employees from the Dover office of Twin State Gas and Electric attended a company meeting in Berlin, New Hampshire. 

The podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and by clicking here.

Upcoming Meetings

Planning Board, 1/23/2024

The Planning Board will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 7:00 p.m.. On the Agenda:

• Consideration and acceptance of an Extension Request for a conditionally approved Site Plan for VC Dover Investment, LLC, Assessor’s Map H, Lot 4-3-2, zoned C and RCM Overlay, located at 30 Grapevine Dr. Proposal is for the Planning Board to extend the period of time for conditions to be met prior to plan signing. *(WAIV-2023-0013)

• Consideration and acceptance of a Transfer of Development Rights for Altus Engineering (Owners: Paul Seaver), Assessor’s Map H, Lot 6-4, zoned R-20, located at 105 Durham Rd. Proposal is purchase 9 HUD-restricted units. *(TRAN-2023-0006)

• Consideration and acceptance of Transfer of Development Rights for Brian Slovenski, Assessor’s Map L, Lot 111, zoned R-20, located at 306 Dover Point Rd. Proposal is to purchase five additional living units, within three buildings. *(TRAN-2023-0005)

• Consideration and acceptance of Site Review for TF Moran (Owners 256-264 Central Avenue, LLC), Assessor’s Map 9, Lots 111 & 112, zoned CBD-G located at 256 and 264 Central Ave. Proposal is to replace gravel parking with 10,595 square feet of paved parking related to their renovation of the buildings. *(SITE-2023-0013)

• Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Gove Environmental Services, Inc., (Owners: David R. Lemieux), Assessor’s Map 8, Lot 19, zoned R-20, located at 14 Leighton Rd. Proposal is for a residential redevelopment of the property with 2,887 square feet of temporary impact and 8,362 square feet of permanent impact to the Conservation District. *(COND-2023-0060) 

• Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Gove Environmental Services, Inc., (Owners: David R. Lemieux), Assessor’s Map 8, Lot 19, zoned R-20, located at 14 Leighton Rd. Proposal construct a new single-family house and cottage further inland creating 1,908 square feet of temporary impact and 2,067 square feet of permanent impact to the 50-foot wetlands buffer. *(COND-2023-0061)

• Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Robert Baldwin, Assessor’s Map 39, Lot 103, zoned Gateway, located at 34 New Rochester Rd. Proposal is to allow the site to have a frontage build-out of 47.4%, where 60% is required. *(COND-2024-0002)

• Consideration and acceptance of a Conditional Use Permit for Robert Baldwin, Assessor’s Map 39, Lot 103, zoned Gateway, located at 34 New Rochester Rd. Proposal is to allow the current single-family residence to remain while not meeting the front build-to line of 5-20’. *(COND-2024-0003)

• Consideration and acceptance of a Site Review for Knox Marsh Development, LLC, (Owner: Robert Baldwin), Assessor’s Map 39, Lot 103, zoned Gateway, located at 34 New Rochester Rd. Proposal is to construct 6 duplex structures (12 units) with the existing dwelling to remain and be renovated into a duplex. *(SITE-2023-0007) 

Note: * denotes public hearing; (20XX-XXXX) denotes the application number.

Click here to watch a preview of the agenda or click here to find the complete agenda, where minutes will be posted when available.

Open Lands Committee, 1/25/2024

The Open Lands Committee will meet on Thursday, Jan. 25, at 5:30 p.m.. On the Agenda:

• Updates on Public Land Conservation Projects;

• Reports on Easement Monitoring and Outreach Efforts;

• Review ongoing projects such as the Adopt-A-Tree Program, Natural Resources Inventory and Conservation and Open Space Master Plan Chapter Update.

Click here to find the complete agenda, where minutes will be posted when available.

Results of Recent Meetings

Committee to Address Community Housing Needs, 1/16/2024

The Committee to Address Community Housing Needs met on Tuesday, Jan. 16, where it:

• Discussed Impact Fees in the City of Dover;

• Conducted goal setting for the Committee and discussed Work Groups.

Click here to find the complete agenda, where minutes will be posted when available.

Energy Commission, 1/17/2024

The Energy Commission met on Wednesday, Jan. 17, where it:

• Held a group discussion regarding the 2024 Energy Commission Report;

• Discussed reports on Community Power, Municipal Energy Generation, Transportation, and Net Zero;

• Heard staff updates on the Solar Ordinance Workshop and Community Solar.

Click here to find the complete agenda, where minutes will be posted when available.

Zoning Board of Adjustment, 1/18/2024

The Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) met on Thursday, Jan. 18, where it:

• Approved Variance for Applicant: Cleveland, Waters, and Bass (Owner: Paul J. Seaver), 105 Durham Rd., Tax Map H, Lot 6-4 located in the Low Density Residential District (R-20). Request was for a Variance from Section 170-12.A of the Zoning Ordinance, to allow for multi-family use for a group home for adults. *(ZONE-2023-0050)

• Denied Request for Rehearing for Applicant/Owner: Miles Cook, Deepwater Frontiers LLC, Back Road (Tax Map M, Lot 104), located in the Rural Residential (R-40) Zoning District. Rehearing was in regard to a denied appeal of a July 13, 2023 administrative decision regarding the placement of a storage container under Section 170-12(B) of the Zoning Ordinance. The Zoning Administrator determined that the storage container needs to comply with setback requirements, or be moved to a location that complies with setbacks. *(ZONE-2024-0001)

Note: * denotes public hearing; (20XX-XXXX) denotes the application number.

Click here to watch the meeting. Click here to find the complete agenda, where minutes will be posted when available.