Master Plan
As provided in the recently revised (2002) State statutes, the purpose of the Master Plan is to provide for “the best and most appropriate future development” of the City, to aid in the “design of ordinances that result in preserving and enhancing the unique quality of life and culture of New Hampshire”, and to “achieve the principles of smart growth, sound planning, and wise resource protection”. The Master Plan must contain a vision section and a land use section, and may contain the following sections: a transportation section, a community facilities section, a housing section, an economic development section, a conservation and open space section, a recreation section, a preservation section, a public utility section, a regional concerns section, and an implementation section.
The Master Plan is prepared and adopted by the Planning Board after the conduct of surveys and studies; the review of data about existing conditions, probable growth demands, and methods to prevent sprawl in the community; and the engagement of, and consultation with the community.
Once adopted, a Master Plan may be amended, and periodically, is intended to be updated in total. The adopted Master Plan provides guidance for revisions to the City’s land use regulations, including the Zoning Ordinance, and Subdivision and Site Plan Review Regulations, as well as to the City’s Capital Improvement Program, and its redevelopment efforts fostered through public/private partnerships. (Taken from www.onconcord.com)
Click here for more information on Concord's Master Plan.
Criteria or goals for each of the theme songs contributed to an evaluation framework. Proposed alternatives and projects can "filter" through the criteria, assisting the City of Concord in making future decisions.
Guidelines for Concord Development
Consistent with 5 Vision Principles
A VIBRANT, LIVABLE DOWNTOWN--Does the proposed project...
A. Preserve and build on downtown's unique visual character?
• Reinforces historic character of downtown?
• New construction relates to scale, patterns, fenestration, and materials of nearby historic structures?
• Identifies key landmarks and preserves views to them?
• Encourages adaptive reuse of historic structures?
• Creates a streetscape environment that reflects its importance as the primary open space in the downtown?
• Provides signage in scale with pedestrian environment and related to historic patterns?
B. Promote more concentrated and mixed urban land uses?
• Extends the scale and intensity of Main Street development throughout the downtown and towards the river?
• Attracts regional draws?
• Develops attached buildings?
• Building facades address street, without inventing parking?
• Promotes balanced mix of housing, retail, grocery, restaurant, and entertainment options?
• Preserves and expands street-level retail options?
C. Promote inviting open spaces or pedestrian enjoyment and interaction?
• Provides plazas, open space and pedestrian connections?
• Provides street furniture and public art to encourage interaction?
• Provides landscaping and irrigation?
• Provides pedestrian-scaled lighting fixtures and illumination compatible with streetscape?
D. Create strong connections to all of Concord?
• Enhances pedestrian-scale block patterns?
• Provides regular, frequent intersections and safe, easy pedestrian crossings?
• Links to and provides adjacent pathways, trails, or streets?
NEIGHBORHOODS SERVED BY WALKABLE VILLAGES
Does the project...
A. Create strong connections among village centers, open space, and adjacent neighborhoods?
• Expands pedestrian and bicycle facilities, access, and connections?
• Provides regular, frequent intersections and safe, easy pedestrian crossings?
B. Preserve existing and provides additional vegetation and specimen trees?
C. Promote compact and mixed land uses within village centers?
D. Preserve residential nature of neighborhood?
• Encourages compact and mixed use development and walking between destinations?
• Expands housing options?
• Provides plazas, open space, and pedestrian connections?
• Encourages creative shared-parking options and discourages single-purpose parking?
• Concentrates non-residential development in village center?
PRESERVATION & ACCESS TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Does it...
A. Promote and reinforce a system of protected open space?
• New residential development is concentrated near village centers and protects natural areas?
• Encourages clustered development if outside village center?
• Makes use of established tools for promoting conservation in Rural Zones (land trust, exchange of development rights, land acquisition conservation easements)?
• Water resources are protected through innovative proven storm water management practices?
B. Preserve or creates access to trails, rivers, and long-distance views?
• Preserves open space adjacent to rivers and creates or supports trails and their natural features?
• Preserves rural and farmland areas?
• Creates or supports trails and trailhead facilities (eg parking, info kiosk, security)?
• Augments public river access facilities?
• Supports outdoor central gathering spaces, anchoring residents to open space?
ECONOMIC VITALITY
Does the proposed project...
A. Expand the City's tax base?
• Provides net new jobs at or above the living wage for Greater Concord residents?
• Provides diversified job base?
B. Strengthen the economic vitality of Downtown?
• Brings mix of residences and new businesses that strengthens the role of downtown as a regional destination?
C. Strengthen villages as support to surrounding neighborhoods?
• Adds convenience and services businesses to village centers?
• Diversifies and expands small businesses?
D. Enhance land values?
• Provides public improvements such as parks, walkways, green space, and transit stops?
TRANSPORTATION THAT SERVES THE COMMUNITY
Is it designed so...
A. All roads and sidewalks are people-friendly and encourage commerce?
• Arterial and collector roads have sidewalks and painted bike lanes?
• Sidewalks are separated from curb line by landscaped strip?
• Commercial buildings are designed and uses are mixed to encourage pedestrian activity?
• Street benches, trees, and lighting encourage pedestrian activity?
B. Traffic-calming measures are considered for all transportation improvement projects
(e.g., roundabouts, tree plantings, pedestrian refuge areas, speed tables, neckdowns)?
• Provide balance that meets needs of motorists and non-motorists?
• Traffic-calming measures are designed on an area-wide basis?
C. Street networks maximize interconnectivity?
D. Parking and access management are designed to encourage access and improve safety?
• Promotes on-street and shared parking in consolidated lots, interior to blocks?
• Parking areas are well-landscaped and have pedestrian-scale lighting?
E. Commercial development is concentrated to encourage multimodal access?
• Transit stops and shelters are well-marked and accessible by pedestrians?
• Bike-lock racks provided in high-activity, high-visibility locations?
These GUIDELINES were drafted by a committee including a local developer, engineer, builder, Chamber of Commerce staff, city staff, zoning board member and participants in the 20/20 Vision Process, working from the "development scorecard" in chapter 4 of Concord: City of Villages--A 20/20 Vision for Concord, NH (49MB, pdf format). A copy of this report is also available at the Concord Public Library and Penacook Branch Library.
