Exeter council to send planning-board memo to state lawmakers, schedules joint hearing Feb. 26

The Exeter Town Council voted to forward a planning-board memorandum raising concerns about recently passed state land-use bills to local legislators and the State Land Use Commission and scheduled a joint public hearing on the revised comprehensive plan for Feb. 26, 2024 at 7 p.m. Councilors said the step was intended to put the town’s concerns on the record before further state action.

Clerk (S3) described the planning board’s recommendation: the council should hold a joint hearing with the planning board and counsel on the revised draft and gather comments from the CPAC, planning board, the public and the state. Councilor (S2) said the request seeks to ensure the town complies with the statutory deadlines while allowing post-March 1 comments to be addressed later.

Planning-board representative (S8) explained the board’s worry that recent state bills could require densities the town can’t support without public water and sewer. “Adaptive reuse would be 15 units per acre, which is, in my opinion, excessive beyond the carrying capacity of what a town like Exeter could reasonably support,” S8 said. The planning representative warned that broad statutory language could invite litigation and that courts may ultimately decide key questions.

After deliberation, Councilor (S2) moved that the council send the planning-board summary and observations to local legislators (Representative Julie Casmero, Representative Megan Cotter and Senator O’Brien Morgan) and copy the State Land Use Commission. The motion was seconded and approved on an aye voice vote. President (S1) then confirmed that the joint public hearing would be held the week of Feb. 26, 2024, with a suggested start time of 7 p.m.

The council’s action does not change the draft comprehensive plan itself; it directs staff to file the planning-board memo with the town’s legislators and the State Land Use Commission and to advertise the joint hearing. Councilors said the goal is to record local concerns about statutory changes and to ask state representatives to consider amendments.

Next steps: the planning board’s recommended joint hearing will be advertised and held Feb. 26, 2024; councilors directed counsel to prepare any needed written opinions about the March 1 compliance question for the council to review beforehand.