Planning amendments, equipment requests and capital projects to appear on Hampton ballot March 10

The Town Planner, Jason Bachand, presented Articles 2 through 10, all Planning Board‑recommended zoning amendments intended to implement portions of the Town Master Plan: changes to town center dimensional standards (Article 2), a Cottage Court ordinance (Article 3), outdoor dining permitting (Article 4), an ADU ordinance update to conform with new state law (Article 5), a comprehensive solar ordinance (Article 6), parking requirement adjustments (Article 7), telecommunications regulation updates (Article 8), a Home Occupation section (Article 9), and a procedural provision for certain commercial construction exceptions (Article 10). The moderator noted Articles 2–10 are printed on the ballot as written and non‑amendable at Town Meeting.

Several capital and equipment items also were presented by department heads and will appear on the ballot: Article 11 (aerial ladder fire apparatus lease/purchase; Chief Michael McMahon explained the 2006 ladder’s corrosion and multi‑year lead time), Article 12 (Phase II Copper Compliance and Outfall Study offset by SRF loan forgiveness), Articles 14–16 (road and culvert improvements and Road Improvement CRF funding), Article 17 (refuse collection truck with Granite State Clean Fleets grant — voters approved an amendment to increase the appropriation to include radios/lighting), Articles 18–19 (additional DPW vehicles and Parks & Rec equipment with some amendments to amounts), and articles funding human services, conservation, municipal buildings CRF and other equipment (Articles 20–21). Many of these items were recommended by the Select Board and the Budget Committee and will appear on the March ballot; several were amended during the session to reflect updated equipment needs or grant awards.