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Office Hours: Monday- Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
The Planning and Development Department unifies the functions of business promotion and growth, residential and commercial development, inspections and engineering. If you are a resident who wants to build an addition on your home or subdivide your property; an investor who is buying a parcel of land for subdivision and sale, a business that wants to move into Claremont or expand in Claremont, or a citizen concerned about health and safety code concerns, the Planning and Development department is here to assist you. Although the department acts as an interrelated team, there are three primary subdivisions to help improve our process; economic development, the planning process, and building inspection and code enforcement. Why Claremont?Claremont, New Hampshire Claremont has a rich history centered on the banks of the Sugar River several miles upstream from its confluence with the Connecticut River. In the early 1800’s, sheep farming was a big industry in the valley and Jarvis Hill. By the mid 1800’s mills had sprung up in Claremont to produce textiles from the wool. The old textile mills still line the Sugar River and the city recently obtained approval for a pedestrian bridge from the mill district over the Sugar River connecting to the newly built Visitor Center. The new economy has brought industrial and office park opportunities in commercial parks in the River Road area. Claremont today is a diverse community whose attractions range from concerts at the recently restored Claremont Opera House to stock car races at the Claremont Speedway. Kayaks launch at the park on the river, spring features the annual bike races, Arrowhead offers in-town skiing at the back door of the Claremont Middle School and Sugar River Vocational Technical School, the weekly farmer’s markets and the Autumn Chili Festival create opportunities for community. The Main Street Claremont program is in the process of rehabilitating a vital building in the center of Opera House Square, and new offices are opening in the historic Farwell and Moody Buildings. Claremont is easily accessed by highway, rail or air. Just 6 miles from I-91, it is 11 miles to Ascutney Mountain Resort, 15 miles to Mt. Sunapee State Park and Ski Area, and 25 miles to Okemo. There is a rail station with daily Amtrak service. Claremont Municipal Airport offers a paved 3100’ runway with fuel and general aviation services. Economic DevelopmentThe primary focus of economic development is to promote vitality in community. This is comprised of a vibrant city center, diverse housing opportunities, the substantive re-use of historic buildings, and the expansion of retail and light industry to create a strong tax base, stable working economy and quality of life for the people of Claremont. New or expanding businesses: We are available to send information packets or to host a tour of the city and available sites with prospective businesses. We work with local commercial brokers and property owners to ensure that privately listed properties are exposed to those interested in entering the Claremont market. Our office is often the first point of contact for information about the city and commercial property, and we will assist buyers in familiarizing themselves with the community, workforce and existing businesses. Our goal is to help a business find property that suits their needs. We also list and are the contact for City of Claremont and Claremont Development Authority (CDA) properties, and can send detailed information regarding those sites. The City requires that all city-owned property be publicly noticed with a Request for Development. Those who respond to these requests will be reviewed for appropriateness of use in the zone, financial ability to finish the project as presented, and in some cases, experience with the type of project. The City Council will then make a decision to grant a purchase and sale on the basis of the information provided and a recommendation from the Planning and Development staff. The Claremont Development Authority (CDA) is comprised of volunteer community business leaders dedicated to fostering and encouraging the community’s economic development and wealth. They have historically acquired, developed, leased or sold property in the city to achieve this purpose. The CDA markets, leases and sells its own property in much the same way as a real estate office. Buyer brokers should contact the Planning and Development office for information on the commission structure for CDA properties. Financial programs are sometimes available for business development in concert with the federal government, the CDA and our county finance partner, Capital Regional Development Council. Some businesses expanding or creating new jobs may also be eligible for state grants. Please contact the office for further information. The Planning and Development Department, working with the Main Street program, also seeks to revitalize the downtown area as new commercial building expands on Washington Street. To achieve a strong economy requires an outreach to private housing and business development opportunities, state and federal funding options, as well as regular contact with the existing business community in Claremont to assist long term success and growth. This is a critical part of the economic development component of the Planning and Development Department. The Planning ProcessIf you are going to build or expand a residence or business in Claremont, you must meet the local zoning, subdivision and site plan regulations. The Planning and Development Department can advise you if you need to file an application for your project, and will give you information on which application to file, and whether you will need to meet with the Planning and/or Zoning Boards or another board or commission. The Planning Board meets on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month, and the Zoning Board meets on the 1 st Monday of the month. Guide to the Planning Process Step 1: Review the proposed project for its consistency with the Claremont local land use regulations. Identify any potential issues of concern early in the process. Step 2: Before an applicant spends too much time and effort with the proposal, meet with the staff of the City Planning and Development office to review the proposal in general terms in order to receive preliminary staff comments and observations. Step 3: Staff will determine if the application meets the City’s zoning requirements. Zoning issues include front, side and rear setbacks, building separation, lot coverage and minimum land area. Step 4: Engage the services of a qualified licensed land surveyor or engineer who can assist the applicant in meeting the subdivision and site plan review regulations. Most, but not all proposals, require the assistance of a design professional such as a land surveyor or engineer. Step 5: Meet with the City’s Technical Review Committee (TRC), which meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, to seek comments from City Department heads relative to a potential application. This is an opportunity to receive input before you meet with the Planning Board. The Planning Board requests that the applicant satisfactory address the TRC comments on the application. Step 6: The City staff will review the application checklist in order to determine if the potential application is complete. In larger, more complicated projects, the City may require that the applicant provide sufficient funds for the City to conduct an engineering review of the application. Step 7: Submit a formal application to the Planning and Development office at least 17 days prior to the next scheduled Planning Board meeting. The Boards and Commissions Coordinator will schedule a public hearing for the application. Step 8: The applicant or agent will present the plan before the Planning Board. The Planning Board will act to either approve the application or continue the hearing on the application to a certain date and time. Step 9: Incorporate comments from the Planning Board into an updated version of the plan. Step 10: The applicant can request an extension. The application is not considered to be approved and cannot be recorded at the Sullivan County Register of Deeds until all conditions of approval have been met. Step 11: Larger projects may require site inspections as improvements are being completed. Work with the City staff to coordinate site inspections. Continue to coordinate with the Planning and Development department on a case by case basis. We are here to help you with any of your questions and work with you to achieve your goals. Master PlanThe Land Use Chapter and Vision Statement were unanimously approved by the Planning Board at the March 24, 2008 Meeting
Claremont updates the City’s Master Plan Over the past several years Claremont has experienced a wave of downtown mill redevelopment activity for both residential and business use. Recognizing that the city’s 1991 Master Plan was outdated and that the recent redevelopment activity would spur additional growth, the city embarked on a process to update the Master Plan in early 2007 with assistance from Appledore Engineering and the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission. The first installment of the plan includes the Vision Chapter and Land Use Chapter. To encourage strong public participation, the city also established a Master Plan Advisory Committee which sponsored two public visioning forums in March and June. The city also engaged the UNH Cooperative Extension Service to assist with the two forums as well as a community survey which helped to shape these two chapters.
The MPAC sponsored a 3rd Community Visioning session on October 4th to review the draft Land Use Chapter, which includes background studies, current trends, planning issues, recommendations regarding future land use, the application of smart growth principles, possible changes to the City’s zoning ordinance and action steps. Among several action steps, the Plan calls for an expansion of the buisness retail district, consolidation of six zoning districts in the downtown into a mixed use district and creation of a rural recreational area in the City’s northeast quadrant. The public provided many valuable comments and observations at the three planning forum. At the October 4th meeting, Jack Mettee, AICP with Appledore noted: “ I’ve worked with many master plan advisory commitees around the state and I must say, your city has many opportunities and is well poised for for positive growth.”
Draft Action plan - Now included in the Final Draft Draft Future Land Use plan - Now included in the Final Draft Copies are available at the Planning & Development Department 14 North Street, the Visitors Center For information about the process taken to get to the Final Land Use Chapter click here For more information contact Michelle Aiken at 542-7008 or email to maiken@claremontnh.com Forest ManagementPart I City of Claremont Claremont Parks and Recreation 130 Broad Street Claremont, NH 03743 603-542-7019
February 14, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Gerald Coogan, City Planner, 542-7030
FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PROJECT TO BE PRESENTED TO CLAREMONT THIS SPRING
CLAREMONT, NH--A multi-departmental forestry management project being planned for Claremont will be presented to residents this spring. Department directors want to reassure the public that only selected cutting will be done on public lands and that public input is welcomed and strongly encouraged. An inventory of forested lands in Claremont conducted by a regional forestry consulting firm has been presented to city officials as the first step of the project. The inventory covered such areas as types of trees, water resources, animal habitats, existing recreational offerings and potential for timber cutting. According to City Planner Gerald Coogan, the forestry management project has several objectives, including stewardship of the land and its resources, maintaining and improving biological diversity, managing the lands with respect to natural community types, providing educational and recreational opportunities for the public, maintaining and improving wildlife habitat and managing for sustainable harvest and income. “Our approach to this project is a thoughtful and sensitive one,” said Coogan. “We want to sustain what we have and plan for the future through proper forest stewardship and good management.” Claremont has more than 1,400 acres of publicly-owned forested land. Revenue generated by selective cutting of timber will be used to pay for the expenses associated with the project and land improvements as recommended by the plan and approved by the City Council. Scott Hausler, director of Claremont Parks and Recreation, represents one of the departments actively involved in the forestry project. “My end of it started with identifying the need within the park land forests,” he said. “We needed to address what we have and make sure we are managing it properly. The City has some areas, that if not managed correctly, could be lost and, if managed correctly, will provide sustainable growth and a healthy stand of trees for many years to come. Many acres of our parks have the opportunity to be accessible for walking, hiking and just providing the opportunity to enjoy nature’s beauty. With developing a plan and putting it in place, we have identified the community’s wishes for these park lands and can now put them in place. “I also see the Plan as a tool to help manage the forest land within the parks system. We might think this is a great area for a trail or to develop for another purpose, but did we understand the impact this trail or development has made or can make on the forest land? That is huge, so this project will help guide decisions prior to them being made.” Also assisting with this project has been the Claremont Conservation Commission. Steve Wood, chairman, explained that the commission has served “as an ad hoc advisory to the departments that have been participating in this process. Forest land tends to be limited to one idea that people have when they think of this kind of property. What they don’t see or associate with a piece of property is how it changes over time because they don’t actually see the growth changes. Change tends to occur relatively slowly. When they hear about ‘changing’ its use, they often associate that with development that changes its appearance. “There is a huge difference between land management and land development. Good management of public land can serve as a great example to private landowners and what they can do to improve the use of their land to increase its diversity, use and enjoyment.” The tracts of land being reviewed for the forestry management project include Arrowhead, Cat Hole Road area-Fitch McQuade, Industrial Area 1, Industrial Area 2, Moody Park, Rice Reservoir, Veteran’s Park, Whitewater Reservoir and Winter Street Lot. Public Meeting The City has turned to Chuck Hersey, the Sullivan County Extension Forester with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, for assistance with this project. “My role with the City of Claremont has been to provide education on forest stewardship,” said Hersey. “I advised them to develop a forest management plan with the help of licensed foresters. They are currently in the process of developing a plan with foresters Jeff Smith and Laura French. The next step is to involve the public in the management planning process and to incorporate the citizens’ goals and objectives and local knowledge in the plan. We are planning on having a couple of public hearings to inform the public about their forests and solicit their ideas on how they should be managed. Karen Bennett, Forest Resource Specialist with UNH Cooperative Extension, and I will facilitate the public involvement process.” The first public meeting to discuss the forestry management project has been scheduled for Thursday, April 10th, at the Claremont Middle School, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. The public is encouraged to attend. “We are looking forward to public input in the process,” said Coogan. “We want to hear from abutters, we want to hear from anyone who knows the history of a certain area or even a certain tree.” The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Part II March 3, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Gerald Coogan, City Planner, 542-7030
OVERVIEW OF CITY’S FORESTED PROPERTIES RELEASED AS PART OF FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PROJECT
CLAREMONT, NH--A Tract Overview of Claremont’s forested properties being inventoried as part of the City’s new forestry management project has been released. The overview was prepared by Laura French, a GIS Technician/Forester with Meadowsend Timberlands Ltd., of New London, NH. “We are currently in the process of determining what combination of objectives can be met with each tract,” she said. “Together, they are more than able to meet all of the objectives in some form of other. Some objectives, land stewardship, for example, will be met on every acre, as well as water resource protection. Other objectives, hunting for obvious reasons, can only be met on some tracts. No objective is mutually exclusive, they all can work in some combination or other. “For example, improving wildlife habitat and timber management can go quite well together. A specific list of objectives will be created for each tract, and when considering the whole ownership, the combined total is worth more than the sum of its parts. The timber resource is plentiful, though in many cases it is past its prime. Wildlife habitat is very good, and will always be a high priority objective. The recreational opportunities are many, but they need some more oversight and maintenance, specifically, the trail systems. Educational opportunities are only limited by the amount of creativity put into them. “Claremont's ownership is easily capable of meeting all objectives. Some will take more time and effort to meet than others, but the land is capable of balancing them all.” French said that “legacy” trees play an important role in forest management and would likely do so in Claremont as well. “They most often are large, old trees and are inherent to the site they grow on; they exhibit values that are beneficial to maintaining and improving biological diversity,” she said. “They are different from large cavity trees or dead trees so important for wildlife habitat. For example, they provide a seed source that is often older than the forest around them. There is more to them than just being large and old, though, usually they have some other extraordinary characteristic, like being large, old and vigorous. Legacy trees allows you to incorporate "old growth" characteristics into a forest that is a working woodland.” A synopsis of the inventory of forested lands in Claremont: Arrowhead: An overview of Arrowhead shows a unique opportunity to mix recreation, education and timber management. Flat Rock provides an exceptional view of the city, one that should be promoted. Trails would benefit from better maintenance. Proximity to school systems provides limitless educational opportunities. Timber management here would coincide with recreational use of the western half. It would also create educational opportunities on land management and the importance of natural and renewable resource management. The timber resource is fair to good, with hemlock, oak and pine of fair to good quality. Cat Hole Road Area-Fitch McQuade: The Cat Hole Road area provides a good timber resource. This...tract has a large amount of productive timberland currently growing variable quality pine, hemlock and oak, primarily. Timber management would coincide with hunting and recreational opportunities and would benefit both. The act of improving recreational opportunities through timber management by means of improved trail access sets a good example to the public and provides good educational opportunities. Management would focus on maintaining the natural community type, improving growth on the best trees suited to the site and would respect the recreation resource by improving the trail system and the aesthetic resource as seen from the trail. A more established presence on the land will help deter improper use such as dumping. Industrial Areas 1 and 2: These two areas are similar and therefore can be discussed as one. The timber resource is variable, but for the most part is in need of improvement work before it is able to produce revenue. It is a mix of dense red and white pine plantations, cut-over mixed hardwood and steep hemlock ravine. Tracts provide good recreational opportunity for non-motorized activities. Their adjacency to Moody Park and residential neighborhoods increases their recreational benefit. Maintenance recommended for current foot trails. Moody Park: Moody Park is a significant recreational resource for the City. The park has a long history, dating back to 1917 when Mr. Moody donated the land to the city and well-known Landscape Architect Arthur A. Shurtleff prepared the “Moody Park General Plan.” The maintained picnic areas have a high aesthetic value with towering pines. It has a trail network connecting it to adjacent Industrial Area Lots. Areas of this tract could potentially provide a timber resource but perhaps would be better managed for recreation and aesthetics in a natural habitat. The forest would benefit from management focusing on diversity, release of legacy trees, and perpetuation of forest cover. A significant invasive exotic species population impedes forest management, and the natural progression of the forest and should be controlled. Thought also needs to be given to the aging pines that now are such a significant component of park aesthetics. A large percentage of them are becoming decadent and will need to be removed over time. New trees will need to be planted to continue the forest shade in the picnic areas. Moody Park also provides opportunity for public education on forest resource management, perhaps through carrying out forest management objectives with horses, offering public workshops and posting educational signage. Rice Reservoir: This is a small tract of land most importantly dedicated to water resources. The reservoir is surrounded by a mix of old-field white pine to the west and hemlock/white pine/hardwood to the east. The timber resource is fair. Much of the white pine has blown over or is past maturity. Veteran’s Park: Veteran’s Park includes two small, non-contiguous tracts. One has the swimming pool, ball field and picnic area and includes part of a motorized trail system. Recreation and aesthetics are the highest priority objectives here. The second tract, located up the road, is primarily white pine and should be managed for timber. The trees are overcrowded and in need of thinning, but the site is productive and should carry a timber resource well. Whitewater Reservoir: Whitewater Reservoir is perhaps the single tract capable of meeting all landowner objectives in one place, including water resource, timber, recreation, wildlife, hunting, aesthetics and education. The timber resource is dominated by densely stocked pine, hemlock and oak. Improvement thinnings and salvage work will dominate the first entries, but ultimately, the forest is capable of providing a continual source of income from timber. The recreational opportunities here are high as well, as the tract includes a popular trail network. Except for the main trail which is maintained to provide access to the reservoir, in general the trails here are in need of better maintenance and signage. Timber management will benefit the recreational resource through improved trail network and maintenance. The forest also will continue to support a variety of wildlife...and amphibians. Although located a distance from residential communities and school systems, the tract provides educational opportunities that could be incorporated into public workshops and school programs but should at the least be offered through interpretive signage for recreational users. Winter Street Lot: Winter Street Lot is perhaps an underutilized tract and also provides one of the more important recreational and educational opportunities. It is a fairly small tract located adjacent to a residential neighborhood and also very close to the heart of the city. Its greatest benefit to the public is its proximity to the City’s urban environment. Unfortunately, the tract needs to be managed as motorized recreationists go off trail and into wetlands areas. The trail system is in need of maintenance and signage. The timber potential is not great, but management here could improve it and at the same time benefit the recreational resource and improve wildlife habitat.
Building Inspection & Code Enforcement
The Claremont Building Code has changed The State of NH Building code has been amended per RSA 155-A:1
As of August 17, 2007 the City of Claremont is using the following
And any amendments, revisions and re-adoptions, hereby adopted by reference, in accordance with amendments adopted by the State Building Code
Note: The City of Claremont is also using the International Property Maintenance Code 2006, and any amendments, revisions and re-adoptions thereto, is hereby adopted by reference. Copies of the codes are available for review at the Planning and Development office, located on the lower level of the Claremont Visitors Center at 14 North Street, the Tax Collectors Office and the Fiske Free Library . PERMIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXEMPTIONS 2006 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE – SECTION R105
WORK REQUIRING A PERMIT Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application by submitting ALL required documentation to the building official and obtain the required permit. BUILDING EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
ELECTRICAL EXEMPT FROM PERMIT Minor repair work, including the replacement of lamps or the connection of approved portable electrical equipment to approved permanently installed receptacles. GAS EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
MECHANICAL EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
PLUMBING EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
EMERGENCY REPAIRS Where equipment replacements and repairs must be performed in an emergency situation, the permit application shall be submitted within the next working business day to the building official.
REPAIRS NOT EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
Prior to applying for a building permit, all necessary subdivision, land development or site plan approval must be obtained. In addition, the proposed construction must comply with all applicable building and Zoning Codes. PERMIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXEMPTIONS 2000 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE – SECTION 105
WORK REQUIRING A PERMIT Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application by submitting ALL required documentation to the building official and obtain the required permit. BUILDING EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
ELECTRICAL EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
GAS EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
MECHANICAL EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
PLUMBING EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
EMERGENCY REPAIRS Where equipment replacements and repairs must be performed in an emergency situation, the permit application shall be submitted within the next working business day to the building official.
REPAIRS NOT EXEMPT FROM PERMIT
Prior to applying for a building permit, all necessary subdivision, land development or site plan approval must be obtained. In addition, the proposed construction must comply with all applicable building and Zoning Codes. |
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