Jonathan Edwards, Director
Planning@HanoverNH.org

Rural Study Group 2007

Other Documents
Downtown Hanover Vision
Guiding Growth in Rural Hanover
'Something for Everyone' Scenic Locales Report
Class VI Roads In Hanover

Zoning
Zoning Board of Adjustment
Zoning Ordinance


Conservation
Conservation Commission
Open Space Priorities Plan
Trails
Flora and Fauna
Protected Lands

Affordable Housing
Affordable Housing Commission
Affordable Housing Study
Gile Tract Housing

Inspections
Building Code
Building Code Advisory Committee






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Guiding Growth Survey Comments

GUIDING GROWTH IN RURAL HANOVER

III. COMMENTS WRITTEN BY SURVEY RESPONDENTS -
SUMMARY
Respondents offered a total of 746 written comments, scattered throughout the four sections of the survey as follows:
Section I (Rural Character) 246
Section II (Transportation) 161
Section III (Commerce and Village Area) 235
Section IV (Open Space) 95
Other 9
_____
TOTAL 746

Comments that covered two or more distinct subjects were divided as appropriate, resulting in a final count of about separate 900 comments. A complete record of the written comments is available in the project files stored in the Planning and Zoning Office in the municipal building.

Overall, the number and variety of comments appear to reflect strong reaction on the part of the rural Hanover community to the timeliness and subject matter of the survey, and people's concern with these issues. Thus, the written comments offer an important supplement to the survey statistics by
- restating or supporting survey answers,
- amplifying and extending the scope of the survey,
- offering solutions to perceived problems, and
- reflecting intensity of feeling.

In deference to the reader's time and patience, this summary represents the content of all the comments, but not the duplication. (In many cases, several people - as many as 40 - have similar or identical observations.) Comments have been categorized by subject, regardless of the section of the survey in which they first appeared.

COMMENTS WRITTEN BY SURVEY RESPONDENTS -
SUMMARY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. RURAL CHARACTER
Characteristics
Personal Comments on Rural Character
Scenic Characteristics
Scenic Roads
Bothersome Factors
Lights
Noise
Hunting
Overhead Utilities
Other
RR Zone Planning and Development Patterns
Lot Size
RR Permitted Uses and Special Exceptions
Residential Development
Clustered Housing, New Villages

II. TRAFFIC, TRANSPORTATION, ROADS
Speed
Volume
Etna/Hanover Center Road
Road Work
Types of Roads (Paved, Unpaved)
Alternate Modes of Transportation
Other

III. BUSINESS/COMMERCE
B-1 Zone
New Post Office, Store and Bridge
Suggested Additions to the B-1 Zone
IV. S-R ZONE
SR-2 Zone Amenities
Sidewalks
Paths
Lighting
Suggested Additions to the SR-2 Zone

V. ZONING
RR Zone
B-1 and SR-2 Zones
Forest, NP Zones and Water Company Land
General Comments

VI. OPEN SPACE
Nature and The Environment
Agriculture
Wildlife
General Comments
Open Space Programs in Hanover

VII. RECREATION
VIII. REGULATIONS
IX. SURVEY
X. OTHER COMMENTS

I. "RURAL CHARACTER"
Characteristics (in no particular order)
Open fields, meadows
Quiet
Privacy
Sparsely populated
Tranquility
As natural as possible
Keeping building to a minimum
Right to be left alone
Diversity
People minding their own business
Respecting neighbors' right to peaceful enjoyment of their property
Woods, forests, trees
Wildlife
Wildlife corridors
Meadows
Farms
Low traffic
Environmental protection of, or from:
air
water
noise
Open space
Hiking trails
Combination of
- clustered villages and open lands (not all residential on large plots)
- open space and large minimum lot sizes
Compact towns surrounded by open fields, farms
Dirt roads
Absence of "people pollution"
Winding roads
Scenic views
Wetlands
Bucolic setting
Public access to preserved areas
Less crowded areas with open spaces
Limited services (except for 911)
Limited commercial development
"The way things are now"
Fishing
No sewer line extension
No clearcut large areas for new dwellings
No building in existing fields
No large, exposed houses
Limited number of one-family dwellings
Very carefully controlled growth (or no growth)
Space
Native plants and wildflowers on roadside
Cows, sheep, chickens
Coolness (temperature), compared to Hanover, Lebanon

Pesticide-free zones
Friendly neighbors
Affability of people
Personal Comments on Rural Character
* Keep Etna and rural Hanover rural!
* We are losing it!
* Rural character is literally priceless, and when it's gone, it's not recoverable.
* If I didn't want "rural", I would have chosen to live in downtown Hanover or a development.
* I am not anxious to see major changes from the rural character as we now know it.
* I think people that have not lived here all their lives can not appreciate this life style and they try to change what we love so much.
* We must accommodate growing population needs and the need of people without large economic resources. How?
* There is a lot of new construction in our area. I would like to see that slow down.
* Please don't let suburban sprawl happen here!
* Anything that creates industrial noises, air or light pollution, or "aesthetic pollution" (big houses on hilltops, houses done in a very modern style) does not fit "rural character".
* I think a house every three acres is somewhat contradictory to the term "rural".
* "Rural character" should not translate into exclusive turf for 1/2 million dollar homes.
* I strongly believe in residential institutions. We all should be willing to provide welcome to caring/helping services that do not endanger.
* "Rural character' is open space and room between residences. I think of farming and commerce at a personal level. I think of people who are able to smile at their neighbor (who may live next door or on the other side of town. I think of space that can sustain generations of family, and property that is not so expensive or heavily taxed and regulated that our older and younger citizens can't afford to live on it. I think of opportunities to make your own decisions about building and buying and living. I do not think about more government, more regulations, more telling my neighbor what he or she should do with or to their property. I think of a safe and secure area where everyone has the same interest in helping each other keep it safe and secure.
* Community involvement by residents one-on-one and/or with a wider focus.
* There are not enough rural characters in Hanover.
* You can't use regulations to produce rural character. It has to happen naturally. More restrictions chase away the "real" rural townsfolk. They can't afford to live here. More restrictions are great for rich folks who move here for retirement.
* Not everyone can expect to live in "rural Hanover".
Scenic Characteristics
* We should preserve open spaces, woods, pastures as they are to maintain the beauty of rural areas.
* Maintain the vistas of scenic mountains, ridges and farmland, poinds, streams, brooks and water falls.
* I am concerned with "blocking" the views in Etna.
* Preserve the Hayes Farm in Etna.
Scenic Roads
* I hope Trescott Road is a Scenic Road!
* Even Scenic Roads should be paved.
Bothersome Factors
Lights
* Night sky is not so dark anymore.
* Dark night sky gone from Stevens Road. (Culprits: Great Hollow Road, hospital)
* Neighbors' spotlights
* "Prison lights at residence at King Hill Road area"
* Lighting is unnecessary in rural areas. All lights should focus downward (even in town)
* Shield security lights
Noise
* Peace and quiet important. ATVs, snow machines, gunshots invade all our space.
* No loud music outside. Hills reverberate and amplify sound.
* Neighborhood guns (target practice)
* Dogs
* Snowmobiles
* Industry on Great Hollow Road
* Interstate highway traffic
* Air traffic
* "Heavy" noises increasing
Hunting
* Consumptive uses should always be allowed (hunting, fishing, trapping, limited logging).
* Haven't been here through hunting season, so cannot answer
Overhead Utilities
* Above-ground utility lines are unattractive, subject to ice
* Prefer underground utilities
* Never lost power during Jan. '98 ice storm because of underground utilities
Other
* Littering, especially along roads in summer and autumn months.
* Condition of homes in Etna (respondent wants "more strict rules")
* Trash and junk cars on neighboring properties.
* Non-planned suburban development
* People are building in areas not suitable for homes, causing drainage problems, poor siting
* Neighbors' houses
* Over development
* Wildlife overpopulation
* Washboard roads, dust or mud
* Steep dirt roads
* State and town road signs
* Bicycles racing in the middle of the road
* Off-road vehicles
* OHRVs
* Unrestricted dogs

RR Zone Planning and Development Patterns
Lot Size
* 3-acre lots do not preserve "rural character" nor prevent fragmentation of land and traffic generation which leads to "suburbanization". Much larger lots, or houses clustered in wooded areas, are needed.
* I would support an increase in minimum lot size.
* Should be:
- 4 to 10 acres
- 7 acres
- 10 acres
* Best achieved with at least 1/4 mile between homes for space, privacy and natural
surroundings.
* Largely undeveloped land
* Increase lot size to 10 acres to protect septic runoff, well water
RR Zone Permitted Uses and Special Exceptions
* Any business (potential profit-making enterprise) should be scrutinized and heavily restricted because this isn't a business district.
* Eliminate uses which bring cars in and out (i.e, private clubs)
* Keep as much [rural character] as possible in RR or F Zones.
* Keep permitted uses as long as they do not increase density.
* Give the individual homeowner broad latitude in how to manage the land. Don't invoke more restrictions on the individual (that we do need to impose on the developers).
* Businesses only that do not physically change RR area
* I would like to see any business have "rural character" as far as the building and sign.
* No industry, as is now on Great Hollow Road
Residential Development
* Houses scattered in countryside
* Lack of "development" type housing in rural areas
* Do not suburbanize the rural landscape by creating roads and cul de sacs going nowhere with houses in the middle of lots. Use the European model.
* New construction "in" landscape (restrictions to preserve view for others, underground utilities, etc.)
* New major development should be regulated case-by-case, respecting areas of particular beauty, environmental significance, etc.
* Single houses along roads, whether town-maintained or not
* Houses located close to the road look like city developments.
* Care of aesthetics, zoning, neighbors
* Limit size of residences in RR zones.
* Large exposed houses and clearcutting on high slopes should not be allowed. They destroy "rural character" for the whole region.
* Restrict sitings of residences on ridgelines and hilltops.
Clustered Housing, Villages
* Strengthen village centers, coordinate and cluster houses so open space is not broken up into little pieces
* No cluster houses in fields and pastures
* I am opposed to cluster developments.
* I wouldn't want to live in a clustered development. Space around me is important.
* Clustering is not attractive.
* Depends on how cluster developments are done. Ivy Pointe and Cuttings Corner are not an improvement.
* The cluster development at Cuttings Corner is an eyesore. We hope any future cluster developments will be better planned and buffered with more landscaping at the very least.
* Clustering might work, or it might look like Cuttings Corner.
* Cluster development with open space around will not enhance the area unless the open space is preserved and available for use by the public with markings and trails.
* Increase the setbacks.
* Enhanced setbacks.
* Cluster development should be better protected from public view than in the past.
* Require mature trees to hide all cluster developments from roads and neighbors.
* Restrictions should be balanced with uses that maximize village characteristics and foster mini-neighborhoods.
* Villages should be intentionally created instead of the proliferation of large, vulgar houses on ridgelines, as is happening now.
* Important to avoid sprawl. Clustering with ample easements and adequate open space seems right, with protections for existing abutters.
* PRD approach will be necessary to preserve open space to avoid strip development and increasing sprawl.
* Simpson development on Lyme Road had the opportunity to keep a buffer of existing trees between the houses and the road, which would have lessened road noise for the cluster as well as reducing the visual impact from the road. Developers do way too much clearcutting.
* No scattered small villages
* Cluster or village development benefits the developer by allowing units to be built for lesser cost. This type of development will accelerate growth and contribute to sprawl.
* Zoning should not allow developments such as "Cuttings Corner" to be duplicated. That development is ugly and most of rural Etna is disgusted by it.
* Denser cluster zoning OK to preserve more open space areas (overall sparser population)

II. TRAFFIC, TRANSPORTATION, ROADS
Speed
* Traffic speed is a big problem
* Speed is a problem to other users of the roads.
* Inconsiderate driving
* My street is dangerous. My house is at the end of a large hill and people speed down it.
* Stop signs at King Road and Laramie
* Bike riding is great, but making a safe bike path beside local roads requires precisely the widening and straightening which makes them higher speed and less "rural"
* If speed limits/stops were enforced, commuters would probably take alternate routes.
* People need to realize you can't get from Trumbull Hall to Hanover in less than 10 minutes and should stop trying. The speed limits are fine. If you need to get there earlier, leave earlier.
* Don't even think about widening or straightening rural roads.
* Give out a lot more speeding tickets.
* We need to control our own speed.
* Speeds need to be reduced, but not by signs (visual pollution) or elaborate road constructions (traffic circles).
* Straighten and widen roads where safety is a concern, i.e., too narrow for 2-way traffic where visibility is an issue.
* Widening? Absolutely not!
* When we walk, some drivers don't even slow down to the speed limit, give us very little leeway, and are hazardous.
* Keep speeding traffic on Route 10 where it belongs.
* Set speed traps during commuter hours.
* Increased police patrol during rush hour, and maybe a stop sign, should discourage these commuters who use our village as a shortcut to I-89 and I-91.
* Introduce curves, don't straighten them.
* We ride horses and find the speed of traffic and the narrowness of paved roads to be a problem.
* Put school bus sign at corner of Stevens Road and Etna Road. Traffic from Etna too fast.
Volume
* Truck traffic
* Trucks are a particular problem - too many, too big, too fast. Any further expansion of commerce must be aware of adverse effects of increase in traffic.
* Hanover Center-Rennie Road is a bypass to hospital and Park Street area
* I don't think Hanover government realizes the problem of motor traffic. Many cars do not need to traverse Etna.
* Anything leading to increased truck traffic should be restricted.
* Very unsafe for children getting on the bus, and off after school.
* Reduction of automotive traffic has high priority!
* Traffic has become the major source of deterioration in Hanover's rural character.
Etna/Hanover Center Road
* Make intersection of Etna and King Roads a three-way stop.
* Reduce speed from 30 to 25 from Trescott to Ruddsboro.
* Reduce speed on Etna Road to 25 mph.
* Maybe a blinking light to slow drivers.
* Adequate shoulders would solve many problems.
* Most shoulders are too narrow, cracked, etc. Shoulders should receive upkeep when road is repaired. Repairs are for cars only.
* At least put in a white line on the side for bikers and walkers.
* Median with trees and bushes to slow traffic.
* Landscaping
* Traffic bumps
* Better parking at the library
* Keep low-key and basic, not fancy
* It's fine the way it is now.
* If we continue to pave Hanover Center Road, Vermont commuters and local speeders will continue to drive like NASCAR racers.
* Stronger speed controls in the Etna thoroughfare.
* Speed limit on Etna Road is poorly enforced, expecially by non-residents.
* Narrowing Etna Road will only increase the dangerous conditions of this road.
* Traffic safety needs to be addressed at Trescott/Etna Road intersection. No lights, but road design. Split road as it was originally, or a grassy median.
* The intersection of Trescott and Etna Road is extremely dangerous. The town has a responsibility to correct it.
* Diagonal parking with center median with trees and bushes will reduce traffic speed in business area.
* No traffic lights.
* Limit street lights and traffic lights
* In Etna, we need better roads with sidewalk for all walkers, bikers, roller skiers. Very unsafe, and difficult to drive around them.
* Much of the traffic through Etna is employees going to the industrial development on Etna Road in Lebanon, and some to Hanover. Could this be limited?
* There is already more traffic on Hanover Center Road than we would like.
* A major issue is the use of Hanover Center Road/Etna Road as a commuter route. It is used because Route 10 ends in a snag of traffic through central Hanover. Streamlining traffic through Hanover could help.
* I am disturbed by the number of trucks and commercial vehicles on 2 Mile/Etna Road. Could there be a weight limit?
* Have sign on Etna Road next to corner for school bus: Slow down! School bus!
* No traffic light.
Road Work
* Current paved roads are allowed to deteriorate too much before they are repaired.
* It made no sense to pave Hanover Center Road this summer. People are only driving faster.
* Restrict roadside cutting of wildflowers, ferns, etc. The loss of bloodroot on Dogford Road by Croal's and Richardsons' was a tragedy. Ask "oldtimers" to identify other areas where wildflowers have been destroyed.
* Town and state do a disservice to wildlife/nature and to the public by clearcutting and mowing wide swaths along rural roads. Arching trees, roadside shrubs, wildflowers, etc. are preferable.
* Too many trees and shrubs cut down on road sides.
* Is DPW too big? Summer projects seem like make-work.
* Dogford Road snow removal inadequate.
* Ditto Hanover Center Road from Rennie to Lyme, for school bus safety
* Advising abutters to road projects is nice, but not required.
* Stop painting lines on rural roads
* Maintain roads with better material.
* Dirt roads pose hazards, particularly during mud season, winter or spring ice storms.
* Metal guard rails on bridges are not in keeping with rural character.
Types of Roads (Paved, Unpaved)
* Roads should be paved
* Please don't pave.
* Paved smooth roads are not necessarily safe roads.
Alternate Modes of Transportation
[Note: there were 95 individual written comments in this category. A summary follows.]
* In favor of more bike paths or bike lanes on roads
* Along Trescott Road
* Along Greensboro Road
* Hanover Center to downtown
* Opposed to more bike paths
* In favor of ride-sharing
* Ride-share for student activities is already in use by many parents.
* My husband and I already carpool.
* Opposed to ride-sharing (or wouldn't use it)
* Everyone in this area has a different schedule for travel.
* No one in this house commutes to work.
* In favor of public bus system in rural Hanover
* If and when I cannot drive my own car.
* Would aggravate the traffic problem, but it might be helpful to many families.
* As far as Etna Village
* If there were central parking spots such as at church in Etna
* From Goose Pond and Lyme Road
* For kids
* For kids after school sports
* Along Greensboro Road
* To Dartmouth Minicoach, car dealers and downtown Hanover
* have bus available in Etna Village 6 days per week, 3 times per day: 7 am, 12 noon, 3 pm
* Opposed to public bus system in rural Hanover
* There is too much transportation going on as it is.
* Support public bus system but wouldn't use it
* Bus into downtown Hanover would be ideal since the parking situation is absurd!
* If I needed public or assisted transportation I wouldn't live in rural Hanover.
* There are currently a number of vans that provide services to certain populations. Rather than create something in addition to what exists, how can we use what exists more creatively and inclusively rather than exclusively?
* We are so far along it seems impossible to have much organized public transport. I am sorry.
* Seasonal variations need to be considered, plus frequency [for bus use].
* Free transportation should be available to food shop.
* Bus should be limited to small van-sized vehicle, not city buses.
* If school bus transportation was better, it would save our household 3 round-trips each school day.
* The only alternate form of transportation that is very important to me is the school bus.
* More public transportation is needed.
Other
* Autos are the lifeline for most of us in the rural area.
* We need better road shoulders for walkers.
* Biking and jogging are not safe here.
* Huge truck problem has begun!
* Keep heavy logging trucks off rural roads in the spring. Post the roads and enforce it.
* We need better, safer roads with sidewalks. Bikers and walkers want to enjoy our landscape (why shouldn't they?), but it is so unsafe to drive around them.
* Downtown Hanover is the problem. The library location is an abomination. Town Hall is difficult to get to, etc. Move to more convenient locations (out towards Kendal) along Rte. 10, but do not combine with the schools.
* Traffic congestion downtown, Ledyard Bridge, and road to West Lebanon are problems. Widening these, while daunting in impact, seems the best way to reduce difficulties with traffic flow.
* Keep it downtown!
* The Ledyard Bridge is an example of failed public planning.
* The town should fix problems in downtown and elsewhere to keep through traffic on major arteries and off rural roads.
* Main problems now are speed, garbage, and rude driving associated with the senseless overdevelopment.
* Eliminate people who "ski" on wheels. It is far too dangerous to share the road with a "pack" of pedestrian skiers.
* Forget the bike path foolishness permanently. Restrict jogging, roller skating and skiing, biking, heavy machinery and large trucks on roads meant for automobiles. They are all traffic and safety hazards. During the hours of 7-9 am and 4-6 pm Monday through Friday (commuting hours) the above should be prohibited.
* No carpool lots for Vermonters coming to use our town as parking lot
* Make Rennie road NOT a through road.

III. BUSINESS/COMMERCE
B-1 Zone
* Lack of commercial/business establishments
* Parking could use improvement.
* Important to make viable, but also to ensure it does not become a magnet to increase traffic.
* Uses which would generate traffic and a need for parking would be inappropriate for this area
* More commerce equals more traffic. I am not in favor of this.
* Signs, bridges, types of roadside buildings to maintain "rural character" whenever possible
* Any use should be "small" in size, especially for number of employees, traffic, impact on neighbors
* Whatever is allowed should be small in scale, to serve local needs only.
* Keep it small scale.
* No signs, lights to attract business
* Any expansion should minimize traffic congestion and keep rural character.
* B-1 owners need maximum flexibility, letting the market dictate what can be accommodated. If we want services in Etna we must support B-1.
* Keep the commerce area attractive and safe, but not so many restrictions that it becomes hard to operate a business.
* I prefer no changes - at least no additions to the present village.
* The village commerce area should be tightly restricted. What we have is about right.
* I see no need for major changes in current village center.
* A few more businesses in rural Hanover, but restricted.
* Village needs variety.
* Remove B-1 from Etna. On town land on Greensboro Road or old fire station OK.
* Population increase over 10-20 years could alter some of these preferences.
* If it ain't really broke, don't spend good money trying to fix it.
* What a lot of baloney about no problem.
* I would be concerned about development impact on traffic, commercial appearance (blight).
* Expand B-1 as needed.
* Keep low profile. Commercial uses need to be scrutinized before being allowed.
* Expansion of B-1 uses must respect the rural/historic nature of the village.
* New "villages" in rural Hanover would have to be artificial constructs. How could their stores compete with Hanover 8 miles in one direction and Lyme 8 miles in the other?
* Limit commerce as much as possible. We don't need it, our needs can be serviced somewhere else.
* The area is so small that any business should be carefully placed.
* For vehicular sales, I envision large parking lots - yuk!
* Keep desktop publication, eliminate printing operation.
* Since almost everybody in Etna works somewhere else, we do not need access to commercial facilities here.
* The key issue in zone usage is not the type of use, but the amount or volume of use. A small retail shop is good, but a huge mega-store is bad.
* Businesses in Etna have limited viability and should be restricted.
* Don't need more businesses or development in the area of Etna Village.
* Main problem with current zoning ordinance is the 1950's style of uses, which are fundamentally incompatible with present economy. Example: what is the difference between "auto service station" and "vehicle sales and repair"? They are outdated concepts.
* Prefer no zoning at all.
* Let's stop the B.S in Etna and get on with life.
New Post Office, Store and Bridge
* If Etna store wants more space, they should be allowed to expand.
* General store is wonderful asset, but it won't make it if a lot of money is required to fix it.
* Unfair to restrict parking in front of Etna store unless foot bridge is put in to allow use of parking area on east side of Mink Brook.
* More parking at Etna store.
* Diagonal parking
* Should be handicap parking on either side of Etna Road by the store.
* Delivery trucks should park in space between the store and where School Lane is even with the bridge.
* A foot bridge would be nice.
* Foot bridge between new Post Office and store
* Foot bridge connecting Dickenson properties, required at his expense in addition to town improvements.
* Bridge to new Post Office is a hazard. Move Etna-Hanover Road end up road away from store.
* The Etna store has become a place to catch up on neighborly talk.
* Much safer with the Post Office separated from the store.
* Etna Post Office is in wrong place! Taxpayers shouldn't pay for bridge cost!
* Try things as they are for two years. Don't hurry.
* We love the Etna General Store and hope it stays exactly the same.
* Pave the parking lot. The dust is horrible.
* Parking area at new Post Office should be paved or treated to cut down dust.
* Move Etna store to the new Post Office area
* Etna store is essential.
* A covered pedestrian bridge connecting the Etna store with the Post Office could allow a social center to evolve, expecially with an attractive place with benches near the brook. The mail seems to be the only common activity, and route delivery will diminish even that.
Suggested Additions to the B-1 Zone
* Restaurant (not drive-in), open in the evenings
* Restaurant or coffee shop
* Small cafe or restaurant
* Coffee and bakery shop
* Produce stand
* General store
* Library more in the town center where there is parking
* ATM
* Childcare agency
* Housing
* Accessory apartments and dwellings (both attached and detached)
* Any services which benefit the handicapped, infirm or old folks
* Bed and breakfast
* Another bed and breakfast
* Small beauty salon
* Beauty parlor
* Gas station
* Bank
* Garbage dump, or any kind of dump
* Home offices
* Cottage businesses
* Nursery
* None
* No drive-through
* Slightly bigger and better general store.
* Expand B-1 to provide services the local people want. Gas station, etc.
* A village store for emergencies and necessities seems about right.
* Low traffic service businesses are OK.
* No sidewalks, neon lights, motels, businesses to attract out-of-town patrons, parking garages or lots, or storage facilities.
* Limited growth of the retail and service industry is necessary.
* A little more business. Nothing that would wreck the scheme of things.
* An art gallery?
* A "Jasper Murdock" style pub with food could be a social gathering place for Etna.
* The interior decorating business in the owner's home is fine. Similar businesses would be fine.
* A gift shop
* Cleaners
* Antiques store
* Grocery store or similar use by Special Exception

IV. SR-2 ZONE
SR-2 Zone Amenities
Sidewalks
* Paved sidewalks in a few places, but not throughout
Paths
* Brick
* Dirt
* Paths through backyards and woods rather than along roads
* Bike and walking paths
* Smooth pathways apart from highway
* Keep it to "footpath"
* Pedestrians need safe walkways.
* Gravel footpaths may help safe pedestrian walking, but it is important to maintain quality and beauty of Etna Village area.
* Gravel or dirt walkways might be useful if they don't interfere with the village's ambiance.
Lighting
* Additional lighting only if it is low to the ground and limits obstruction of the sky.
* "Lighting" does not mean traffic light.
* No municipal lights. Keep the night sky DARK!
Suggested Additions to the SR-2 Zone
* The community center of Etna is and should be Trumbull Hall and/or the library, not commercial buildings.
* More use of the common area by church and greater use of Trumbull Hall by the community (with contribution to the church for its use).
* The village is pleasant just the way it is. That is part of the charm.
* Expanded handicap acces to the library
* Etna social focus seems fine.
* No more retail business on Etna Road.
* The efforts to maintain the historic nature of Etna Village and Hanover Center and all older homes in Hanover should be applauded.
* Permit higher village densities where characteristic 17-19th century town form can be created, extended
* A much larger SR district should be provided along the entire Greensboro-Etna Road corridor.
* SR-2 might be expanded up hill towards Quail Road, but not along Etna Road.
* SR zone should not go out to Ruddsboro Road.
* Don't turn this town into a contrived theme park.
* Should be more freedom to move, alter or replace existing non-conforming buildings to improve ambiance and safety. Village store could be rebuilt beside brook, away from sight lines, to resemble a traditional mill.
* SR-2 zone should not be expanded.
* Prefer no zoning at all.
* The village model requires something other than B-1 zone and rural retail business zone.
* Cluster housing for the financially less fortunate
* Homebased businesses
* Bike path
* Camps for kids and adults
* Outdoor recreation
* Underground utilities
* PUD, not clustered, multi-family, more like Berrill Farms, less single family
* Condos, like Berrill Farms
* More dense housing in this area, and in Hanover Center, and less dense housing in RR zone
* Limited number of 2-family dwellings, as families are smaller.
* Library
* All listed uses sound OK.
* No more
* There are too many now.
* SR-2 zone is the wrong model for development.
* Keep facilities small in scale (example: a 6-kid day care center rather than 40 kids)
* Higher density to reduce pressure on outlying areas
* No restrictions on hunting
* Consider the amount of well water in Etna. Our 11-year-old, 340' deep well just went dry, which could be due to new homes going up in the area.
* Someone needs to better define "accessory use".
* Have trouble with accessory use to Special Exception.
* No sidewalks except in Business Zone

V. ZONING
RR Zone
* To impinge further upon the rural character of outlying areas of Hanover would harm BOTH it and the town as a whole.
* We must accommodate growth somehow, so doing it in a way that preserves rural character is of highest priority.
* The present rural character of the areas is acceptable but must be carefully guarded.
* Emphasize residence, recreation, wildlife, agriculture. De-emphasize development, commerce outside already developed areas.
* Don't let people build homes up in the woods or fields. Save homes of wild birds and animals.
* There are several very large houses that almost seem an eyesore in comparison to the rural vintage of Etna and Hanover Center. Maybe some day a few trees will soften the starkness.
* Don't build houses in open fields or cleared pastures.
* Farmland with lots of houses is not rural. It is suburban.
* Zoning should limit building sites to 3-5 acres, with focus on preserving tracts of land.
* Don't turn this town into Concord, NH or your neighbor Lebanon
B-1 and SR-2 Zones
* Expansion of the B-1 and SR zones in Etna (and other designated villages) is essential to focus growth. Should be focussed in areas where transportation upgrades can be provided in a cost-effective manner.
* Tasteful additions to the retail business and other clean industry helps lower the tax base to home and property owners. This is doable and necessary.
* Etna village should remain a satellite of downtown Hanover, not an equal commercial center.
* Commerce in Etna should not compete with Hanover.
* Allow higher density in built-up areas.
* B-1 zone uses should be size-restricted (the purpose being to serve local residents).
* B-1 and SR-2 zones could be somewhat larger with no harm to the "village" feel, provide a
* Increase SR-2 lot size to 1-2 acres.
* No strong opinion on size of B-1 and SR-2 zones. It would depend.
* Should SR-2 zone be considered for Hanover Center or north neighborhood?
* If more houses were to be built they should be zoned to have more acreage than 1/3 or 1/2. Increase to at least 3 acres.
* Give Rick his CO!

Forest, NP Zones, Water Company Land
* Allow accessory dwelling unit
* We have a seasonal camp in the Forestry district. All of our property, and our neighbor's, is in Current Use, which I believe will preserve the area for years to come.
* I would like to see the clause permitting seasonal homes in the Forest and Recreation Zone eliminated.
* Not fair and equitable to restrict use of property to seasonal use or 180 days/year and still tax residents the same amount as other "regular" zoning.
* Rural character can be preserved by controlled/planned development and does not require "seasonal use" restrictions on private property.
* Eliminate "seasonal use" restrictions:
* if septic is adequate
* but stipulate no school transport (or cut taxes in half)
* on existing, new housing that conforms with reasonable environmental compatability
* Eliminate "recreational use" restrictions along Goose Pond
* Natural preserve, completely undeveloped
* Preserve water company property as conservation land
* Land trust, conservation
* I hope the forestry area is preserved. It would be awful to see more houses on Moose Mountain.
* 28% of Hanover is zoned Forestry and is effectively regulated as open space. Surely this is enough to control with regulations or tax dollars.
General Comments
* Office buildings should be south or southwest of Etna.
* If we want a place for growth, it should be here.
* Keep things in human (not automobile) scale.
* Rural Hanover is not large enough to warrant more commercial villages.
* Other small centers would take the pressure off Etna.
* There should be an effort to make downtown Hanover a real center of the community. There is a great need for downtown parks, recreation.
* Additional buildings should be set back from the road and screened with trees or bushes.
* Better to cluster population in village centers and preserve natural wildlife/environment corridors.
* I see no need to change the Master Plan at this point.
* There should be a quiet time after 10 o'clock!
* Too much restriction can be too restricting for people who need to make changes. Be careful!
* Discrimination on land usage is always open to abuse on both sides. The middle road must be found. Growth is a reality and a right of society. Common sense says definitions must change. In 1920 "rural Hanover" was much differently defined! Are we to forbid all growth? If so, don't use zoning to do it!
* "Open space subdivision should be restricted to achieve significant public benefit (not just a way to save on development costs).
* This is not Nantucket!
* Zoning should be limited, interfere as least as possible in residents' personal lives
* Development of large-scale structures that concentrate people interfere with "rural character" by creating need for large parking spaces, access roads, dense traffic, noise.
* Too much interference by legislation
* Democratic outlook - how much control?
* Zoning board should concentrate effort "in town"
* Eliminate government/garbage disposal
* No service for taxes paid. Can't reside here upon retirement
* Sometimes regulations and restrictions are needed for the common good.
* Growth is inevitable but restrictions are inevitable.
* A physical Master Plan with possible buildouts must be done.
* See Nantucket guidelines for buildings.
* Economics/marketplace will produce a correct growth pattern
* Growth is a factor of demand, not a factor of supply
* Hanover is special because a rural area abuts an academic area

VI. OPEN SPACE
Nature and The Environment
* Very important not to allow erosion of people's connection with the natural world by gradual escalation of the ambient noise, number of cars and trucks, development that impacts scenic, recreational and other opportunities, significant wildlife habitat, etc.
* Let's be very careful to develop land in an environmentally responsible way.
* Active use of products of the land is important.
Agriculture
* Permit breeding, raising, training, sales of animals
* Gardens, vegetable growing
* Pastures
Wildlife
* Wildlife preservation is a very important goal.
* The pressure on wildlife from development, dogs, target shooting, etc. has become very great.
* We must leave some undeveloped land for the wild animals. They have no place to go.
* Actively encourage preserving wildlife corridors between conservation and Current Use areas.
* Need wider corridors and larger areas for some wildlife and migration. Historical data shows we haven't provided enough habitat or adequate migratory corridors for some animals and bird species.
* We need larger areas and more diverse flora.
* Overfishing of wild fish a problem. Stocked areas are OK.
General Comments on Open Space
* Town needs to get behind protection of all wetlands, special scenic vistas, restricting extent of development in and around preserved areas, waterways, etc., for the common good.
* Woods and forests
* No quarries
* Make every effort to keep the rural character, the wildlife area around Moose Mountain
* Encourage maintenance of open fields and farm use
* Farming is no longer financially viable. We all have to contribute to cost of conserving rural character of land.
* Farms are the essence of "rural". We have almost none left in Hanover, but all possible combinations of tax relief, purchase of development rights, etc. should be used to preserve those few - not only for the farmers, but for the rest of us.
* Encourage conservation easements
* Town should purchase development rights of critical land
* If you want to control land, you must buy it!
* Look for ways to keep larger tracts undeveloped.
* A precious, finite, fragile, and disappearing resource
* Open space is what makes up a rural area. Without it, it just becomes one big development.
* Sprawl is insidious and must be anticipated before everything is urban.
* The more open space, the better.
* Extremely important for air and water quality, health of wildlife and forest.
* Totally important. That, plus broad range of activities at Dartmouth, are why I'm here.
* We lose it, it is gone forever. Be careful!
* Hanover is unique for its highly developed SW corner and significant open space to the N and NE. Keep it that way.
* Let's take care of what we have.
* We are losing it fast. I'm thinking about leaving Etna after 20 years because so much is being built up in both open and wooded areas.
* We use all [of these open space factors]. It is a huge factor in our quality of life here.
* Let's not get sucked into a "bigger is better" mentality. Who wants to look like every other developed area?
* Open space is the backbone of the local economy. Establish stronger municipal policy to protect it in meaningful ways.
* The economic advantages of open space should be acknowledged and exploited by the town.
* Why encourage more development? Growth is not a good thing. It is very, very costly. Much has been lost in the past 20 years.
* Block Island, Rhode Island would be a good model.
* I love the open space, but there are more people. Try to preserve views, forests, etc., while increasing the number of units of family dwelling and access to necessary services and improve roads.
* A creative tension should exist between rigorous environmental protection and controlled development. Expansion of housing developments can be interspersed with open spaces without encroaching on environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands.
* This is the prime area of conflict between developers, private owners of land, and community interests. Full communication on conflicts and procedures is the chief responsibility of municipal authorities.
* May need farmland when western aquifers dry up and we need to produce more food in New England.
* I would weight preservation of large continuous tracts, such as Moose Mountain, as more important than "remnant" pieces.
* People are subdividing their lands, selling land that is not suitable for a leach field or well. Runoff occurs. Homes are sited too closely to others.
* Dangerous to micro-manage from Main Street.
* Board don't seem to care what citizens think - don't listen to Conservation Commission.
* People should be able to do what they want in their backyards. People should be able to do what they want with their land.
* Open space should serve the greater community, not the developer.
* None of the above should permit, allow or develop spot zoning.
Open Space Programs in Hanover
* A map of presently and permanently protected Open Space should be distributed.
* Use a tax on real estate transfers to fund open space.
* Create large local tax incentives for conservation easements.
* Residents and town should purchase land for preservation if land meets development regulations and for some reason the choice not to have it developed occurs.
* Need to be proactive. Offer to buy development rights and/or have a capital fund that buys larger properties, then developing a fraction to recoup funds so a majority is preserved.
* 1% tax to finance open space preservation? Outrageous! How would that money by used? Why needed?

VI. RECREATION
Recreation
* Water company land should be kept as forest with public use permitted for recreation
* Hiking and X-country trials
* Parking for people who use hiking trails
* No snow machine trails
* Restrict noise generated by snowmobiles.
* Restrict snowmobiles to certain areas.
* Recreational facility
* Camps for kids
* Club with clubhouse residence housing
* Adult hunting or fishing camps
* Golf
* Fishing
* Add bike lanes to roads.
* Bikepath
* People should have public access to preserved areas, waterfronts, etc., for recreation.
* Use of ATVs should be restricted/banned on Class VI roads.
* Class VI roads need protection from motorized vehicles (ATVs) - more specifically, ATV tour groups and anyone using these roads commercially.
* Town unmaintained roads (Class VI) should never be developed.
* Use of ATVs should be restricted/banned on Class VI roads.
* I think it is wrong for Lebanon to ban all "ATV", including bicycles, from city-owned land. These areas are a valuable resource to the entire community and I hope that Hanover doesn't follow Lebanon on this issue.
* We would appreciate more access to open space lands where we can ride horses so we can get off the roads.
* Areas protected for hiking, recreation and wildlife conservation are very important.
* We should restrict hunting.
* No restrictions on hunting
* The Dana land should not be closed to hunting. Mr. Dana encouraged hunting. The town has closed an area long used by locals.
* Folks who post their land with "No Trespassing" signs put an undue burden on long-time residents who don't - funneling all hikers, hunters, skiers onto land not posted.

VIII. REGULATIONS
* Regulations only work when there are monitoring and enforcement actions.
* We must give the town a greater ability to deal with violations on clearcutting, sending a message to developers that penalties will be severe.
* Regulation of development in undeveloped or wetland areas will not accomplish anything as long as the major landowner in Hanover is constantly able to get around these restrictions (i.e., Dartmouth College on Grasse Road).
* The Town of Hanover should look carefully at the number of exceptions granted in the wetlands setback, the latest being Dartmouth College Grasse Road development. What is the purpose?
* Increase regulation of "I" zones in all areas.
* Having just been through a lengthy, expensive application for a Special Exception involving a wetland area, I am all too aware that the Zoning Board is not handling this area very proficiently. There are many fuzzy areas in the regulations.
* Don't make unnecessary restrictions on the individual small landowner, but be vigorous with the developers that rape the land - cause erosion, destroy the forests, etc.
* How do you define a hilltop and ridgeline? If you restrict them, you should also regulate clearcutting for the purpose of "getting a view".

XIII. SURVEY
* Some questions too vague and difficult to understand
* I did the best I could on permitted uses, etc., but to the lay person this is quite complex.
* I didn't understand a few [of the zoning terms].
* It was difficult to anwer questions on regulations without knowing what the current regulations are exactly.
* Do not know this village area well enough to comment.
* I need a bigger map.
* Not familiar enough with RR, B-1 and SR-2 zones to have strong opinions.
* I do not know how to answer all these questions.
* A difficult questionnaire - must be sensitive to being autocratic.
* We need to be careful not to be too restrictive.
* The ad hoc Committee has a bias against development or commercial use. The survey leans toward this end. The ad hoc Committee shoud not be the principal voice for village or rural questions.

XIV. OTHER COMMENTS
* Thank you for asking for input.
* Thank you for all the hard work you have put into caring for the growth of Etna and Hanover.
* Overall, I am extremely proud of Hanover and the people of Hanover.