Rural Study Group 2007

Last Content Update:

The Rural Study Group met at noon on January 16, 2008 and reviewed comments heard at the previous evening's Public Workshop at Trumbull Hall. As a result, the Group decided to recommend to the Planning Board:

  • That no rural resource zoning amendment be pursued for the 2008 Annual Town Meeting,
  • That the follow-up Public Workshop tentatively scheduled for January 29th be postponed, and
  • That the Group proceed over the next months to gather and analyze better data, to solicit more public input, and to explore other methods of achieving improved rural environmental protection.

At 7:30 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2008, in the Board Room, Second Floor of Town Hall, the Hanover Planning Board will discuss this recommendation. The public is welcome to attend this public meeting and listen to the Board's discussion.

The Planning Board extends its thanks to all who attended and participated in the January 15th Public Workshop. On or about January 22nd, DVDs of that Workshop will be available for public viewing at the Howe Library.

Information posters for this January 15th workshop are now up in Town Hall, Howe Library, and Etna Library, each with copies of the background report for anyone who would like one.

Charge to the Rural Study Group

Following discussion at the meeting of the Hanover Planning Board on May 15, 2007, the formation of a Rural Study Group was initiated with the following charge:

The Rural Study Committee is generally charged by the Planning Board to focus on the natural resource underpinnings of future land use and regulation in rural Hanover within the context of the 2003 Master Plan.

The study area was defined as:

Current rural Residence (RR) and Forestry and Recreation (F) zoning districts; being cognizant of edges of these areas bordering other zoning districts, particularly the single Residence (SR-2) zoning district along Etna and Greensboro Roads.

The following issues were identified in the Scope of Work for study:

  1. Protection of lands of high resource value
  2. Protection of lands of moderate resource value
  3. Consideration of results of Wetlands Committee
  4. Competing natural resource interests on the same parcel and across the study area
  5. Land uses/activities/access to encourage, to discourage, and to prohibit
  6. Administrative/documentation/process costs/feasibility/time for town and applicants

For the most part, the Rural Study Group has been meeting every Monday noon since then, usually at Trumbull Hall.

Principal Contributors & Advisors

  • Iain Sim - Chair
  • Dave Cioffi, resigned
  • Nancy Cole
  • Nancy Collier - Planning Board
  • Kate Connolly - Select Board
  • Bill Dietrich - Planning Board
  • Jonathan Edwards - Planning and Zoning Department
  • Michael Hingston - Planning Board
  • Bob Keene
  • Ruth Lappin - Zoning Board of Adjustment
  • Tom Linell
  • Anne Morris - Conservation Commission
  • Joyce Noll
  • Hilary Pridgen
  • Vicki Smith - Planning and Zoning Department