News
2023-06-08 - RPC Releases FY 2023/2024 Work Program Highlights
I had to sum up Fiscal Year 2023 in one word, it’s housing. This year saw the completion of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) and significant investment in planning to support new housing opportunities in New Hampshire. As we close out FY 2023, the RPC staff is looking to capture the momentum of the completed housing needs assessment to advance the regional conversation on housing. Data from the RHNA is supporting conversations and housing opportunity grant work in 15 communities (and counting) around the region. Housing will continue to be a focal point in the coming fiscal year as we integrate cross discipline planning to examine the codependency of transportation, wastewater infrastructure, drinking water and environmental resources in our housing work.
With more than 35 contract projects in the queue and a budget approaching $1.8M, FY 2024 promises to be one of the busiest years the RPC has seen in decades. The RPC is staffed and ready to meet this challenge as we welcome Victoria Healey and Mikayla Jerominek to the staff as new regional planners.
Our Budget and Work Program highlights from this past year’s work, a summary of our proposed budget for FY 2024, as well as a look ahead at some of the work we will take on as a region in the upcoming year.
Tim Roache, RPC Executive Director
RPC FY 2023/2024 Budget and Work Program Highlights
2023-03-01 - 2023 Regional Housing Needs Assessment Published
The housing shortage has become a common topic of conversation across the country. A sharp decline in new home construction over the last 20 years, coupled with changing demographics and economic trends, have caused a housing crunch. New Hampshire is not immune to these shifts. Statewide the population is growing and getting older, the average household size is declining, and the number of available homes is simply not enough to meet the current or future demand.
While there are no easy answers to the current housing shortage, the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) provides data on housing and demographics so that each municipality can start a conversation about local solutions.
The complete RHNA Report and Appendix documents are available at the Rockingham Planning Commission website: www.therpc.org/RHNA. If you have any comments or questions about the RHNA you can ask them from this website as well. You will also find a slideshow and video of the presentation to municipal officials held on January 11, 2023 to preview the RHNA.
2023-01-06 - Draft 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program
Now in public comment period
The Rockingham Planning Commission has begun a 30 day public comment
period to gather feedback on the draft 2023-2026 Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP). This 30-day public comment period for the
TIP and Plan documents began Friday, January 6, 2023 and concludes on
Tuesday February 7, 2023. A public hearing to solicit public comment is
scheduled for Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at the Stratham Town Offices (10 Bunker Hill Avenue) beginning at 7:00 PM. An option for virtual participation will be made available and the link will be provided prior to the meeting.The Planning Commission will meet after the public hearing to adopt the
documents.
Draft 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program
[Public Notices][Transportation]
2022-12-22 - 2022 List of Obligated Projects
Federal funds committed to transportation projects in the region
The List of Obligated Projects is an annual statement by the Metropolitan Planning Organization detailing the expenditure of federal transportation funds in the region. When the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) or Federal Transit Administration (FTA) obligate funds, the agencies are committing federal resources to a specific transportation project, grant, or transit system. While obligations do not line up exactly with active construction of roadway projects, they do provide insight into what projects are being prepared for construction (engineering and design), are in construction, or have been recently completed. The 2022 Annual Listing of Obligated Projects has been published and details how the $123.5 million of federal funding obligated in the region was distributed to projects, programs, and transit agencies.
[Press Releases][Transportation]
2022-09-23 - Public Comment period on Coordinated Public Transit/Human Services Transportation Plan for Greater Manchester-Derry-Salem Region (RCC Region 8)
Federal transportation planning regulations require all MPOs and rural planning regions to develop Coordinated Public Transit Human Service Transportation Plans to gain access to certain federal transit funding. The purpose of this planning requirement is to improve access to transportation for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and those with low incomes, while also improving the efficiency with which those services are provided.
The RPC MPO jointly develops Coordinated Public Transit/Human Services Transportation Plan for the Greater Manchester-Derry-Salem region (RCC Region 8) with the Southern NH Planning Commission (SNHPC). This region includes all 14 communities in the SNHPC planning region plus the RPC communities of Atkinson, Danville, Hampstead, Plaistow, Salem, and Sandown.
The full Coordination Plan document is available to read online or download from the RPC website at www.therpc.org/TransitCoordinationPlans. The Draft Coordination Plan has been approved the Greater Manchester-Derry-Salem RCC, and reviewed by the RPC MPO Technical Advisory Committee which recommended adoption by the MPO. The Plan will be presented at the October 12th meeting of the MPO and a vote taken on adoption. With questions contact RPC Senior Transportation Planner Scott Bogle at sbogle@therpc.org.Comment Period Start Date: | | September 23, 2022 | |
| Comment Period End Date: | | October 12, 2022 | |
| Public Hearing Date/Time: | | October 12, 2022 at 7:00 PM | |
| Public Hearing Location: | | ||
| Options for Providing Comments | |||
| | | ||
| Mail: | | Rockingham Planning Commission Attn: Scott Bogle 156 Water Street Exeter, NH 03833 | |
[Public Notices][Transportation]
2022-05-24 - Public Comment Period for 2021-2024 TIP Amendment #4
To be considered for approval at the June 8, 2022 RPC Meeting
The Rockingham Planning Commission (RPC), as the federally designated Metropolitan Transportation Organization (MPO) for the region, announces its intent to amend the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to account for scope, schedule and cost changes to projects. The TIP is a prioritized list of federal and state funded transportation projects cooperatively developed by NH DOT and representatives RPC communities and currently includes projects with work scheduled from fiscal years 2021 through 2024. This update helps maintain consistency with State project programming documents and the RPC Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Copies of all documents are available on the RPC public engagement portal linked at https://www.publicinput.com/2021TIP as well as the RPC website at https://www.therpc.org/TIPAmendments. Copies will also be mailed to interested parties by request.
A public comment period for the Amendments begins Tuesday May 24, 2022 and concludes on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. A public hearing to consider the changes and any received comments is scheduled for Wednesday June 8, 2022, beginning at 6:00 PM at the Stratham Town Offices, 10 Bunker Hill Avenue, Stratham. There is an option to participate in the meeting via zoom webinar. Please check the public engagement portal or the RPC website for the most up-to-date information on how to access the meeting. The Planning Commission will meet after the public hearing to adopt the changes to the TIP.
NOTES
- As of July 20, 2013, all of New Hampshire is unclassifiable/attainment for the 2008 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (the 2008 ozone standard) and as of April 6, 2015, the 1997 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (the 1997 ozone standard) is revoked for all purposes, including transportation conformity purposes in the Boston-Manchester-Portsmouth (SE) NH area.
- Consistent with the RPC’s Public Participation Process, this notice and comment period is also intended to meet FTA requirements for public comment on the programs of transit projects put forward by NHDOT, UNH and the COAST and CART transit systems.
| Comment Period Start Date | | May 24, 2022 | |
| Comment Period End Date: | | June 7, 2022 | |
| Public Hearing Date/Time: | | June 8, 2022 at 6:00 PM | |
| Public Hearing Location: | | ||
| Zoom Webinar Access: | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88487753803?pwd=U0RMSlkzY2QrYVJOc1JocWFjSUNBUT09 Webinar ID: 884 8775 3803 | ||
| Passcode: | 783350 | ||
| Options for Providing Comments | |||
| Public Engagement Portal | | ||
| | | ||
| Mail: | | Rockingham Planning Commission Attn:David Walker 156 Water Street Exeter, NH 03833 | |
[Public Notices][Transportation]
2022-05-03 - Request for Qualifications for On‐Call Transportation Planning and Engineering Services
The Rockingham Planning Commission (RPC) is requesting statements of qualifications to provide on-call engineering services in support of transportation and other planning efforts throughout the RPC region. Efforts include scoping and developing preliminary cost estimates for transportation improvement projects that may be funded with local, state or federal funds (including Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration); assistance with technical analysis; Support for additional land use and environmental planning services may be required depending on funding availability.
Request for Qualifications On‐Call Transportation Planning and Engineering Services
Contact: Tim Roache – Executive Director, Rockingham Planning Commission, 156 Water St. Exeter, NH 03833
(603) 778-0885; troache@therpc.org
Date of Issue: May 3, 2022
Deadline for Submission: June 3, 2022, at 2:00 PM
2022-02-17 - RPC Launches Regional Housing Needs Assessment & Survey
A multi-faceted project to review current housing trends and better understand needs to plan for future housing options.
Contact: Sarah Tatarczuk, Regional Planner -
statarczuk@therpc.org; (603) 658-0523
NH Regional Planning Commissions are launching regional housing needs assessments; a multi-faceted project to review current housing trends and better understand needs to plan for future housing options that meet demand and ensure a high quality of life for all New Hampshire residents. Regional Planning Commissions are a political subdivision of the state and support a local membership of municipalities in their planning and community development responsibilities. This effort is being conducted in partnership with the New Hampshire Office of Planning and Development, and is funded by a American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund grant.
Affordable housing is crucial to the New Hampshire economy. The low housing inventory, increased population and rising prices affects families who want to live and work in the state.
- October 2021, the statewide median sales price was $375,000, almost 13% higher than October 2020 (NH Housing Market Snapshot, 2021).
- 2021 two-bedroom median gross rent increased to $1,498, up 6% from the previous year.
- NH vacancy rates have fallen to under 1% (0.9%), 0.6% for two-bedroom units (NH Housing Rental Survey Report, 2021).
- To afford the statewide median cost of a typical two-bedroom apartment with utilities, a New Hampshire renter would have to earn 128% of the estimated statewide median renter income, or over $59,900 a year (NH Housing Rental Survey Report, 2021).
The year-long Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) project begins with a community survey, which will be conducted by each regional planning commission, and encourages residents to share what impact the housing situation has had on them; what has worked, and what needs to change. The link to each region’s survey is available at www.nharpc.org/rhna.
Community engagement will be critical for this project, and we are hoping to hear from you!
For more information and to participate in your region’s survey:
Rockingham Planning Commission Regional Housing Needs Assessment Project:
Strafford Regional Planning Commission Regional Housing Needs Assessment Project:
https://strafford.org/projects/rhna/
2022-01-27 - Public Comment Period for 2021-2024 TIP Amendment #3
Public Hearing at 2/9/2022 RPC MPO Meeting
The Rockingham Planning Commission (RPC), as the federally designated Metropolitan Transportation Organization (MPO) for the region, announces its intent to amend the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to account for scope, schedule and cost changes to projects. The TIP is a prioritized list of federal and state funded transportation projects cooperatively developed by NH DOT and representatives RPC communities and currently includes projects with work scheduled from fiscal years 2021 through 2024. This update helps maintain consistency with State project programming documents and the RPC Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Copies of all documents are available on the RPC public engagement portal linked at https://www.publicinput.com/2021TIP as well as the RPC website at https://www.therpc.org/TIPAmendments. Copies will also be mailed to interested parties by request.
A public comment period for the Amendments begins Thursday January 27, 2022 and concludes on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. A public hearing to consider the changes and any received comments is scheduled for Wednesday February 9, 2022, beginning at 7:00 PM at the Stratham Town Offices, 10 Bunker Hill Avenue, Stratham. There is an option to participate in the meeting Zoom webinar (connection information below). Please check the public engagement portal or the RPC website for the most up-to-date information on how to access the meeting. The Planning Commission will meet after the public hearing to adopt the changes to the TIP.
NOTES
- As of July 20, 2013, all of New Hampshire is unclassifiable/attainment for the 2008 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (the 2008 ozone standard) and as of April 6, 2015, the 1997 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (the 1997 ozone standard) is revoked for all purposes, including transportation conformity purposes in the Boston-Manchester-Portsmouth (SE) NH area.
- Consistent with the RPC’s Public Participation Process, this notice and comment period is also intended to meet FTA requirements for public comment on the programs of transit projects put forward by NHDOT, UNH and the COAST and CART transit systems.
| Comment Period Start Date | | January 27, 2022 | |
| Comment Period End Date: | | February 8, 2022 | |
| Public Hearing Date/Time: | | February 9, 2022 at 7:00 PM | |
| Public Hearing Location: | | ||
| Zoom Webinar Access: | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86147023818?pwd=QitDblRCT1pyVlFCOFlMZi95NjFqdz09 Webinar ID: 861 4702 3818 | ||
| Passcode: | 752504 | ||
| Options for Providing Comments | |||
| Public Engagement Portal | | ||
| | | ||
| Mail: | | Rockingham Planning Commission Attn:David Walker 156 Water Street Exeter, NH 03833 | |
[Public Notices][Transportation]
2021-12-22 - The RPC office will be closed to the public until Monday, January 17.
The RPC office will be closed to the public and RPC staff will be working remotely until Monday, January 17 due to the increased rate of Covid-19 in the region.
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