NOTICE – TOWN OF GILFORD, New Hampshire


The Gilford Planning Board will conduct a public hearing to consider changes to the Gilford Zoning Ordinance on Monday, January 8, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in Conference Room A at the Gilford Town Hall, 47 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, New Hampshire.  Anyone interested is invited to attend.  This is the first public hearing for these items.


PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGES


A public hearing will be held to consider the following amendments proposed by the Gilford Planning Board:


1.      Amend Screened Buffer Requirements – This is a proposal to amend Section 6.5, Screened Buffer, by deleting the existing provisions of Section 6.5 and replacing them with revised Screened Buffer provisions including a purpose statement, clarification of when a buffer containing a screen is and is not required in each zone, clarification of when the Planning Board may waive screen requirements, and a statement regarding conflicting regulations. (CLICK HERE for proposed Amendment)


2.      Amend Boat Storage Use Requirements – This is a proposal to amend the requirements for Boat Storage by deleting the existing Section 4.4.7, Boat Storage; creating a new Section 4.4.7, Boat Storage – Inside, as a permitted use in the Resort Commercial (RC), Commercial (C), and Industrial (I) zones and not permitted in all other zones; creating a new Section 4.4.8, Boat Storage – Outside, as a permitted use in the C and I zones, as a special exception in the RC zone, and not permitted in all other zones; amending Section 4.7.4(g), Boat Storage, by deleting the existing wording and replacing it with new wording establishing separate requirements for inside and outside boat storage uses which include screening of outside boat storage in the RC zone when adjacent to abutting single-family and two-family residential uses. (CLICK HERE for proposed Amendment)


3.      Amend Definition of Agritourism – Amend “Agritourism” in Article 3, Definitions, by clarifying prohibited lighting practices for an Agritourism use in a residential zone.  The proposed changes are intended to clarify that illumination of limited areas is allowed provided that any exterior lighting is fully shielded, directed downward, approved by the Planning Board, and not brighter than 0.05 foot candles at any property line. (CLICK HERE for proposed Amendment)


4.      Amend Article 8, Signs – Amend extensively Article 8, Signs, in various ways, primarily to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court decision (see Reed v. Town of Gilbert) which in general terms stated that regulation of signs based on a sign’s content is prohibited.  The changes include deleting and amending several sign types that are regulated based on the sign content, allowing substitution of noncommercial speech for commercial speech, creating a new provision for a Development Sign for projects meeting Applicability requirements for a Master Signage Plan, creating a provision allowing only one sign in a Master Signage Plan to be made larger if another sign is made smaller by the same area, amending Tables 8.12 and 8.13 as needed to accommodate the proposed changes, renumbering sections due to deletions and additions, and making other related changes. (CLICK HERE for proposed Amendment)

The exact text of the proposed changes may be inspected at the Department of Planning and Land Use (DPLU) and the Town Clerk’s office in the Gilford Town Hall at 47 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, New Hampshire.  DPLU is open Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.  The Town Clerk’s office is open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, and until 6:00 p.m. on Thursdays.  Both offices are closed on January 1, 2018.  You may contact the Department of Planning and Land Use by calling (603) 527-4727.