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Study Circle 12: Deer
SUMMARY OF MAJOR THEMES
Quality of Life
It is important to our group that Portsmouth provides a quality of life that reflects Portsmouth's community.
Key factors identified as common contributors to a life of quality.
Safety
Sense of Belonging/Being represented/heard
Housing
Employment
Recreation
Arts/Entertainment
Managed Growth
It is important to our group that future growth and development proceeds in a thoughtful and environmentally sensitive manner, aimed at fostering a feeling of community among residents and visitors.
Key Factors identified as contributors to managed growth.
Open Space
Sprawl
Downtown Businesses
Housing
Areas of Disagreement
Downtown Entertainment/Music. Members of our study circle who did not live in the downtown area wanted more entertainment and enjoyed events like Market Square Day. While members of our groups who lived downtown would rather have a quieter downtown area. One Member of our group who lives downtown had this to say, “I love Market Square Day. At issue is that the 11pm noise ordinance is usually ignored and almost impossible to get the police to enforce. I don't think the special events downtown are a problem.”
Parking. We all felt there was a greater need for parking but disagreed as to whether we should build “up” or “out”. We recognized that large parking lots encroach more on valued open space. Furthermore, they prohibit infiltration of rainwater, which can contribute to flooding. By building parking garages, these environmental concerns may be minimized to some degree. However, parking garages are often costly, unsafe, aesthetically unappealing, and they obscure views.
Building height restrictions. Several members of the study circle suggested that since open space is limited, one possible solution would be to change height restrictions on buildings (build up not out). This suggestion raised questions about whether it is better to have taller buildings with larger areas of open space or lower buildings with less open space.
Conclusions and recommendations
Quality Of Life
The City of Portsmouth's demographics have changed over the last decade. Recognizing that each member of our community would have a different answer to the following question: “What could the City of Portsmouth do to enhance my quality of life?” We identified the following factors that contribute to everyone's quality of life.
Safety
Police Department, Fire Department, and community work together and are responsive and supportive of each other.
Continue to create strong, supportive neighborhoods.
Start a Safe house program where specific houses are identified by a window sign as a safe house for children to go to in the event of an emergency.
Sense of Belonging/Being represented/Being heard
It should be required that all City Government decisions address the issues of diversity and inclusion.
Often communities raise funds for the less fortunate but the less fortunate are not asked to join in the activities. Encourage inclusion among civic organization through outreach programs.
When making decisions that affect everyone such as recreation, transportation, employment, housing, all needs should be considered.
An office should be established in City hall for an Ombudsman. This person will be available for members of the community that feel they are lacking representation with respect to City services.
Develop empathy for other members of our community so others can speak out for them.
How do “WE” become the “WE” that make Portsmouth the best place to live and work for everyone?
Housing
It is important for Portsmouth to be proactive in its approach to housing if this city is to maintain its diverse population.
Smart Zoning to accommodated needs of elderly, low income, and others.
As an example, zone to allow shared housing .This would permit people to share living space complimenting each other's needs, i.e., A low-income family can rent a separate living space from an elderly person.
Look at ways to turn current structures into affordable housing.
Future commercial and residential developers should contribute financial/in kind to work force housing
Work Force Housing availability is imperative in maintaining the diversity of our city and continuing the legacy of our blue collar roots.
Employment
It is important for Portsmouth to continue to attract new sources as well as maintain current sources of employment.
Recreation
It is important for Portsmouth to maintain its support of the city's current recreational programs.
Recreational programs need to be inclusive.
Provide recreational programs for all ages.
Walking Paths throughout the city including along the river are needed.
Sidewalks are needed to connect Spinnaker Point to the downtown area.
Bike paths within the community and between communities are needed.
Many key items brought up were all ready included in The 1972 Master Plan. We would like to see recommendations from previous master plans implemented.
Arts & Entertainment
The City needs to be proactive in its approach to supporting the arts and entertainment community of the city.
In an effort to foster the arts and entertainment community we need to provide space to live and work
When a City building is vacated look at mixed reutilization: living/studio space.
Many key solutions affecting the Arts and Entertainment community are in the 1991 Master Plan (p99). We would like to see these recommendations implemented.
Managed Growth
The City of Portsmouth has changed dramatically during the last decade. We recognize that change and growth are inevitable and in many cases welcome. However, there was concern among our study circle that development often occurs with insufficient thought and planning. Consequently, we decided to focus on a theme that we identified by the term “managed growth.” This theme addresses the topics of sprawl, open space, buildings and architecture, zoning, and housing. Our main objective in covering this theme is to ensure that future growth and development proceeds in a thoughtful and environmentally sensitive manner, aimed at fostering a feeling of community among residents and visitors.
Open Space. There is little existing open space in Portsmouth and private landowners own much of the undeveloped areas that do remain. Consequently, the value of these open areas is not fully realized since City residents do not have open access.
Float bond for open space protection. Monies would be used to secure and protect existing open space. Monies could also be used to provide matching funds for organizations such as the Seacoast Land Trust.
Create an open lands committee. We recommend the establishment of an Open Lands Committee that would be charged with promoting open space protection. This committee would attempt to obtain and preserve existing conservation space in perpetuity, and would also work with private landowners to establish conservation easements. An emphasis would be placed on obtaining low and no cost land. This committee could be modeled after the Open Lands Committee established in neighboring Dover, New Hampshire.
Use money obtained through the sale of City property to purchase existing open space. Private landowners own much of the remaining open space in the City of Portsmouth. The City could use funds generated through the sale of City properties (e.g. Portsmouth Library, Thomas J. McIntyre Federal Building) to purchase existing open space within the City of Portsmouth.
Sprawl. Sprawl is a major problem in Portsmouth. Explosive growth has occurred on Route 1 and Woodbury Avenue with little thought about how this development affects the community feeling in Portsmouth that we appreciate.
Make current and future shopping centers more aesthetic. The following ideas were suggested as possible ways to make Portsmouth business areas more aesthetic:
Establish zoning ordinances that require stores to locate buildings on the street, with parking lots hidden behind them.
Build and improve sidewalks (possibly brick), thereby making it possible for people walk to stores, rather than drive.
Install attractive street lamps for aesthetics and safety.
Require businesses to use lighting designed to limit light pollution.
Require businesses to build parking garages with a small footprint rather than lots with large paved expanses.
Oversee and make recommendations on the design of future buildings so that development complements the existing architecture.
Islington Street improvements. Islington Street was identified as an area of town where substantial improvements could be made. We focused on Islington Street because it encompassed some of the issues related to managed growth, and we thought it would provide a good location to implement some of the aesthetic improvements discussed previously. There was a general feeling that currently, Islington Street is unattractive and difficult to navigate. However, Islington Street also has great potential, since it is within walking distance to residential areas, and is in close proximity to downtown, providing a good location for service stores and parking. The following recommendations were made:
Encourage pedestrians to cross the “divide” between downtown and Islington Street by making improvements to the intersection.
Improve lighting by installing attractive street lamps.
Improve parallel sidewalks, possibly with brick.
Improve “curb appeal” through landscaping, etc.
Make the Bartlett Street intersection safe (by CVS).
Provide incentives for businesses to upgrade storefronts.
Establish a pedestrian pathway/bikeway parallel to Islington Street from Bartlett to Maplewood along the North Mill Pond
Downtown businesses. In recent years there has been a shift from small, locally owned businesses that provide basic needs for residents (e.g. grocery stores, pharmacies) to nationally owned chains. These chain stores detract from the charm of Portsmouth, and provide little service to City residents.
Reestablish key downtown area businesses. Actively encourage key businesses, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, to return to the downtown area, possibly through tax incentives. Make it easier for residents to shop at downtown businesses by providing additional parking within the downtown area.
Housing. There is limited housing in Portsmouth, and the demand for housing remains high. We need to achieve a balance between the need for housing and the need for open space.
Allow increases in population density in zoned residential areas. Use “smart zoning” that encourages a greater density of people in residential zones (i.e. cluster housing). Increasing the population density in some areas would enable The City to preserve open space without a loss of tax revenue. Allow for shared housing, i.e. senior citizens renting space in their homes to individuals or families looking for affordable rentals. Perhaps even facilitate or educate the public about this type of program.
Appendices
Raw Data
“What We Value in Portsmouth”
Taking turns, participants shared what they love about Portsmouth.
Our history
Our culture
Our blue collar roots
Our Arts/Entertainment
Our Uniqueness
The city's safety
Our charm
Our school system
Our access to the mountains, oceans, Boston and the Lakes region
Our open spaces
Our scenery
The biking and outdoor recreation available to us.
The recreation department's programs for kids and seniors as well as adult education offerings
We enjoy all the different types of birds that frequent our area
Prescott Park
The Music Hall
The tourists
The street festivals
The “realness” of our working port and local businesses
The fact that this a destination spot for families and other visitors
Our highway department does a terrific job with the services it offers/performs
The Children's Museum
The transportation is good for this size NH Community
We Like our Neighborhood communities
How can we make Portsmouth the best place for everyone?
Using Post-its, each participant identified issues that were important to them. These issues fit into the following broad categories.
Zoning/open space/sprawl
Managed growth
Preserving architectural feel of the city
New construction should compliment current architecture
Transportation
Little Bay Bridge-Hindrance entering/exiting city
Train-to/from Boston
Transportation within the city-Public Transportation needs improvement
Environment
Business/Economic Development
Residential needs
Future Needs
Safety
Schools
Arts/Culture/Leisure-This is a very big part of how Portsmouth is identified by others and what makes the city unique.
We need to know who lives her and who we are in order to s
ucceed in making Portsmouth the best place to live/work/visit.
These broad topics were next reclassified and combined into several key categories.
Managed Growth
Zoning
Open Space
Sprawl
Buildings/Architecture
Infrastructure
Recreation
Downtown
Transportation
Bridges
Schools
Islington Street
Environment/Open Space
Zoning (HDC)
Housing
Downtown
Who are we, what makes Portsmouth the town it is, is created by downtown.
Downtown has a living room effect
Downtown is the engine that drives the city
Balance
Diversity of businesses
Diversity of people
Parking
Quality of life
Diversity of needs
Youth
Leisure
Recreation
Arts/Culture
Specific areas need improved for walking and biking
A vote was taken to determine which 3 of 4 issues on which we would concentrate. (There was a tie between Infrastructure and Downtown)
1. Quality of life
2. Managed Growth
3. Infrastructure
4. Downtown
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