On January 11th Sarah Marchant and Amber Logue, addressed the Rotary Club of Nashua regarding the master planning group for Nashua. Mayor Jim Donchess introduced today’s speaker. Imagine Nashua is the name of the master planning group for Nashua. It is a plan for our future. Sarah Marchant is the lead coordinator for plan. She has extensive city planning experience in Nashua, NH and the New England Region. Amber Logue is the planner who has done the principal plan design. She is a Nashua resident and chair of the city masterplan committee.
Imagine Nashua: Citywide Master Plan
Agenda: Where are we in the process?; What have we heard?; Where are we going?; Public Survey#; Public Workshop to revew.
Where are we in the process….
Basis for future planning long range being 5-10 years in future identifying community vision and goals. It will collaborate with stakeholders. It will have a vision statement and core values. Broad and aspiration goals for each topic – land use, housing, growth, economic impact, transit and open space.
The commission tarted in August 2020 and it needs input from public. Please send thoughts, ideas, directions to imagine@nashuanh.gov.
What have we heard….
The commission has engaged via social media posts, newsletters, general invites to public meeting of different interest groups, Mayor’s ward meetings, small group meetings of Nashua organizations. Surveys have been done. There is a consensus to improve access to green space and riverfront, improve the quality and affordability of housing, increase the quality & number of high paying jobs, increase public art display and cultural activities year-round.
Where are we going…
The concepts of Equity, Resilience and Climate protection are core values of vision. The vision will involve re-development of underutilized and run-down areas. Growth is necessary for our fiscal stability. We need more housing diversification. In Nashua, 50% of the current housing is single family housing. Nashua could use more multi-unit housing. Need housing that supports persons salaries who are working in many retail jobs. Need improved mobility and transit changes. Draft report is on website, https://imagine.nashuanh.gov. as well as today’s presentation.
Public Survey #2….
Social Pinpoint - Digital Mapping Survey where you can go to specific areas on Nashua map and make comments and reasons why. Comments to maintain/protect, develop/protect or improve. Comment on any or all of the goal areas.
Next Steps….
Community Feedback on Survey #2 which will be discussed and released in allow feedback to further refine the draft visioning and goals. There will be a Public Workshop in April to review the scenarios and actions from all of the surveys and planning.