The Andover Planning Board has been considering some possible revisions to the Andover Zoning Ordinance to recommend to the next Town Meeting in March of 2017.
The moment we say that, the first response is to wonder why there is any need for change. Our current zoning was adopted in 1974 and has served the town well without major change. In the meantime, the world and the town have changed, and some things were not provided for in the original ordinance.
The purpose of zoning is to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the area. Zoning is accomplished by having the legislative body divide the political subdivision into zones and regulating what buildings and uses are to occur in what zones. In Andover, of course, the legislative body is Town Meeting.
As you would expect in a New Hampshire town which values independence, the uses permitted in Andover’s Zoning Ordinance are quite permissive. For example, you (or your neighbor) can build a hog farm in any zone in town, or you can establish a woodlot or tree farm in any zone in town.
In addition, if your neighbor wants to use his land in a way that is not listed as a permitted use in your zone, he can ask the Zoning Board of Adjustment for an additional special exception (Section D-1), and the Zoning Board of Adjustment can approve it.
The practical effect of this is to make the Zoning Board of Adjustment (consisting of four or five people) the legislative body for the town, deciding what buildings and activities are to occur in what districts. We think it would be helpful for the town as a whole to identify what uses could best occur where, so that individuals know what their neighbor might be able to do on his property next year.
Some of that work is very simple; it just means spelling out in more detail the uses permitted in each district. Other changes that might be helpful are easy to agree on: for example, probably commercial hog farms and sawmills are not compatible with other uses in the Village District. Probably multi-family housing or retail stores are not compatible with other uses in the Forest and Agriculture District.
For other uses in other districts, we might say, “It depends.” In those places, a use could be permitted by special exception, with the town authorizing the Zoning Board of Adjustment to consider any specific proposal.
Our Master Plan says that we want to preserve the rural nature of our town, and we also want to provide opportunity for commercial development and employment. The Planning Board will be continuing to work on suggested amendments to the Zoning Ordinance that implement the goals identified in the Master Plan. We will be sharing our work as we proceed, and we will invite your thoughtful response.