Planning and Economic Development Committee Workshop on Parking and Mobility Code - August 22, 2025
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Planning and Economic Development Committee Workshop on Parking and Mobility Code - August 22, 2025
The Planning and Economic Development Committee of the Nashua Board of Aldermen held a workshop on August 22, 2025 (meeting called to order at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 21, 2025 per transcript) to discuss Article 10 of the proposed new zoning code, covering parking and mobility regulations. Planning Manager Sam Durfee presented key changes, including mobility management, parking minimums and maximums, payment in lieu, shared parking, bicycle parking, and design standards for structured parking. The discussion focused on balancing regulatory requirements with market forces and addressing downtown parking shortages identified in a recent parking study. No formal votes were taken; the workshop was informational.
Discussion Items
- Mobility Management: Durfee introduced a menu of options for property owners to reduce parking demand, such as providing bus passes, unbundling parking from rent, or installing bike parking. Annual reporting would be required to track effectiveness. Alderman Kelly questioned how reductions would be calibrated; Durfee noted that specific relief percentages would be assigned and adjusted over time based on real data.
- Parking Minimums: The code reinstates parking minimums downtown (removed previously) based on a parking study showing a need for about 1,000 spaces. Minimums are set at 1.0 space per dwelling unit (per state law HB 631), with a cap of 2.0. Inclusionary zoning units would require only 0.5 spaces. Alderman Clemens expressed a preference for a hands-off, market-driven approach, while others acknowledged the need for minimums downtown.
- Payment in Lieu: Developers could pay a fee instead of providing required parking. Durfee emphasized the fee must be tied to actual construction costs and updated regularly to avoid underfunding, unlike the existing sidewalk payment-in-lieu program. Alderman Kelly expressed concern about tracking and potential lack of parking if many choose to pay.
- Shared Parking: A table calculates peak parking demand by time of day for different uses (commercial, residential, evening), reducing total required spaces compared to separate calculations. Alderman Thibault asked about day-of-week variations; Durfee confirmed that peak demand (e.g., Thursday night) is used.
- Regulatory Structure Change: Parking regulations would move from site plan/subdivision regulations into the zoning ordinance, limiting waiver authority and requiring variances for relief. Relief options include mobility management, demand studies, and shared parking agreements. This aims to provide consistency and predictability.
- Design Standards: Form-based standards for parking structures and lots to ensure compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods. Examples from Denver were shown. Alderman Govilla questioned whether form standards are necessary in all areas; Durfee noted that feedback from BIDA led to consideration of rolling back standards for industrial/commercial areas.
- Bike Parking: Short-term and long-term bicycle parking requirements introduced to address lack of secure bike parking. Standards specify two-point contact and weather protection for long-term parking.
- District Exemptions: Possible elimination of parking minimums in the Urban Core, Urban Mill, and Urban Station districts, but still under consideration. Alderman Thibault raised concerns about existing businesses and change-of-use triggers; Durfee confirmed that only new site plans or change of use would require compliance.
Key Outcomes
- No votes taken; this was a workshop session.
- Planning Director Matt Sullivan announced that one-on-one sessions with each alderman will be scheduled over the coming weeks to address concerns and refine the code. The goal is to adopt the new code by the end of 2025.
- Aldermen expressed mixed views: Alderman Govilla supported the direction but noted change is difficult; Alderman Clemens preferred a market-driven approach and questioned overregulation; Alderman Kelly was enthusiastic but wary of payment-in-lieu implementation; Alderman Thibault appreciated the outreach and emphasized the need for stakeholder input.
- Durfee noted that the parking department director generally supported the proposed changes.
- Future meetings will include a session on inclusionary zoning on the following Tuesday with consultant Russ Preston.
Note: The meeting transcript indicates the meeting started at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 21, 2025, but the provided timestamp is August 22, 2025; the summary uses the latter as instructed.
Meeting Transcript
7 p.m. on the planning and economic development committee to order. It's Thursday, August 21st, 2025. 7 p.m. here in the Aldermatic Chamber. Can the clerk please call a role? Alderman at large, Melbourne Moran Jr. Chair. Alderman at large, Ben Clemens. Alderman Derek Thibault is here. Alderman Ernest Jetty. Alderman Tyler Govilla, Vice Chair. Here. And in place of at least one person here to make quorum, Alderwoman Shoshana Kelly. I'm here. So we have three. That is quorum. Thank you, Alderman Kelly, for joining us. Of course, I'm so excited. Public comment. Any member of the public want to speak, seeing nobody in the crowd tonight. We will move into discussions and presentations. Mr. Derfee, if you want to come on up. And I didn't announce Mr. Durfee, but Sam Durfee, our planning manager is also here. And Matt Sullivan, our illustrious uh planning director, uh is also here. Who is also more than welcome to come up if you would like. I'm gonna allow Mr. Derby to else. I won't add that question with the mouse. Perfect, thank you. Well, uh, I'm Sam Durfee for the record, planning manager. Uh, thank you very much for making time for me this evening. Uh this is our fourth, third, fourth session. Yeah. Um so yeah, we're gonna talk about parking and and mobility. This is Article 10 of the new code. Uh yeah, let's uh let's jump right in. Uh just for a little bit of context, this is kind of what we've covered so far. Uh we did a general introduction to the code. It was a joint session of uh human affairs and this committee. Then we went over building types, density, we did a little mock development. Uh we looked at the overlay districts, which is that cool tool that we really help hope that will spur development in some key areas identified by the master plan. Uh this evening we're talking about mobility and parking, and then on Tuesday of next week, we'll be talking about inclusionary zoning. I'm happy to say that our consultant, uh Russ Preston will be here as well as um our subconsultant from RKG, uh, Kyle, who will also be participating via Zoom so we can get really weedy and talk about numbers and why things are the way they are and market forces. Uh so that will be interesting, and I'm really looking forward to it. Um but for tonight, we have parking. Uh but also uh future topics. Should we choose to schedule some more of these, some other things that we could talk about?
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