Planning Board — May 28, 2026
The meeting featured spirited, technical discussions regarding the balance between developer costs and town safety/aesthetic standards.
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The Goffstown Planning Board is currently in the process of a major overhaul of the town’s development regulations, and the decisions being made now will shape our community for years to come.
During the May 28 meeting, the Board engaged in significant debate over how to balance the cost of new construction with the town's safety and aesthetic standards. One major outcome was the decision to require that all driveway bridges be designed and stamped by a licensed professional engineer to ensure they can support the weight and clearance of fire department vehicles.
Additionally, the Board is looking for ways to address the rising costs of development. Because the current requirement for 30,000-gallon concrete cisterns is becoming cost-prohibitive, staff will be consulting with the Fire Chief to see if residential fire sprinkler systems could serve as a viable, more affordable alternative.
These discussions—covering everything from stormwater management to infrastructure bonds—are ongoing. As these regulations are finalized, they will directly impact the feasibility of new housing and the long-term maintenance of our town's infrastructure. Stay informed on how these changes affect Goffstown.
Public impact
Significant changes to infrastructure, stormwater, and landscaping standards
The board agreed to several amendments, such as requiring licensed engineer stamps for bridges and a three-year verification window for plant growth.
Staff will refine the document for continued review at future meetings.
Requirement for professional engineer-stamped bridges and potential shift from cisterns to sprinklers
The board mandated professional engineer stamps for bridges and tasked staff with consulting the Fire Chief about sprinkler alternatives.
Staff to consult with the Fire Chief; finalized bridge language to be voted on at a later meeting.
Topics discussed
The board reviewed and moved to approve the minutes from the previous meeting held on April 23rd.
The motion to approve the minutes passed with one abstention.
A request was made to release the bond/escrow for trail work and culvert installation at the Woodland Village apartments off Bog Road.
The board voted to approve the requested release of escrow.
The board reviewed a request for input regarding a single-family home construction on a private road at 36 Allard Park Road.
The Planning Board issued a formal 'no comment' regarding the request.
The request will move to the Select Board for final approval.
The board reviewed minor updates to the Planning Board's internal rules and regulations.
The board decided to defer adoption until the next meeting to allow for thorough review.
Review and potential adoption at the June 11th meeting.
A lengthy review of proposed changes to the town's development regulations, including infrastructure, landscaping, and stormwater management.
The board reviewed numerous specific sections, making several administrative notes, agreeing to amendments such as licensed engineer stamps for bridges, three-year crown spread verification, and removal of stormwater-guided landscaping paragraph; requesting further staff investigation into certain items.
Staff to refine the document based on discussions; continued review at future meetings.
The board discussed updates to regulations requiring driveway bridges to be designed and maintained for fire department vehicle loads and vertical clearance.
The board agreed to amend the language to specify that bridges must be designed and stamped by a licensed professional engineer.
The board will vote on the finalized language at a later meeting.
The board reviewed cistern capacity requirements and discussed adding an option for residential fire sprinkler systems.
The board decided to revisit this with a potential one-page addendum to the cistern standards.
Staff (Joanne) to consult with the fire chief regarding written authorization for sprinklers versus cisterns.
The board reviewed proposed updates to open space objectives, site analysis (including vernal pools), and density determination.
The board agreed to change the wording regarding dwelling units to specifically allow for a 'reduced number' rather than a 'different number'.
The board reviewed landscaping requirements, including plant species identification, crown spread, and stormwater guidance.
The board decided to set a requirement that crown spread must meet the plan's specifications within three years. They also voted to remove the proposed paragraph regarding stormwater-guided landscaping.
Staff provided updates on construction activities at the Eversource substation and a project near St. Anselm's.
The board directed staff to contact the Bedford planning official (Becky) regarding the exclusion of Goffstown officials from the St. Anselm's pre-con meeting.
Controversy & dissent
Potentially controversial issues
Development Regulation Updates
Fire Apparatus Access and Bridge Standards
Cistern Regulations and Fire Sprinklers
Public comment
Decisions logged
Action items
Member positions
Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position. UNCLEAR means the vote was split but the record did not name how this member voted — it is not a “yes.”
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grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-07.
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