Accountability posts

At the January 13, 2026 Sunapee Planning Board meeting, a proposed Waterfront Village Commercial Zoning District amendment — covering the Harbor, Upper Main Street, and Lower Main Street areas — was put to a vote and failed. The amendment would have restructured zoning across those neighborhoods, allowing up to 12-unit multifamily buildings while adjusting commercial use rules and signage requirements.

Before the vote, Sunapee's Town Manager testified against the proposal. She told the board that the town is actively cutting staff and resources, has no Capital Improvement Plan in place, and is not equipped to handle the projected growth — a fire chief's report estimated 370 to 740 new residents over the next 5 to 10 years. It is unusual for a senior municipal official to publicly recommend against a proposal being considered by her own board. The board voted the amendment down.

Several other concerns surfaced during the meeting that deserve public attention. The Planning Board chair acknowledged on the record that no one on the board and no one on the Forward Sunapee committee that drafted the amendment lives in the affected district. Residents reported that only about 8 of approximately 40 Lower Main Street property owners were consulted during the drafting process. Multiple residents requested a delay and a new community charrette specifically focused on Lower Main Street — the board did not commit to either. Additionally, a resident raised a direct conflict-of-interest concern about a board alternate who simultaneously served on the committee that wrote the amendment being voted on. The board did not address that concern during the meeting.

One item did pass: Amendment #6, which changes ADU (accessory dwelling unit) rules town-wide — eliminating the special exception requirement for a first ADU and allowing a second ADU by special exception with a bedroom count up to three. That amendment passed unanimously and will appear on the ballot. The waterfront district amendment is dead for now, but the underlying questions about community consultation, municipal capacity, and representation on the boards making these decisions remain open. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/planning-board/2026-01-13/ #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH