City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire 2022 - 2024 City Council, 22 Feb 2022

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From YouTube: 2.22.2022 City Council

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2.22.2022 City Council

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Thank you, everyone for coming out uh this evening to our city council, meeting this tuesday february.

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22Nd, which happens to be my wedding anniversary, so lori if you're watching love you.

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Well, we will start with uh a uh roll call. Please mayor, mcgregor,.

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Here assistant mayor kelly, here, counselor tabor, here, councillor denton, here councilman moreau.

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Here, councillor bagley here, council lombardi here, council blaylock here counselor cook,.

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Here, I'd ask that you all stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to.

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The republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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Right no minutes to accept so we are on to our most exciting part of the evening.

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A recognition of the portsmouth high school girls, alpine ski team division, one state champions so.

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uh Thank you, mayor mcearon, and welcome everybody. uh Ports of city councillors, hello good evening.

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First off happy anniversary, so I'm glad you're here with us today, as you can see, I'm wearing.

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My clipper pride jacket today, which means it's a great night for portsmouth high school students,.

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2022 alp girls, alpine ski champions. They actually etched out bedford this year.

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Who they lost to last year? So these guys really a lot of effort a lot of working hard um on you.

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Know on the mountain and off the mountain dry land training, they have a great coaching staff.

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And um we're really proud of them and we actually got. I know I saw chief newport in here somewhere.

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Thank you, sarah. He uh actually provided the escort again for us to go through downtown.

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So you might have heard us on valentine's day with sirens and horns and everything like that.

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And it was a lot actually. I was on the bus that year that time, so it was a lot of fun for the.

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Girls- and I know we were all having a good time so without further ado, I know I'm going to have coach.

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Kyle harrison come on up and he'll help you hand out the plaques and we'll get the girls up here.

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First up is hannah mchugh.

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Sophie williams.

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Sammy walker.

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Aidan beeland.

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Ella barlock.

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Eve hurley.

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Scarlett, graham.

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Amanda scally.

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Ashley robertson.

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Our team captain brady belan.

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uh Is ryan here assistant, coach, ryan ocella? I don't know if I didn't see him.

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All right uh assistant, coach, kim de deos.

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Kim's going to make a speech right now.

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And head coach kyle harrison.

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Thank you all. um uh It's awesome and chatting with kyle uh head coach here right before.

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Said something that stuck with me, you know the guys won, and that was the second thing that.

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Space sportsman proud, so thank you so much for being who you guys are.

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um And if I could just finish off, I just wanted to say um thank you so much mayor, mckechn councillor.

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Blaylock they joined me a couple weeks ago, jumping into the ocean for new hampshire, special olympics.

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And the penguin plunge you guys rock. Hopefully we can get everybody doing it next year, right.

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Okay thanks a lot have a great as long as it's 55 degrees. Again.

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You're, more than welcome to stay you don't have to appreciate it guys homework.

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Should vote against homework.

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All right next up, we have um public comment. I'd ask that I'll go through the the names here.

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On on the signups- and we don't have as many so we'll all have.

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Three minutes and then, if you do want to speak on zoom, I just asked that you raise your.

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Hand now over the next minute, we'll cap that and then we'll go through zoom, ask.

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To have residents speak first, but first up is uh mr jeff goss.

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Can I take this down sure yep? Thank you, mr mayor and counselors. My name again is.

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Jeff goss I'm here to speak on just your your address for the record, sir. Oh sorry, I'm at 123.

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Market street in portsmouth new hampshire, I'm speaking on behalf of outdoor dining.

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About outdoor dining on behalf of the clipper tavern.

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Looking what is going to be proposed to the city council tells me a lot of things number one. Some.

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Restaurants will be left out. My question is why we are a city that has talked so much over the.

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Past few years about making portsmouth a walking city and yet now we don't want to divert traffic.

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The clipper tavern was the first restaurant to have barriers put down and we made the commitment.

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To do much more than put out tables and chairs, we spent thousands of dollars to make the area.

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Look great and something the city would be proud of. We forced other restaurants to up their game.

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And do the same thing we paid thousands to add a service station in the front of the restaurant.

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To help with the service for these customers outside.

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We pay for a storage unit to store all of these items during our off season.

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I know that some of the cdc regulations have subsided and some of the coveted mandates.

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Have gone away, but the battle is not over. We have staff that relies on this summer, income.

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We have seasonal staff that we will not be able to rehire without the dining labor is.

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Way up a fifteen dollar employee is now twenty two dollars an hour. Food costs in some instances.

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As dairy chicken beef lobster have doubled in price, how much can you pass on to the customer.

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I think we have reached a limit on how much we can a burger should be twenty two dollars at.

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These rates, but we are tavern and know we need to have a reasonable price lease payments in overhead.

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Have not been reduced in any way. We tried to negotiate our lease extension.

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But had to accept the renewal that was already in place.

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Which went up significantly? We have taken loans, not ppp funds to survive the slow times.

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And now the light at the end of the tunnel may be taken away.

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The clipper tavern location may be the most benign location in the city that is affected.

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By any of this, zero parking is lost and little to no inconvenience to traffic. The current pricing.

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That you are putting out there is too high it'll take away all the profit that we need to survive.

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Are we looking to help the business or put businesses out of business.

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The current set up as proposed will just allow the rich to get richer. I I propose a flat fee of.

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Thirty five hundred dollars and payable monthly, just like any other lease space, that's paid.

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Rerouting traffic again, why? What were the issues in the past? It's an easy transition at our.

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Location with little inconvenience to have a car turn left or right at the corner of pleasant court.

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And get right back onto their route and within 50 yards isn't closing the left lane on congress.

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Street a slight inconvenience, but that's what it is it's inconvenient, but it has to be done.

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In order to help these restaurants survive, thank you jeff. We appreciate it all right. Thank you.

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Next up is bill. St laurent.

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Topic of cargo at peace.

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Good evening, mayor city councillors, congratulations for your election.

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um I'm here tonight and I'm glad to see that that I'm sorry, I just need you to state your.

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Name and your and your address bill, st lawrence 253 colonial drive in portsmouth. Thank you.

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Yeah, I'm here and I'm glad to see it on the agenda tonight.

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uh Discussion on the new cargo areas that are going on are proposed for peas,.

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I want to, I am the noise, a member of the noise compatibility committee since 1990.

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At pease for my neighborhood, the sherman civic sherman, civic association, neighborhood.

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I also would like to bring up that you have a representative supposedly have a representative.

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On this committee, that's supposed to be reporting to you and it was peter braziano at the time and.

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I don't know I haven't heard behind the hear of him for a long time, so I don't know if he's.

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Still on there, and it would be nice if you would uh select somebody eventually to go.

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On that committee, so you'll have a contact right now. You can use me as a as a contact.

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This is a major effort, that's going on at p, so it's going to happen at ps.

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I might I don't have a lot of time here so I'll just bring up some major things.

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Airport, like in manchester, has two hundred thousand square feet of.

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Cargo area and a hundred thousand square feet for repairs. This is going to be four.

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Hundred thousand square feet and three hundred thousand for uh repairs. This is this is quite a.

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Huge major and uh I'm of the understanding that, in an article in the in the paper that this that.

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These planes don't fly at night, they fly in the daytime. Well, that's not true! That's when.

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They fly is at night because they're doing their packing and loading their planes and whatever so.

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This is, this is going to be a major thing for our neighborhood for portsmouth greenland uh they're.

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All getting on the bandwagon, so I'm asking you as a city council, to be very uh cognizant of. What's.

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Going on, and probably maybe uh if uh councilman taver and councilman lombardi can make a you know.

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Put a lot a lot of effort into this, because, after the s, the the issue that we went through with.

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With the helicopters, that's nothing compared to what I see going to be happening here.

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So I guess the idea that I'm here for is to recognize make you recognize that this is.

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Going to be a major effort and portsmouth tends to would have a tendency to be.

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Really impacted a great deal by this, so thank you. Thank you bill appreciate it.

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Next up, we have eric anderson, also speaking on the cargo pda.

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Good evening, mr mayor city, council, my name is eric anderson, I'm from 38 georgia's terrorists.

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In portsmouth new hampshire, presently I act as your representative on the pda board of directors.

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I take this responsibility seriously and with the intent to be as transparent in all matters that.

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Have concern with the city and its relationship with the pda. My purpose here this evening is to.

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Solicit your engagement into the recently announced and media reported.

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Development project at the trade port steered at e-commerce activity.

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I've tried to dialogue with you um in a variety of ways, but took this opportunity.

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Also to convey my message to you to hopefully be cognizant and engage in this development.

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What I feel is most important is that.

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Any announced development remains visible in all regards with engagement of the surrounding.

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Communities to assure that any impacts are thoroughly recognized and investigated.

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And to assure compatibility and alignment to the values in the qualities of our community.

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While this evening's agenda includes a report from consular tabor and council lombardi on pda,.

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Activities, I trust that they will, as I will do our best to keep you appraised of this project.

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At this moment, it's in its preliminary stages by developers, kane incorporated and pro con.

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Incorporated on many different aspects to be considered and required.

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For it to be further reviewed by the pda.

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In a presentation made by both companies at the january, pda.

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Meeting the size and scope of this project when fully built out in opinion, is very significant.

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With that significance and purpose, it will be undoubtedly.

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It will undoubtedly increase aeronautical and ground traffic activity in this community.

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A most important ingredient to this discussion is that is presently unknown, who the end user.

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Or uh end user company or companies will be to the 700 000 plus square foot, warehousing facilities.

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To be constructed as a suggestion, I think it would be beneficial to the city council.

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At the discretion of the mayor to have a similar presentation made to you.

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So that you could assess its scope, its assets and potential impacts with questions of any concern.

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And adding to the public transparency of the process as early as stated, this is an exciting.

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Project that deserves understanding and attention by all. Thank you very much. Thank you. Eric.

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And thank you to your service to your city on the pda. Next up is gretchen wrath.

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Subject, outdoor dining.

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I want to thank karen canard and her team for development. Pardon me.

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Wrath 112 penhallow street. Thank you sorry. I want to thank karen bernard and her team for developing.

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The outdoor dining proposal, I support the fees that have been proposed, downtown merchants.

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Restaurant owners and retailers were subjected to coveted restrictions starting march 2020.

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Restaurants and shops were closed for a period, businesses that were able to turn to curbside.

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Pickup did so whether a restaurant or retailer when businesses reopened there were occupancy.

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Restrictions recommended by the cdc and the state for restaurants and retailers.

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Restaurants and retailers were given opportunities to find financial assistance with federal and.

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State grants and loans, such as ppp main street fund and sba assistance to name a few. These were.

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Offered to restaurants and retailers alike, the city of portsmouth implemented outdoor dining in.

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Early 2020 and gave aid to restaurants by giving them the free use of 69 public parking spaces.

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And in 2021 they gave 76 public parking spaces. The city lost more than three hundred thousand.

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Each year, for the past two years by giving up these public parking spaces to restaurants,.

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At no cost to them, retailers were given no such help. In fact, the loss of parking downtown could.

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Be perceived as compounding the retailer's struggle to bring customers to their shops.

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There were many scenarios that could be described as traffic nightmares issues with trucks finding.

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Enough loading zones to drop off goods and double parking streets narrowed to one lane, congesting.

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Traffic flow or customers circling the block for parking where there was none.

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There were several occasions where the parking spaces that were given over to restaurants were.

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Not in use until the evening hours empty tables taking up valuable parking space.

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Frustrating shoppers even more as the city manager stated when she presented the proposal.

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It will not be equitable. What it is, though, is a step in the right direction in getting.

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More equitable, the local taxpayer should not be funding the loss of parking revenue.

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If one parking meter brings the city an estimated thousand dollars a month on average, the season.

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From april to november, cited in this proposal would bring an estimated 8 000 per parking space.

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The fee of 5 700 per parking space is a step in the right direction. There are.

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No restrictions in place right now the fees should not be lowered. Thank you for your time.

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Thank you gretchen. Next up we have sue palodora, also on outdoor dining.

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Sue polydura 245 middle and I just wanted to um reiterate what gretchen said.

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In many ways there are many parking spaces. There's outdoor dining is in some cases.

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Makes sense like popovers, they have their own area that they can extend.

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It's a sidewalk. The other place is required to take over other parking.

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Spaces which are a premium during that time of the year, so I'm thinking the equitable.

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To make it equitable, we are also going in the right direction, because, if we're going to.

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Focus on only restaurants, what about those other businesses that do not deal in food.

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That are retailers. Are they going to be given some sort of access to a special parking for their own.

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um For their shops- and so we got to move into the equitable arena quite cautiously, to make sure.

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That we are not extending extending this far beyond what it needs to be. We had.

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Some critical needs in the last two years. Those seem to be subsiding, so we need to be keep the.

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Needs of the regular business owners in portsmouth to their needs and also traffic patterns. There.

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Were several locations down on congress street that it was like the traffic the way that it it.

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Just had to be redirected uh was almost ridiculous. Actually, so we need to keep that in mind when we.

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Reauthorize this, thank you so much. Thank you sue. Next up we have kevin dwyer, also on outdoor dining.

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Hi, my name is kevin dwyer. I live at 461 middle street in portsmouth and owned dwyer's pub.

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On bridge street, in portsmouth as well, I spoke a few weeks ago in support of continuing outdoor.

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Dining, and would just like to restate my support of the program and how much it's done.

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For my business during the ups and downs it's experienced over the past two years.

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Due to the pandemic, I love the opportunity to work with city to find ways that could make sense.

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uh To continue our outdoor patio and appreci appreciate what you've done thus far. Thank you.

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Thank you kevin. Next up we have rick bexted under just the facts.

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Good evening, once again, rick beckstead 1395 is in history. Just a simple couple of facts. I would.

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Strongly urge that you not move forward with the dsa agreement parking agreement, I'm not so sure.

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If you have been brought up to speed, um I lived that project from beginning to end.

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From lot 6, which stands directly across from the founding place garage where we lost two.

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Workforce housing units uh there were two duplexes that were torn down with promises being made.

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Promises being made that there would be five uh workforce housing units in lot, five, which sits on.

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The corner on maplewood and that was sold and lot four was sold, and I truly believe that lots three.

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And six will be sold the mayor and councillor tabor both know my concerns, as well as the other.

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Council's concerns, I look at this agreement. It doesn't look anything beneficial for the city of.

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Portsmouth still don't even see the simple fact that if you go and you honor this tonight and.

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Allow the city manager to move forward with this agreement that they are rescinding the lawsuit.

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I guess it would be my hopes that at least that would happen we get something out of it.

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But what you're going to do is you're going to lose 68 spaces forever.

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68 spaces that not just mr rogers and dsa will be able to go and use, but I believe that they're.

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Going to sell it like they did with the other two lots: they can use it as collateral. They can.

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Borrow against those 68 units, it's transferable with those two properties on lots. Three and six.

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And the one real big concern that I have is lot two, which is the community space which was used.

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For lots three and six to be able to go up a story higher than what our zoning requires.

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Four thousand square feet was used for each one of the eight thousand.

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And what most people don't know is? Is we paid eight hundred thousand dollars for that lot and it.

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Sits but we don't have the deed and we don't have anything to it. Mr rogers heading out, he either.

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Gave us which was now bob, I think two years ago he had the ability to go and either give us 800 000.

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Back so he could keep lot to or hand us the deed. Now in 2020, shortly after my council was elected.

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We were told that there was a force measure that was actually put in place. I didn't know what a.

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Force measure was I'm not the lawyer. Bob is, but with that being said, they basically put a stead on.

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That for an additional two years, which is coming up next uh 23, I believe bob it was two years to be.

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Able to go and do either we get back our eight hundred thousand dollars or we get the deed.

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Negotiate, you have the ability in power, we didn't negotiate, it wasn't done. We were in.

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The middle of it I asked the mayor and I asked councillor tabor- to go and table this educate.

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The council tell the truth on what's there, so that this council can make a conscious decision.

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What's in the best interest of the city, you all work for the residents, I'm a resident. You are.

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Residents but you represent us, but just because there's a simple lawsuit doesn't mean we cave into.

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Everything there's things that are worth fighting for. I live six years with this project. This is.

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Something to fight for please don't give it away, do the right thing for portsmouth. Thank you. Thank.

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You rick next up uh victor huda on fy23 budget uh tabor motion dent motion got three minutes.

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I didn't even get up here yet, oh no good evening, counselor, all right, council and mayor mcgeekern.

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First, one is a question, oh name, and address uh petrahuda 280 south street. What is.

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The fy 23 budget guidance that was given to the by the city council to the city manager as a taxpayer.

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I'd like to know if it was 5 10, we have um no transparency to that. Yet that was my first thing.

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Next one is on counselor tabor's motion. I am requesting that the city council table this.

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Motion until this council and the public have had a presentation to clarify what the taxpayer.

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Dollars are being committed by signing this contract to be a contributor to this corporation.

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This motion appears to commit tax taxpayer dollars in the form of using city staff to.

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Create a new city run utility without a public hearing, see the contract page.

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Four article five cost sharing principles. This is committing money, in effect, a vote.

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On this, contract will commit all of the rate payers to this contract without their consent.

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My next is a question: how can you move forward on this motion when the cost to the taxpayers.

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Are unknown all the costs sharing for this contract depend on the number of participants.

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Plus the added cost to the taxpayers of creating staffing and other municipal in another municipal.

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Department next question: who will make the selection or choose which providers.

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Will be available to portsmouth taxpayers a non-elected committee on the taxpayers behalf.

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Having been one of the city council members who did attend this work session in june,.

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And I could tell you who was there and who wasn't mr mayor, my interpretation of this.

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Motion is to commit all portsmouth tax rate tax rate payers to the startup costs associating with.

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Establishing a utility- and I believe, the main clause that the taxpayers rate payers.

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Need to know need to be clear on is this vote will automatically switch you into this new utility.

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When it's created, you have to opt out the ability to make a provider choice.

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Currently exists for everyone in the state. This action would take away that individual freedom.

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And to and freedom to choose a provider unless you opt out next, I'm going to go to counselor denton's.

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Motion: counselor denton. You have connected two entirely different motions with the word and here.

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And I I believe each one needs to be on its own to accomplish two different things as a taxpayer. I.

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Object to the first motion on outdoor dining fees, move to a man having the cities proposed, dining.

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Fees, this question requires a public hearing before the city council even considers the vote.

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There are only two sources of revenue to cover operations of this city, property, taxes and other.

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Revenues, these fees are other revenues, so when you decrease the other revenue sources, the dollars.

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Have to be made up someplace and it's going back to the taxpayer again. Thank you. Thank you.

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Next up bill, downey on the subject of mcintyre.

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We have bill no he's coming. Oh he's coming all right.

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There he goes there, he.

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My apologies bill downey 67 bow street, so tonight I'd like to speak about the mcintyre.

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um Some of you might be familiar with the durham situation where they have a dam. Some people call.

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It the damn dam, so there's two sides to this argument. Some people want to remove it. Some.

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People want to preserve it, but I don't think any guys caught the letter from a fellow named.

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uh Jeffrey hiller today in the in the heralds, so I thought it was reflective what we're.

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Experiencing right now, and the title is something is dirty and durham, and it's not the mill pond.

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Democracy by definition, is government by and for the people at the very core of democracy.

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Is implicit principle of fairness? Democracy is very existent depends on the truth. Sadly, I see.

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Durham leaders attempting to place their thumb on the scale. I feel that we experience the same thing.

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Here in our city that he goes on to say, there's two parties one wants to remove. One doesn't.

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The prices are very similar in 1.5 million, but the city has implied that it's an additional.

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Four to five million dollar tab: it's highly unlikely. It's actually improbable.

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That that will ever happen, but he goes on to argue and say why would this be.

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He says sadly, they're perpetuating a narrative that is in their own best interests now, with all.

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Due respect, I've heard the argument: there's tens of millions of dollars of exposure.

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As you know, I've had the pleasure of having my own consult with a group that says otherwise. I.

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Would argue, mr sullivan, if that was a valid case, they would not be waiting this long to go on with.

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This lawsuit that it was leveraged effectively, but unfortunately it was levered during this election.

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And I felt like there was some misrepresentation and some comments to say that there's some kind.

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Of interlocking kind of rubik's cube legalities, but yet a tiny baby step was going to unplug. This.

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Just doesn't square up. It was also mentioned that there was no intent that this action to rescind.

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Was not going to lead to any specific thing? I don't believe that to be accurate or genuine.

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I think this is all predicated on the idea avoiding a potential lawsuit, but, however, I.

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Don't think we got the honest skinny on this and um how much time do I have 27 seconds? Okay,.

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Just in summary, sorry a little more time there in this format. Unfortunately, you get the last word.

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And you know I enjoy going back and forth with you and your rebuttal was.

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That you've always followed the council to listen to counsel, but I think there's an addition like.

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Any good attorney or medical advisor to get a second opinion and be skeptical, so I encourage.

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All you people to follow, counsel, be open-minded, but have critical thinking. Skills in this process.

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Thank you very much. Thank you bill. uh Next up we have uh allison tanner on community power.

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My name is allison tanner. I live at 380 greenleaf avenue in portsmouth, new hampshire.

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And I am a resident for 45 years and I think that it's time that this city took the opportunity.

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To look at community power in that we're, we would not be required to pay anything initially we're.

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Just looking at the opportunities what it does is, it increases the possibilities for the the people.

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That live in the city and it enables us to have a say, a voice in government in state government.

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Regarding lobbying for initiatives to support renewable energy installations and to support.

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Rebates for having your home insulated and all all these things are reflected to help to decrease.

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Climate change there are, as I said, no costs incurred just to sign up. It's a wait and see thing.

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uh We would look at the different brokerages that are available to potentially reduce the the amount.

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Of money that's spent um for each resident in the city of portsmouth on their power, and um it also.

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Has you the opportunity to increase the amount of renewable energy sources that are used to produce.

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The power that we need. Thank you thank you allison uh and last do we have any speakers on zoom.

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Zoom we have two on zoom last in the room. uh We have cliff lassenby uh topic november, 18th.

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Hello, cliff lassenview, 303 mckinley road good evening.

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Mayor city councillors, city manager, attorney and clerk, it's nice to see you all. While my.

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Primary topic is the november 18th meeting. I do want to quickly voice support if you're.

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Joining the oh sorry name and address cliff, I started off. Okay, that's all right!.

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So I do want to quickly voice support for joining the community power coalition of new hampshire.

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I previously served on the energy advisory committee and was on the sustainability.

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Committee, who initially brought forth community power to the city of portsmouth, there's much to.

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Gain by moving forward, I hope portsmouth does. As to november 18th, I agreed with your february 10th.

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Decision to rescind the actions of the november meeting, regardless of whether we can work things.

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Out with redneck kane, the legal advice from our experienced and qualified counsel is that steps.

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Taken november, 18th were hurtful not helpful to the mcintyre project and the city. However,.

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There was more about that november meeting that is of serious concern, important factors yet to.

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Be acknowledged or confronted by the city and the city council, there were lines crossed in how that.

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Meeting was conducted by the portsmouth mayor and the city council in terms of the right to know law.

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In reference to city council rules, terms of being open and honest with the people, our city council,.

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Is sworn to represent, while on the february 10th agenda, you listed the doug roberts, lawsuit.

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The topics it legitimately called out remain unaddressed. If we're going to learn from those.

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Mistakes to heal and move on, we need to face what happened and make efforts to improve.

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Perhaps more concerning, but at least is urgent about november 18th was how it pointed a spotlight.

L

On shortcomings of our current rules and laws, there were steps taken that night that tested.

L

Limits and revealed things that might currently be legal, but probably should not be the perhaps.

L

The most alarming example: five individuals had the power to block the city council from hearing.

L

Legal counsel, on a serious and impactful motion, once the unannounced motion was made, the city.

L

Attorney employed the council to recess to hear legal advice. We knew that we couldn't act.

L

Responsibly without hearing that advice, yet with their five votes, they forced the portsmouth city.

L

Council to act without transparently weighing the ramifications of their actions in your existing.

L

Laws in a public meeting any counselor can ask for legal advice, even a criminal being.

L

Charged of serious uh offenses has rights to an attorney. How can we let five counselors block.

L

Even one city, councillor from legal advice on a sensitive topic and non-public.

L

Our city hadn't addressed this issue before because we didn't need it. It was inconceivable.

L

That the city council would vote to block the city council from hearing legal advice.

L

But plainly plainly we saw that that can happen. I hope you could commit to doing this necessary work.

L

And wish you peace and resolve as you do so. Thank you. Thank you. Cliff.

A

All right, we have two names. Mayor first is robert smith.

A

Robert, please state your name and your address.

M

uh Robert smith, 240 mckinley road just like to speak about the. um I guess it goes under.

M

Several things the sidewalks in elemental park and the safe routes to school. First, I want to say.

M

I am very for safe routes to school, I'm for traffic calming I'm not convinced. We.

M

Need sidewalks in melbourne park as of yet I think there are other things that can be done.

M

Before going through the cost and expense of digging up people's yards and.

M

Taking from the roads things like flashing signs, we can install speed, humps bumps whatever you want.

M

To call them when I look at the one of the diagrams, I'm still not convinced where these.

M

Sidewalks would go nobody's been ever not been able to say exactly where they want to put them.

M

It's just they target mckinley road van buren. They totally ignore hoover drive, which probably has no.

M

More than four houses with drive drive ways that exit onto hoover there's plenty of room for buses.

M

And parents to travel down that road take a left onto taft road there's an access road that goes.

M

Right to the school off of garfield road plenty of room for kids to ride their bikes, walk in.

M

Parents already use that to drop their kids off pick them up after school, so I just feel that we.

M

Need to hold off on the sidewalks do other things, and we need to have more discussion and definitive.

M

Ideas of where these things are going so again, I'm for safe routes to school.

M

I see another diagram that seems to imply that if we put these in we're going to get.

M

Kids riding their bikes and walking to school from probably as far out as.

M

The mckinnon's area and down near tucker's cove- I'm not convinced of that. I think parents are.

M

Still going to continue to drive their kids to school, but we have a bigger issue of just speed.

M

In the area, not only from parents dropping their kids off, but also from residents. So I'd like to.

M

See some of those measures down before we start putting sidewalks in. Thank you. Thank you. Robert.

A

Next, we have marie bodie. Could you please state your name and address.

H

Hello, yes, marie bode with 121 state street in portsmouth, I'm also representing as an.

H

Employee of mcnabb properties- and I would like to thank the mayor city manager and council for.

H

I respect the time that you are taking to evaluate the fees associated with outside dining.

H

And I am sure that you've all seen the letter as written by mark mcnabb concerning his.

H

Perspective on fees and the elaborateness of what had been proposed.

H

As you know, we continue to demonstrate in our development projects in downtown the.

H

um Extra expense on providing wider sidewalks for outside dining within the restaurants that we own.

H

We believe wholeheartedly in the need for traffic calming and we again.

H

In developing projects have done extensive landscape and I think, even in the past.

H

Year with the outside dining at the rosa restaurant, etc was evident that we spent.

H

A little bit more time, energy and money on making the outside dining more beautiful. As.

H

You take this very spectacular opportunity to improve the vibrancy of our downtown already.

H

We encourage you to also be considering for the future how trash can be remedied in this.

H

Setting and in future developments- and we believe that this can be a revenue neutral opportunity.

H

With regard to the parking and loss of revenue and perhaps reevaluating the use of parrot lot.

H

And charging for parking there with that. I thank you again for your time and have a good evening.

A

Thank you marie, uh and we have one last speaker.

A

Hannah corcoran anna, could you please state your name and address for the record.

N

uh Yeah my name's hannah, I live at 85 albany street uh in breakfast, um I'm speaking on.

N

Behalf of I work at the goat and um we you know we wanted to say thank you to the city council for.

N

uh Creating the option for outside dining, we saw a big influx of people coming in during the cove.

N

At times feeling comfortable to sit outside and it really helped our business and not just our.

N

Business but a lot of the restaurant businesses survived during that time. Have you not had that.

N

um It could have gone a much different direction, so we I mostly just wanted to say thank you.

A

Thank you hannah all right with that. We will close uh public comment. um Next up is.

A

Public hearings and vote on ordinances. um First, a continued public hearing.

A

Of the capital improvement plan, the cip- we will no presentation uh this evening, um but.

A

Happy to hear right, there's! No, we don't have a presentation. um uh Anybody with comment uh on the.

A

Capital improvement plan uh we've kept the public hearing open, uh please step up to the microphone.

A

No, we don't get as much as you want, but just mentally think of three minutes. Yes, a long.

O

Three minutes uh good evening, mayor mckecker and counselors and city staff, I'm effy malley.

H

From 428 pleasant street in portsmouth, I'm here tonight to speak in support of project number 21.

H

In the capital improvement plan, the climate action plan from municipalities who have gone before us.

H

We know elements that make a climate action plan successful support from the city.

H

The average city spends less than half of one percent on climate action. Excuse me. Second, a plan.

H

With actionable steps and accountable performance measures; and, thirdly, technical guidance to define.

H

Targeted emissions levels, the climate action plan ties to our city's master plan goal number five.

H

That addresses sustainability and moving towards net zero carbon emissions.

H

As well as supporting other goals, I hope you'll support.

H

The capital funding in the cip for the cat climate action plan. Thank you. Thank you. Effie.

A

Yep or folks peter, are you lining up back there? Oh okay.

D

Good evening mayor members of the council, city manager, carnet city attorney, bob sullivan.

D

Thank you for the opportunity to be heard. My name is rich brabazon.

D

I live at 260, mckinley road and I'm here to speak about the issue of elm park, sidewalks and the cip.

D

I am not in favor of moving the element par economy measure traffic, calming measure from.

D

2000 fiscal year 24 and 25 to bring it back to fiscal year 23 with a 1.6.

D

Million dollar bond here are some of the reasons why I feel this way. It is fiscally irresponsible.

D

The 2010 safe routes to study school study in the 2019 study both discuss calming measures.

D

That should be taken ahead of sidewalks, even though the city adopted the 2010 plan.

D

None of these measures have been taken and the they are much less expensive than sidewalks.

D

These measures include lighted signs for crosswalks.

D

And school zones- currently there are only a couple of signs stating pedestrian crossing.

D

There are no school zone signs, or should I say when I say no schools.

D

Times some of them are barely legible or readable. There are no lighted signs.

D

Not even one flashing yellow light when school is open, opening or closing.

D

Also mentions the sidewalks in the study also mentioned, are raised. Sidewalks.

D

With reflectors and better signage, many of the roads, including fillmore and van buren,.

D

And atoms at van buren, don't even have a sidewalk, never mind a brightly painted.

D

Reflected or lit one with any signage, both studies suggest bike paths. The 2019 study suggests a bike.

D

Path with reflectors, where there would be no parking during school hours, the current path.

D

Where I live on, mckinley road is just one line down the road on each side of the street.

D

We along, I believe, along with many other neighbors, have invested that I've seen in.

D

The neighborhood and talking to neighbors have invested significant money in our driveways.

D

To double them in width, this allows us to park additional cars to get them off the roadway.

D

If the sidewalks are built by taking five feet of city's egress to build it on our front lawn.

D

We will not be able to park behind each other without infringing on the sidewalk.

D

In the other, two cars well they'll probably end up in the street, to mention that they would be.

D

I would be losing part of my lawn, which I greatly love. It is very easy to be in sport.

D

To be in support of theoretical sidewalks when they are on the other side of the street,.

D

But until it's actually in your front yard, you may not really understand the problem.

D

We see people walking all the time in front of our house many times. There are large groups.

D

Almost no one uses the multi-use path, that is in front of the house, and I'm referring to.

D

That white line, which was the bike lane, I don't foresee large groups using the sidewalk either.

D

But it will push them further into the street. Bicycles will also be forced closer to the road.

D

Since they won't be using the use, the multi-use path, that will become a sidewalk.

D

When we walk around in elwin park, there's a loop and sometimes it takes us into the woodlands.

D

We can only use the sidewalk sometimes because they've deteriorated so poorly.

D

They are not kept up most times. They are dangerous, you can barely walk on them or.

D

Or even run, if you wanted to run on them, there is no reason for me to believe that this side.

D

That our sidewalks, which would be put in in tailwind park, would be any different.

D

If the main concern- and I do believe, the concern is slowing down traffic and keeping people safe.

D

Which I am in favor of that once again, there has been no fiscally more responsible options.

D

Have been tried or recommended in both studies, there are no speed, humps or flashing lights.

D

Minimal signing including school zone signs, except for normal speed, limit.

D

There are very few crosswalks and none that are painted bright, lit up or have reflectors.

D

Occasionally we get that speed monitor put on the po.

D

The telephone pole by the traffic and safety committee, thanks to our great police department,.

D

In front of our house, it flashes when your car is coming by, but it doesn't tell you to slow down.

D

If you're going over the limit, it's really not understandable, maybe to many drivers, so I know.

D

A letter that I submitted to the council with an attachment was from the police department.

D

And there was a crut and then what in the request, was for accidents in ellen park.

D

Over the last 10 years and I've lived in ellen park since the early 1990s.

D

And having worked for the police department, I can tell you that this.

D

The report that I have is of 10 years there have been 18 total accidents.

D

12 of which occurred on lafayette road route 1 on near mckinley, there was only one accident.

D

That involved personal injury and it was not a pedestrian. It was a bicycle driving into a car.

D

So I thank you very much for your time and consideration with my request.

D

Please consider more fiscally responsible alternatives before moving this to the 2023.

D

Fiscal year, cip, thank you and have a pleasant evening. Thank you. Richard.

B

Thank you good evening again, um just your name and address again for the record. Okay, peter huda,.

B

280 south street. Thank you. Okay, in following uh the budget meetings for fire, police and school.

B

I have I'm going to come forward with new information that I would request of the.

B

Council, I am also looking for answers to the questions that I posed to the council.

B

Last session on the cip, based on statements made from the police budget from a taxpayer.

B

Perspective, a more realistic positioning of the police station with an estimated cost.

B

Of 40.6 million would be fy 26.. um Last year the police department was allocated.

B

1.4 million to complete the new facility study, the study has not even been started.

B

In these in the budget session of the police, the chief was asked about. How long would it take to.

B

Build the police station if the study had been completed and the answer was about three years.

B

So what I'm, asking as a taxpayer is not to put this burden on the taxpayers next year.

B

Or until you get a good estimate on what this should actually be,.

B

The next thing I'd like to talk to you about is the four hundred thousand dollars listed for the.

B

Next, six years, that totals two million in the police budget for mold remediation as a taxpayer.

B

I am requesting more transparency into what is actually being funded with this money each year.

B

The initial request was for mold remediation, but it seems to have been reallocated to other.

B

Projects and according to the chief, the mold problem, still exists. The funding be.

B

The funding between the needed city hall, hvac upgrades, that's in the ffy 26 budget,.

B

Which is the root cause of this seems to be blurred. We have money in both the city hall.

B

And in the police budget, for both of these, I ask you to stop putting a band-aid.

B

On the mold issue, that's occurring in the basement and please fix the root cause of this, which is the.

B

Hvac system it would save the taxpayers at least a half a million dollars if this was moved forward.

B

And not mandated for the next six years. Thank you. Thank you. Future.

E

Good evening, christina dubin, 336 miller, ave and portsmouth.

J

Short and sweet, I just want to voice my support for a climate action plan and the funding.

N

That it will take to do so and my role at the sustainability institute at unh.

H

I interact with their climate action plan, often wild cap, and so I just know how useful the tool it.

N

Is even when it's done to draw from for short and long-term planning. Thank you. Thank you. Christine.

A

L

Good evening cliff lassenby 303 mckinley road, I'm here to speak about the.

L

Ellen park neighborhood improvements not here to encourage you to move ahead with them, because I.

L

Think we should I'm here to encourage you to do it because for more than a dozen years.

L

The city has engaged in a pretty thorough, rigorous public process.

L

That recommends that doing so is a good idea, and that includes significant and thorough input from.

L

The residents of elwin park to the tune of nearly 80 percent of those residents I did want to give.

L

A little quick history just perspective on it, and also the nature of this particular kind of project.

L

And why it's a little challenging in 2010 when that safe routes to school study was conducted.

L

My wife stephanie actually took part in that group because we had a daughter in kindergarten.

L

We had a three-year-old who was a couple years behind this past weekend. I had the joy of spending.

L

Time with that kindergarten daughter when she was home from college and it's been taking, we've gone.

L

Through and my younger daughters next year will be a senior at portsmouth high school and through.

L

Those years we've identified in the safe routes to school study that it was not only necessary.

L

But it was deficient compared with the other two elementary schools, new franklin and little.

L

Harbor we did a bike pet master plan that also put these improvements as a necessary and valid.

L

Improvement that was important for the whole city. We talked about the city being bikeable and.

L

Walkable but this area and this school and those children and their families have been left behind.

L

It's been a good process, it's been inclusive, it we've. We, the survey of the residents, was.

L

Just over two years ago, in late 2019, we've had numerous public meetings in the neighborhood.

L

That were open. There were other avenues for people to give input. I know you have a petition in your.

L

Packet, which I respect, people to provide their input, but those 11 individuals represent about 6.5.

L

Compared to the numbers of folks who, who indicated support in the survey, I did.

L

I I do think one of the reasons I want to speak up today was: I think, that the imbalance.

L

Of the experience for the families and children for dondero compared to the other two schools.

L

Is really worth emphasis because safe routes to school, I think, is the big driving factor.

L

It's not the only one people in our neighborhood want to get to urban forestry, and that's that's.

L

Very tricky if you try and walk down harding road, but in the time that we've done these studies.

L

Not only have the good bike pad facilities that are available, students at little harbor have.

L

They existed, but capital improvements have been done to the existing facilities there and yet.

L

We haven't moved, we haven't as a city, moved the process ahead, so I applaud councillor bagley for.

L

Not only supporting it in the cip but moving it ahead, it's it's taking it off a long time.

L

And then, finally, I think the nature of this issue. It is more urgent when you, when you have kids.

L

Right, so that's why we did get involved, because our kids, because we were experiencing it, that line.

L

That the gentleman talked about on mckinley road, if there's a car parked in that line or if there's.

L

Snow on the road or if it's high traffic, there's nothing safe about that painted line on the road.

L

So you just don't you end up not doing it, and so it seems you're like wow. How can we do this? How.

L

What how can we not have this, and so it's urgent, but after six or seven or eight or ten years of.

L

Doing it, people burn out on that and so new families there's new families coming into the.

L

Neighborhood, just like every other neighborhood, so I hope the rest of our neighbors will consider.

L

That it is more urgent when you have kids and the kids that are going to go to that school, but also.

L

You as a council when you're thinking about the process, remember the nature of this issue.

L

And think about the fact: it's not going away the reasons why people have spoken up for it.

L

Won't go away next year or the year after 10 years or if my kids, if my grandkids are still.

L

Are in the neighborhood and we haven't done it yet, so I support you moving it forward as a priority.

L

To show that dondero, kids and their families matter just as much as everybody else and.

L

It should be that priority should speak in your capital investment plan. Thank you. Thank you. Cliff.

I

Good evening again, rick baxter at 1395 visiting the street. I just want to, um I guess, point out.

I

Again a fact: I'm going to be sticking with facts, so I did see on the agenda that counselor bagley.

I

Was proposing, as the last speaker had chosen about, moving up from 24 to 23.? I also was at.

I

The previous meeting, when that was discussed and talked about and I'm kind of confused because.

I

I mean let's face it, I mean I've been criticized for the last two years being mayor and the way my.

I

Council affected things and not listening to staff recommendations from staff recommendations from.

I

Karen kennard from bob sullivan, even from dpw, when it would come to peter rice.

I

So at that meeting, counselor baggy, you had gone and asked a question and you were.

I

Emphatically told not only by the city manager but by peter rice.

I

That there were two perspectives out of it: one being financial um and at 1.6 million dollars. I'm.

I

Sure most people probably don't think that 1.6 million dollars means a whole lot to anybody.

I

Just by going and paying over a bond over 20 years, so you know it's, it's cost effective.

I

Peter rice basically said the same thing. It was put in place for 24 for a reason and a.

I

Purpose, the other one was is, you didn't have collaboration, and I know that you and many.

I

Others are new, but collaboration is key to me and my heart and the perfect example is beverly hill.

I

Beverly hills been trying to get sidewalks for the better part of over 20 years.

I

And finally, last year we did the approval and that went on for years, the eight years that I.

I

Embedded into the community itself to be able to go and fight for that and last year we had.

I

Collaboration from 100 percent, I don't think we should be moving forward with anything unless.

I

You have 100 percent, do a sidewalk, it worked out great. We did a couple of them rode a bus.

I

It worked out well uh the mayor, even complimented me on the simple fact that it came down to two.

I

Sorry three residents that had concerns and by the end of that bus ride and when we made.

I

Back into these chambers, those three residents came was still with concerns.

I

But it was full 100 collaboration and that's what a council is supposed to do.

I

You go and you collaborate you're, affecting 72 homes literally by going and putting these.

I

Sidewalks and I have nothing against sidewalks. Actually I am a graduate of dondero. I never lived.

I

Over in in that area, but I played I grew up in that neighborhood- we never had a problem or an.

I

Issue- and I know that times have changed and there's more cars and there's more people that are there, but until we start to go and fix what we've got, you know what the sidewalks look like.

I

Over maple haven, you know, you've got the assistant mayor. That's there with these little teeny, tiny.

I

Strips and bumps and hurls and everything else anybody bending over to panaway lately, there's.

I

Trees and the roots and everything before we start more infrastructure, more overhead expenditures.

I

My father and my grandfather both taught me, don't pay for a tool unless it's going to pay for itself.

I

We have infrastructure issues and problems there that we have to go and maintain ones that we can't.

I

Even maintain- and I the last time I ever saw and I'm sorry nothing against dpw. I love the guys that.

I

Work for it, but I don't remember ever seeing one of those fancy, uh sidewalk uh blowers or plows.

I

Out in maple haven I mean they're hard to get along with where the, where the mayor's is now.

I

Because of the infrastructure, that's there before we create new, let's fix what we've got. That's the.

I

Right thing to do, I I wholeheartedly respect what you're talking about going and doing and being.

I

Able to collaborate, I have nothing against what the what the previous speaker had gone and said.

I

I've devoted my life portsmouth gave me almost 40 years, I'm not going anywhere, but at least.

I

That history is what's important. History is what brought us together to this point now to.

I

Brought me to where I am, the history has got to be taught. You got to listen to it, not repeat.

I

Those same mistakes, it's the reason why we go and we teach it in our schools to our students.

I

So please, before you go and do it you've been told by two staff members high-end staff, members.

I

That we're not there yet figure out a way to go and do it do a sidewalk. You know make a thing of.

I

It it really is people really get charged when you invite them out, and god they're wanting to.

I

Talk to me, the mayor went and stood with me at least two meetings over on bartlett street and.

I

People thought it was gonna, be contentious. It was great people like that stuff. Do that don't just go.

I

And vote on something and move it forward, because you feel it's the right intent when you don't have.

I

The collaboration from the people that are going to be affected. Thank you very much. Thank you. Rick.

N

Good evening, everyone, esther kennedy, 41 pickering, f, and I just asked for two things:.

N

One I still would like to see money more money in for the cemetery committee. I got a lot of.

N

Stuff to do, and I would encourage you to add money to that online. The other thing is, I ask.

N

That, as a new council, you really look at the bonding when we started investigating the bonding.

N

In the city, at one point we had 113 million dollars in different funds. I would ask that before.

N

You bond, you make sure your time frame. You make sure that we're not bonding just to get cash in.

N

The coffers for a rating, but we're actually going to use the funds. So I ask that you take time.

N

And understand the bonding of everything you're agreeing to on that cip.

N

I know it'll take some work and it might take some reaching out to others for education, but.

N

I would encourage you to look at that bonding and the way the city bonds. Thank you. Thank you. Esther.

A

Any other speakers here.

H

Hi again, my name is allison tanner. I live at 380 greenleaf avenue in portsmouth, new hampshire.

H

And I am also here to support the funds for a climate action plan. uh It provides guidance.

H

That I think the city needs moving forward with this changing climate. Thank you. Thank you. Allison.

A

All right, we have two hands on zoom uh bert. Could you please state your name and address.

G

Can you hear me now loud and clear bert? Well, I'm impressed with this process.

G

I've never been on this way before I just would like to. uh I took my hand down, I thought, but.

I

Both alison and effie and christine who were talking about the climate action plan.

G

I'd like to support it, because I think of the urgency and the time frame, we're working in.

G

The council is taking a forward-looking position and I hope to see how it progresses to get us.

B

To a climate safe plan, thanks a lot for your efforts, thank you, bert.

A

Next, we have robert smith robert. Could you please state your name and address again for.

A

The record robert smith 2-4-0 on mckinley road I'd just like to address the sidewalks again.

M

You know I wholeheartedly agree with rich brabazon and rick bettsdead and what they presented.

M

I've lived in portsmouth a long time went to dondero school in the 60s.

M

The junior high, when it was a junior high and graduated from port smith high.

M

Always walked to dondero when I was living on grant avenue.

M

Took the bus when I lived in maple haven, I live in elwen park again um I just.

M

See the cost and expense of putting these sidewalks in, um as there are other alternatives.

M

That that we should be looking at- uh and I agree with what mr beckstead said about.

M

Getting 100 buy-in, I think we need to talk to every resident on mckinley road, specifically.

M

And so they know exactly what's going in in front of their houses. Thank you.

A

Thank you, robert.

A

Let's see no other speakers, I would move, we keep the public hearing open or I'd. Wait a.

A

Motion to continue the public hearing into the next meeting so move. Second, all in favor, aye.

A

All right, so that's that now we have um third and final reading.

A

Of ordinance and mending chapter 3, article 11 section 3.1101-3.1105.

A

Face coverings during the covet 19 pandemic, a sample motion move that third reading.

A

Of the face covering ordinance, be postponed and definitely not to be brought back before.

A

The city council, without one meeting prior notice, so moved second.

A

Any discussion on this counselor maro- I'm just wondering I guess, would it be easier and, and I'm.

N

Just looking for background to actually just go ahead and pass it so that it would, then, if the.

N

Rates climbed again spiked, would it be easier to move forward with with it versus us having to give.

N

Notice a meeting and then have another meeting reading. So that's a a question for the council or.

A

A question specifically for I would think possibly either the city manager or the city attorney.

K

I think, obviously, that's a total policy decision for the council.

D

If the council were to take either action, I think we could proceed with it.

A

The assistant mayor then councilor bagley and councillor blaylock. um I think this should be.

J

A question for city attorney city manager: is it possible to put a provision in this that that.

J

Somehow mentions cdc guidelines, health department guidelines, as they as we know that this endemic.

J

Pandemic is is ever changing, and so my concern is that if we pass this motion- and it has.

J

The the eight percent number there and those guidelines as those guidelines changes as.

J

Vaccination rates changes as as this um pandemic, morphs that those could be antiquated um measures.

D

The answer to your question, I think, is that it is possible. However, I don't think it's possible right.

D

Here and right now, because I've always cautioned against trying to make complicated amendments to.

D

Ordinances on the fly it's just too difficult to get it all right and the unforeseen consequences.

D

Are rampant, so the answer is it's possible. I just want for the record that was chief murder.

J

It was a jam, though it was a jam.

A

I was trying to I it wasn't. If okay kelly corrected me, I was trying to blame it on.

A

Chief murder, it was chief newport, sorry kelly, pulled your card on that chief. I was trying to.

P

If I can jump in at this point to say that just as the public, just as a health officer.

P

Felt strongly enough to issue to suggest that a public health directive be issued. We could do.

P

That again and then, if this postponement were to pass, I think it would trigger a a revisit to the.

P

Council in this form so that at the next meeting um with one prior notice, you could take that up.

P

Okay, uh so I had counselor bagley counselor blah, then uh counselor barty yeah. I guess.

F

My points kind of echo, the assistant matters- I think this is such a as we've learned, evolving.

F

Situation that trying to guess what it's going to do next is probably not possible. So I think.

F

We we move to table this or to postpone this, and we rely on the guidance of our health officer. If.

F

The situation got such that we would need another ordinance which I'm sure we all hope we wouldn't.

F

Thank you, councillor, blaylock. Thank you. um I agree with what assistant mayor kelly said and.

K

At the councilor bagley said, um I also want to make sure that we're not sending mixed messages.

K

I know there's been a lot of information. There's been a lot of changing of information. That's the.

K

Last thing I would want this council to do to the public, um so I think, while the transmission.

K

Rates are low. If we pass the mass mandate, it might send a mixed message. We can't write the.

K

Headlines tomorrow, the last thing I would like to see is council passes a massive mandate. Thank you.

A

Councilmember, thank you mayor um yeah. I believe it's part of.

Q

Our rules that we can't make amendments to on a third uh reading of the motion.

D

Amendment cannot be made a third reading unless there's a prior suspension of the rules.

D

Okay, which calls for two-thirds vote; okay.

A

Councillor cook, thank you mayor. I think the intention of the council working towards a.

O

Mass mandate was always to support the public health officer and the health directive. That was.

O

Already issued, there is nothing in tabling this that would stop our health officer from issuing.

O

Issuing another directive when it was necessary and then the council could move to act to support.

O

That directive again, I personally don't believe that it's necessary that the council take any.

O

Action to support um directives issued by our health officer, because I think those.

O

Directives are things that we follow anyway, as a community. That's part of the reason we have.

O

A public health officer so that we can respond quickly whenever we have a crisis and.

O

Our public health officer has done a great job in leading us and responding quickly. That's why we.

O

Had a health directive when we needed the health directive- and I get, I think we can count on her.

O

To do that again if it's necessary and then the council can move to act and support her.

A

No other uh comments: uh I will simply state that I.

A

This is uh by not passing this, certainly not a declaration of a victory over covid19 we're.

A

All still very much dealing with this, but it is a recognition that we are moving to a.

A

Another phase of this learning to live with this. um I agree with the comments tonight that we.

A

Will likely not need to pass this and instead, if some reason in the future that we do not foresee.

A

Right now need to have it back, we'll be in a better position to take the latest guidance.

A

On that and amend uh that that uh ordinance as necessary in the future, uh since we can't.

A

See that future now uh I would agree in tabling this, and so we will do so with a roll call vote.

B

Assistant mayor kelly, yes, counselor tabor, yes, counselor denton, yes, councilman moreau, yes, council.

B

Bagley, yes, council lombardi; yes, council blaila, yes, council cook, yes, mayor mccachren, yes, unanimous.

A

All right next up is the uh city manager's items which require action, and for those of you that.

A

Might be surprised tuning in at home, we made a change in the agenda to bring the city manager.

A

Actions up forward a couple reasons behind that. One staff is here for that and they can.

A

Likely get out of here once we do that and then there's some stuff that always kind of gets lost.

A

To the end, um rest assured, if there's an issue of of grave importance, that's under their counselor's.

A

Name, we will suspend the rules and bring that forward, um but want to try it uh this way. So.

A

City manager, thank you, mr mayor. First up is a request for a public hearing regarding lee.

P

Regarding the elderly and disabled exemptions, it's that time of year that annually the city.

P

Reviews, income and asset levels for both the elderly and disabled exemptions and then makes.

P

Recommendations as to these levels, pursuant to two rsas listed, so our assessor roseanne morris, lentz.

P

Is here to answer any questions you may have she provided a memo? That's in your packet. It.

P

Outlines three options for consideration: she will be making a full blown presentation at the march.

P

7Th meeting, where we'll have the public hearing and look for action on that measure, but tonight's.

P

Request is simply to set that public hearing and to formally have that conversation on march 7th.

A

Any questions for roseanne.

A

Councillor tabor, um we uh back in 2020, took a look at the amount of the exemption.

R

And had that kept kept pace with the rise in property values and we.

R

Did an analysis going all the way back to 2006 the original intent was that.

R

The exemption be about half of the value of the home, so I was wondering, are we still.

R

And then we adjusted the amount of the exemption significantly to bring it up to the.

R

Higher home values, so my request would be. um Could we check in on that again uh when.

R

We talk about this. My suggestion would be since I'm doing revaluation this year.

N

Is to wait to do that once I have some numbers from the revaluation, so you could see where.

N

The median single family assessment is going to fall. I didn't know how the time was right.

N

You can make the adjustment to the exemption amount any time before the ms-1 is complete.

N

It's the qualification amounts that I need now before the april 15th date to allow people to.

N

Qualify for the exemption, but the exemption amount can be changed at any time prior to.

N

Me filing the valuation to the state of new hampshire for our tax rate setting. Thank you.

A

Councilor cook, I have a question around care providers of the disabled. So when you have.

O

An individual who may hold more than 175 000 in assets but is not capable of working because they.

O

Are a full-time care provider for somebody who is disabled and that person lives with them, but does.

O

Not own the asset, the house, how do we address that? We don't? The statute only allows for the person.

N

Owning the property to be able to qualify for the exemption, that's just that's statutorily, driven.

A

So I just have uh one quick question uh is in on the. I think it's quick, maybe not.

A

The um you've asked that we need to commit to uh what would be the income uh or the eligibility.

A

Requirements both on income for single married and then asset levels. When I've told people about.

A

This in the past that we've increased that they've looked into it and they've said well, that's that's.

A

Great, that's that's nice, but it's it's not going to affect us because I have you know. Maybe 170 175.

A

000 or more in a uh in a uh a 401k or something to that effect, where it doesn't quite qualify.

A

For them, but they you know, have a significant tax responsibility. Is it something that you can.

A

Bring forward in terms of impact to budget if we were to look at increasing those income levels.

A

And then further increasing the asset limit around that in terms of what our expected kind of net out.

A

From a tax perspective would be um well judy and I can look at what the impact would be.

N

Is if you increased well, that would be difficult because I wouldn't know how many more would.

N

Qualify for that, so I wouldn't know what that impact would be the only impact. I really can.

N

Calculate is how much the exemption amount off the value of the property would impact the tax rate.

N

Not the amount of people that would be able to qualify okay, so that 175 isn't in it is.

N

A um amount of an asset, and unfortunately, a new hampshire state statute, makes me look at every.

N

Single bit of income that somebody has outside of social security, yes or including social security.

A

So I mean it's a it's tricky because 175 000, um you know you have to live on that amount too.

P

If you're uh not earning, um you know enough money, and so I think that's the.

A

That's the tricky part, maybe um I think, certainly around revaluations uh getting that.

A

uh Understanding that the total amount that that could be uh could be taken off, but I'd be.

A

I guess a final question would be: are there any limits uh to what the city of portsmouth.

A

Can do from a uh a qualification standpoint, there's only minimums no limits, no limits. Okay,.

A

Thank you, rosianne very much appreciated have a nice evening.

P

Mr mayor, we would look for someone to move to schedule a public hearing, oh yeah,.

P

At the next council meeting so moved. Second, all in favor, aye, aye.

P

Thanks very much item number two is the outdoor, dining and street cafe recommendation conversation.

P

So, as you will recall, we have uh put some recommendations to you.

P

The council and we were careful to include as many opinions and as many voices as we could.

P

We held this memo until after the chamber collaborative of greater portsmouth held.

P

A conversation via zoom there were over 40 people on that call and what I have what we.

P

What I have put before you is really the product of a team effort involving the fire department, the.

P

Police department, dpw planning, legal inspections, parking economic development and health, and I.

P

I'm afraid I left out gosh the clerk or or the welfare director, but all this to say this was a.

P

Comprehensive effort, we were cognizant of the fact the request came to report back on outdoor dining.

P

But you really can't do that unless you take into account all the users of the public realm.

P

Including retailers, other businesses, restaurants, residents, visitors, you name it so I'll cut to.

P

I'll cut to the recommendations and the proposed changes from last year- and we are, we have broken.

P

This into different ways to consider this there's uh one provision for the use of city, sidewalks and.

P

Parking spaces and uh what we are willing. uh What we would like to do is to roll this out with your.

P

Blessing if there is support for outdoor dining as quickly as tomorrow, and you will see in the.

P

Bullets here that there are many provisions that stayed the same from 2020 and 2021, we're only.

P

Slightly updating the information that will be available through our online permitting system.

P

uh The big changes this year, as have been discussed, is the proposal of fees and for use of.

P

City sidewalks, we are considering putting forth for your consideration. Ten dollars per square.

P

Foot for the cafe areas, similar to what we did pre-coveted with a minimum of two thousand dollars.

P

And in consideration of parking spaces, uh we we really wanted to provide some point of.

P

Reference and in the case of parking spaces, those are currently monetized.

P

And the value on an annualized basis based on usage through a calculation that parking.

P

Director ben fletcher is well here to walk through if anyone cares to.

P

Is the number of fifty seven hundred dollars now we would implement whatever it is? This council.

P

Would like to do, we thought it was appropriate to put a number out there. That represents.

P

The the what happens when you use a parking space for something other than parking, quite frankly,.

P

The other change to this realm would be that we would be recommending a butter approval that, if.

P

The applicant proposes using spaces beyond their storefront and into the parking or the sidewalk.

P

Area in front of their storefront, they must first provide a butter consent for the use of that space.

P

The other realm is for use of city streets or the travel way.

P

As you can imagine, travel ways were not built for any other use than than vehicular travel, so.

P

With with specific note of police and fire, there is much more concern about use of the travel lanes.

P

For outdoor dining and as such, there are proposed changes that speak specifically to traffic.

P

Circulation and impacts to the way traffic moves through the downtown or, specifically, the resulting.

P

Change to a directional pattern of a street, which is not something that we would feel comfortable.

P

With this year, the same consideration of fees and a butter approval are in this section as well.

P

And specific to the use of the travel lane, the staff is proposing that 2022 be.

P

A transitional year and that 2023 really be a year where travel ways are not considered.

P

Unless travel ways are really part of a larger revisioning of the way, vehicles are allowed to.

P

Circulate through the downtown because, as you can imagine, that's a much bigger, broader ask and we.

P

Would want to be more thoughtful about that, so we put all this to you for your consideration.

P

We are here to answer any questions you may have and then the last thing I would mention, as I.

P

Hinted about is that we would propose to stand this program up as early as tomorrow.

P

With similar time frames from last year, where the idea would be folks who are able to consider.

P

Use of the public realm in the march time frame, which is a sidewalks in public realm, uh certain.

P

Areas what could be early march and then, as we did last year, the barriers would be placed out.

P

In the streets the week of april 7th so as to get by the snow periods um and as we did last year, we.

P

Are proposing an end date of november 27th, but certainly all of this is for your consideration.

A

It's uh councillor denton and councillor bagley and councillor cook. Thank you just.

E

To help me better understand the cost here, could you give some examples from last year.

E

If some of the restaurants use the same space, what they would be paying under these amounts.

P

I can certainly do that. We could we could. If you offered up a couple examples, we can certainly do.

P

That, for instance, popovers was 7 500 back in 2019 they're, one of the five restaurants.

P

That was permitted pre-covered in the public realm.

P

Rera was a little smaller than that and again it was purely based on square footage.

E

So if I may my questions here, um clipper tavern the owner was here. I was curious. What that cost.

E

Might be for comparative reasons and then I'll pick some place with um parking spaces. How about.

E

The press room, slash german bakery, whose name I would butcher saul area. um I would look for.

P

Peter bender, to tell me how many spaces the press, room and cafe von zone took up, but.

P

I'll use mark mcnabb's uh example of the rosa, because I know that took up three parking spaces.

P

And using our suggested fee of realizing the monetized value of a space, it would be.

P

5700 times 3. 17 100 100 100.. Thank you to be fair. We, I don't know the length.

P

Of linear feet that the clipper tavern space took up, I'm trying to eyeball it, but.

P

That's a good example of when the only way to realize outdoor dining for that particular.

P

Restaurant was to change the direction of a one-way street that resulted in numerous.

P

People going the wrong way and that really presented a public safety concern, and I do.

P

Know that um chief newport's still here and I know fire chief jermaine- is available as well. Thank you.

A

uh I forgot my order so assistant mayor and then oh, they can go. First, that's okay, counselor bagley,.

F

um I guess we're gonna get a couple bites at the apple, so I'll start with a couple things.

F

I've got a series of questions maybe best to get out of the way regarding parking.

F

um Do we know the occupancy of the two garages and what the occupancy at the height of the.

F

Summer was this: past year we do uh mayor through you hanover generally peaks, at lunch and dinner.

P

Times and for fy 22 so far, and this may not answer your question in peak of season 21 yet hanover's.

P

Averaging 72 percent during the lunch hour and 59 frame the dinner crowd and it's important to note.

P

That, in anticipation of the hanover renovation project, we have sought to actively reduce the.

P

Monthly card holders at hanover by 300 through pricing and attrition so that when we close at.

P

The garage a third at a time we will, we will be honoring the pass holders that are there.

P

um It may be, it may be best for ben to come on here, yeah. That would really.

P

Sure, if it's okay with you, mr mayor, but um he can speak to way better than I can I've.

P

Got all the ben information here and I and he doesn't spend on zoom yes great.

A

Over to you, ben.

S

Can everybody hear me okay, we can. I can't see you, though we expect you to wear a collared shirt.

A

That pts or that parking shirt there as you would often do but we'll just have to imagine it.

S

Oh, I suppose I could put the video on.

S

So uh city manager was doing the client. I don't have to see the ability to put a video on, but.

S

That's fine, so the city manager is doing a fine job of explaining this actually um with.

S

That 300 users, if, if you consider what's called a a 43, what's called a diversity rate, that's how.

S

Many folks are not using the garage that are a card holder at any specific time. It's very.

S

High diversity rate, so we we enjoy the ability to sell the garage to three different users, one being.

S

Morning, users, one evening users and then, of course, transient parking with a 43 diversity rate that.

S

Means 57 percent of those 300 parkers. We took out of that garage by attrition and by pricing over.

S

To hanover or excuse me to foundry that means 171 users are permanently removed from the equation. A.

S

Figure that equates to about 19 18 and a half to 19 percent of the garage's capacity. This is why.

S

In 2019, pre-pandemic hanover averaged about 18 percent higher for both of these time slots, which.

S

Puts the garage essentially in full, particularly at the lunchtime hour, so that gives you some.

S

Some context as to why 72 percent at this point and 59 may not sound so high.

S

But uh we can consider um a great possibility that we're going to be returning to.

S

The same types of figures we saw in 2019 uh rather shortly uh it's our belief that the.

S

Garage is going to routinely reach capacity when it is reduced to 600 spaces during renovation.

S

uh Foundry has a distinctly different clientele averaging over uh eight hours per stay. It's.

S

Mainly workforce parking, so this facility peaks at 41 almost daily and runs that way throughout.

S

The day, so this garage also will re-teach will reach capacity when hanover is reduced.

S

Those 300 parkers are going to head straight to foundry, largely in our direction, but uh you.

S

Know, they're also going to find their way there as well, by virtue of not having on street space.

S

So hopefully that answers your questions as to the capacities of the facilities as they stand today,.

S

And where they should be expected to go shortly, yes, thank you and your honor. I've got a few more.

F

Questions for the parking director, if I may, um the employee parking permits at the foundry garage.

F

Approximately, how many of those are we issuing each month, the average uh six month average, thus.

S

Far this year is 1694 signal use permits issued each month at three dollars, a piece average of.

S

Five thousand eighty two dollars in sales, so yeah, it's important to understand that this is a.

S

Very uh transient group uh you're not going to see the same number of users of this type.

S

Of pass on a tuesday afternoon that you'll see on a friday saturday and sunday evening,.

S

Because the program is aimed at users that are specific to uh uh you know the service industry.

S

Within the hotel and uh and bar and restaurant industries, so the times that those uh those groups.

S

Are having their highest levels of traffic or when you can expect to see this group use the parking.

S

At the foundry facility, it's still unique that the foundry has an eight-hour plus length of stay.

S

We've had great success with this program and with other initiatives to try and move a lot of.

S

Our workforce parking in that direction so that we can better absorb the ramifications of the.

S

Necessary ongoing projects uh upcoming project, I should say uh for the hanover renovation.

F

Great thank you and uh how many spaces did we add at the mcintyre site to our downtown inventory so.

S

There's a total of 86 spaces at the mcintyre 37 on the lower hour area accessed at the intersection.

S

Of bow and pen hollow series and 49 in the upper area access directly across from the river house.

S

It's actually two separate lots there. It's it's probably important to note that the city does not.

S

uh Recognize revenue generated in this lot uh because it has to do with um our relationship with.

S

The federal government and the building itself so.

S

While it does require it does uh give us some reprieve from space issues, it does not represent.

S

uh Revenue gained on the city's behalf in the term of pure parking revenues. Great. Thank you.

F

And um the annual revenue, I believe we have 150 permit cost for loading zones that is due annually.

F

The annual revenue generated from those loading zone permits do we have a number on that so yeah.

S

The loading zone permits right now. Actually that number was was. uh uh Where did I put this one.

S

Hang on guys ben was kind enough to give it to me earlier today. The number is currently seven.

P

Yeah yeah, we have seven, I'm sorry uh manager conor go ahead, no, I'm just using your words so uh so.

S

Yeah so currently uh there's seven permits issued at two hundred and fifty dollars. That's seventeen.

S

Hundred fifty dollars in total collections for the current year, so this is a program.

S

Just to give some context that saw problematic abuse in the past we intentionally increased.

S

The price on annual loading zone permits effective 1122 250 from the 7121 of budget approval for fy22.

S

In order to discourage the very common practice of buying these passes, just for the luxury of having.

S

Multiple 30-minute free parking spaces around town, so the idea was to to offer this program to.

S

Businesses that were in in need of such services and uh to clear the space for professional loading.

S

And unloading and uh and eliminate uh citizen uh use of said spaces in lieu of.

S

Having them use regular parking solutions, and my final question for for right now is.

F

um Even though I realized this is not something we would do if we were to turn those loading zone.

F

Areas into revenue generating parking spaces do we have a rough number on what that might generate.

S

So you know I did put something together for that. It's it's! It's difficult! Really,.

S

Because the the behavior patterns are largely unpredictable, particularly since it's a new.

S

uh Source of parking uh we we talked about, I think 39 spaces total. When we were looking at.

S

The discussion on repurposing some of these spaces, not all of the loading zone, spaces uh in.

S

In our meetings at pts, uh 11, 16, 21 that'll, that the the minutes of which will come forward here.

S

I believe in our next uh city council meeting so 39 spaces, where the percentage of those being in.

S

A vast percentage of those being in a zone and a smaller percentage being abuso, and if memory.

S

Serves uh the the pure gain, if, if, uh if demand were to hold true across the board, the pure gain.

S

In spaces at one hundred percent, demand would be about a hundred twenty thousand hundred point. Five.

S

Thousand dollars, but you'd have to recognize that some of that parking would probably in in.

S

Light of uh less than 100 plus demand, uh which I think is going to be alleviated uh shortly,.

S

But uh in our current situation, some of that particle would come from the garages.

S

So you'd have to recognize there will be some lost revenue in those situations.

S

And so that that number is probably fluid, but I think it's fair enough to use those figures.

F

Great, thank you. That's the questions I have for the parking director and I just want to.

F

Say I appreciate you getting all that rather complex information together for us for tonight.

F

My pleasure kevin councillor cook. Thank you mayor. uh I just am curious how many restaurants.

O

Or cafes are directly impacted by this. The provision not allowing reversal of a travel way.

P

That's a good question. um I think it's a function of who might reapply this year.

P

I will offer up clipper tavern as one I would offer up that the franklin is one on fleet street.

P

um There aren't that many where this was a concern in terms of circulation. I I think.

P

It's fair to say that the three that take up space on congress were not um certainly.

P

Reversing you know one way in the wrong direction, but taking up a travel lane is a consideration.

A

Assistant mayor, thank you. um This would be more of a question.

J

For um uh peter rice and in chief newport, um so there's been some concern about um some of these.

J

Restaurants really are only utilized at night, and I know that um you know it's been discussed.

J

You know the barriers, the jersey barriers that that are wanted for safety and.

J

And concern have we looked into alternatives that could potentially much like I I reference.

J

Massimo um at night you know his his station went out during the day it came in. Are we.

J

Looking at potential alternatives, so there's some places that we know we wouldn't lose those spots.

J

During the day, if they weren't, if the restaurant didn't want to utilize those spaces, I think, while.

P

Peter's coming down, if I can take a stab at that through to the assistant mayor there, there are.

P

Every situation is different and the use of the barriers is key when it's needed to protect travel.

P

And some areas are able to be protected when you just place the jersey barrier at a leading.

P

Edge and penn hello is a good example of that, um but peter and mark are here now so I will stop.

T

Yeah, so I'm not 100 clear what your question was. It was whether we were looking at spaces whether.

T

We identified spaces or were there instances where it could be allowed? I guess I guess it's.

J

A joint question both of those could we consider alternatives so that we wouldn't lose spaces.

J

That aren't being utilized during the day by restaurants um and yes, then the second part is are.

J

There spaces that you could consider so you were asking basically, if there's portable barriers, that.

C

Could be yes, that's a much simpler way. Thank you all right. The short answer would be no. That could.

C

Be conveniently moved in and out at least not by uh dpw staff. That would suffice for stopping the.

C

Vehicle that I think, would be safe, especially at night, without having the proper equipment which.

C

Wouldn't be accessible on a daily basis, and I want to consider this to be a dpw job. I would consider.

J

This to be- and I use mossbell as an example- it would be the restaurant's job to to figure out.

J

Some type of, if you know there was an approved barrier that could be moved or such and in mass.

T

Most cases it's a pretty unique site in that it's a it's a very low speed uh street and there was a.

T

Lot of congestion in front of it uh really helping to comp traffic down. It's also a one-way street.

T

So I mean in concept: yes, they're, probably opportunities similar, uh but there's nothing.

T

At this point that you know that we would contemplate and somebody would have to come.

T

Forward with the recommendation- and this is the chief said- it's really about safety.

T

um You know if it's at all potential um you know for for cars coming into it accidentally, we'd.

T

Want to make sure at least the minimum, the leading edge would have a solid barrier um absolutely, but.

T

It would have to be seen, as you know, would have to be a case-by-case situation. Okay,.

J

um Another question is I: I know that we don't have a track traffic engineer right now, but is it.

J

Is it possible that we can or have we in the recent years done a traffic study to to.

J

Potentially change the flow of some of the streets, um I know there's the conversation.

J

Back and forth of close close uh market square, don't close markets where I fully understand.

J

uh The fire chiefs dpw and the police chief's standpoint on it and I actually support that.

J

My question is, um you know as we as we and I kind of look back at the event we had at the chamber.

J

Where we talked about, you know, downtown wasn't made, for you know, potentially outdoor dining and.

J

Then the argument that downtown wasn't designed for vehicles either and especially, I would say.

J

The amount of vehicles that we've seen over the last decade to two decades of growth of tourism.

J

In portsmouth, so my question is: is there a way or study that we could potentially um look into.

J

At what the impact of removing some of the vehicles downtown to allow? Not just outdoor.

J

Dining but outdoor shed space for real for real realtors for retail and other things. Absolutely.

T

There's there's um there's traffic simulation models that you can, you can go through and you can.

T

Modify the configuration of the roadway and show through modeling, you know how how that impacts.

T

Traffic and and whether it works or not, um we, you know we are um hopefully going to be uh having a.

T

Parking engineer uh starting monday, um he's very familiar to you. Yeah eric ebby will be coming back.

J

And then um I did have one more question and I don't know it right now. So maybe I'll loop back.

A

I just said one quick follow-up to one of the assistant mayor questions, while you're up here.

A

uh Retractable kind of reinforced bollards that I remember on university campuses.

A

Could we look into those in terms of uh or you see them outside, of embassies um that can lower.

A

Obviously, um and then raise uh the ease of doing that, whether it's electronic.

A

Tends to up the price, but I've seen ones that are just kind of in the ground and then they they come.

A

Up and they walk is that something that we could seriously investigate, certainly not uh for, for.

A

This year, but in years future, if we would want to close down sections- or you know potentially allow.

A

Dining in areas around traffic stops that or parking spaces that would have a.

A

um A a more I guess, temporary uh portfolio than uh moving in in a jersey barrier.

C

Yeah, I could say yes, there's definitely items like that that are available just a matter of.

C

You know they invest in the cost and what ultimately, the city or the council decides.

C

They would want to do, but where there's a will there's a way he can do it. It's just a matter.

C

Of how much is it going to cost and how long will it take to do it, and I would um add to that that.

T

You you'd really need to have it in the context of a larger plan yep, because the investment in.

T

That type of uh infrastructure- really it's not a temporary thing. It's you know it's something that.

T

You know you're going to change the configuration the roadway you're going to change the.

T

Operation of the roadway for larger periods of time so make it worthwhile and become a permanent.

T

Type of activity, so I it's definitely something that can be looked at in the context of a larger.

T

Adjustment? Okay, you know and I'd like that, you know whether it's through pts or.

A

Or just a report back to understand uh all uh I guess um I don't even know what the term would.

A

Be you know, traffic mitigation measures, you know for pedestrian uh uh use of of public.

A

Thoroughfares but uh all uh you know possible, uh I guess mitigation efforts that the city could take.

A

Under and then you know as a part of a broader plan uh where that could go, uh because I know that.

A

We're not going to as much as you know, we've moved past cars. We still get deliveries. We still.

A

Have a need for all of those things so permanently, shutting those things down likely harder to do, but.

A

If they could be temporarily shut down, that might be a or reversibly shutdown. Just to add to that.

C

Chief jermaine's, not here in person, but I think it'll be more of an issue for the fire department.

C

In getting their vehicles through more so than the police department, um yes, emergency access.

A

All right, and just because he's not here in person, doesn't mean that we don't care what he.

M

Has to say, but we won't, I won't sidetrack the conversation the system here. Did you remember.

A

The last thing I I did so as you discussed looking at the broader and bigger and bigger.

J

Bigger picture and I'd be remiss to say that we we received a lot of support from from residents.

J

Not just business owners, I would say the majority of emails we got were from residents that were in.

J

Support of um I know we always call it on outdoor dining, but I like to refer it as on street dining.

J

Because that's really the issue here is the is taking up this the streetways, um and so I I have a.

J

Quick question- and I think we've touched on it before, but I just want to reconfirm it in in.

J

The public realm um fleet street, with the with the renovations of fleet street and the the consensus.

J

If I'm, if I'm correct, was that the majority of residents that responded to the qr code were in.

J

Favor of widening the sidewalks correct, um that's correct. We, I haven't digested all the numbers yet.

T

And we'll be, you know presenting them at some point in the future, but it is my understanding.

T

um Just by a rough look of the numbers that it was a pretty significant support for that.

J

So I think it's something that this is just a comment on a question that we should really take.

J

Into account, when we look over the master plan in the in the renovations that are going to be coming.

J

Up to market square, and in just that area in general, that may be alleviating some of this need.

J

um Of of on-street dining would be to consider widening the sidewalks and and potentially even.

J

I know I'd look at market square, maybe even in some of those more congested streets, removing one.

J

Side of parking, so therefore we can widen the the sidewalks so so again, um my whole spiel is always.

J

Making it more pedestrian friendly downtown as someone who who works, downtown and sits out.

J

Mr x, you would know you hear me yell at people speeding all the time on on market street, so.

J

That's that's. That's a concern with outdoor dining or without outdoor dining, so trying to figure.

J

Out some more more aggressive calming measures over the next few years, we're coming aggressive.

A

uh Counselor bagley, then back to counselor cook, oh wait hold on uh councillor, tabor hasn't asked.

A

Anything yet so, first by the apple and then councilman, okay, thanks your honor. I think we're.

R

Kind of glossing over one of the big aspects of this you know we're a policy setting board and.

R

What I read in the city manager's memo was street. Dining is not just beneficial to.

R

Restaurants, it's something that benefits the whole community. It really makes the downtown vibrant.

R

And it's created a great atmosphere, and so I think the first thing for us to think about is.

R

Don't we want to keep going down the direction that direction and make it permanent.

R

Okay, if we're going to go that direction as a city, then how do we make it work in the interim.

R

Next year and then longer term solutions, I think counselor bagley's questions really have.

R

Surfaced the fact that if we took parking away first street dining.

R

There's still plenty of capacity in the garage which is great and bolsters the case.

R

I do hear from the restaurants that have given us feedback and others. I've talked to.

R

That the fifty seven hundred dollars for a parking space.

R

Doesn't quite pencil out, um you know if you have four to six tables and three parking spaces.

R

You have to generate more than 120 dollars of revenue, maybe as much as three hundred thousand.

R

In in five months, so that's a tough equation. um If we could come in a little lower.

R

uh In the sidewalk charge, I think it would foster the kind of street dining atmosphere that we want.

R

To build, um and also we've heard, that uh the two thousand dollar minimum for sidewalk space.

R

Exists for just a few larger restaurants like popovers, but a lot of the smaller cafes.

R

Have put street foot chairs out and they weren't paying that, so that would be prohibitive.

R

So those are two of the inputs that that seem to.

R

Bubble up from the process we've had and um but I think overall and I agree with the assistant mayor.

R

um This adds a lot to our town. We want to make it work for the long haul.

R

And now we're just working out the best way to do that. Thanks councilman, um I I applaud the.

N

um Information that was put together- and I do believe the city manager mentioned that.

N

There might be some justification for the fifty seven hundred dollars per parking spot or how.

N

They came to that specific figure, uh mostly just because, maybe as in counselor table was talking.

N

We could do a sort of step up phase over a course of years versus doing maybe all in the first year.

N

Because I really truly feel like, if you can't park, downtown you're, going to find someplace else and.

N

Maybe we really need to look at a broader spectrum of high occupancy streets, be a shorter time period.

N

To cause more turnover that way, people who are just trying to stop to do you know a little bit.

N

Of shopping on market street might find a parking spot if someone's not parked there for three or.

N

Four hours or whatever the limit is so I know that was like multiple questions at once, but.

N

I'll put it all out there, the mayor and I'm ben. If you could unmute and catch anything, I don't add.

P

The way that we place that value on the on a per space annual collection figure, it was calculated.

P

For each street, where spaces were repurposed and then we adjusted for the fact that seating.

P

Would be in effect from april to october, only so for the period of time they were taken offline.

P

But also during those months, those on-street spaces see a much higher.

P

Utilization or a transaction rate which uh of according to ben, is somewhere in the 40.

P

43 range and that's how we came to the annualized valuation of one space for.

P

That period of time of 5735, which we rounded down for easier math to 5700. But um I guess.

P

We're not we're just the implementers and- and we don't want to weigh in on on what we think is.

P

Appropriate we just know that um it's something that's currently monetized and collected and.

P

The and, as you know, the parking funds are utilized in a variety of ways.

P

um It gives back in to the tune of 2.4 million to the general fund. So if we were to impact.

P

What parking is able to produce in revenue? It has ripple effects. So it's not. It's not.

P

A decision in a vacuum is really what I just want to make sure people understood. Thank you.

A

Councillor bagley then counselor cook yeah. Thank you, your honor, um so I'm gonna be probably a bit.

F

Long-Winded but I suppose at some point we probably should start making motions.

F

As well um the the big concern I have and, and you know the response we got primarily.

F

From residents, but also from restaurants, shops, retail tended to be split whether they liked it.

F

Or not, I would say more said that they didn't like it than did, but there was a split there.

F

But the the overall sentiment is that it brought a vibrancy to downtown. It was kind of the silver.

F

Lining if there was one of kovid was, was this outdoor dining? So I think what we all.

F

Heard was that we want this to continue. um What we're hearing from restaurants is that, at this.

F

Price point: it probably won't continue or it'll continue as it did in the past, where maybe we have.

F

A popovers or well not a re-rocket they're, not there anymore, but you know just a couple: customers.

F

Partaking in it or couple restaurants, which I don't think is what the community wants. So I.

F

Did some research this week, new york city, boulder colorado spent some time on the phone with people.

F

Up in burlington vermont- and they all are dealing with the same thing that we're dealing with.

F

And I asked them, you know what are you doing for fee structures? How are you recovering your losses.

F

um The 5700 dollar number actually makes a lot of sense based on my phone calls. It seems five.

F

To six thousand was the number that came up a lot for what people are valuing parking spaces at.

F

I did get a pretty nice document from burlington vermont. What they're doing.

F

It's kind of convoluted math, but for no meter sidewalk spaces they're doing 113 dollars.

F

uh For the dollar an hour spaces they're doing something like 300.

F

Per space and then for what they call smart meters, which are slightly cheaper than the parking here.

F

In portsmouth, somewhere between a thousand and three thousand dollars per space, so.

F

When we come down to make a motion, I think we have to realize that if we want to recoup.

F

The 5700 we're going to have very few people participating in the program. However, we did.

F

Waive the fees the past two years, um so we should be cognitive of that. On the other hand, I'm sitting.

F

Here wearing a mask, so we're not completely out of covid. You know we're still at a challenging time.

F

So I would propose that we come up with a fee that we think is equitable and I would propose.

F

I think councillor moreau had an excellent suggestion that maybe we.

F

Stagger it in you know so maybe this year it's 25 percent of what it's ultimately going to be.

F

Or 50 of what it's ultimately going to be and then next year it would be 100, but that would also give.

F

Us an evaluation period if we charge a fee and we get 12 restaurants that participate. Maybe we're.

F

Charging too high a fee if we charge a fee and every restaurant participates well, we know we can.

F

Increase it without attrition, so I guess that's kind of food for thought to put out there that.

F

We should be looking to what other cities and towns are doing because they're in the same.

F

Situation we are. We should be cognizant that the vast majority of the city wants the outdoor dining.

F

To continue and the vibrancy of it to continue, and then the final thing I'll add before I pass the.

F

Floor to someone else is that 2022 is going to be the transition year by all accounts, we're going to.

F

Decide something tonight, hopefully that will be in place for this year and then we're going to.

F

Probably tell some restaurants until we bump out the sidewalks you're not going to get to have this.

F

Again, this is kind of your swan song for a year and and the place I would push back the most and.

F

Understand the safety concerns is, I think, if, if we're going to do that, we should do that for.

F

All the restaurants that had outdoor dining last year, if they want to have it this year,.

F

We should give them the opportunity to, and one consideration we might make is for those that.

F

Caused the most issues with traffic flow, perhaps we could do an abbreviated season of june through.

F

Labor day, and the other thing I would propose is the season. I think the start point is good.

F

The halloween parade is, as we all know, quite a big event. Continuing outdoor dining past, the halloween.

F

Date, in my opinion, maybe doesn't make the most sense. So I'm looking at maybe october 15th.

F

Or you know the second weekend after indigenous people's day or something along those lines.

F

As a better cut off so that we clear the streets in time for the halloween parade, and then we could.

F

Make exceptions on a case-by-case basis, especially for those places that have small bistro tables on.

F

The sidewalk that are easily cleared so that's a whole lot that I wanted to get out there I'll.

F

Yield the floor to somebody else, but I just wanted to let everybody know I've done a lot of research.

F

On this, and I think we should really look to what everybody, whatever other cities, are doing to guide.

F

Us because we don't need to make these decisions in a vacuum. Thank you. Your honor counselor cook.

O

um I still had another question that I think is for the city manager or for peter rice.

O

It's around construction, this summer downtown and what restaurants will be directly impacted.

O

Who had outdoor dining last year will be directly impacted by any construction being done? I think.

P

It's important to point out that and peter feel free to come on down and help me out.

P

I think it's important to point out that in april at some point, the hanover garage renovation.

P

The first year of three years, which will be a third of the garage at a time.

P

We'll have a noise and as much as we can mitigate a dust factor.

P

And the hours of operation of that will be 8 a.m to 5 p.m. Through the week a weekend, work is not.

P

Permitted so I think that's going to help inform the decision that restaurants immediately adjacent.

P

To the hanover garage may choose to take, I it's my understanding that the brick market building.

P

Is hoping to get a certificate of occupancy in early june, so the impacts are in that immediate.

P

Area will lessen peter. Do you know of any other construction issues in the area? Besides those too.

T

No, I I wasn't prepared for this question, so there's a lot of construction that occurs and.

T

It can be sporadic um in that you know, utility companies could come in or or contractors could.

T

Be doing work and things like that, but I can't think of I mean big projects coming down the pike.

T

You know, fleet street is going to be not this year. um You know that we'll be looking at.

T

Bridge street bridge street parking lot, but that's going to be relatively small.

T

Duration, exciting projects that won't impact traffic like yeah yeah, I mean the islington.

T

um On the other end, uh we'll be continuing.

T

We won't, I don't believe we'll be in construction on maple would have, but that's not near any dining.

T

Yeah, I can't think of anything really big. But if I do I'll report back to the city manager and.

T

She can forward that information to you. Okay, thank you. Yeah. um Can I ask a follow-on too.

O

um Can we develop a plan for the restaurants or cafes that are impacted.

O

By road construction or um differing traffic directions so that they have an alternative.

O

Option I would hate for anyone to be left out this year, who had this opportunity in the past.

O

Because of changes in either our provisions or because of a new construction that we're.

O

Initiating that's hard to answer it because, as as pointed out, I tried to be diplomatic.

P

But at the end of the day not everyone will be treated equal here. There will be people who who.

P

Are advantaged by their property location? And there are folks that will be disadvantaged by.

P

Their property, location and steph- and I were having a candid conversation about this- that.

P

And I don't mean this to sound as smug as it sounds, but I'll say it anyway.

P

That, if, if you were a business that came to rely so heavily on the ability to to serve.

P

Outside and in space that was did not belong to your property. Perhaps that's that's an opportunity.

P

For that business to look at a different location or a different model, um because.

P

You know there there was a way for us to provide for folks when capacities were reduced during the.

P

Emergency situation, but that has lessened so um all that to say I don't know how to adequately.

P

Answer your question because there aren't equitable solutions. Okay, there are some.

P

Locations for for which it is really problematic for the city to provide um proximate dining. I.

P

Guess is the best way I can say that peter or beverly do you want to add anything to that.

P

It's it's really a case-by-case situation. There might be opportunities to mitigate the impacts, but.

T

Oftentimes they're, you know construction limits uh what you can and can't do in an area so.

T

uh I would hate to to force. You know say that, yes, we could absolutely accommodate folks. You know we.

T

Always try to mitigate impacts as part of our contra construction projects. I mean we, our job.

T

Is to to support businesses and the residents in town, it's not to make their lives miserable.

T

So we do the best we can, but construction is disruptive and it is inconvenient power at the end.

T

Of the day, uh we're investing in infrastructure for the city that can contribute to the long-term.

T

You know viability of the city, so thank you um and I guess my final. My final question is that.

O

I noticed several requests for 15 minute temporary parking spots and that's not officially included.

O

In this plan, because it isn't actually outdoor dining, but is there a plan to include.

O

Additional 15-minute parking spots, um as was included last year, what we did in 2020 when.

P

Several restaurants were highly and completely dependent on takeout is that we created a host of.

P

A dozen or more temporary 15-minute parking spaces, we reverted back to the regular 15-minute parking.

P

Spaces that currently exist downtown in 2021, as we have mentioned, perhaps not to this council, but to.

P

The prior council, those are hugely problematic to enforce. They essentially go um unmonetized and.

P

That being said, we wouldn't recommend the additional any additional 15 minute spots. However,.

P

They were widely seen as helpful to the restaurants that came up in the conversation.

P

With the chamber- and I would venture to say they they would be supported by retailers.

P

What we did do in 2020 when they were temporary, we tried to locate them in between multiple users.

P

So they could all benefit from them, but that being said, it is not a current recommendation.

P

But it's more an observation of what you see so so currently, businesses can request through.

T

The parking traffic and safety committee uh to locate a 15-minute parking space so.

T

It's it's. It is something that folks can request, but there's a process to go through yeah.

O

um I would suggest that we specifically look at 15-minute parking spaces, especially for retailers.

O

We're saying that they're negatively impacted by outdoor dining, because people not being able.

O

To park and run in to pick up an item that they've either ordered or to drop.

O

Up an item that we should take that into special consideration by extending outdoor.

O

Dining that we we listen to those retailers and their concerns around uh pick up and drop off.

A

Counselor blaylock. Thank you, sir. um I just want to thank city manager, public part of.

K

Public works, the police department, fire department, everyone for working on this.

K

We have an amazing town, portsmouth, and one of the greatest things is our restaurants.

K

Our downtown is very unique, we're very lucky. This pandemic was not ideal for restaurants,.

K

Especially indoor dining, so we adapted- and I want to thank everyone for making all that effort, and I.

K

Know it's not easy. I know I've talked to the fire department, you know they had to make adjustments.

K

The police department to make adjustments, but I want to thank everyone for all their efforts.

K

I run around, I run a restaurant. You know I've worked downtown since I was 12.

K

I know all the different factors go in you got to bring out the trash you got to bring in all the deliveries. You get the loading zones, you get the parking for the customers, you get parking for employees, there's so many factors to consider.

K

And it's this situation, it's very hard to treat each location, each restaurant each shop, the same.

K

Because each one is different, each one is located at a different location. Each one, you know, has a.

K

Sidewalk might not have a sidewalk might have a street, might not have a street. um Like my.

K

Restaurant doesn't have a street or sidewalk, um but we want to do our best to accommodate everyone.

K

And I think it is important that we accommodate them financially as much as we can. I think most.

K

Restaurants are either still recovering or have closed from the pandemic. I want to.

K

I hope everyone understands that the perspective from a restaurant owner you're still not out of.

K

It you're still trying I mean you're, always adjust your business plan, your model to make.

K

It more successful, um but we're really trying to recover from what we've just been through.

K

And I understand you know imposing a fee on space on the sidewalk or parking spot. um You.

K

Know with israel's seat at the restaurant to sit then there's no reason to go park. Downtown.

K

um You know so, I think we need to favor that and um but I think we need to be careful and.

K

And stuff imposing them on uh businesses that have already suffered.

A

uh The assistant mayor and then uh thank you, uh I would pose, I guess, a request to the city manager.

J

And the park and traffic and safety committee to look at those 15-minute spots and utilization and.

J

Maybe even increase that time for 30 minutes with the beneficial really being retailers.

J

That people can pop into the store, I tend to think 15 minutes is not essentially enough.

J

Time to pop into any business, and um so I think that that would just be my request. I also would.

J

Potentially put it on the floor for discussion that, um whatever fee we we may can come up with.

J

um Potentially, looking at a satellite program to allow retailers to do the to occupy a space.

J

The same as we potentially are going to let a restaurant tour, so that was just a statement.

A

Counselor back or uh counselor ombardi yeah, first a while back john tabor.

Q

Counselor tabor um was talking about portsmouth not being built for all the cars that we have.

Q

And I you know, I think that's true, I think part of the problem is the number of cars that.

Q

Come into portsmouth that are requiring parking spaces. It brings back to me.

Q

The need for some other form of transportation, uh you know within the city, transportation,.

Q

That can bring people to the center of town from the outer regions of it. We had a.

Q

Test of that a couple years ago, with the church parking lot, I don't know how successful that was.

Q

It seemed like people used it, it was free parking and a free bus.

Q

But it seems to me, as this is not a solution maybe for this year, but as time goes on. If we want to.

Q

Mitigate the need for so much parking in downtown.

Q

I think we have to look at a more universal public transportation system for portsmouth.

Q

Just a comment: counselor bagley, I think I'm ready to make a motion. um I move and I'm I'm.

F

Going to make a motion with stipulations and I'm probably going to get some of this wrong. So I look to guidance, but I move we adopt the city's recommendations with the following stipulations.

F

That fees be set at fifteen hundred dollars per parking space.

F

Implemented at a fifty percent rate for this year,.

F

That um all businesses that operated with outdoor dining in 2020 and 2021.

F

Be given the opportunity, namely that businesses that had the worst effect.

F

On traffic be operating from the months of june 1st through labor day weekend,.

F

That outdoor dining shall operate in the spring as suggested but she'll end.

F

October 15th or some day in that range before the halloween parade.

F

Takes place so I don't know exactly where the weekend falls. Maybe it's the 17th through the.

F

20Th, but with enough time that dpw can have the streets clear in time for the parade um and.

F

I guess I would say I agree that this is going to be the final year for a number of restaurants.

F

um We're going to try to do a better hashed out plan in 2023 when we have a bit more time to work.

F

On it, but I want to kind of give that warning to all restaurants out there that this has the.

F

Potential to be your final year for outdoor dining, um just just kind of letting everybody know that.

F

What we come up with in 2023 may be material different from what we have for 2022, and I.

F

Would mention that many of the cities I talked to that's the approach. They're taking 2022 is kind of.

F

The year for everybody to do things as they've been doing it and in 2023.

F

We're not going to grandfather things in we're going to start fresh.

F

From the ground up general, second, the initial motion that was made.

A

Okay uh to just to clarify the motion: it's uh that it's 750 dollars per parking space.

A

This year this year, that's correct, okay and then it stops. It was.

A

Before uh october 15th, I looked on the calendar mayor uh the weekend after indigenous people's day.

P

Would would put outright through sunday october 16th? Are you trying.

P

To get through that sunday yeah, I think that makes sense. Okay,.

A

um And then the last one was uh to uh to over or disregard the uh the.

A

The recommendation of staff around uh public safety around.

A

uh Street closures yeah and in particular the clipper tavern and the franklin house.

F

Would be the ones most affected by my understanding of the okay.

A

uh Counselor denton and then council, monroe council and a friendly, hopefully friendly,.

E

Amendment I'd like to make regards to the square footage, because only the parking space.

E

Size cost was reduced, I think by a sixth. If I did my math correctly.

E

So the friendly amendment would be that the square footage for outdoor dining would be.

E

Two dollars per square foot and then the minimum which previously was two thousand dollars, would be.

E

Six hundred dollars, what's that, I accept that amendment friendly.

A

Councilmember, um I guess I'm I'm not totally on board with dropping the fee. Quite so.

N

Drastically, I think 50 700 to 1500 and then you're dropping it another 50 percent.

N

Seems a little way more than I'm probably on board for um I'd, be okay with dropping it 50.

N

Of where we're at now like for for this year, but I yeah so I I just think it's way too low. I think.

N

It's it's. It needs to have at least a little bit of an impact to help offset what we might.

N

Lose if especially with the parking garage being cut back, so um that that would be my.

N

Concern is to I am all on board with lowering him just not quite maybe as much as has been proposed.

A

uh Counselor cook and then counselor tabor yeah. Thank you mayor. I have a.

O

Point of clarification and then a comment after that: the first on the october 15th date.

O

Is that for all outdoor dining or just outdoor dining in the travel way or in parking spaces?.

F

Thank you in the travel way in the parking space. So basically, I guess the best way to.

F

Say it is where the jersey barriers are in the street? Okay, and my comment is this:.

O

To me, outdoor dining is a real asset for portsmouth am one of those individuals who.

O

Hasn't gone out to eat in an indoor setting in portsmouth, since the onset of kobe 19.

O

Because I am married to a healthcare professional we already take on quite.

O

A bit of risk and I'm high risk for coping 19., and so we've been extremely cautious and.

O

I think a lot of our residents are in a similar place. In fact, we heard from.

O

A lot of residents who still feel the same way we're not through the pandemic, yet I personally.

O

Believe that we should continue outdoor dining in the same manner that we did last year.

O

Without any additional fees, I realized that this is a transitional.

O

Year and that's the way we're thinking about it, but I also believe that we're really late in the.

O

Year and we're impacting plans for summer for many restaurants that were already doing their planning.

O

Based upon the provisions last year to me, it seems extremely late to be changing the rules for them.

O

I would support in that sense, I'd support nominal fees this year, but I think next year.

O

Really is the transitional year because I don't think we're out of the pandemic. Yet.

A

uh First, up is councilor tabor and then council rombardi.

R

I'm maybe it's because I sit on the fee committee and that makes me a bit of a revenue hawk, but I.

R

I also agree with councillor moreau that to go from 5700 down to 750 is a big plunge.

R

You know we learned a lot in how we manage our parking inventory.

R

By switching to economic incentives, if you reach two hours, the rate goes from.

R

Two dollars to five dollars: the average stay now is much lower than two hours.

R

And our our parking inventory is turning over a great deal, so I do think there's good sense in.

R

Managing our street inventory for street dining with some economic tools. The hard question is.

R

How to get that to where a restaurant can afford it, but it still works to manage the inventory.

R

So my friendly amendment would be: let's do 3000 as our goal and fifteen hundred this year.

R

If you would accept that.

R

But you don't have to yeah, no I'm thinking on it. So your honor, if I may um I'll I'll.

F

Speak to where I came up with the number of of uh 1500, and but you have to you, have.

A

To take it as a friendly amendment at all or not I'll, take it as a friendly opinion. Okay, oh.

B

We have like two friendly amendments and there's no emotion. We need to streamline a little bit.

B

Okay, so could we restate the motion, as um can you restate the motion? I have his original okay. I do.

B

So I have this original. If you want me to restate it yeah, okay, let me just yeah it's way back.

A

For those at home, kelly's uh is able to write in sanskrit.

A

Completely illegible to anybody uh looking on.

B

Move to adopt the recommendation fees for setting for to be set at 1500 per space, with a 50.

B

Reduction this year, all businesses that operated with dining in 2020 and in 2021, um namely.

B

Businesses operating from would re be able to reapply operations from june 1st to to labor day.

B

And then outdoor dining would end by october 16th or before the halloween parade, and this will be.

B

The final year for some res restaurants to give that so we're giving that warning now- and this has.

B

Potential for the final year, many cities are taking 2022 to do things as previously and 2023.

B

We would start from the ground up and that was seconded by councillor denton. Then councillor.

B

Denton moved to amend as a friendly amendment. The square footage for outdoor dining would be.

B

Two dollars per square foot- the minimum previously two thousand dollars- would.

B

Be six hundred dollars and then council badgley accepted that as a friendly amendment.

A

um Sorry, just in interest of uh trying to get us back on track so.

A

I no that's not that amendment's not going to do it. Could we restate the amendment as uh uh move to.

A

Amend city suggested fees to 3 000 collecting half of that.

A

In first year, with outside dining running through october, 16th.

A

And be available to all uh participants from last year would that capture.

A

The heart of it there's two that does a much better job than what I did and I apologize.

F

For not having this prepared ahead of time, but I was working on it right up till the meeting.

F

Started, um there's two components that are not captured in that, should we add those on.

F

Let's get through, I mean I would say that we should. We should probably just vote on the.

A

uh On the the fees and the length um and then we'll move to uh whether or not we want to.

A

uh Open up uh other aspects and then potential other aspects to that: uh counselor, denton and.

A

Then counselor or assistant mayor, I simply ask that you include the square footage fee as well.

A

Okay, um can I do this point of voting before you take a vote on on what to charge um there.

P

Was a city council policy adopted in 2012 that speaks to area service agreements which.

P

Allow for use of city property for sidewalk cafes, providing alcohol service. That's where the ten.

P

Dollars per square foot comes from. There is a two thousand dollar minimum that is there and.

P

That's been adopted initially by the council in 2012 and ratified a handful of times, most notably.

P

And recently by this council as part of the larger group of policies on january 24th, so I just want.

P

To be mindful of that, and to put that in context, there were five area service agreements back.

P

In 2019 last year, before covid, when uh the two thousand dollar minimum was achieved by fuzzywigs.

P

And then there was rerod the district raleigh wine bar and popovers. So there is precedent that.

P

Goes back to 2019 for following this policy, so I guess it would be a question of bob if you need.

P

If, if there was a deviation from the policy that was ratified in january by the council,.

P

Did that make any sense, I think it did and- and I and I believe the answer is that if the city.

D

Council wants to change the policy now the council can change it. Okay just want to bring that forth.

A

The council or assistant manager and counselor cook. um Thank you, mr smirk. This is a question for.

J

The city attorney um as most of the public knows, and everyone on here I own a.

J

Downtown uh restaurant, and so I just want to put it on record and ask the city attorney if.

J

Within voted for this policy and within fees, is there? Is there a conflict.

D

You, of course, approached the legal department. Some time ago, we discussed this.

D

And we viewed the city's code of ethics together and I concluded that.

D

That there's not a conflict for you to vote on this, because the ordinance would not affect.

D

You differently than it affects other similarly situated people in the city. Thank you. Councillor.

A

Cook, thank you mayor. I actually have a question for the city attorney as well. um Is it possible.

O

To request individual votes on the additional amendments to the motion, the friendly amendments.

O

Rather than just accepting them and moving forward with the vote on the whole, yes, it is possible. Okay,.

O

So I would move to request a vote on the friendly amendment. I think the first friendly amendment.

O

And then the second friendly amendment before we move to emotion on the final.

O

The actual motion, the initial motion.

A

um uh So before we call vote, I I guess I what's the first friendly amendment that were.

A

We would call up yep counselor didn't do you remember, that was for the square footage being.

E

uh Set at two dollars: yep from ten dollars, correct and the minimum being okay, correct, yeah and then.

A

Just a point of order on that those are not fees. Those are licenses correct. The square footage.

A

Yes, yeah so they're licenses, so they operate differently in that we can't.

A

You know they're they're, set by some.

A

uh uh Calculation to determine if they recoup the cost or not so the question is: can we as a council.

A

uh Change that uh that license uh cost yesterday on the council can change the license code. Okay,.

P

Your honor, if I could one more consideration to keep in mind that there was discussion.

P

Of allowing the some restaurants in the higher traffic or travel concern areas.

P

To have a shorter period for which barriers would be placed, I can tell you from an.

P

Operational standpoint, it is much more recommended by dpw to place the barriers all at once.

P

And then to remove them all at once. I just asked for that consideration.

P

And um in the interest to be helpful, if it thought, if it made sense to call a recess.

P

And we could take a break to to figure out the best way to to move these motions forward.

P

Bob and I would be helping yeah- we've been here for four hours, so why don't we take a five minute.

A

Recess and if we could come back uh with a um a motion and then amendments to that motion.

A

In that time period we just that's going to help this process, so I think I'd be on foreign.

A

And we're back, um we recessed got some caffeine and hopefully have an amendment.

A

That both the folks at home and we in the council are, are ready to follow uh andrew.

A

The floor is yours counselor. I got some guidance from the city attorney. uh While we were in recess.

F

So I am going to motion that we adopt the city's members. Could I start with your honor.

D

Could we request the unanimous consent of the city council to withdraw all pending motions.

D

And we will start again, there's a do. We need to move to do that.

A

Yes sure so moved second, all in favor all right. Okay, all right! So I'm going to start fresh.

F

With a clean slate, a motion to adopt the city's manager's recommendations on outdoor dining.

F

Period at at this point- yeah: okay, second, okay, and now I'm gonna immediately.

F

Make a motion to amend the fee structure to be three thousand dollars to be charged at a.

F

Fifty percent rate of fifteen hundred dollars per parking space in 2022. Second, all in favor, aye, aye.

A

Oh sorry, there was, there was a.

A

There was debate uh counselor cook.

O

uh I'm a little bit confused because I thought we were gonna take up each motion as they were before.

O

Which? Because the initial motion was fifteen hundred at fifty percent for the year, not three.

O

Thousand, so I'm I'm confused, so what we just did is that the previous motions that were on the.

A

Table by unanimous get set, we set them, we set them aside. So councillor uh bagley made a new motion to.

A

Accept as written the city, manager's guidance on outdoor dining, that was the motion. Then he put an.

A

Amendment on the floor and that amendment uh was to take up three thousand dollars, cutting that in.

A

Half for the first year for fifteen hundred dollars to be received in this first year.

O

Mr mayor, I still have a question about that. Certainly.

O

My understanding in setting aside all the prior motions was that we would bring back each motion.

O

Individually, as they were made before.

O

And that we would be voting on them, not that we would be considering alternative motions.

O

Or friendly motions, first friendly amendments: first, once once all prayer motions were withdrawn,.

D

This late is clean and we're starting over again with the city manager's recommendation as the main.

D

Motion now it could be that everything was brought forward as it was before with the friendly motion.

D

Etc, but that's not required and and council bagley's doing something a little different.

A

Is there another question no, but can we have? uh Can I request a roll call vote? Certainly.

B

From the amendment correct on the amendment amendment.

B

um Assistant mayor kelly, yes, counselor, tabor, yes, counselor denton,.

R

Yes, councilman rowe, yes, counselor bagley; yes, council lombardi, yes, council, blaylock, no.

B

Counselor cook no mayor mccabern, yes, well, she passes seven to two. The amendment.

F

I have a second amendment that the sidewalk spaces.

F

Be charged at a fee of two dollars per square foot, with the minimum to be set at six hundred dollars.

F

Sorry bless you. Can you yeah, I'm sorry uh that the sidewalk spaces be set at a.

F

Rate of two dollars per square foot. Thank you with a minimum of six hundred dollars.

M

R

Any oh questions: any counselor, taber.

R

Would this become permanent? I guess that's a question for the city attorney overriding.

R

Our policy that we've adopted as it would become permanent until the council changed it.

R

I

A

The counselor didn't, then, would you be more comfortable if that was just for this year? Yes,.

R

I certainly would, and with the maker of the.

E

Motion be comfortable if the amendment was just for this year. Yes,.

A

Okay, so at the end of your amendment, 420 the year of 2022, yes, okay and if I could speak to it,.

E

There are a few restaurants in portsmouth that don't just that. Don't have parking spaces, but.

E

Only have a space like this- I know cafes were mentioned. Kevin dwyer here was.

E

Speaking earlier, I believe this would fall in his category, so this would impact restaurants still.

A

Just a follow-up question um for the city attorney and I we get to make the rules.

A

uh On this, so I understand, um but it's always been my understanding that licenses.

A

Are created or the the cost of a license is created by the or the amount of the license.

A

Is created by the cost to administer the license? It's a council policy you're on.

D

It which are based upon that calculation, okay, but but that's a council, it's only a council.

A

Policy there's nothing specific and it's not an ordering legislation for licenses. Okay, okay,.

A

So the amendment on the table is to move uh from ten dollars a square foot for two dollars.

A

Square foot in the public realm for the year of 2022., and that was on the sidewalks correct. Yes,.

Q

For sidewalks sidewalks, but there were also other, I think, uh counselor denton gave an example of.

A

Kevin dwyer's pub, which is a uh a street closure, I believe correctly, that would also be affected.

A

By this or any other street closures, uh that areas exist in the public realm. Well, like the.

Q

District is on von maul, correct the the the places on bond mall correct, correct um those places.

J

Those places that those that I believe it was a five or six that have continuously used the.

J

Public realm this would this would include that um including loading zones and anything that's.

J

Not not a parking space, I would. I would put um forth a friendly amendment to sorry. I'm sorry.

J

um To raise that actually a little bit to five dollars so so incrementally just just.

J

Having that um would would you be opposed to that counselor, I would I would I just I'm reading into.

J

The logic that we initially had I've cut and cut in the space the the amount um from the original.

J

And it just feels like you know, um it has someone who to be very transparent, whose business would.

J

Benefit from from this lower cost fee, I'm one of those I I feel like that is a very low amount.

J

um And so I would, I would have you consider um just that three dollar difference to bring.

J

It back to five so that it's it seems pretty straight ahead. Almost 50 cut down.

J

From the original um recommendation from city and current fee structure for that councilor.

A

Cook: oh, wait: it's a friendly amendment! Yeah, I'm not gonna! Take it as a friendly amendment. Okay,.

A

Counselor cook this change, would it make it less expensive for restaurants and cafes, who.

O

Are closing streets than it is for those taking up parking spots in front of their businesses?.

J

I think that would be a city. Is this amendment, including travel? It's sidewalks and travel ways correct, correct.

O

City manager, do you know, let me take a stab at the question. um Parking spaces are currently.

P

Monetized sidewalks, when not used by the public, are not monetized travel lanes when not used for.

P

This purpose are not monetized, so I'm not sure if that helps on a square footage level. I don't know.

A

I guess that would be the the question that you're asking counselor cook.

A

What's the square footage of a parking space, 144 187 square feet, uh oh shoot where's, my.

P

Where's my peter ice ben electric contingent.

P

And if you're listening is the is the size of a parking space, 187 square feet or thereabouts.

F

In my research, that's correct, 22 feet by 8 and a half for uh parallel parking.

S

A little less length and uh in lots so 22 by eight and a half is 187.

F

Can I change my mind after doing some math on the friendly amendment.

F

Yes, I will accept that, because that would put a parking space size spot at 935 dollars.

F

Oh put it at what 935 dollars. So I agree with the assistant mayor that maybe two dollars was.

F

A bit on the low side sure accepting the five dollars yes for 2022. and what's the minimum.

F

uh Six hundred dollars.

F

That like, if you had a hundred square feet times five and it comes out to.

F

Five hundred dollars you'd still have to pay an additional hundred dollars to.

F

Meet that minimum threshold is that my understanding, correct.

J

You're going to hate me again, uh I would I would.

J

And before I make this motion just I I think um equity needs to be needs to play and never.

J

Here and again I repetitive like I would benefit from just accepting your emotion as.

J

A business owner, but um I would put the threshold up at 1500, which is essentially what we're kind of.

J

For a parking space, which is what we're equating it to um the the can I speak to that.

F

You can the trouble I have with. That is what, if you want to put out two bistro tables, you.

F

Know that's far less than a parking spot, but a relative friendly discussion on this.

J

Is that uh not typically okay, so I guess the um we've cut the we've cut the right now or currently.

A

As stands, the fee uh for the outside realm, uh sidewalks and and uh and through ways unmonetized.

A

Non-Monetized spots is uh ten dollars per square foot and uh two thousand dollar minimum. If we cut.

A

Both of those in half, I think, we'd get to the point where uh folks are relatively happy and.

A

If you could take that as a friendly amendment, it's a five dollars and a thousand dollars yep.

A

For the year of twenty two okay, mr mayor, is it possible just to ask the the city.

J

Manager for clarification, because I think there is confusion on this- um the sidewalk- please please correct me. If I'm wrong, the sidewalk licensee um are also permitted.

J

To serve alcohol, there is separate fees correct for uh cafes. If you want to put a bistro table.

J

In an alleyway or chairs that are not connected to serving alcohol that are lower fees, correct.

P

Keep in mind that I've only been here during a pandemic. Yes,.

P

I'm looking at maybe bob to answer that question so.

J

Maybe I can answer that question hold on um in reference. I look at like the.

J

The side wall like um sidewalk stickers for for, like bistro tables outside of like what we saw.

J

And we had them in the corner of cup of joe um cafe, I'm sorry series bakery pays for them out.

J

Front so there are sidewalk obstructions. Yes, I'm sorry sidewalk obstruction permits there. There.

J

Are those for say if a cafe wanted to just put two bistros not exclusive to the cafe and do not allow.

D

Alcohol correct, so I I just wanted to put that um out there um counselor bradley to.

J

Answer your question obstruction so including restaurant tables is 75.

J

um And then restaurant chairs are ten dollars, so so those are for restaurants, not cafes, not.

J

Exclusive to cafes or restaurants, but not serving alcohol and just obstruction. So there are other.

J

Solutions for restaurants or cafes again under underneath this licensee the obstruction that was.

F

My objection so that's ideal, yep, perfect. Sorry! I just wanted to I'm glad you brought that up. Oh, we.

A

Okay, so the motion uh on the table, then, is to.

A

Modify or cut in half the proposed cost per foot and uh minimum.

A

Fee for the following for the year 2022, we will have a another roll call vote on this.

B

Assistant mayor kelly, yes, counselor tabor, yes, councillor, denton, yes, councilman moreau.

B

Yes, council bagley; yes, council lombardi, yes, council, blaylock, no council cook, no.

B

Mayor mccachren, yes, 702 passes. Okay, I promise to do better with this one. uh Another amendment.

F

That the time frame end on october 16th for establishments that require jersey, barriers.

A

Is there a second.

N

A second any discussion.

F

I'll just reiterate that the reason I chose this date is because I I want to.

F

Have dpw to have enough time to get the streets clear for the halloween parade.

F

And I think the utilization of the outdoor dining goes down around this time.

A

Counselor cook, um while I understand the reasoning behind this amendment, um I personally believe.

O

That we should extend outdoor dining as long as possible in portsmouth as long as possible into.

O

The holiday season, because we still have a lot of people coming to portsmouth, to dine outside as.

O

Late as thanksgiving and some would like to dine even in december with heat lamps, so I personally.

O

Wouldn't ever want to cut off that opportunity if we can extend it through some of our holidays.

A

Point order for the oh sorry counselor. I just wanted to um agree with councillor cook that.

Q

I I think that I would not vote for that amendment um because of the same reasons, I think that.

Q

Depending on whether we might want to have outside dining going farther.

A

uh um City manager, um without this amendment, when does outdoor dining end.

P

um As recommended in the memo your honor, it would be the end of november, the sunday of thanksgiving.

P

Weekend so bear with me november 27th november, 27th, okay and so not acting on this amendment.

A

That's or voting this amendment down it would be uh to the end of november and something.

A

That we could take up uh if it was somehow unseasonably warm, but snow removal does to be.

A

A pretty big issue: counselor bagley I'll, just speak to it. One more time before we vote.

F

I I enjoy outdoor dining all year round and there are places to do that.

F

You know some some restaurants have patios on their own property or whatever.

F

I also was doing this a little bit as a nod to retailers. uh They was some request that the.

F

Weeks leading up to black friday, it would be nice to get some of those parking spaces back.

F

As well, it doesn't really bring a lot back, but it brings some back. So I understand the points.

F

The other counselors made I'm going to keep my amendment on the table and I'll vote for it, but.

F

I can certainly understand the desire to keep this going as long as possible.

B

Roll call vote assistant mayor kelly, no counselor tabor, yes, counselor denton, no council monroe. No, no.

B

Council bagley: yes, council, lombardi, no council, blaylock, no council cook, no mayor mccachren, no.

B

Motion fails two to seven.

F

Okay, I have another amendment and that's in the section under proposed changes.

F

Item number two traffic circulation: any proposed use of the travel way must not.

F

Impact traffic circulation downtown changes that result in a significant impact to traffic pattern.

F

Or that result in a change in the directional pattern of the street will not be considered.

F

A motion that we strike that language second.

A

Any discussion, not counsel, could you just say that again, yeah read that, because.

F

You said it a little too fast, I'll I'll, explain the intent and then I'll read it.

F

So so roughly there was a couple: restaurants that wouldn't be able to do outdoor dining again.

F

Because they turned one streets into one-way streets. This is the.

F

Section of the the that deals with that, and what we would be doing if this was to pass, would be.

F

Allowing those restaurants to continue outdoor dining in 2022, so it's to strike the proposed.

F

Changes item number two traffic circulation. Any proposed use of the travel way must not impact.

F

Traffic circulation downtown changes that result in a significant impact to the traffic pattern.

F

Or that result in a change to the directional pattern of the street will not be considered.

A

Any other discussion who seconded that uh this is an error. Thank you counselor. I guess who makes the.

N

Determinat, if we left this language in who would make the determination of a significant impact.

D

Your honor there would be no determination to be made okay. If that amendment passes there will be.

D

No determination, I know that's what I'm saying if the amendment doesn't pass, how would it be.

N

Determined that something would be a significant, I mean, is there a criteria or is it just an.

P

Area and view permit of the applicant to explain if the request has an impact to traffic. Okay,.

P

And if so, they would be required to specify okay. Thank you.

A

um I'll simply state on this uh I'll pass the gavel. Sorry.

A

The while I understand the intent is to support businesses uh continuing on those traffic patterns.

A

Did uh negatively impact uh some other businesses that we did hear from uh through the course of of.

A

Email, um I think it's uh it's it's difficult um to uh weigh those, um and I understand uh that it's.

A

An issue of fairness, but for the same reasons I.

A

Can't support closing the changing of the the one-way streets again this year.

A

With that, take a roll call vote assistant, mayor kelly.

B

Yes, counselor tabor, no counselor dutton, yes, councilman roe; no, no council, bagley, yes, council.

B

Lombardi, yes, council blaylock, yes, council cook, yes, ma'am, mccarron no motion pass is six to three.

A

All right did we get through it. I think we did well. We stopped them. Oh.

A

Councilor cook, before we vote on this amendment, it's an hour-long amendment. Thank you mayor. um I.

O

Just wanted to say before we vote, I wanted to make a request of our our city manager to report back.

O

On the number of businesses that had after after we go through this process, to.

O

Report back on the number of businesses that chose not to apply for outdoor dining again this year,.

O

And I was hoping, maybe we could do a survey of those.

O

Restaurants, to find out if what their reasoning was, if it was fee structure.

O

In particular,.

A

I think that is.

A

We don't need a motion, your honor, what you need is a a vote on the original motion as amended. Okay,.

A

So we'll have a roll call vote on the original motion as amended, that is with.

A

Reduced fees both on the parking spaces and the um and the square footage.

A

uh It is with uh the original, with with no change to the end date per the city manager.

A

And it is with striking the uh language that prohibited.

A

Those businesses that required a travel lane change uh to be a part of outdoor dining.

A

All right so uh with that we'll do a roll call vote assistant mayor kelly, yes, counselor table. Yes,.

B

Counselor denton, yes councilman; yes, council bagley, yes, council lombardi, yes,.

B

Council blaylock, yes, council cup, yes, mayor mcafren, yes, unanimous.

D

All right, moving right along to item number three: the approval of the dear street associate.

P

Parking agreement back in 2016 the city entered into a post-closing obligations.

P

Agreement with dear street associates, which facilitated the city's acquisition of the land.

P

Upon which the foundry garage now sits, as you may know, the city had a duty under that agreement to.

P

Deliver a parking agreement to dsa, which would, in general terms, provide dsa with 68 parking.

P

Passes in the garage which dsa would pay for at a market rate, what we're looking to do tonight is to.

P

Satisfy the city's contractual responsibilities under that post-closing obligations, agreement.

P

The legal department would recommend that the city council authorize the.

P

Manager to execute a parking agreement with dsa in a form substantially similar.

P

To that which is attached and provided in your packet so moved second.

A

Any discussion councilor moreau, I'd just like to state that the agreement is indeed what we have.

N

Are contractual contractually obligated to carry out and there's nothing in it that uh yeah that we.

N

Can really have a whole lot of effect on based off of the requirements under our original agreement.

A

Any other comment, the city attorney. You have.

A

Put this uh on or through the city manager put this on the agenda. Could you speak uh to.

A

The city's uh legal position- I would just make it clear your honor that both myself.

D

And outside counsel would recommend that the council pass this motion.

D

Thank you without any uh further discussion. All in favor.

A

You posed no okay, all right.

P

Thank you. The last item under city managers. Action items is a request for 64 von maul.

P

With us here tonight are folks from the project shane forsley and uh with nova cure dean smith.

P

And dean was joined by his colleague bill burke, so we're fortunate to have them in the audience.

P

The council will remember that back in august of 2021, the planning board granted site plan.

P

Approval for renovation of the building, known as the marcyson building and construction of.

P

An addition at 64 vaughan street, the property has since been conveyed to nova cure a local medical.

P

Device company in december of 2021 and nova cure will renovate and use the 42 000 square.

P

Foot building for their corporate headquarters and their flagship north american headquarters.

P

Back in november of 2021, the construction mitigation and management plan identified.

P

Temporary encumbrances for project related work, which brings us here tonight, which is uh the.

P

Project proponent is seeking a license request to use 35 square feet of land in the vaughan.

P

Mall and 14 parking spaces in the worth lot for a total of 90 days to begin march 5th and to end.

P

June 3rd and the purpose of this is to set up scaffolding so that the applicant can work on the.

P

Facade of the building that abuts the worth lot and formerly known as the wailing wall. So when you.

P

Take the amount of square foot ask for footage in the von maul and add that to the parking space fee.

P

The total license fee would come to 44 257 dollars and 50 cents and during the term of this license.

P

It's important to note that the owner will work with the director of public works to create a.

P

Pilot for the reconfiguration of the worth lot before finalizing the permanent improvements.

P

As set forth in a separate development agreement that was approved by the city council on november.

P

15Th of 2021, both legal and planning, have reviewed and approved the form of the attached license.

R

Online move the city manager be authorized to execute and accept the temporary construction.

R

License for the term of march 5, 2022 to june 3rd 2022, the use of 35 square feet of land in.

R

The vaughan, mall and 14 parking spaces in the workplace as requested exactly any discussion.

F

um I'm just going to briefly mention uh thanks to the gentleman that had to stay here through the.

F

Last motion: I appreciate you being in the audience. um There was an article in the paper when novacore.

F

Decided to move to portsmouth and uh it might have been the ceo somebody high up in the company, said.

F

That you know the reason they picked portsmouth is because of the quality of life in our downtown.

F

Especially um novacore is a company with a very important medical mission, doing great stuff.

F

And you know they: they really could have chosen to locate this anywhere in the world and I think.

F

The fact that they chose downtown portsmouth is a great credit to our city, and I just wanted to.

F

Acknowledge that and thank the gentleman here tonight, I know losing parking spaces.

F

Is always a challenge, especially in a in a lot like worth a lot, but um I think you know we should.

F

Be cognizant of the fact that you know something really great has come to town and we should be.

F

Proud that they chose us over many other locations, any other questions or comments.

A

I do have one question: I'd echo all the sentiments that counselor bagley.

A

Shared my question is around the term of the license and just for clarity, because this has come.

A

Up before is this the expected uh duration of the project. As we know it now, understanding um uh you.

A

Know we could have externalities um and I think we just have to motion uh to suspend the rules to.

A

Say, listen so I move. Will we suspend the rules.

A

Or sorry, I can't motion a motion is to spend the world here on a second all in favor, aye aye.

P

Welcome shane mayor shane forsley from hampshire development corporation uh we're the gc for the.

C

Project on behalf of nova cure. Thank you all for your time tonight and to answer your question.

C

The project is targeted uh with an 18-month duration which we've shrunk down to 15 months.

C

At this point in time that uh period of time that we'd utilize, the worth lot would be for.

C

uh The facade and the new construction um component to of the building.

A

Yeah, so would you expect to ne? I guess I just want to set the the understanding expectation.

A

Will you be coming back to extend this, uh provided that the facade and all of that goes to plan, and I.

A

Hope that it does, but if you're on on time with that, would we expect these spaces to come back.

A

uh Into the public realm, or will you require those uh in a future phase of the project? That's correct.

C

So in that 90 day period we intend to complete the work as stated and then give back the land.

A

Great, thank you shane, so much and appreciate you being here. Thank you all.

A

All right with that all in favor aye aye any opposed nope. Thank you mayor.

P

We need them. Oh no. We don't.

A

All right so uh for the consent agenda. I await the proper motion for adoption of the consent agenda.

A

Move to adopt the consent agenda. Second, all in favor.

A

All right and then email correspondence, uh wait a sample motion to move and play something.

A

A

And then we are on to that's counselors here. Okay, um oh sorry, uh you, oh um sorry, we have a letter.

A

From mr uh james hewitt regarding the installation of the ev stations, um do we need a sample.

A

Motion to move to iran move we accept and place on file. Second, all in favor, aye, aye.

A

A petition from residents of elwynn park opposed the installation of sidewalks in the neighborhood.

K

Some move that we accept and place on file. Second, all in favor, aye, aye.

A

uh A resubmission of letter from gretchen wrath, portsmouth fabric company requesting.

A

Retailers to be invited to any meetings convened regarding downtown parking.

A

Who will we accept and place and file? Second, all in favor, aye aye and the resubmission of letters.

A

From various downtown businesses regarding outdoor dining and the use of parking spaces.

Q

Move to accept and place on file. Second, all in favor, aye, aye, all right.

A

So we have some appointments to be considered uh under my name uh duncan mccallum to the.

A

Cemetery committee elaine a patek bucks to the city-wide neighborhood blue ribbon.

A

Committee kathleen boduk to the citywide neighborhood blue urban committee, lawrence cataldo.

A

To the citywide neighborhood blue ribbon committee, william gatchell, to the citywide neighborhood.

A

Blue urban committee laurie soloway to the citywide neighborhood blue urban committee, peter.

A

Samsich to the city-wide neighborhood blue urban committee, anne weidman, as an alternate to the edc,.

A

Heinz sucks shubert as an alternate to the historic district commission.

A

Jeff stern to the library board of trustees, jason brewster to the pierce island committee francesca.

A

Marconi fernald to the pierce island committee, chris gallow, to the pierce island committee.

A

Steve marison to the pierce island committee, stephen phillip, to the pierce island committee.

A

Devin quinn to the pierce island committee, john simon, to the pierce island committee,.

A

Richard smith, to the pierce island committee, mark stetner to the pierce island committee, william.

A

Townsend to the pierce island committee, kathleen bergeron to the portsmouth housing authority.

A

Lauren kranz to the recreation board and phyllis eldridge to the zoning board of adjustment.

A

These are all appointments to be considered and will be brought forth at the next meeting.

A

Appointments to be voted, we have genevieve also to the blue ribbon committee on portsmouth arts.

A

And nonprofits, uh mr uh jeffrey barakov, uh has requested that his name be withdrawn, so.

A

We will simply be voting uh on the appointment of genevieve that could have a motion so moved. Second,.

A

All in favor- and we also have, under my name the resignation.

A

Of craig jewett from the portsmouth housing authority, a sample motion moved to accept his.

A

Resignation with regret and send a letter to mr jewett thanking him for his service to the city.

K

So move second, all in favor aye aye. Thank you, mr jewett. uh I appreciate the work that you've done.

A

All right um proposed citywide goals to find them here, because I plan uh to read them, but.

A

A simple motion move to approve. uh Let me just oh perfect paper copy still works. Sometimes here.

A

um So uh I plan to read these and then uh move to uh accept them. If there's uh we'll have a.

A

Discussion, um but the genesis of this uh was the retreat uh where we talked about the goals.

A

Of this council, um you know, show me your budget uh I'll, show you your values. uh These are our.

A

Values as as clearly as we could define them into goals um both for ourselves, uh the general.

A

Government uh and the school board, uh which has carried over from years previous, we left those.

A

As such, so city council goals, uh the first invite and honor input from the community and encourage.

A

Increased participation, engagement of youth, two identify and promote strategies for local business.

A

Retention and the preservation of affordable commercial spaces, three leverage, local resources.

A

And partnerships to improve and support needs of residents, nonprofit arts and cultural community.

A

Four proactively pursue the integration of sustainability, resilience and climate change.

A

Mitigation actions throughout city government and community five diversify and enhance the.

A

Supply of housing choices, six continuously enhance city council best practices to deliver a trusted.

A

Transparent and responsive process, seven consistently communicate with community.

A

Members and stakeholders respecting channels of communication they prefer and keeping them.

A

Informed under general government welcome and support diversity in the workplace and community.

A

9 maintain financial stability, 10 meter exceed state and federal legal.

A

Regulatory requirements, including those for a safe and healthy community and environment.

A

11 deliver services and programs with courtesy, professionalism and efficiency. 12 maintain and.

A

Improve infrastructure to meet needs of the community. A school board provide an educational.

A

Environment that affords opportunity equity student wellness and a strong sense of community.

A

To every youth and 14 protect the community through fire and crime, cessation and prevention.

A

For its residents and business, that's the school board, fire police commission goals. um So with that.

A

And I'll accept a motion uh to approve motion to approve second and any discussion on these.

A

Oh councilor moreau and then councillor bagley. I just like to say I really thank the city staff.

N

That took everything that we said that day and were able to make it so decisive into.

N

A really comprehensive, I'm just impressed thoroughly impressed, so thank you. Counselor bagley.

F

Yeah, I just want to say you know these goals. I think we we had a. We talked for a long time to.

F

Come up with them and uh we really got to see that engagement piece in action over the last uh week.

F

Or so with the community, and you know we really value uh when you reach out to us through emails.

F

Through the contact all city counselor button on the website, your feedback is.

F

Really important and the more of it we get the better informed. Our decisions will be made.

F

Thank you. Thank you uh any other comments. So just so, uh everyone is aware uh these will align into.

A

Our budget and they will be mapped to items in the budget of which we will be spending tax dollars.

A

Looking to achieve so, everything will be tied back to a goal uh here. um So this is a budget document.

A

As much as it is goals, and hopefully an effort for us to be held accountable, so all in favor, aye.

A

All right, um the last uh was a. um I was lucky enough to attend a opening of.

A

Families first, which is moved for those. Oh sorry, uh was there a comment.

A

uh Actually, a motion, mr mayor, to extend beyond 10 30 pm, or is it 10 30.? It is like 13 seconds.

A

Past 10 30., but all right, we'll keep it uh I'll, accept a motion to move past 10 30.

J

Second, all in favor, aye, okay, all right, we are officially past 10 30 on my anniversary.

A

So the the final item under my name, um I was uh fortunate to be able to.

A

Go to the opening of family's first new um facility, uh that's off of.

A

Well, it's behind uh greenleaf! um It's where the old school gym was quite a while ago and.

A

It came up in conversation, a request that there be a a coast, bus, stop closer.

A

To where that is located on greenleaf right now, it would have to go all the way up.

A

Past bowarama take a right, past crossroads and back there and it's it's really difficult for a.

A

Bus to turn around and what I thought about this is one for a report back on feasibility of this.

A

But also, how can we give input to transportation and coast in terms of bus stops and their general.

A

Availability within the community we talk a lot about housing and transportation is a part of that.

A

But I'm simply requesting a report back on that but happy to have comments. I see councillor moreau.

A

Itching to make one just for the record, I actually am not only an owner at greenleaf, woods drive.

N

Where families first is now located, but I also sit on the board of directors okay, so I have probably.

N

Will have a lot of ideas and probably can help on that, because I think stopping buses on that.

N

Narrow road is going to be really difficult too, so I have some other thoughts on that, so I would.

N

Love to be part of that conversation to help absolutely so the goal first of this is simply.

A

Feasibility around how could that be made accessible, but then the process.

A

You know, as we are changing the city, uh to make sure that we are helping coast serve.

A

Our community, um you know we do help coast, but would want to make sure that we're able to offer.

A

Some thoughts around those bus stops uh councilor cook. Thank you mayor. Do we have a representative.

O

In to the coast, bus service, I know in the past, the city council had a representative.

P

uh We haven't had a city council rep in the in the recent past, currently parking.

P

Director ben fletcher is on the coast board on behalf of the city. Thank you.

A

Okay, that could be a part of the report back in terms of the process with coast and how we're.

A

Getting updates uh to the council on coast um all right, but I won't go on any longer appreciate the.

A

Time on that, counselor tabor community power coalition of new hampshire. Thank you mayor.

R

I'm proposing a motion that the city manager is authorized to take any and all.

R

Actions necessary, within their judgment, to cause the city of portsmouth to become.

R

Party to the joint powers, agreement of the community power coalition of new hampshire.

R

As presented, which became effective october 1 2021., second, okay,.

R

I'm advancing this with the support of the energy advisory committee.

R

That met february 9th and voted unanimously to recommend the council vote to join cpcnh.

R

It's the first step on a journey to aggregation of our electric demand, give.

R

Residents a way to buy greener power and maybe cheaper power as well.

R

It's important to note that this step is just joining the coalition. We would have to.

R

Come back to the council.

R

And have a vote to develop a community power plan which is required by statute to send it.

R

Anything more in motion. What we can do between now and then is go out.

R

Explain this to the public and we'd like to do a survey to see the public's interest and appetite.

R

To pay for a menu of, say, 50 percent, green power, 100 green power, a series of options so.

R

Tonight's step is not a commitment to buy power from cpcnh or to become the default.

R

Provider or anything like that is just to join, the coalition doesn't cost the city anything.

R

Except some staff time and we gain a seat on the board of directors. I'm happy to say that kevin.

R

Charette of our energy advisory committee has volunteered to fill that board seat.

R

Three benefits and then we'll go to a vote and discussion.

R

I think it's the single biggest thing we can do to reduce our carbon footprint.

R

Cities and towns that have done this, like marin county california, have gone from 20.

R

Percent renewable elect to electricity to 50 percent in just four to five years.

R

I think cpcnh will an aggregation will create more competition among suppliers.

R

And states that have allowed aggregation to really accelerate.

R

Have shown over time lower overall rates in their in their state, and we can be part of driving that.

R

And lastly, um as cpcnh represents right now, 20 of the residents of the state and that will grow.

R

uh They can be a buying consortium that will expand renewables, create a market for hydro.

R

Solar wind- and I think that shapes our energy future and we can be part of that too.

R

Happy to answer any questions, councillor tabor any questions, counselor cook. Thank you mayor.

O

I would like to voice my full support for this motion. um I recently joined.

O

The committee with councillor tabor and I I think that the committee has done exemplary work.

O

In reviewing the whole process around community power in the community community.

O

Power coalition, it's important to remember that we're just giving ourselves the option.

O

At this stage to enter into agreement, we're not actually ultimately agreeing to buy power, yet.

O

We're just giving ourselves that option and anybody who's been buying power on the market.

O

Lately, or has had to switch their power supplier recently knows that it's very difficult to make.

O

These decisions, a lot of residents, face a difficult decision when trying to find.

O

Renewables and a good renewable supplier for their energy. This allows us to provide them reassurance.

O

That they're actually getting renewable energy when they choose a supplier through potentially.

O

Through community power, if we choose to go that way, and it allows us to make sure.

O

That we offer that alternative to our residents, so I would urge everyone to support this.

A

Counselor blaylock thank your honor. um I just want to thank council taber for bringing this forward.

K

Any step to move forward in climate change mitigation.

K

To make us more of a net zero city, um I appreciate that effort and- and I do want.

K

To remind the citizens that we haven't made any decisions that cost anything yet we can leave.

K

This agreement, whenever we choose so nothing has been spent yet. Thank you, council tabor. Thank you.

K

It's a thank you all right. Well uh with that uh all in favor aye. Thank you. Counselor tabor.

A

uh Counselor denton we have what's in I'm seeing it. I don't want to make a different motion. Okay,.

L

Different motions, so kelly's gonna have to work hard on this.

E

All right, so I'm gonna motion for city staff to work with the fee schedule study.

E

Committee to develop fees for food service establishments on city property that violate.

E

The composting requirements of the distribution of single-use disposables on city property, ordinance.

E

I could say that again it's a modification of what was originally in front of you.

B

Yep so again it's motion for city staff to work with the fee schedule, study committee.

E

To develop fees for food service establishments on city property that violate the composting.

E

Requirements of the distribution of single-use disposables on city property ordinance. Second,.

E

So, regardless of any actions that anyone takes in the next 30 years, sea levels is gonna rise. One.

E

Foot by twenty fifty and food waste is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases worldwide.

E

Because methane is dozens of time more potent than carbon dioxide is.

E

However, the expansion of outdoor dining on city property gives us the city an opportunity.

E

To actually go ahead and enforce some of the 2019 single-use disposables on city property, ordinance.

E

That requires a number of things, including composting. By passing this motion, it simply allows.

E

The fees committee to start actually um allowing fees as allowed by the ordinance to go forward.

E

Many restaurants currently spend up to a thousand dollars a month on composting between having the.

E

If I remember correctly, if you have a single bin of compost, picked up five days a week, that's 450.

E

A month and then the actual composting disposables, the flatware, the utensils.

E

That could be over 500 a month as well, so you have some smaller restaurants spending.

E

A thousand dollars a month, larger restaurants, spending far more and if.

E

We could have an impact by starting to enforce this ordinance on food establishments that use.

E

City property, whether it be parking spaces sidewalks. What have you to either level the.

E

Playing field for those that are currently good stewards and that do compost or encouraging those.

E

That currently do not compost to start composting. I think it's a step in the right direction.

A

And that's there's a second on that. Second, any discussion.

K

Counselor blaylock, I think, honor. um I appreciate counseling bringing this up. I my only concern.

K

Would be, it would be to add fees to restaurants at this time um I mean obviously we're still in this.

K

Pandemic, we're still wearing masks. I understand I've, you know we've composted at my restaurant.

K

For several several years, just in doing good due diligence to try to treat the earth better and.

K

You know take care of the world around us, um but yeah. That would be. My only concern is that we.

K

Were adding a cost um of operation for those restaurants, but I do appreciate um enforcing.

K

This you know what I mean, so we move forward with composting and encourage that as much counselor.

A

Counselor or assistant mayor, um I would also like to show support. I think that it's also important.

J

That um at some point, when we, when we look through the next master plans and and potentially the next.

J

Round of cip is that we look at um compost, compost and throughout our city, um counselor debt, and I.

J

Have had several conversations where um it's hard, sometimes to justify first for a small business.

J

To justify spending the increased cost, especially when the cost of goods, especially disposals, have.

J

Gone up in some cases well over a hundred to two hundred percent and the cost of compostable.

J

Goods are even more than that to justify as a small business spending that money when.

J

Essentially, especially if it's say a cup of coffee or you know anything like that, when the customer.

J

Is going to go out and throw that into the trash? Can that's provided them by the city and therefore.

J

Almost completely waste any due diligence done by the business, so I would think that.

J

um Especially when we get into the climate action plan and we get into the sustainable committees,.

J

We look at some resources that the city can put in to help increase compostability.

J

And recycling within our test, downtown and city and business departments, yeah.

A

On that note, the only uh cat or the only concern I have uh with this from a a fee standpoint- is.

A

As I understand it, right now, there's only really one private outfit that collects uh composting.

A

uh In the city, so I would hope that there would be you know I would feel more comfortable about.

A

Increasing penalties or uh you know, making penalties if this was a service that the city.

A

Provided- or there was, you know, other competition in there, but I I I appreciate the spirit of which.

A

The uh this is offered um and hope that we can work. um You know into this a broader discussion.

A

uh On how we make composting uh make sense uh for businesses, but also portsmouth, uh more broadly.

A

But I think this will get to that. uh This discussion would be a part of the fee committee.

A

All in favor aye, thank you.

A

Counselor bagley! Yes, so my item tonight is uh elwynn park. Traffic.

F

Calming and pedestrian improvements and my motion would be to move tsm-17-pl-59.

F

Ellen park, traffic calming and pedestrian improvements from fiscal years, 24 and 25.

F

In the cip to fiscal year, 23 as a 1.66 million dollars to be bonded.

F

Second, so uh we heard from some residents both for and against this tonight. um I think it's important.

F

That our elementary schools are as equitable or treated the same in in all three locations. As.

F

We can, and you know my daughter went to little harbor. I've been to the other two elementary.

F

Schools a number of times and for a pedestrian, especially a small child, walking up to the school.

F

uh You know ellen park the dondero school, the the situation, they're kind of, in my opinion, fall short.

F

I thought it'd be important to move this forward for several reasons. um What's in the cip is just.

F

A a placeholder! So if it's in 24, if it's in 25, that doesn't mean it's going to happen in 24 or 25.

F

It means that next year, in theory, it'll be voted upon and adopted in the budget, but it could also.

F

Get pushed out another year and as we heard from some speakers tonight, or we saw in some emails.

F

You know people have been waiting for this from when their kids were in kindergarten to.

F

Now, they're off to college, we did get. I'm just gonna, read very briefly: um a snippet from a.

F

Letter to the editor uh written by a parent when her child was in kindergarten and in the snippet.

F

Is walking towards dondero there's about four feet of clearance separating us from passing cars.

F

Little kids can cover that distance in one stumble and little kids are almost continuously stumbling.

F

Especially when they're trying to maneuver in clunky snow boots and bibs encumbered by backpacks.

F

Parents we're all busy, I honestly don't know how those of you with multiple children handle it all.

F

And I applaud you, but we are the village and we have to be better at looking out for each other.

F

It cannot take a tragedy to remind us that we generally care for our neighbors.

F

The as I mentioned this letter to the editor was written when her child was a kindergartner.

F

They just entered well they're, just about finished, with the 8th grade.

F

We heard from some speakers tonight that you know we need more time to build consensus.

F

There's a report that was issued in 2019. I hope you all had a chance to look at it. You.

F

Know, there's there's over 70 consensus in the neighborhood this. This has been going on for.

F

Literally decades, at this point, um the other point, which is more of a technical point,.

F

Is we're planning to resurface the roads in owen park, half of them? If we were to do this next year,.

F

Or the year after we'd have some sunk costs, where we were digging up roads that we just resurfaced.

F

To put sidewalks in um if we did in fact vote for them or if the next council did vote for them,.

F

So I wanted to move this forward, understanding the challenges it puts on our public works and.

F

Finance department primarily because I think it's a very important issue: it's the safety and equity.

F

Of our children at the elementary school level, in my opinion, thank you, your honor counselor barty.

Q

I have a question and one of the issues that was brought up by.

Q

One resident at least, was that he felt that he was going to lose some of his property.

Q

What is this status of the right of way? The street right-of-way.

Q

And the property lines um is that clear: are they will they have to take property to do this.

A

Peter wright should answer this, but the short answer is uh no, but the right of.

A

Way extends into what people typically view as their own lawn. When I became a homeowner.

A

I was surprised to find out. I didn't own all of my lawn as most homeowners find that that out.

A

This would be an example of uh while you're currently maintaining it. The city does have.

A

Access to that and it is in the city right away, I would imagine that that is the plan for the uh the.

A

The uh the sidewalk, but uh one gentleman's point of not being able to park.

A

uh His cars or four cars in a garage would probably be true because it would encumber.

A

The sidewalk in that case, if the cars were going as far down as they were.

Q

That's what I thought, but I wanted to be sure.

A

Counselor blaylock. Thank you. um I had the pleasure of attending don darrow school as a child.

K

um I had a pleasure of riding my bicycle around the neighborhood and growing up the woodlands.

K

Me and mayor spent a lot of time on mckinley uh road there. um I also moved right next door.

K

To little harbor in sixth grade, so I had a very good quick uh perspective. um I will say.

K

The entrances to little harbor and and um new franklin are much safer than dondero.

K

um That neighborhood it's, I know this uh we've always been a plan to make it safer. It was a lot.

K

Quieter 20 years ago, I've seen the traffic going down mckinley going into the school.

K

I'm also friends with some of the neighbors that write that about right at the entrance.

K

And this the image that andrew counselor bagley just described, if you know a young child stumbling.

K

Or something on his way to school, a sidewalk is going to make that much safer. um You know.

K

You separate that you create a curb you, you know the cars now they have to go up on the cur. You.

K

Know, there's just a whole, it makes it a lot safer. um I've seen the white lines that are there now.

K

You know, and I understand the cars are always parking on it. If you go on google earth you'll.

K

Probably find a car blocking that back that bike lane. um So I'm glad this is in the cip.

K

I noticed that it did get moved back before in the cip. um My only question would be: did it get.

K

Moved back previously because there was not a consensus on this plan, the the general answer to.

P

The question is, it was just a re-prioritization of items within the cip excellent. Thank you.

A

Councillor cook, oh and then councilman sorry, I gotta write them down. Thank you, mayor.

O

I support this motion uh because I think it's part of a bigger picture providing walkability.

O

To all residents of fort smith within their neighborhoods.

O

Elwin park is difficult on the really busy streets as far as walking goes. It was obvious to me.

O

When I was walking door to door and meeting residents in owen park that the traffic was.

O

Was vibrant is what I would say and could be very dangerous, especially for young children.

O

I think that we've put this off more than once.

O

It's time to consider improving uh pedestrian walkability outside the center of the city.

O

Especially and elwynn park should be a priority for us, because it's so close to dondero school.

A

Councillor moreau, thank you mayor. I just want to check with the city manager and possibly with.

N

Director peter rice as to one are we going to have any issues with our percentage of bond.

N

That we always try to stay under that percentage, because I can't remember now off the top of my.

N

Head where we are, if we move this to this year and two, whether or not we're going to have any.

N

Issues with staffing to actually get it done within fiscal year 23., so I would ask that I.

P

Would need for the finance folks to report back uh what adding 1.6 million would do. Then we don't. We.

P

Want to stay within 10 percent right and and we were hovering around the eight point, exactly one.

P

Nine or eight point two percent give or take. um We can certainly provide that in a report back.

P

Perhaps in an email as quickly as possible, so the council has that well in advance of the march 7th.

P

Meeting and I'm sorry, the second question had to do with uh weather and resources yeah. Why don't we.

N

Have the resources to actually make it happen that one I'm going to have to turn to peter for help.

T

Good evening again,.

T

Staffing is a challenge for a lot of our projects, but staffing isn't really what drives the schedule.

T

On this, there are two drainage areas that impact um the plans for sidewalks in this area, so that.

T

Will probably have a larger impact uh on the project than in our staffing availability.

T

The paving work we're gonna do is we're gonna stay away from the two areas that were recommended.

T

For sidewalks, uh which is mckinley and harding, uh and then the paving will be done on either.

T

Side of that or down on the south side of that, so it's not precluding the work. This there's.

T

Additional design work that would need to be done. The mayor's correct uh the right of way.

T

Is more than adequate to handle um the sidewalk addition without having to do any takings?.

T

But it's it's a matter of you know it needs to be designed. It needs to be.

T

Coordinated with other work- and you know there is, there- is a process even though.

T

There was more consensus around you know, a revised plan. There still is a lot of dialogue going on.

T

With residents out there relative to acceptance of the proposed project- and you know like all our.

T

Projects we try to work with folks and make this as acceptable as possible, so.

T

Staffing is a challenge and it always will be a challenge.

T

But we balance the work we do and you know if it was lined up to move forward. It would.

T

Happen but there's still pieces that need to be put in place before it can go forward this year.

Q

Councilmember another question I think for peter is that.

Q

Many times when you do street work, you also do some utility work. Is that um part of the plan too.

T

No, this there's uh there's no plan to do utility work out there.

T

Other than drainage, so the drainage is, is one piece. That's kind of holding us up.

Q

So you're going to install uh storm green there's some existing infrastructure that.

T

Needs to be increased in size yeah and the outlet which is going to go across.

T

Ellen road to discharge into the urban forestry center is part of that work, so we're going to be.

T

Doing a side, the ellen road side path is going to start the drainage outlets and then we're going.

T

To work our way up, so it's it's a combination of a couple things, but we're planning on moving forward.

T

uh With getting the design work going associated with this, and it's so the.

T

Project's going to be moving forward, it's just not going to move forward all this year.

A

Thank you assistant mayor, um I'm not exactly sure if this would be a motion or a request or.

J

um Based on what director peter wright said, um is it possible to before we potentially vote on.

J

This table this or or the next steps to schedule a walk to schedule, a walk around the neighborhood.

J

Would would you be, I don't know if that's a friendly amendment or if that's just a.

J

A separate motion to try to um schedule potentially a walk.

J

Around the neighborhood to try to get some more general consensus um before voted on this motion.

A

So we'll have to we'll have to move the vote on this motion out because.

A

I don't think we'll be able to get down there tonight we're going. um But if we were to say.

N

March 5th, which is a saturday that morning, um is that something that uh looking at uh calendars? Yes,.

T

I believe that's the last weekend of school vacation right, yes, right! Yeah next week is school.

A

Vacation so we're gonna have a lot of people that are oh yeah that are out uh myself included.

A

For school vacation, um so we might have a um if, if I may make a suggestion.

T

The budget process- um you know there is another bite at the apple in terms of you, have the.

T

The next meeting that you could adjust this at um so there's time to to to look at this further.

T

And then also in the budget adoption process, you can again uh bring this forward um in in terms of.

T

Adjustment, so there is another opportunity to move forward and and where there is such a need.

T

For the design process- and we do have current funding available to start the design process.

T

um To move the sidewalks along um it's, the process is not being held up by scheduling.

T

um This money at this moment um there's you know we can still make forward motion on this project.

T

Have a public process have the have the sidewalk um with the opportunity uh to bring it instead of.

T

It being 2425 the funding likely wouldn't be needed until 24 anyway, so the design process.

T

Could continue to move on and you could firm things up and and have a bit more consensus at.

T

Least, on the from the council standpoint on how to move forward, um so I just just offer that up.

T

As a potential path forward, so uh just to clarify that path forward, we would split out in the cip.

A

Monies that would be associated with the design portion and then in 24 put the the.

A

Bulk of the money for the implementation is that a suggestion the there is currently 90 000 available.

T

For uh that is starting the design and getting it moved forward, so that I believe, would be enough.

T

To to really firm up the location of the sidewalk and to you know to clearly show you know how it's.

T

Going to be implemented and then in 24 the monies to implement could be uh allocated so just to.

A

Clarify that money doesn't that money it already exists. It doesn't need to be appropriated in.

R

Cip yeah, it's it's available, monies! Okay! So if we could um somehow you know, I understand the.

A

Frustration of folks, that feel as though this is ongoing um for a very long time, but I also know.

A

That it's in until we the process of actually planning this there's a lot of people that.

A

Will not provide their their input as in a real or in a non-theoretical sense. So if we start getting.

A

That that feedback, as we've done with, say, bartlett street uh right now. um I think that would be a.

A

Good not compromise, because it's actually moving the process forward, but get more uh buy-in from.

A

The neighborhood and a realization of what exactly is there with the money to stay in 2024.

A

Because we wouldn't start the project before then is there any way that we could? I guess sorry.

A

I'm not doing my job as mayor I'm talking, but is there any way that we could um more clearly.

A

Show that those funds have been identified for this purpose for the public in uh in in.

A

The cip or anywhere else for this and I've looked at, maybe finance it. I have to look.

T

To andrew, but I believe it was previous years, cip funding and we could get the the.

T

um Where that funding was when it was allocated- and I believe it was 150 000 originally andrew.

T

Okay, so there was, there was money originally allocated to start the design? Some of those monies.

T

Were spent, there's a there's, 90 000 available in the fund at this time. Okay, your honor. um That's.

F

Your bagley, I I guess I would move that uh weak table this, so that we can schedule a walkabout.

F

Continue discussion with city staff and I think it's pretty clear that at least some.

F

Of us on the council would like to see this move forward as expeditiously as possible.

F

So I don't know that we need to pass a motion tonight for anything we we can gather more data.

F

But my position that this should be a priority project is, it hasn't changed, but it sounds like.

F

Taking a vote tonight may be a bit hasty, but we do need to vote to table it unless you report.

A

Remove the motion, or he could withdraw his motion I'll rescind my motion. Okay. Second, all right.

A

Then we're good and we'll work to schedule uh we'll work to schedule an onsite per the assistant.

A

Mayor's uh request um and we'll do that with the coordination of the council and not to align with.

A

uh School vacation, councilor cook- I just had a point of clarification.

O

Just because we allocate the funds for fiscal year 23 that doesn't mean that they have to move.

O

Forward right and bond them immediately until the project is ready. Is that accurate? That is.

A

Accurate okay: it would impact our debt schedule, so we would want to have it in the appropriate year.

A

Okay, uh council, rombardi and councillor tabor the floor is yours for a report back regarding.

A

Proposed cargo facility at the trade port. Thank you um well councillor, taylor and I.

Q

Met with pda director, paul breen, and this meeting was pretty much to help me learn more.

Q

About the work of the pda, we discussed varied development areas of the tradeport, the uses of.

Q

Allowed areas and some of the potential new areas of development, it's it's a pretty amazing place.

Q

And pretty diverse, but we then focused most on the proposed development of the cargo facility because.

Q

That's that's the real big question out there at the moment and where it is in the planning process.

Q

At this point, there's an agreement to explore the feasibility.

Q

And this is at a very, very early stages and will take into consideration.

Q

Among other things, environmental impact, traffic and noise studies.

Q

Something, oh, their folks are just leaving. Oh okay, the the project comprises two sites.

Q

For warehousing one is currently the property of hangar 227, a large empty air force.

Q

Hangar in the middle of the runway, and then the other is the back 40. They call the apron at the.

Q

Newington end of the runway, where a large facility of probably 250 000 square feet is proposed.

Q

I know the newspaper article had some other numbers in there, but I think uh what what mr breen.

Q

Said was it'll, probably end up around 250 000 feet. um He could not talk about the potential tenants.

Q

And he said that, because the project would be built by a developer, it is a and it's at a.

Q

Secondary airport, it is more attractive to be a knit to a niche provider than a corporate entity.

Q

What that means is that.

Q

Well, the big providers, the big transport companies- are, are less interested, but that.

Q

Doesn't exclude them, um he said that the they, the corporate tenants, would prefer.

Q

um Primary airports over secondary ones, such as peas, in the airports that do not.

Q

Have large percentage of their distribution area being the ocean they'd rather have.

Q

Be surrounded by land where they can do their deliveries.

Q

All that being said, we still do not know who the tenant would be.

Q

And- um and he said he doesn't know, but he probably has a list somewhere.

Q

But he thinks that it more likely would be a niche tenant.

Q

That could provide service to smaller local businesses and regional, local and regional.

Q

Businesses, rather than large corporations, he said that a niche provider would probably.

Q

Be the last mile terminal facility, so um they would be using uh what he calls.

Q

Sprinter vans, rather than tractor trailers and there's deliveries, and so the impact on the.

Q

Road infrastructure would be that, rather than semis.

Q

He also uh said, and, as he said in the newspaper, he thinks that the.

Q

The facility could be supported by daytime air traffic and on rather than nighttime flights.

Q

And there's still need for highway traffic studies, as well as environmental and noise studies.

Q

Q

I they're also talking about the effort to increase commerce through our.

Q

Port, the the water port, as well as um encouraging wind energy in the ocean, so.

Q

It's a big project. uh It's it's fascinating. um We did not talk about.

Q

uh How many jobs it might employ, um or what kind of what the quality of those jobs are.

Q

um But um I think it would be quite a few jobs so.

Q

That's my understanding from our our conversations. I don't know john, if you have more to add to that.

R

um Yeah counselor lombardi's done the play-by-play I'll try to do a little color commentary.

R

I think our takeaways were right now the air freight industry is really rapidly changing and.

R

There's this bubble of demand for warehouses next to a runway where the plane can come in unload.

R

Stock inventory on shelves, and so these developers are building this with a list of potential tenants.

R

And they want to move very quickly.

R

What we heard from from mr breen was the notion that this is like a federal express hub.

R

With dozens of flights at night and everything is urgent- has to be out the next day.

R

Is is completely the opposite of what is actually going to happen there? This is going to be.

R

You have five units, five widgets and you draw down that inventory for local delivery and then.

R

You replenish it so you're talking about a number of flights per week, not per day and mostly daytime.

R

Flights, so I think a lot of the speculation that we've been seeing is is a little off the base.

R

And the next steps will be they'll, come with a conceptual plan.

R

To peas, we we sort of delegate our planning department, responsibility to the trade port.

R

For projects over there, so the peas board will hear the whole conceptual plan. In probably may.

R

And that's the point where public input could come in.

R

The other commissioners peggy lamson and commissioner from greenland are.

R

Very concerned about congestion and noise and air flights and they're insisting on.

R

Traffic counts and traffic studies, which will happen um so we'll learn more about it. It it's all.

R

It has the potential to be very large, but it will start off in in phases.

R

So that's what we know at this point yep. Thank you. Both any questions.

A

Councilman um anything that happens at peace also does come to the planning board here in portsmouth.

R

Yeah, ultimately, we do get to at least review it and hear from residents so because I do think.

N

One of the things we really need to keep in mind is they might have a certain tenant that they're.

N

Kind of building this for now, but it's going to be there for a long time, so it doesn't mean.

N

Other tenants can't move in so I think we have to be conscientious as every you know time. We.

N

You know change an ordinance or whatnot. This is for the long haul and it could be a smaller hub.

N

For one of those bigger companies at some point you need more, so we want to make sure that we.

R

Stay weary: it could be multiple tenants, it could be, so I just think we need to make sure we're wary.

N

Of that and stay on top of it councilman one of the things about it. Is that anything that.

Q

Goes into peas is regulated by the faa; they they are responsible for uh the zoning peas.

Q

Is responsible, the zoning of that whole property um and it comes comes under the rules of the faa.

A

Well, thank you both for bringing that I know there's a lot of questions there. The pda is.

A

Something that you know even when you're on the council for a couple years, it's still somewhat.

A

Mysterious I know that we're planning um a visit there as a council. I think that will be good.

A

And I think at some point to have a a sit down with the pda would be in order to discuss.

A

This but thank you for the the update and we will move on to.

A

Counselor cook, thank you mayor cultural plan for portsmouth. Yes, I.

O

Moved to approve of a new cultural plan for portsmouth to be commenced in 2022.

O

Based on a scope of work outlined by the portsmouth arts and nonprofits committee,.

O

Noting that the request for development of a cultural plan in 2022.

O

Was included in the committee's 2021 year-end report to the city council on december 20th 2021.

O

And request that the city manager identify the appropriate funding source for said cultural plan.

O

Thank you. Thank you. I'm going to pass my cultural plan down to the council, so you everyone can see.

O

The last cultural plan that we had for the city of portsmouth, which is in 2002.,.

O

So it's been 20 years, 20 years since we adopted a cultural plan. Now the significance of the.

O

Cultural plan is it's really what we would call a strategic plan for culture and non-profits in.

O

Portsmouth and part of the reason that we haven't revised and adopted a new cultural plan is that we.

O

Haven't had a mechanism to do that truly at the city level. Until the last few years we used to.

O

Have an arts committee, a standing arts committee, the art speak that worked on the provisions of.

O

This cultural plan and when they achieved the goals that were outlined in it, art speak dissolved.

O

So, as a result, no one there was no one organized to reinstitute a new.

O

Cultural plan and a new strategic plan and vision, the arts and nonprofits committee.

O

Started meeting as a result of the pandemic and made this recommendation to the city council.

O

We are a little bit behind. Clearly, um usually you don't wait, 20 years to develop a cultural plan.

O

Many of our major arts organizations in the city aren't even mentioned in our existing.

O

Cultural plan because they didn't exist at that time, so it's important to remember that you.

O

Know, cities change and we need to redevelop new strategic plans as we change and evolve.

O

I wanted to highlight, for all of you, the americans, for the arts study findings with.

O

Regard to the contribution of arts and nonprofits cultural organizations to the city of portsmouth.

O

In portsmouth spending total spending by non-profit arts and cultural organizations.

O

And for by their audiences exceeds 58 million dollars in a year and that that estimated revenue.

O

That that brings in to our government is over three million dollars in a year.

O

um And yet we don't have a clear plan for how to support them. In the long term and many of.

O

These organizations have been severely negatively impacted by the pandemic, so I ask that we move.

O

Forward in supporting a cultural, new cultural plan for the city of portsmouth, and that, as I said in.

O

The motion that we have the arts and non-profits committee develop the scope of work around that.

A

Any other comments I just have to say, since this is your anniversary.

Q

My wife, ellen feinberg, was part of that committee that um worked on that plan.

A

This is uh well um oh man, mr there's uh yeah. This.

A

uh Some good memories uh in that um allen did a good job, but it is time to.

A

uh To dust that off, and um specifically uh this is a a comprehensive document, um as I spoke to kate, a.

A

Few months ago, on the form of when she joined uh this, she mentioned this and members of the.

A

The committee have uh stated as uh such that this is vital uh in order to help strategically plan.

A

For nonprofits um and how we would expect to get them uh the funds that they need to.

A

Survive and serve others uh so again with the the community campus acquisition. I think this.

A

Is a perfect time to do this if it wasn't 20 years, but it is so all those in favor.

A

Are you aye, nope, all right? Okay, we've made it through. Most of this approval of grants.

A

And donations, the acceptance of a wellness reward reward for two thousand dollars. The sample motion.

A

Move to approve and accept the wellness reward, as presented so moved. Second, all in favor, aye, aye.

A

I laugh because this could not possibly be given to me based on what I've been eating for lunch.

B

Last few weeks, and then city managers, informational items.

P

Your honor we uh as referenced at the february 7th meeting we're providing report back information on.

P

Funding options and a little bit more background relative to levels uh level. Two and three electric.

P

Charging stations uh quick comment: domain, your honor yep. uh Thank you for the report back. It's.

E

On the agenda to be discussed at this thursday sustainability committee meeting- and I just want.

E

To let everyone know, I know the financial staff have left finance department, but um there's.

E

A chance they may be motioning to add the 130 000, plus the cost of a new 480 vote. Transformer.

E

At the cip meeting, but first I'm going to discuss it with the sustainability committee. So thank you.

A

Thank you, councillor denton, we are on to miscellaneous business, including uh business.

A

Remaining unfinished previous meeting, we have the citywide neighborhood committee, many meeting.

A

Minutes january 26th, except the motion to accept and place on file so move. Second, all in favor.

A

All right and any other miscellaneous business. Besides I'm going to apologize to my wife again.

N

I second that all right, we all wish your wife a happy anniversary, what's left of it well,.

A

All those uh uh accept the motion to adjourn.

K

A second all, those in favor aye, aye, aye all right, good night portsmouth. Thank you.

A