City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Economic Development Commission, 11 Mar 2022

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3.11.2022 Economic Development Commission

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uh With the full crowd tonight I worked this morning tonight. I encourage everyone to just.

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Speak into the microphone, so they can hear us on the recording so good morning. Everyone thanks.

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For joining us for today's economic development, commission meeting for the city of portsmouth for.

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March 11. I'd like to kick off this morning's meeting by welcoming our.

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New alternate member ann weidman and thanks for joining us, I would love to give you an opportunity.

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To tell us a little bit about yourself and your interest in serving on the edc. I know many of us.

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Are familiar with you and we're excited to have you, but I didn't know. I had to prepare a speech.

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I am working at jsa design. I've been there for 15 years, I'm their director of community.

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Engagement, which is business development, but also staying involved in all things that happen in the.

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Community to kind of keep ourselves inserted in anything, that's development related in the.

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Community, alongside that, I'm a member of the athenian and I'm heading their portsmouth 400.

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Initiative, which will be some fun things, I'm on the board of strawberry bank and I oversee.

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The ice rink for them and if I go back two years, I was one of the sort of founders of the portsmouth.

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Design professionals alliance that helped the city understand how best to bring outdoor dining.

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To downtown portsmouth, so that's kind of me in a nutshell and you live and I live about six.

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Eight houses away um from everett great thanks, ann great little neighborhood.

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Friend of everett, and they still let her on.

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uh So next we just have the minutes from our february meeting.

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Everyone has had a chance to review those.

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Changes or updates, I would entertain a motion to approve the minutes, still moved. So I have.

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A second second, all in favor, I do have uh corrections um at the bottom of the second page.

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On the motion to write a letter to the council on the electric vehicle charging stations.

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It says deployment of level ev, it should say level, two and three.

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So we need to amend that motion to incorporate your change to the minutes.

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All in favor aye aye aye any opposed; okay thanks tom for that clarification. So today, I'd like to.

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Welcome our guests: we've got uh barbara massar, barbara masar and russ grazer joining us from the.

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uh Blue ribbon committee on arts and non-profits, so we're looking forward to hearing about that.

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Jacob, can you see the powerpoint.

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I'm driving the bus just can't make it go there. We go.

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So we're not reporting on the mcintyre.

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We're not we're not touching that um we're going to give the presentation that we gave.

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To the city council on december 20th and um they're, obviously in the three.

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Months have passed since then been some developments that we'll discuss. We may.

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Insert them as we go along or we may insert them after we do the presentation.

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But we want to share with you and we were invited to share with you what we shared with the city.

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Council back in december, so take it away. Barbara give me one sec, we'll get the right presentation.

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There we go, let me just get to zoom.

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But you can give the mcintyre one if you want.

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We will do that. We'll do that'll, be the follow-up.

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The 2022 follow-up to our report will be the mcintyre.

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Let's try that again: okay,.

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The mayor's blue ribbon committee on the arts and non-profits was assembled in january 2021 to.

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Identify and address the needs, concerns and issues facing portsmouth-based, non-profit arts, cultural.

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And historic preservation organizations as the community has navigated the ongoing pandemic.

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The committee's primary goals have been to work with the city to foster an environment.

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That supports and nurtures our arts, cultural and historic preservation, organizations and.

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Where possible identify resources that could aid in their success now and in the future we'd like.

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To express our appreciation and gratitude for the support offered by mayor rick betts, former mayor.

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Rick beckstead, the members of the 2021 city council, city manager, karen canard and city staff,.

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We are very grateful for the staff support provided by nancy karmer.

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And stephanie c cord, both of whom have contributed significantly to our work. As a committee meeting.

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Several times a month for the past year, we have continually experienced the unwavering support.

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Of the city from the allocation of fifty one thousand six hundred dollars in funds earmarked.

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For arts and culture use that have been dedicated to an arts and culture marketing pilot program.

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To funding the americans for the arts afta economic impact study, we have been able to.

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Make important progress toward our goals as a result of your support and effective january.

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2022 our newly elected mayor made the decision to have us continue our work for the next two years.

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Designating city councilor, kate cook, as a liaison to the council. Thank you, mayor, mckechern,.

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The americans for the arts survey we've worked with nancy karmer to prepare for.

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The next americans for the arts, economic impact study, which will now begin in may of this year,.

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As a sidebar, I tell you that, because this is the third time it's been delayed.

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We have the benefit of continuity from the 2015 after study, with robin albert, serving on the.

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Blue ribbon committee, she was instrumental in the 2015 study as a member of the arts.

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Board of directors, the marketing pilot, a concerted effort to jump start a recovery with a marketing.

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Push scheduled for spring 2022 in partnership with the greater portsmouth chamber collaborative.

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Has been central to our work, the chamber has contracted dorsey creative to launch this.

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Marketing pilot, which will be a major push to bring audiences back to portsmouth's arts.

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And cultural venues, this pilot is just that a starting point for a larger effort to help ensure.

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The survival and recovery of our arts and cultural institutions additional funding.

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Outlined in the report will be needed to save our arts and cultural organizations. We cannot.

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Imagine portsmouth without historic theaters such as the music hall without contemporary art, space.

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Such as 3s without the community building cultural events presented by pro portsmouth.

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Without the education and preservation work of the portsmouth, historical society, strawberry bank and.

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The new hampshire black heritage trail without the accessible performing arts presented by the.

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Prescott park arts festival without the theater of new hampshire, theater project and seacoast rep.

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Without the community connections built by the seacoast jazz society and wsca community radio.

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Without the art of button factory and the new hampshire art association.

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Without the interactive arts, education, programs, pmac and without so much more, the list goes on.

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What's next, we believe the use of american rescue plan act, arpa.

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Funds are appropriate for the recommendations set forth in this report because of the negative.

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Economic impact declining audience members have had not on just our arts organizations.

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But on the local economy as a whole, our arts, cultural and historic preservation, organizations.

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Have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and therefore the proposed actions.

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We'll outline here meet the criteria for arpa funding. You can move to slide two now.

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In early 2021, the blue ribbon committee surveyed portsmouth's, non-profit arts, cultural and historic.

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Preservation organizations, our creative economy, workers, including artists and our local audiences.

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And program participants, we followed up with an additional survey to the arts, cultural.

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And historic preservation organizations in november the feedback we received was consistent.

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Our arts, cultural and historic preservation organizations are struggling with a slow return.

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Of audience, members and program participants, and while federal aid, including the ppp loans,.

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Shuttered venue operator grants and non-profit emergency relief fund grants provided temporary.

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Relief, it was one-time funding and the recovery process has just begun. We learned that the housing.

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Concerns have long been an issue for creative economy workers and artists were exacerbated.

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By the pandemic and the loss of income due to canceled performances and reduced sales revenues.

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Was the number one challenge for these workers? We also learned that audiences continue to put a high.

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Priority on safety protocols for any activity that involves gathering people and thankfully.

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Now, as coveted transmission rates of or positivity rates have dropped below, four percent.

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That's becoming less and less of a concern. It was still a serious concern in december.

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And now, as we go through the winter, the slow return of audiences, which is still a.

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Slow return to this day to these organizations is one of the most pressing challenges based on the.

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Feedback received in these surveys and extensive work sessions by the blue ribbon committee. The.

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Committee would like to make the following six recommendations to the city at this time.

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Our first recommendation is for direct support for the americans, for the arts.

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Upcoming arts and economic prosperity, six study.

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Requests for funding to implement the study in 2022 and present the results of the study to the.

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Community in 2023 have already been approved. The afta study has been conducted in portsmouth at.

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Least three times over the past two decades and the data provided has been critical for local.

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Non-Profit arts and cultural organizations as they pursue their development and programmatic goals.

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The next slide marketing the most important thing the c can do to help arts, cultural and historic.

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Preservation organizations, as they continue their long road to recovery, is to continue funding the.

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Blue room committee and now the portsmouth committee on arts and nonprofits marketing.

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Efforts, as barbara mentioned, we're just beginning a pilot program with the chamber collaborative.

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Career portsmouth that make that markets our community as an arts and culture destination.

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And encourages audiences to return in 2022. The blue ribbon committee's second recommendation.

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Is for a multi-year commitment to funding that would extend the current marketing pilot program.

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You're going to see a lot about this pilot program in the coming months, based on what had happened.

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With the omicron variant and uh the timing of everything, uh we decided to do a real big push.

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Going into summer, so you're going to start to see this marketing pilot program come out in the next.

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60 days, the city needs to support pathways to audience engagement for arts and cultural.

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Organizations to bolster earned revenues. This will not only aid arts organizations recovering.

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From the economic impact of the pandemic, but will contribute greatly to the local economy as a whole,.

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Our third recommendation is support for collaborative community projects to be led by.

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Portsmouth, arts and culture non-profits to further fuel the local economy in 2022 and beyond such.

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Projects would benefit would provide extensive benefits for residents and bolster not only.

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The local creative economy but contribute to economic growth throughout portsmouth.

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Our fourth recommendation is that the city implement an annual grant program to recognize.

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And reward independent artists whose work adds to the value of the creative economy.

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Even prior to the pandemic, increasing costs of living have made it difficult for many artists.

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To reside and work in the area the pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, while eviscerating.

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Many of the revenue streams that artists rely on artists are particularly hard hit because federal.

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Financial relief has primarily targeted nonprofit organizations. Portsmouth arts and artists have.

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Historically, been central to its identity as a cultural destination and a consistent source of.

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Value to the broader economy, implementing a direct aid program for artists which symbolize the city's.

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Recognition of this value and commitment to supporting its cultural creators grant funding.

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May include artists in residence programs in local schools and in public spaces such as city.

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Hall, as well as public art projects, funding for public art and funding for performing arts that.

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Are accessible to residents for little to or no cost, including concerts, theater dance and more.

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Identifying ways to address affordable housing concerns for creative economy workers.

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Is our fifth recommendation? Workforce housing is a community-wide issue that has been exacerbated.

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By the pandemic, creative economy workers are no exception to this problem, and this.

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Topic comes up with regularity when looking at those who staff our creative organizations.

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We believe that work on affordable housing issues will not only have significant implications for.

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Arts and cultural organizations and the people they employ.

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But on the stability of portsmouth's workforce in all industries,.

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The sixth recommendation we made back in december was to continue the work of the blue ribbon.

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Committee for an additional 24 months, allowing us to work with city staff to develop budgets.

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And oversee the above projects and to create a new cultural plan for the city of portsmouth.

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It is the or it was the blue ribbon committee's hope that the cultural plan would determine the.

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Need for and structure of any future permanent arts commission for the city of portsmouth.

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And you know, as everyone here is probably aware and as barbara had mentioned earlier, mayor mcecron.

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Did do that in the very first meeting of the year.

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And there is now the portsmouth arts and culture committee. That's working towards these goals.

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The time to act is now the blue ribbon committee. Now the portsmouth arts and nonprofit committee.

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Has taken the charge given to us by former mayor beckstead and the city council seriously, and we.

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Offer these strategies as solutions to the many challenges that we face, we must work together.

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To help our artists aid our institutions and find a path to increased engagement with our audiences.

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In december, we respectfully asked that the council passed these recommendations forward.

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To the incoming city council of 2022, which did take place, and it continues to be our hope that.

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The current council will consider an allocation of four percent of the city's american rescue.

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Plan act; funds to support these recommendations; the unique nature of the arpa funds award to.

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The city can make all of this possible. There is significant risk in not taking action in 2022.

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The message from our local arts, cultural and historic preservation organizations is clear.

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The road to recovery from this pandemic will be long and challenging. Like other communities. We.

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Risk a significant amount of loss, including the loss of cultural institutions that are.

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Central to the fabric of our identity as a community, we continue to be appreciative of.

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The opportunity we've been given by the prior mayor and city council and are appreciative of.

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Continuing this effort, uh thanks to the work of the current city, council and mayor.

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Because we need to find proactive solutions to this ongoing crisis, our work has only begun and we.

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Hope to continue this effort, not only in 2022 but beyond. Thank you for your support throughout 2021.

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We'd like to end by clearly stating that the outgoing mayor from last year and previous council.

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Set the stage for important work that can be done in the coming years.

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We'd like to thank all the volunteer members of the blue ribbon committee for their service.

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And their continuing service as they've continued on to this new committee, as well as the incredible.

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Support received from city staff, it's been an honor to undertake this important work and we.

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Look forward to continuing it in 2022.. Thank you great. Thank you very much. Barbara and russo thanks.

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We're happy to answer any questions you have, and there is some new news that you'll hear later in.

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The meeting about the efforts to create a new cultural plan for the city, great yeah,.

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Does anyone have any questions for our guests here.

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Tom, this is probably my ignorance but um tom we're going to ask you to use the mic. Sorry. Thank you.

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I guess I'm not clear of what the original art speak committee was.

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All about I understood that was going to be a standing committee of the city.

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uh Dealing with arts and cultural issues- and I notice that it's still listed on the city's.

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Website as an active committee with or doesn't say active, but it is listed as a committee containing.

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Members, so can you maybe explain the background on that on yeah? I was a past member of the board.

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Of directors for art speak and the president of the board of directors about 10 years ago,.

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And was involved early on in the in the process. um Art speak was formed following the 2002 cultural.

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Plan as a quasi-governor, I think they used to use the word quasi-government committee. Nancy might be.

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Able to clarify, if I'm off on that that's right, yeah yeah it was. It also had its own five volts.

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It had its own 501 c3, it was a really unique structure and I think that the city and art.

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Speak learned a lot about the benefits, but also about the challenges of that type of structure.

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Over the lifetime of the organization uh art speak dissolved, I believe in 2019 um I I might.

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Be off by a year it might have been 20., it might have into 2020., but the organization dissolved.

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Like a lot of nonprofits, it went through many transitions in leadership when I was a member.

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Of the art speak board, the the purpose of the organization was consistent to the cultural plan.

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In that it was an advocate for arts and culture within the city and working to pursue the.

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The objectives of the 2002 cultural plan, we focused a lot on efforts to create artists, live.

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Work space within the community, we did some public art projects and we were very much an advocate for.

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The present for art, which was eventually passed by the city council, I think, over time the the.

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Organization ran a course that it seemed prior to anything happening in the pandemic. That.

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Dissolution of the organization was the best option and the funds from that was held in the.

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51C3, not the city funds, but the 51c3 funds were then dispersed to the new hampshire charitable.

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Foundation for reallocation, so that organization no longer exists when mayor rick, beckstead.

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Proposed this group, one of the things that he frequently said was that he would like to see.

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This group reinvigorate what had happened with art speak and bring that back into the community.

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It's been consistently the view of the committee. Members have been assembled for this group that.

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Such an action should be determined by a cultural plan and not by a small group of people within the.

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Community, so our efforts to re-engage the cultural planning process create a new cultural plan for.

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The city that can then be adopted into the city's master plan and do it with broad-based support and.

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Input from throughout the community will determine whether or not there is a need and a purpose for a.

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Long-Standing committee-like heart speed, art speak in the future, so I hope that answer. I don't know.

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If you have anything to add barbara, um not really, except uh to to really reiterate the tremendous.

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Pushback from the group that formed last year that we didn't want to roll over and become this.

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Art speak to, if you will that, um if we've learned anything in the world, it's that we've got to be.

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Transparent and make sure everybody's involved, if somebody wants a voice, they have a voice, and so.

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We're we have a lot of work ahead of us. You know the these items that we mentioned here. Are you.

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Know they just sound like bullet points right, but the cultural plan alone is probably a year.

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And a half close to two-year projects and we're going to pull in some people from the community.

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Who've worked on it before so they can give us their thoughts and their guidance on you know.

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The the positives and the pitfalls, you know what to avoid um so there's there's a lot to do, but.

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As far as art speak that that no longer exists, we were tapped by the city, mayor and council to.

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Do this work and we'll do so for the next two years? I guess the one thing I would add and.

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I hope all this answers. Your question um is that I've witnessed I've. I've been involved.

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In the arts non-profit scene in in portsmouth for about 20 years now, and I've witnessed an.

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Unprecedented level of collaboration as a result of the pandemic, you might call it a silver lining.

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Or something like that, but but the sector has really come together: locally, regionally, statewide.

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And nationally, and even internationally, to try and save our cultural institutions, because I they.

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Really, a lot of institutions came very close to collapse as a result of what's happened over the.

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Past two years- and we think it's probably going to be a five-year- if not generational recovery,.

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That we're looking at for arts organizations and I think, a lot of arts organizations are still.

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In significant danger so because we value the arts so highly in this community, because it's such an.

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Integral part of our economy, we're very proud that the city has taken a proactive stance to ask.

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What can the city do to make sure that portsmouth's, arts institutions and cultural.

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Institutions survive this, so thank you. I have a question. I just wanted to say one more thing.

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I said this the other evening at the city council meeting in relation to what we've been.

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Talking about this morning is don't assume, because people started to do things again that we're okay.

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um Because we're not right, so I can only use myself as an example, but you know pro.

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Portsmouth didn't do market square day in 2020. we did a smaller version last year.

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We lost almost 200 000 over those two years. Nobody's written me a check and some of the.

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um The grants and programs to help us were were wonderful, but they were just that a little bit.

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Of help to just geek us by, but what we don't want people to think is: oh we're, okay, because.

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You know the school is open and they're going to do children's day, so we must be okay right. We're.

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Exhausted we're going to amnesia on this already, and we just want to remind the community that.

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We we still really need your help and we know the businesses know that too.

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And we know that we're teams, because we hear from the local businesses we're so glad you're coming.

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Back because we feed one another, no pun intended, especially with our restaurants, but um there.

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There's a real need there and I think, even russ. You started to say it a year ago that you saw it.

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Being a three four, possibly five year, uh you know project it wasn't going to be a bounce back. So I'm.

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Sorry um so I'm on the board of the seco strip. So I very much appreciate that um I'm very supportive.

J

Of the work that you guys have done, is there a specific request that you guys have for the edc.

J

Well, um are you looking for a letter of support that would actually be fantastic? You know we.

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Feel that the contributions of the local creative economy are so significant that a request of just.

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Four percent of arpa funds to really buoy, what's happening in the local arts and cultural scene.

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um Would have a tremendous impact and any support that the edc can give towards making that happen.

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Would be powerful for us? Thank you, and you know, with my knowledge of the arts community and what.

J

We do bring to the city, we certainly bring more than four percent to this city. Yes, I think that's.

E

A very fair ask absolutely, mr chair. I think it would be fair to suggest or assume that.

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Edc contributions to the cultural plan rewrite or update, if you will, would would make a lot of sense.

E

I see a lot of overlap there. Yes, if I could just add a quick, I'm sorry nancy go here, you go. I just.

K

Wanted to add two quick comments. One is, um I think, it's terrific, that the the notion of a cultural.

K

Plan came back, I think one of the things I was on art speak just after you rest for the curve.

K

We'll say the fade to black and uh putting aside structural problems with with the organization.

K

um There was also the the parallel effort of of thinking about the updated master master plan.

K

It absorbing the cultural plan, basically taking cultural elements and rolling it into that, and I.

K

Think having it standalone is a much more valuable thing, because really between that and after.

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Studies, it really puts out there just how you know just how valuable and important.

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And embedded the arts are so I'm fully. Supportive uh would absolutely endorse a letter of support.

K

And would love to see us contribute to the to the plan, as it evolves I'll respond to that by saying.

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That what I thought was one of the most powerful things about the 2002 cultural plan was the fact.

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That not only was it an independent standalone document that the community then used and and if.

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You go back and read it. A lot happened as a result of that document. The city did do an excellent job.

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Of taking highlighted aspects of it and adopting those specifically into key points of the master.

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Plan so, instead of making the cultural plan appendix or saying we're going to do, all of this.

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The master plan pulled out key highlights from all the work that was done, the cultural plan and what.

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Was appropriate, put it into the city master plan, so we both had it embedded within the master plan.

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In a strategic way, and also had the extra level of detail that a full cultural plan provides so.

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It was really a remarkable process that happened 20 years ago, we're hoping to recreate that magic.

F

Right, excellent um before you have a comment so that the last cultural.

A

Plan was two thousand two thousand twenty years since yesterday. Yes, thank you, nancy yeah, yeah,.

H

And- and I think I would what I would say just to follow up- your last comment was that.

H

The cultural plan I think, raised the awareness, the american for the arts, economic prosperity study.

H

Quantified the value of the arts in portsmouth, and that was very valuable to the policy makers who, in.

H

Turn funded and continue the fun funding for art speak, and I think the one part of the history that.

H

Wasn't that you didn't include that, I think is important to know. Is that about what alan maybe 10.

H

Years ago, maybe more like eight, the attorney general's office said you can't be a quasi.

H

Government thing you, you have to be one or the other, you have to be a 501c3 or a city.

H

Entity and at that point, um artspeak had some pretty good ideas that an independent art agency.

H

Would want to do the city was a little more conservative about some some of those things.

H

So when they had to choose between one or the other, they went off on the 501c3.

H

Tract- and there too, for you know before that we were, we were doing all the finances for them.

H

Within our finance department, so it was, there was a stress put on put on the organization when that.

H

When that occurred, but um you're right russ the the cultural plan there, there was no pmac.

H

There was no 3s, there was no um the loft wasn't here. Loft wasn't here, we provided discover.

H

Portsmouth wasn't here: we we turned our city-owned buildings over to cultural institutions, the the.

H

The children's museum you know became the uh what's it called now: the uh ppm tv yeah, the.

H

Ppm tv yeah um pontine is now in the plain school. All of that was a result when you think of it.

H

Of the cultural plan- and I think there are for-profit businesses as well like.

F

Jimmy's, that's in town now that the the culture plan set the stage for an opportunity like that.

F

To take place in this community that likely wouldn't have been able to succeed 20 years ago.

H

Yeah and the cultural plan was a plan by committee, which is hard and why it took 18 months.

H

To do, um and maybe we'll be a little quicker this next time around, but it the the master plan it set.

H

The stage for the master plan, because people then understood because of the cultural plan.

H

And that economic prosperity, what the master plan is made by the people of the community.

H

They are the ones that provide the input and the theme over and over again at those input meetings.

H

Was the value of arts and culture? So it's kind of a you know, fairy tale kind of thing.

I

Sarah, so thank you for coming and sharing with us one. One quick question: do the individual.

C

Arts organizations have the support they need. I'm thinking about the sbdc resources around.

C

Resiliency planning financial planning, you know how to move from pandemic to post pandemic is.

C

There an opportunity, maybe to connect some of the folks that have come to speak at the edc, about.

C

Some of those small business support services and specifically target those for arts organizations.

C

I can speak to that in that um portsmouth we've been using those since the onset of the pandemic.

G

And as a committee, though, we don't we don't get to that level because we're kind of up here but.

G

We I'm thinking of offering those resources to members of the arts community. Is that something.

C

That would be of value yeah. It is a value I I I think that the new hampshire state.

F

Council of the arts has done an excellent job of reaching out with a lot of those resources.

F

To arts organizations in the seacoast, as well as throughout the rest of the state.

F

When I mentioned the level of collaboration that you're seeing I mean the arts council still.

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Gathers on a bi-weekly basis, arts organizations from all over the state on zoom to go over these.

F

Things have guest speakers come in. I worked for a while in the committee with fema on arts recovery.

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In new hampshire, so I I think the the larger arts organizations are very aware of these resources.

F

And anything that you can pass along, I'm you know we're more than happy to share with the group.

F

um I think where the big concern is is with smaller organizations whose staffs have been so.

F

Over stressed that sometimes even taking advantage of these of these types of opportunities can be a.

F

Challenge but yeah any information you have uh going forward from the past. Please send our way.

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We do a great job of circulating everything to the whole group and one of the nice things about this.

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Group at this moment is that it's populated by executive directors from you know about a dozen.

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Local arts, organizations and cultural organizations in leadership with a long.

F

History within portsmouth, so we've been able to take a unique stab at some of these challenges.

F

Because the group has a lot of decision-making power within the community and and that's been.

F

Really powerful for us and and just uh to follow up on that um there there were different versions.

G

Of groups that used to form portsmouth arts and historical collaborative comes to mind about 20.

G

Years ago, but what you started to see there was first, it was the executive director. Then he or.

G

She got busy so he passed it or along to whoever down the food chain which no disrespect to staffs.

G

But those people can't make the kind of decisions we can. So what we've been able to do this last.

G

Year and the commitment we have going forward are all of these key people together in a room.

G

Or on zoom um making the the call together, so it's been really incredible.

L

uh Yeah just um wondering how you came up with the four percent and what is four percent of the.

L

Europa funds. Well, the second question is easier to answer. Four percent is 480 thousand dollars.

F

um And the um the justification for the four percent was.

F

um It's somewhat arbitrary, but not entirely. You know wanted to be a respectful and realistic. Ask.

F

Of the city, you know we looked at what it would take to do three years of the marketing program.

F

And really find a way to get local and regional audiences back into seats.

F

Or back into venues, such as strawberry bank, and really create an opportunity for the city to.

F

Allow the economy to rise and support the organizations. So that's that's a big part of it.

F

Also being able to respond and retain and not have an artist drain within the community through some.

F

Supportive art grant programs that would impact local residents through schools and public spaces.

F

And also try to work with other community organizations to see if we can address some of the.

F

Workforce housing issues that are just an issue in the community overall but but are a significant.

F

Issue for the employers that sit within our group and have creative economy workers so.

F

We wanted it to be a reasonable and respectful ask of the city, but we also wanted to be an.

F

Impactful amount so that you know the the amount of time being donated by the executive directors.

F

On this group could have some meaning within the community and for the sector, so.

F

So that's the way we approached it and tried not to over ask and also didn't we initially.

G

We almost had a dollar amount to each of the six that we read to you and we thought it made more.

G

Sense and would be more powerful to just put it in one yeah makes sense all right. Thank you.

A

um Could I just ask the city manager on that front if we're going to consider potentially.

A

A letter of support, which I think we would all be inclined to do given the magnitude of the arts and.

A

Contribution makes the community what's the time frame that the allocation of those funds is going.

A

To be made within that's a great question and um the current council will will be taking that.

E

Up forth with, I think and in the timing of preparing our fy 23 budget staff has done an.

E

Honorable job of trying to respect what might be arpa eligible to support our budget, but also.

E

To understand that there will be needs outside of the city, so internally we are preparing a list of.

E

Requests or items that we would think would be eligible. We would then look to probably have.

E

A series of work sessions or conversations with the council so that the council can stand.

E

Up a formal process by which they would allocate funding, it's been public information that we have.

E

Sought to use five million of the total 12.88 million for the acquisition of community campus.

E

And we're also asking the school board for some of their esser funds, which is their version of.

E

Arpa to help support the acquisition so as to not bond for more than we need to so.

E

There's a lot of moving pieces in the conversation and and it's ultimately a.

E

Policy decision of the council so we've been, we want to be prepared to answer questions.

E

And yet defer to the way that the current council wants to to stand up that process.

J

And I think that the council will probably take into effect, like you know, what do we get for.

J

You know the four percent versus like the five million like as a community like: where do we want our decisions to lie? So I think that's.

J

Really important, you know that we stick with something that's so key to our community.

H

I just had an update on your first recommendation, which you know, but the this group doesn't know.

H

For the american for the arts, economic prosperity study, six we've already obligated and appropriated.

H

Funds for this for the american for the arts to crunch the survey data, so we've entered in a con.

H

Into a contract for that, we've also hired an administrator to assist with doing the surveys.

H

Of our nonprofit organizations, that's all complete and ready to go when this when the survey starts.

H

And we've also obligated and appropriated monies for when the survey is complete for.

H

The executive of the american for theirs to come up and do presentations on the data.

H

And meet with the papers and rotary and the individual arts organizations so we're we're.

H

On good footing there thank you. Could I just ask what what's the report out time frame? Isn't it it.

H

Keeps getting moving it's a moving target, starting in may late, so fall of 2023, I believe, is when the.

A

Reporting happens, consideration yeah. The goal is to do a 12-month snapshot of both the non-profit.

F

Revenues and expenditures and and the way the money works with nonprofits in the community.

F

As well as a 12-month survey of audiences, so that we know how expenditures are being made.

F

By people who live here or who come into town who they are, do they live here? Do they come into town.

F

How much do they spend outside of attending arts organization events and and get a good picture.

F

Of that, so it's typically a 12-month process and then typically about six months to between.

F

When the process ends and when the unveiling happens yeah, it should have been december.

G

And then it was moved to january, then it was moved to april now it's may so.

A

Well, I think, unfortunately, that it got delayed, but I think it'll be. Yes, that's the hope.

A

When was the last time that was completed, 2015., okay, so that we could use this data.

A

It was planned for 2020, but got interrupted right right. Many things so.

A

Great, thank you. Do you want to do a letter? What just this is edie say: do we want to write a letter.

H

Up to the council, do we want to put a number on it? Just I think I would like to make a motion.

J

To that, the edc provides a letter of support for the recommendations outlined and support the four.

J

Percent allocation of the arpa funds- great, thank you katelyn. Second, second, like that'll call for a.

A

Vote all those in favor all right, all right, cheerful outside any any opposed.

E

Great, mr chairman, jacob has unmuted, I don't know if jacob wants to say anything.

E

Jacob, I just said I was just okay. Thank you very much sure. Thank you great well,.

A

Thank you both for your time and all the contributions that you, as co-chairs of the.

A

Committee have put into this since the start of the pandemic, and thanks for your endurance and.

A

I hope the amnesia doesn't set in too firmly. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your time,.

A

Okay, so next we'll roll right into our subcommittee updates. The first we've got.

A

Is our business retention and expansion alan bob, do you guys have an update before? Yes, we do. We.

L

We have been making some progress, we did meet with the unh.

L

Survey center and we got a proposal from them.

L

To survey businesses in the city and what we're going to do is, uh I think I don't know if we've.

L

Decided yet, but I think we're going to survey as many businesses as we can.

L

By email and get some electronic results and then some of those results will also.

L

Or some of the questions we'll be asking are, would you like to meet in person.

L

And um so we're hoping that we will end up meeting in person with. However, many businesses respond.

L

You know a decent number and I think uh we had talked about you know. Maybe that's uh a round.

L

Table or maybe it's one-on-one- I don't think we've quite gotten that far, um but um the other thing we.

L

And alan and I met yesterday about uh the um actual survey and I think we're gonna.

L

Try and pare it down a little more to. um I don't think: we've really timed it out.

L

You know how long it would take someone to go through it, so we need to do that and and.

L

Make it a little more succinct but other than that, um making some progress, and I don't know if we.

L

Have a date that we're talking about to get it out there? What do you think alan? Maybe a couple months.

K

Yeah, I would think if we get closer to the summer, I think it'll be a better time. The only thing.

K

That, I would add, is that just for information of the rest of the uh commission, we've we've.

K

Paired the sir, the survey was somewhere around closer to 100 questions than not.

K

And for those of us uh mandy, I know you did that too. I volunteered sitting down with people it.

K

Was a very long painful process so moving it to an electronic moving it to an electronic.

K

Means we we cut out redundancy uh first and foremost, and some extraneous questions and.

K

We still just paired it down to 50 questions, which is a pretty heavy ask for someone online.

K

There's all sorts of statistics statistics about what happens when you get past. You know.

K

20 questions just the abandonment or people just go: yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, and suddenly it's just.

K

A sea of the same answer, so what we talked about most recently, uh that we still need to sort of.

K

Sort of focus on is what what we can do to narrow, not just not just slim it down.

K

But perhaps narrow the focus uh of the survey, let's think think hard about what information.

K

We really care about gathering the most and what is nice to have, but not really relevant to.

K

Some of the things that we want to take action on so that work is probably the next step.

K

To take so, hopefully, we'll have a report in the next meeting. For that and any thought to.

C

Chunking up the survey into targeted topic areas so that you get more focused responses in areas.

C

As opposed to taking too much out of it, I know that's also has its own benefits and drawbacks.

C

Around survey fatigue and things like that yeah we had we hadn't, it's not a bad. It's not a bad idea.

K

I think one of the challenges would be if nothing else, economic.

K

Because now we're talking about multiple surveys um being handled by unh, as opposed to one.

K

So you know, but it's not a bad idea. We ought to think about it and see what the impact would be.

A

Did unh provide? uh Is there what's the cost for kind of a leading into the survey, or is there one.

L

There is a cost, depending on.

L

Depending on the size of the survey, okay- and uh I don't have it in front of me, what was the cost.

L

For everyone, maybe everyone was eight around around eight thousand or so that, and that included.

H

um Analysis of the survey presentation of the survey.

H

They they do these postcards that they send out ahead of time. um I'm not sure that we were all.

C

If I recall last time, I don't think we got the raw data back on the survey as well. Is that correct.

C

That that would be that's correct. That would be nice to get so. We could perform our own analytics.

C

On it, if we have the capacity to do so, I think we had the interpretation of the results, but not.

C

The actual results last time I think, we'll have well we're going to have more control this time.

K

I don't think we used the survey center last time right. We used.

H

We used the extension and and part of it part of the that particular program that is.

H

That there was a lot of confidential information that um even we weren't supposed to you know. We.

H

Just take the cover sheet off and and send it in so we have more flexibility. This time.

A

Okay, anything further for business retention; expansion thanks good.

A

Work there, um the next we've got our sustainable cities, ev charger initiative. I know.

A

We've had our updates from from tom each month and I know you've been making.

A

Good progress and we uh submitted a letter of support, cip, I know believe that was adopted with.

A

Funding for charging stations on the bridge lot is there any further update.

D

That sort of is the update. Thank you very much.

D

To be a little more specific, uh the uh you obviously saw the memo which was in the.

D

Packet of materials for today's meeting that went to the city council last week.

D

And, as you said, phil the city council approved an amendment to the capital improvement plan for.

D

The next four years to add 150 000 a year toward the deployment of level 2 and level 3 charges so.

D

We've kind of accomplished what we hope to do at this point, so I think.

D

The follow-up on that is, I guess, help the city figure out where they'll be deployed and.

D

In what order, and then continue to follow, what's going on with satan federal funding.

D

Which would potentially be a replacement, or at least a supplement to what the city would be.

D

Putting in this, there was a pretty good article in the herald this week. I think it was on wednesday.

D

Talking about the the strategic roadblocks to electric vehicle charging in new hampshire, if.

D

Anybody hasn't seen that it's worth checking it out.

D

Okay, I'll pass that around. I can send it to you on online. If anybody wants it, but it.

D

Pretty well summarizes the situation of electric vehicle charging in new hampshire at this time.

D

But it does reinforce what we've observed, which is that there is some more funding.

D

Coming down the road uh it will go through the state and the federal government will.

D

Not be dispersing monies directly to cities or towns, but it will be going through the state.

D

um So I think it behooves the city to become shovel ready. If you will on these projects,.

D

The other interesting article in wednesday's paper, I believe, was.

D

That a private individual in rochester has obtained municipal approvals to install a private.

D

Sector electric vehicle charging station with six charges, four level threes and two level twos, so.

D

It shows you that that we will be seeing the private sector step into this market.

D

As well, so I think that presents an opportunity to interact in the future. So I think at this point.

L

Did you see the letter from the uh to the editor from someone from rochester.

L

It was talking about. I did not see that a car dealer that had installed a level three.

L

Charger, assuming it was the volkswagen dealer over here, but um their demand, the.

L

Demand uh charge for the level three was like three hundred dollars: no, they only had one car.

L

So we charged so when they charged the car, at least during the daytime. um It costs 300 plus so.

L

I think it's gonna, be it's gonna, be managed or you gotta know, when the charge.

L

Well, if you had a ton of cars, I guess it wouldn't be.

L

That big a deal because you paid the 300 and it would be sort of amortized.

D

Yeah, well, that's an interesting letter. Yeah I haven't read that I'll I'll go back and look for it. I do know that there are some issues.

D

The puc is trying to address some rate issues with uh eversource on electrical charging, because.

D

The exact problem you have, which is that they're set up to to have sort of a minimum charge. So if.

D

You don't have a lot of vehicles charging on a daily basis, then you're paying a high.

D

Charge per uh it's almost an access fee to get the electricity, so I I that's under consideration at.

D

The puc, as far as I know, I don't think, there's been a resolution to it, but.

D

Again, that's part of the structural issues that I think we all going to have to address.

I

Great thanks tom yep.

I

Okay, next we've got our land use committee. Sarah is representing the edc on that board, as it starts.

A

To convene you want to share yeah, I know this is a very uh interesting topic for, for everybody and.

C

Really glad to participate on behalf of the edc and councilor moreau's land use committee, so we.

C

Had our first meeting on february 18th and we were shared some some information I'll see if I can get.

C

This from councilman moreau to share with the rest of the edc, around income rates uh for individuals.

C

That qualify for affordable housing as well as workforce housing, and I was surprised to see.

C

How different they are for renters, as opposed to homeowners, um so according to the portsmouth.

C

Rochester metro, fair market area renters, making up to fifty three thousand dollars and homeowners.

C

Making up to ninety nine thousand dollars are um considered in that workforce, housing.

C

um Eligibility range from the the state definition, so it's quite a high income level. When you look.

C

At what the requirements are and in portsmouth, um when we look at cost burdening, which means.

C

You know 30 to 50 percent of your income is tied up in um in in housing. uh 7.3 percent of current.

C

Portsmouth homeowners are cost burdened, 10.4 percent of renters and 4.9 percent of homeowners.

C

Are severely cost burdened, so that's more than 50 of um of income to go to housing costs and 7 of.

C

Renters, so it and and that's just the folks that are already in portsmouth- that's not even covering.

C

The individuals that are not able to afford to live in portsmouth for, for numerous reasons,.

C

So the land use committee is uh broken up into two main areas and the the postulation here is that.

C

Affordability for housing must be underwritten, so there needs to be some level of support in order.

C

To improve affordability in the city, there are two uh separate subcommittees of the committee.

C

One is focused on municipal regulations, so there's a regulatory subcommittee, the areas.

C

Of investigation for that are looking at land use incentives, flexible design density bonuses.

C

By right density, which means, I think, uh councilor more had spoken about this, where, if you meet all.

C

Of the requirements for an adu, then you get the adu by right, as opposed to going in front of a.

C

Board so she is, she is being a little provocative with some of the suggestions she has. I think, to.

C

Try and move the needle on on where we're at with affordable housing expediting reviews. How do we.

C

Make if something needs to go before a land review board? How do we make that um as as quick but as.

C

Cover as much as necessary, um looking at parking requirement, reductions and then adus.

C

As I mentioned before, and so on, the regulatory uh subcommittee, we have councilor moreau.

C

Beverly zen nick cracknell, rich blaylock and two members of the planning board.

C

On the supported market side, what we're looking at as uh targeting incentives to help those lower.

C

Income groups that I mentioned previously be able to afford more housing in portsmouth, so fee.

C

Waivers public funding or land contributions, part of this is looking at. Is there city, land or areas.

C

That we could make available for more affordable housing, alternative compliance funding so fee in.

C

Lieu of what we're finding is a lot of developers will choose to have greater green space as.

C

Opposed to contributing more affordable housing or workforce housing as part of their projects, how do.

C

We incentivize developers to be able to contribute more in the affordable housing place and then low.

C

Income housing tax credits as well um uh there, so this this subcommittee has uh beth moreau beverly.

C

Zen uh assistant mayor joanna kelly um and myself, and a couple of things that I had brought to.

C

The the meeting was, it might be interesting to share the results of the business retention.

C

Survey to the land use committee, since we're going to be asking some questions around housing and.

C

Worker location and there's also an april housing study um around regional housing needs that should.

C

Be available sometime this spring that I want to make sure that we bring forward to the edc.

C

So our subcommittee has not yet met our first meeting will be on monday, so I'll bring more.

C

Information back on that, the only other thing that I would add is that we had a lot of participation.

C

From members of of portsmouth uh residents of portsmouth that wanted to make sure that.

C

Resident voices are both heard and participating on the land use committee and I believe that.

C

Councilor morel is going to go back to the mayor and see how either contributions or membership of.

C

Those subcommittees could be augmented or include some of the residents as well, who spoke out.

C

Pretty clearly in support of and with some suggestions for how to improve.

C

So I will leave it at that I'll. Make sure that this information I get from council morel is.

C

Shared with the broader edc, and welcome any input or suggestions from the edc on on the land use.

I

D

You can tell I've been reading the newspaper this week because I have another article in yesterday's.

D

Paper there was an interesting article about the owner of the anchorage hotel in york, who also owns.

D

Another small motel who's going to tear down the second hotel in order to build workforce housing.

D

For his people and to me, that is something that we talked about two years ago before the pandemic and.

D

Worth exploring, it would be to try to encourage doing that model in some type of a joint venture.

D

Because most small businesses aren't going to be large enough to build their own housing structure.

D

But if you could get businesses that are suffering from a shortage of workers because they can't the.

D

Workers can't find housing, then, what's the possibility of putting together some type of.

D

Private public partnership that would be able to build structures knowing that they had tenants.

D

Specifically tied into specific businesses and that's worth exploring absolutely, and I.

C

Think that was one of the questions that was going to be added to the business retention.

C

Survey was to say: do you provide housing? You know? If, if you don't, would you to try and get.

C

Some information back from the businesses and in the film that was shown at the music hall around.

C

New hampshire housing, we did see some examples of large employers that did build um housing for.

C

Their workers, so I think that's, definitely an opportunity to look at to see whether we.

C

Have large employers in portsmouth of interest as well yeah I'd also just like to point out that.

M

If you're, really interested in this topic, follow the work of john and maggie.

M

Randolph, who have owned harmony, homes in durham and they have built housing. They have built a.

M

Daycare they are building additional housing in dover and have like additional developments.

M

In the work, so they they are just a extended care, long long term care facility um owners.

M

That are building housing for their employees, they're building daycares for their employees. So.

M

They're really exciting: that's happening literally 10 minutes down the road just in durham, so.

M

It can be done and it's interesting to see the private sector step up on some of these issues.

A

Thanks ben that's great, I guess I would underscore I think part of that committee's work is, is.

A

Probably going to highlight the challenges with um employers of a certain size which maybe aren't.

A

Quite the huge employers that don't have the the resources to develop where it's so expensive, so.

A

Costly plus the the development process can be contentious and is not straightforward. So.

A

I think for our our arts community, and maybe our restaurant community service community.

A

That that could be a real challenge, so there may be some potential for.

A

Kind of pooled funds- or I guess that would be an interesting exercise to take to take forward as.

A

You absolutely, as you look at the income levels for what qualifies for um affordable or sorry.

C

Workforce housing- you can see many members of our service economy would would apply for that.

C

Or would would be eligible so it's definitely a need yeah. I think that's a great data point.

A

That would be helpful, as the council kind of considers any.

A

Changes uh the april housing study you had mentioned is that going to be specific to.

A

Portsmouth, or is that the new hampshire housing, it's the new hampshire housing one I believe.

C

The results are due in april, but I can circle back on that assessment. Yes, yep. In addition, the.

E

Portsmouth housing authorities undertaken the end, needs assessment as well, and I just I don't know.

E

The timing on when that will be released, but that will be very helpful and uh craig welch is on the.

C

Supported market subcommittee as well so great as soon as he has it, I'm sure we'll distribute that.

A

Great. Thank you. Sarah.

A

Okay, so um new or other business ben uh we've got you leading off here with the chamber.

A

Collaborative on any updates to yeah now just a few updates to run through, we are approaching a.

M

Very busy time of year for us as an organization we're just coming off of a great event, the future.

M

Of concord, smith home, I think many of you were there. Thank you for attending that.

M

um It's a great night to showcase the need and challenges: affordable, housing, workforce housing.

M

In new hampshire and our community, um the arts and culture campaign has already been discussed.

M

So I'll skip over that we've been kicking off our spring series of educational events.

M

We have uh had one session already have another one. uh I think next week on diversity, equity.

M

Inclusion and justice for business leaders um so we're excited to to bring that education.

M

We also have additional sort of uh traditional um educational opportunities on franchising.

M

Models and and trademark law, so some great educational seminars coming up.

M

uh Next week on the 15th, we have governor sununu joining us by zoom for the state of.

M

The state we're really hoping he'll share more information about the 100 million dollar fund for.

M

um Affordable housing support so we're anxious to hear and see from him so that'll be zoom. That's a.

M

Free event, you can register on our website uh to to hear from that. It's in the morning.

M

The the following week, we have our tourism summit. That's our annual gathering of the.

M

Tourism community we're we're anxious to hear from mayor, mckechern and say manager canard at that.

M

Event and we'll be uh just getting ready to kick off what is hopefully and looks to be a very busy.

M

Summer for our tourism community, our networking events continuing actually right now our morning.

M

Mixer is going on and we have our business after hours on the 31st of march, which will be at the.

M

Venue at port walk, formerly known as the harbor events hyperplace events center for those either.

M

Remember that importantly important for this group, we have our annual economic outlook event.

M

Scheduled for april 19th that'll again be at seacoast rep theater, it's a hybrid event, so.

M

You can come in person or you can join via zoom from your office. If you will, we are fortunate.

M

To have liz gray, the director of the sbdc joining us, along with the new presidents of the statewide.

M

Chamber of commerce mike skelton, the business and industry association joining us and we'll.

M

Have a panel discussion following their remarks uh with local business leaders uh about what they're.

M

Seeing on the grounds here in portsmouth, so that's the 19th in the morning of april. Hopefully you can.

M

Join us for that state of the city will be coming up in may stay tuned for that um the in-person.

M

Outdoor event, at uh grilled 28 again I'm hearing from our mayor and city manager about uh what's.

M

Going on in portsmouth, so we're looking forward to that and just a couple other quick thoughts. I.

M

Just want to share that the russian art community seems to be very pleased with the results of the.

M

Outdoor dining and where that discussion landed in the fee rates that were finally.

M

Settled upon had a call with several of them yesterday and they felt very comfortable.

M

They felt like it was a fair amount. They were happy to contribute to the city, but.

M

It just hadn't found a number that worked for everyone, so thank you for your efforts on council.

M

There um we're just getting ready for a busy tourism season, we're getting our our map and.

M

Our our guide books uh all finalized and how to print uh which the printing world is wild right.

M

Now you have to like buy paper in advance, it's weird, um but uh so we we are excited about the.

M

Busy coming season and are really looking forward to uh warmer days and more people in town, but.

M

We've had a very busy um from a tourism perspective. It's been busy so far. um We've.

M

Had hotels, downtown hotels have been largely sold out on saturday nights in january and in february.

M

That's um not something we have seen much in the past, so if that is an indicator of what.

M

Is to come, I think, we're in store for a very busy season this year. So that's it for me any questions.

N

And excuse me, uh you had mentioned the state of the state yeah. When is that going to be that.

M

Will be uh the 15th march 15th uh 8 30 to 9 30 in the morning? It's it's zoom! Only when we schedule.

I

Yeah: okay, great.

A

um So any other business I have a quick one, mr chairman, uh we are looking for or the city is.

E

Looking for an edc rep to a very underscore, very light duty committee, maybe just two or.

E

Three meetings total to help the seacoast greenway bike. Ped folks come up with the optimal signage.

E

And access points, it's we're at the point in the process where the city plays a role with.

E

uh The planning, commission and dot and all the folks that have been advancing the greenway.

E

Project so the group is charged with giving input and feedback on how best to develop the signage.

E

And the access to the portions of the east coast- greenway trail that obviously go through here, so.

E

um One or two edc reps are being requested, so I'm just putting it out to the group. Everett says: yes,.

J

I'd be willing to do this. Okay, great great, I did bike here this morning.

H

Great, thank you. The challenge is on now for everybody.

I

Council lombardi, yes, um I just wanted to bring up a brief subject.

O

The city is coming forward now currently with uh improvements to the high hanover street garage.

O

And not only that that we have the return of eric ebby. Who is the traffic engineer and.

O

So I was talking to the city manager about the need for updating the traffic and safety.

O

Agenda rules um things like that and then thirdly, is the.

O

Is the market square upgrade coming up and it's beginning there's funding for that in 24? Is that.

O

Right, I believe so in the cip, there's some money available now and there will be some additional.

E

Money sought, yep yeah, and so um what this brought up to me was that I would like to think about.

O

What the city look will look like and when we had a visioning process with the council.

O

When we first started, we talked a lot about what downtown portsmouth should look like.

O

um In the future, to make it the best city in the country- and um I think a lot of that.

O

Had to do with changing this, the ratio of sidewalk to street- and I think I think restaurants- would be.

O

Very supportive of that, and I think that, if it's done right, um businesses would as well.

O

So um I guess I think it's a it's something for the edc to start looking at and take under.

O

Observation and think about so that we can move forward with a plan.

O

I I think the uh the market square upgrade is is key to that.

O

I don't have, I don't, have a plan, but I want to get it. I want to get it at least in front of the edc.

O

To uh start thinking about interesting, thank you for bringing that to us. um I sat.

B

Just this week with bob white for a couple of hours with paper and pencil, just playing with.

B

Aerials of market square of what might be to kind of start to prep ideas of where it.

B

Could go and- and you know when you get his ideas going on paper and I pepper him with questions.

B

There's a lot of possibilities there yeah. I know that I mean I can tell that, but.

K

If I could go ahead, I could ask a question. uh There was a lot of talk and a lot of concern.

K

First, I I mean I'm thrilled, I'm thrilled that the city council voted the way they did on fees.

K

uh And I think that's going to help the city, but I know that there was also a lot of controversy.

K

From at least a small group of vocal retail as opposed, and maybe even the entire community about.

K

The impact on their business, um what was your sense, uh been invented of uh of whether whether.

K

They've been satisfied. Well enough, I don't know that they have been. I think that the attraction.

O

Of the restaurants um is significant and it brings people to the city who will also shop.

O

I think that I only have my opinions, so it's I'm hesitant to say that, but I think that.

O

Well, I'll tell you my opinion: is that people buy things cars, don't other than parking.

O

And um I've seen cities where there's a very large pedestrian population compared.

O

To car population- and it really, it has worked there, and I guess what I'd like to see is some.

O

Research into what how much parking is really necessary, is it better to have parking in the.

O

Outer parts of the city with some effective transportation into the center- I don't know.

O

I I can't say that I know, but I I think that I've seen other areas where that has been successful so.

I

Tom, I have a comment but before let me jump on vince's comment, uh there is actually a movement.

D

In a lot of cities around the world to reduce the footprint, if you will excuse the pun,.

D

Of motor vehicles on city streets, either by reducing on street parking or or.

D

um You know reducing traffic altogether, not not not trying to repeat the you know.

D

Turn streets into pedestrian walkways. That happened a lot in the 70s and 80s, but more.

D

Sophisticated thing, so there is some research, or at least there there's some uh efforts out.

D

There and in smart city areas uh pursuing that, uh so you can probably get some research on that.

D

um In fact, maybe our committee will look into that if you want and see if we can come up with.

D

Something for you, um my I just wanted to comment on something. A little lighter, uh vince's comment.

D

About trying to make uh portsmouth the the best city in the country reminded me of a little-known.

D

Fact that was again released earlier this week, although it has hasn't made the herald yet.

J

For those of you who are wordle fans, portsmouth finished in the.

D

Top 10 in the united states in solving in the proficiency of solving the daily wordle puzzle.

K

Mr mr chairman, can I just add two things that people may want to.

E

Be reminded of as part of the discussion on outdoor dining and fees.

E

uh There's a stipulation in the permitting process this this year that will be adhered to.

E

um In that you, if you're, going beyond the confines of your storefront, with whatever.

E

You want to do in the public realm, you need approval from the abutter. That's that's going to.

E

Change things: that's going to be a conversation that planning is already starting to fill out.

E

There's about 12 or 13 restaurants that have already applied so that could change the dynamic.

E

And and the footprint outdoors and 2012 was the last time the city did a parking master plan.

E

And we're looking to do an update or a new master plan, so I think that conversation will help inform.

E

This conversation, I have a comment kind of to the research that you were talking about. Vince.

J

You know I've read a lot of research where, when you slow down the speed of traffic, the.

J

Businesses actually do better and there's a lot of studies that were done where, like you know,.

J

um I forget the name of the book, but I can send it out if anybody's interested. You know when you make.

J

It more walkable, that's when people are buying things to your point. Cars don't buy things like if.

J

If I'm a you know a retailer, my entire business is not coming from the one spot outside of my.

J

House, that's coming from the person who's walking to dinner next door, and I know that when I'm out.

J

At dinner, outside I'm much more likely to pop in because I'm on foot, I'm not driving directly.

J

To my destination, so thank you for your work police. I would add another thing that came out of.

O

The um the discussion of the using city, streets or sidewalks is the composting and that there is a.

O

Caveat that if you compost, you can get a reduction in the fee for a restaurant.

A

Ben you also had a comment. Oh, I was just briefly to add that I do think we will see with the fees.

M

As reasonable as they are, I still think you will see you know a restaurant that might have had.

M

Three parking spaces go with two because spacing's not as big a deal this year as it was last year.

M

It's them, you know, because of research, so I I think, we'll see maybe a few less applicants. I.

M

Think we'll see a you know smaller footprint, you know so, hopefully the impact will be less.

C

One so thank you, councilor lombardi, for bringing those topics to us. I would like.

C

To see a standing agenda item where uh council reps can bring those kinds of topics to us for.

C

Awareness and discussion and to bring information back and forth, I think that's been tremendously.

C

Helpful. Thank you. Thank you. I would just add that I think those topics kind of dovetail.

A

Perfectly with everything we've talked about for probably the last 10 15, more.

A

Years that I've been involved in edc between parking managing kind of the inventory, we have.

A

Smart cities, some of the shuttle things we had explored pre pandemic and I think it's changing.

A

World- and I think it's smart- that we kind of think about this ahead of time. I think if there's.

A

A parking master plan or study or policy revisions that would be married. So so thank you for bringing.

A

That to us it will certainly keep us informed as those get underway. Are you on the parking traffic.

A

No, I'm not no that's councillor bagley, but uh I sit on parking and traffic safety on everything.

A

So I think, there's a lot of synergy. I mean to tom's point about sustainable.

A

Cities, um I think it's kind of a future visioning for where we see us going. um I think parking is.

A

Certainly important for restaurants, retailers, all of the above, but as cars.

A

Change- and you know, I think, if we can become more outdoor friendly and with everything, that's.

A

Gone on with outdoor dining and if that's gonna stay in uh maybe perpetuity, or at least for the.

A

Foreseeable future, that's an important piece of it as well so, and I think, as part of that effort.

J

Phil we should look at reclaiming more sidewalk and taking stuff. Like you know, there's many.

J

Streets that are too wide and there's a lot of data that shows you know you don't need to like.

J

Put in speed limits just shrink the size of the street and, like there's calming measures that you.

J

Know they show it works, you know if we can reclaim some of that, and you know not have it be this in.

J

Between area of like oh, is it a parking space like you know, just put it back and make it sidewalk.

J

Make it an enclosed area like as we want it to be and like redo the whole, you know, vision for.

J

That I think that there's a lot that we can do to reimagine that yeah, I think that's a great point.

B

That's really what bob and I were doing pencil sketches on is. We know we like to dine outdoors.

B

But do we actually like to dine in parking spaces and on the street and I think the answer to that.

B

Is no, and so you know we were just playing with how how do we rethink the street and sidewalk.

B

Usage and he's creative ever, I think, to your point: there's a uh the city is planning and getting.

N

Feedback from a butters and residents on fleet street, where there's a bunch of redevelopment and.

N

Discussion about should part, be one way because part since some spots, the sidewalks, are small.

N

And what what could that look like and does it go one way do we have to expand the sidewalk.

N

On one side, both sides no parking uh et cetera so that that conversation's alive and well and we've.

N

All and you could go by and there's a qr code, you could scan it and do the survey send information.

N

Sarah, I was just going to add, I think, when we look to change anything, we have.

C

Either expanding sidewalks or changing to one way, we have to be clear about.

C

The incentives, as a result of that, so it doesn't just feel like something, is being.

C

Taken away, um so I think, having an understanding of why this benefits a.

C

Business overall or how it benefits, foot traffic or how it benefits residents has to be part of.

C

Our conversation, otherwise it will be seen as as a detriment as opposed to a benefit sure.

A

I would also, I think, jacob sorry yeah. Can you guys hear me? Okay, yep.

K

Cool I just kind of wanted to provide kind of a point here is I wanted to kind of point out the.

K

Potential traffic implications, especially around like a place like congress street. I was wondering.

M

If we collected any kind of traffic data after the 2020 2021 years, but we kind of did shrink.

K

Those streets- and I wondered if there was an increase of traffic in and around those areas.

I

Related to the um kind of the smaller street size, the less part and all that stuff, just kind of a.

I

Comment I wanted to make about um you know when you're taking a look at these decisions.

E

That's a great question I'll ask the the traffic folks.

E

It may be a it'll, be a point of data for sure, but it will be in a pandemic type year. So.

H

Something we can find not to forget is that part of this fee structure for this year is there's.

H

Going to be monitoring of how and a report out at the end, so I think you know maybe adding some.

H

Traffic analysis in there might be a good thing as well.

M

Yeah and I mean those outdoor dining spots- it's definitely they're great, but obviously.

M

When there's like rows and rows of cars sitting there, all those fumes, it kind of degrades the.

K

Whole point of it, so I would like to see kind of the information around that increased traffic.

I

Thank you thanks jacob, I think, just as examples of other streets, where we've kind of done that.

A

um Effectively, as maybe state street, you know, we've as we've been doing infrastructure.

A

In the streets, widening sidewalks and just you know, narrowing the actual.

A

Travel lanes, it feels tighter in a car, but I think once you get used to it. It's certainly.

A

It's works, so congress does not need to be three cars wide. We've proven that right, yeah tom carson.

D

Yeah, just following up on uh caitlin's comment, I think the book you are referencing is jeff speck's book on walkable city. Yes, it is welcome.

D

And I think ps21 brought him to portsmouth and his recorded comments are probably on their website.

A

Great, so we don't have anything further. I want to be sure to give a public comment, an opportunity.

A

Here or I'll be quick, I promise I know it's afternoon. I assume you wanted me to see the.

N

Table absolutely um just for those of you who don't know me, I'm david chout with colliers and.

N

I'm thrilled that andy's part of the commission now so you'll, probably be seeing less of me or.

N

Hearing less of me, maybe I just had a suggestion and a comment on tom's charging stations.

N

Tom, I wondered if you had thought about contacting a guy in rochester. That's doing that project.

N

I think, with gas prices soaring, there's going to be more interest in electric vehicles and.

N

Charging stations- and it would be- wouldn't it be great if it could find a private developer.

N

To actually do the project not cost the city, any money, and I think one of the things that sean.

N

And I were talking about back, there is, you know, charging stations need to be in a location where.

N

Somebody has something to do while they're waiting for the car to charge my understanding, and I don't.

N

Have an electric vehicle, but just what I read it could take up to an hour to charge a vehicle.

N

So, wouldn't it be great to have three or four of those high powered charging stations in the garage.

N

They park, they go the shop, they go, get a cup of coffee with a cup of joe or something like.

N

That and then everybody benefits, so I didn't know if you were going to follow up and see.

N

We might be at a point where it makes economic sense for the private sector to do this rather.

N

Than the public sector, so just the answer is yes, I have a copy of the article he's on my list of.

D

People in the call so right and I don't know if there are others doing it- that's the first time.

N

I've heard of this being other than being part of a car dealership or something like that. So.

C

I believe the plan to redevelop the burger king on route 1 also includes charging stations for.

C

That yeah you're right, but I guess what I was trying to indicate is. I think I heard.

N

A comment about the city's allocated money to spend on charging stations. Why do that? If.

N

Somebody in the private sector will do it, and so anyway, just a comment. Thank you. Thank you.

A

Council of the body- I I just I've, also read about the very popular place to put charging.

O

Stations are in shopping center or where grocery store parking lots. Yeah people charge the vehicle.

O

Do their grocery shopping by the time they come out? Okay, yeah yeah! I just would kind of add on.

A

David's comment, I think, that's been part of the discussions we've had on evs along the way, so.

A

I think it's kind of a balanced private market is addressing some of this and there's an opportunity.

A

On all fronts, for us to be using our downtown supplies, so it's very pleasant now we're running.

A

Past but thank you for everyone for joining. uh I think it was a great great morning, great session.

A

So appreciate your time entertain a motion to adjourn. Do we need to confirm the meeting time.

C

I'm looking at the oh right april, 1st yep, I would vote for the first we'll get back on the door that.

J

Sounds like a joke any other thoughts april 1st versus april uh eighth were a good week or so.

A

In the march, um I think I have no preference, my preference would be the first. I moved to chamber.

M

Program so it wasn't conflicting, so so we've been conflicting for a few months now I have a question.

O

um Is 7 30 the best time for this committee? Yes, yes, okay, I just wondered.

O

Sometimes I have uh thursday night meetings too.

D

We can get you a caught somewhere, so you can just stay here and make this any later.

E

Mr chairman, to that end, a couple of members asked what we might be doing to celebrate nancy.

E

And I'm completely in denial, so I didn't want to do it at this meeting and I'm sure.

E

Many of you share that sentiment, so I believe, and I'm putting nancy on the spot, but she's.

E

Agreed to come back to the april meeting to be thanked. Her last day with the city is march, 31st.

H

I I did, but probably not in my official capacity. I think sean will be sitting in this space and I'll.

H

Be sitting there, but um I just want to thank the edc. I think I've been I've had the privilege as.

H

Staff to work for the best committee commission in the city- it is it's just been such a pleasure.

H

For me to work with the edc over the years, I've met remarkable people. I've worked on remarkable.

H

Projects, so I I just I'm really excited about the energy of this commission. um I don't. I don't have.

H

To retire, but um it's time for me to retire and move on and and have a change in this position.

H

um But I'm kind of sad because this commission is really going places in.

H

And I'm going to be watching. So thank you very much for having me giving me the opportunity.

E

You can always sit back with me.

M

And nancy jacob's, giving you a high five hand on facebook, non-zoom, so you're fir, I I I move.

C

For the april 1st meeting so that nancy's first day of retirement is a 7 30 meeting.

H

Thank you for that. I'm thinking he's going to take a while for my sleep patterns to change anyways.

H

It's actually probably kinder than the eighth, because by the eighth.

J

She'd be like oh, I got my pajamas, so uh first it is okay. Thank you. Nancy.

E

Thanks jacob everybody.

I