City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Economic Development Commission, 2 Dec 2022

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From YouTube: 12.2.2022 Economic Development Commission

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12.2.2022 Economic Development Commission

A

All right, good morning, everyone happy december happy holidays, a call to order uh edc's meeting.

B

Of december, 2nd thanks all for joining first we'll kick off, as we usually do.

B

With a review of the draft minutes from november 4th that sean had circulated.

B

Everyone has had a chance to review move, we approve them.

B

All in favor aye opposed well, I'm not opposed, but I wasn't there so I think we'll know.

B

Okay, thanks for that, um so today we're we're going to kind of take a couple of angles: we're.

B

Going to report out on our brony survey that that sean was kind enough to circulate a couple.

B

Weeks back an update on our working groups and then kind of talk about where we want to spend.

B

Our time, depending how much we have left on a strategic planning discussion, if there's.

B

Not time I'd like to try to set a dedicated time, either likely january once the holidays are passed.

B

To kind of sit down and think through, you know how life is looking at the edc and the city not.

B

Quite fully post coveted, but what new normal looks like and what we've had on our plates this year. So.

B

I think that's today's lens, so I guess I'll give the brn working group members the floor and a.

B

Chance to talk through survey results, break thanks, phil, so I'll just do a quick recap. Hopefully you.

C

All have had an opportunity to at least see the survey results in your inbox and it's it's quite a.

C

Few pages, the first, uh the first 25, really have a lot of the data, and there is an executive summary.

C

On a one pager on the first first or second page so, but just a reminder, um we ran this in.

C

October, we had an eight percent return about 185 responses, a reminder that the last time we did.

C

This in 2017, it was literally two people teams of two going out sitting face to face with businesses.

C

This time it was digital, so um we've definitely turned a corner there and we're going to be able.

C

To build on, hopefully, the relationship we're we're initiating with businesses.

C

um And a reminder, we really are looking at this: the working group as a starting point.

C

Sometimes, surveys are a report card and you put it on a shelf. This is really about engaging.

C

Going forward so there there's some good data in there there there's quite a bit of similarities.

C

To the 2017 issues, which we noticed as a group so um not sure exactly what that.

C

Means except it's just persistent issues uh that businesses channel are facing here in portsmouth.

C

um But really what we want to do is engage them going forward. We've got a lot of the open comments.

C

That are going to be, um we need to go through and analyze and look for patterns kind of look.

C

For some critical mass on how the edc can come alongside businesses and either provide support.

C

Or advocacy, or maybe even potentially, solutions if they're, if they, if they present themselves so.

C

That's that's kind of where we're at the um a lot of the businesses have been in portsmouth for a.

C

Long time a lot of the business that responded, you probably noticed it with smaller businesses that.

C

Responded which we we sort of expected, um so not not a lot of surprises there, but I again, I think.

C

Based on the the outreach and our goal to and I'll talk a little bit more about that.

C

Our goal going forward, we really feel fine. This is a starting point to build relationships with.

C

With all businesses of all sizes uh portsmouth a couple things I did want to mention that.

C

um There there are at the time, which was october. Businesses were pretty confident.

C

That they were going to grow, they felt good about where they were financially and their.

C

Ability to grow improve their financial health over the next two years. That was uh that was.

C

A nice result, I'm not sure where that is today in december, but um and and we'll see what next.

C

Year holds right, but uh a few of them did talk about the uncertainty in the economy, so we're all.

C

We're all going to navigate that together and again, we want to be connected with those with.

C

Our businesses that want to be engaged with us to uh to help them address those issues.

C

All right so, and I think, as we expected, that the problems that are facing businesses right.

C

um There were some challenges with permitting with the city which we're going to dig into, but.

C

That was primarily food and hospitality industry, so we'll just address address that as we uh get.

C

More detail, but um between economic uncertainty, the ability to hire employees, energy costs and.

C

Employee housing costs they they all came up right, so we logged those. We knew we'd get those.

C

Responses and obviously a lot of folks in this room are working to address those issues as best.

C

We can, and now I think, we're going to have a kind of that second tier of issues to really partner.

C

With with our businesses, so any questions on the results and- and I do want to just take.

C

A minute after that and talk about what we've talked about as a working group going forward.

D

Those are observations you want me to save my observation for.

D

Later or is now the time I think now's the day.

D

um That the the longer that the businesses were in portsmouth sort of the the less optimistic.

D

They seem to be about growth and change in the city from a permitting perspective, so.

D

I would be interested in sort of the the data underneath some of those observations.

D

Like has it really changed for the quote unquote worse or does it just feel that way.

D

um The second thing that I found interesting was it uh it. It was very um focused on building.

D

In portsmouth being in portsmouth hiring in portsmouth and are there opportunities to augment.

D

Portsmouth businesses with digital strategies for hiring for expansion for outreach and I'm not sure.

D

I saw that from from the results like are: are they looking at more digital channels as far as.

D

um You know for restaurants, having digital menus or digital servers or other things that we could.

D

Do from a technology perspective to help support and grow businesses in in new ways.

D

So those those were my two main takeaways from it great. Thank you.

B

I'm sorry yeah. uh Thank you just to your first issue. I know that the council has been working.

E

With an uh on looking at streamlining, some of the um the permitting processes, as well as the.

E

uh The the code, the codes and making the documentation of the city fire codes and.

E

Building codes, more um accessible, more readable, they're, pretty dense the way they are, and so.

E

um I would hope that that, in part would alleviate some of those problems about permitting.

E

Just just a thought for that: we we had a working group a few years ago. It might be worth bringing.

D

Those results back as far as some observations we got from developers and business owners around.

D

Permitting improvements to see did those hit the mark. Are there still opportunities there.

D

So we could take some previous research and work that we did within the edc to see how that might.

D

Dovetail with the results here as well sean you mentioned the permitting was more tailored or.

B

More commentary from the hospitality space: yes, yes, that that's what the results we saw, but I I.

C

Think what we'll see is, if, if that's a theme for any business, doing doing business here.

C

uh We'll want to address it, I will say I had a conversation with shanti wolf and he is in.

C

The final stages of rewriting some of that that code and making it more accessible so.

C

Hopefully you know, we may know something soon, once it's presented to council and if it gets.

C

Approved then, we'll be able to put our eyes on it and share that out with our new contacts.

B

We'll go tom, then this is the mayor. Well, I was just going to say from my experience while I.

F

Was still practicing law, it was typically the not the developers who were concerned about the.

F

Administrative red tape, if you will associated with getting businesses open most of the time.

F

They have the attorneys and the staff to be able to handle that type of stuff it. It was.

F

Often particularly restaurant tours, who were trying to get liquor licenses and you got to.

F

Go through the exercise with the state and then the city adds an overlay on it. That oftentimes.

F

You know business owners, don't understand if a regulator with the state, why do we have to.

F

Go through this exercise with the city, um so I think I think the hospitality industry is probably.

F

Really driving that other businesses don't have the same administrative hoops, if you will that.

F

The hospitality field does, I was just going to comment a little bit along the same lines. This.

G

Time and I would wonder that when we, when we talk about the inspections department in the.

G

Hospitality world they were talking about just the health that we're talking about. um You know.

G

Building or we're talking about electrical and fire, so I would be interested to know in that.

G

Realm, you know where they find the inspections more difficult in what in what happened now.

C

Right and I think that's where the comments are going to help us as we go through those 80 pages.

C

So it's good it's data right, so sean yeah, so um yeah. I just wanted to mention that.

H

As a city, we have gone through a change in the permitting process over the past. I don't know.

H

I lose track now, but at least five years, maybe more where we went to uh more digital online.

H

Permitting- and I know there was a lot of chaos at that point and you know there were a couple.

H

Inspectors that cycled through so I think there have been a lot of changes and I think now things.

H

Are starting to settle down a little bit, you know, so I think it was just sort of normal if you will.

H

To to have that chaos um just because of the change, so hopefully you know we're on the right.

H

Track just anecdotally from what I hear, I think we are yeah and I think, I'm again like we talked.

C

About very early on in this process, the ability to have these communications and to and to get that.

C

Feedback and and process it is, is really exactly where we want to be at least that's as an edc and.

C

And I'll I'll just remind this group that the city is hiring a digital communications position. Person.

C

To do that, which, which is an intent to open up lines of communication with citizens, and I would.

C

Say: business as well? Really anybody, that's that's what the city council wants to be able to do more.

C

Of so, I think, there's a lot of groundwork, a lot of infrastructure being built around the ability.

C

To communicate and hopefully be responsive, um so I think we're right online with that.

I

Going back to kind of piggybacking on tom's uh comment on the restaurants and.

I

It's especially painful for restaurants that want to transition uh real estate and business.

I

uh To a new restaurant tour and can even if they want to continue the brand, continue the.

I

Name continue: the staff continue everything they can't do that transaction on a friday and then.

I

Open on monday, it's impossible and the loss of goodwill and the loss of regulars coming in on.

I

A you know, let's say a three-month shutdown, while improvements are being made and the.

I

Restaurants, being up to code is, is devastating to the numbers, whereas if they can have an easy.

I

Transition through so one of the solutions to that is somehow coming up with a plan to.

I

Do those uh required improvements over a set period of time and kind of making a making a.

I

Plan with a health department to do that over six months or 12 months, while the restaurant's.

I

Functioning, I think the other reason why I came up in the report is that that's what that's the new.

I

Businesses coming to portsmouth and restaurants, so it's going to get highlighted in the report. Yeah.

B

But I just had one thing that that struck me in the executive summary.

B

um In in the employee, section seems like they're describing the available pool of employees and the.

B

Surrounding area is very good or good, but then we also have the issue where there's.

B

Not enough staffing for or not enough ability to hire employees so was that from different.

B

Business sectors, I need to spend some more time reviewing it, but I wonder if yeah, I think at one.

C

Point we thought we asked the survey center if we could, if there was a kind of a cut by by industry,.

C

And I don't think there was so, I think we're going to have to go through the data and just see I mean.

C

We we know any, we hear anecdotally right, but uh I will just say my experience is there are.

C

I mean there's just this labor shortage: that's going to be there, but there are companies that.

C

Are figuring it out, so you know and and there's there's lots of things I I think workforce is.

C

Continuing to bubble up as a as a primary issue, um because it's going to get in the way of growth.

C

And that's that's something we we don't want to have happen. So how do we help employers? How do.

C

We understand and then is there a way for us to help with those issues I think is the opportunity.

C

Yeah they they do break it out. um The question 14 on the confidence of being able to hire. They.

J

Do break it out by industry and accommodations and food services is the lowest of that. It was.

J

30 versus similar to 50 to 70 for all the other industry segments, so it was significantly lower.

J

There so there's a lot of good stuff in here, and I know we've sort of it's natural to go to the.

J

Problem areas and want to, like you know, dissect those and and dive into that, and we certainly.

J

Should but there's a lot of good confidence in in the business community that comes across in.

J

This report, so I just hope everyone sees that and acknowledges that there's there's a lot.

J

To be uh excited about, and people are talking about, expansion they're talking about hiring.

J

They're talking and being able to hire wanting to be here important, yeah there's a lot of good.

J

Stuff in here that we should be proud of as a community, um exciting stuff looking forward.

C

It's been so going forward. Thank you for tearing that up.

C

um So so what we've talked about as a working group is so we've responded to folks who wanted.

C

The email and and what I sent them, was the the first 25 pages and said it's all available. If.

C

You want the other 80 pages, just email me, I just didn't assume they wanted. All of that.

C

But the transparency issue is: is there it's going to be public information? It's going to.

C

Be on the website, uh people who will be able to get to it, but we did respond to the folks who.

C

Asked for it and gave us their email. There are folks who asked for a meeting I'm going to send.

C

A separate email on that and start to try to get those scheduled. We talked as a group about.

C

um Creating a drip campaign helen. Is that what we call it from from all your marketers right.

C

And just using the data and getting into this, this cadence of communicating with the business.

C

With folks who want to be communicated with and and posting things um to, engage in businesses.

C

Around portsmouth, whether it's a monthly and we're pulling things out of maybe some good stuff out of.

C

The out of the survey, maybe some challenges and talk about how we're we hear you and we're trying.

C

To address them, but this drip campaign just makes a lot of sense because it goes back to again why.

C

We, why are we doing this? We want to be. We want to increase the engagement, um we talked about.

C

uh Maybe some potential, maybe a separate digital newsletter, we'll see when we get a new digital.

C

Communications person, and maybe some just some mini engagement campaigns. We may have the one.

C

Of the things we're looking at is a is a crm, a customer relationship management tool that was.

C

Built specifically for economic development organizations, I think I mentioned that at.

C

The last meeting that would give us the ability to communicate much more easily and potentially.

C

Potentially, even do interim or targeted or or our own annual surveys without having to.

C

I'll say: pay pay an outside vendor, but we'll see how that goes. The the uh here's, here's kind.

C

Of what I shared when we we kind of landed on our 12-month vision, is to have robust engagement tools.

C

um To to have um an accurate and active customer list, my language right and then have the ability.

C

To launch these interim targets and interim communications so that we're not doing this.

C

Once a year, we're not trying to catch up we're not running a survey every five years, we're just.

C

In this active dialogue with our businesses, that's the vision. Did I miss anything? Alan.

C

Or yep, no, I don't think so. Then I think um we talked a little bit about looking at who the.

H

Respondents were and what industries they're from and that sort of thing it's in trying to.

H

See if there are maybe some gaps there that we could fill or pay attention to a little more, the.

H

Next time, maybe that's, we might have missed some larger companies, because you know the email goes.

H

To someone who's, not even there anymore, you know who knows right, so that could be an opportunity.

C

For us to determine how do we want to engage larger industries yeah right, and that may be.

C

A different approach: I would hope that crm would uh be a self-scrubbing database. You know so that.

I

We're not getting bounce back emails, I don't know if we got the feedback on how many bounce backs.

I

We got the secretary of state information, you file and you have to file annually typically, but.

I

You're not looking at email addresses all the time when you're filing right, yeah right. It's going to.

C

Take some work, and I'm already thinking about uh it. It um wow getting some help over the summer.

C

Registration email, a lot of times, it's council right, yeah, right, foreign.

K

This came up with the at the chamber collaborative meeting where sean presented us.

B

Think the eight percent response rate is probably understated based on the number of emails. This.

B

Went out to and right the actual businesses that are, you know more than a sole proprietor right, so.

B

I just think that's worth noting this is probably a better sample size than than it might look at.

B

First glance: yeah one more thing. I think this this was all uh pre-pandemic, but we had started a.

D

Conversation around new ways of working co-working spaces, digital support, downtown wi-fi- have we.

D

Gotten any outreach from cove or any of the other co-working spaces to see what kinds of businesses.

D

Or industries are leveraging their shared spaces and maybe that's another opportunity for outreach.

D

If we look at the size of the businesses, a lot of them aren't going to be able to stand.

D

Up their own infrastructure but still need meeting space and maybe there's.

D

Some insight we could get from those spaces. I noticed uh portlock. I think.

D

There's another co-working space and it's interesting to anecdotally I'll share that.

J

um There's a and I don't know how commonplace this is, but I know hubspot recently gave up their.

J

Office space and it has taken a few offices in that new portwatch co-working space, because they.

J

Are mostly working remotely, so they just need a place to get together every now and then and.

J

Do their brainstorming together and you know occasionally if they don't want to work from.

J

Home you know, so they have that option. So I don't know if that's becoming more and more commonplace,.

J

But when hubspot made that decision, it certainly opened my eyes to okay. This is that's happening.

J

um Yeah, I think that's happening in the market. Andy, I'm sure you see it and yeah.

H

Because there's just not many uh office tenants out there and you have a lot of office space.

C

So I just that my reaction is, I think, there's an opportunity to say you know what what is.

C

That transformation look like in portsmouth and is there something we as edc can do to support it to.

C

To come alongside to advocate to to understand it, yes yeah, I think that's a great point. Tom.

B

uh I think there's an opportunity as well [music] um to do something that would uh sort of highlight.

F

What this commission does with the public, so I think, instead of just focusing solely on our.

F

Communications with the business community, if we could, you know, do something like a press release.

F

That would go to the general public be available on the city's website or whatever or break it.

F

Maybe even into two or three pieces that would say know this is the health of the the health and the.

F

Issues of the business community in portsmouth- I I like ben's, thought about all the positive things.

F

That this report may say- and so I don't know if we could work with somebody from the herald or or.

F

Just do it on our own, but I treat it like a census report. You know how the people will drill down.

F

On censors, which one and say this is what it's telling you about this community or that there's.

F

Section that type of thing, I think that would be helpful for the general public, but I think.

F

It would also let people know what we do as a right of the public commission.

B

Yeah I like that idea a lot. It makes me think of the great collars information that goes out.

B

Periodically, with kind of updates on the real estate market that we get for work.

B

Something along those lines, maybe quarterly, with kind of what we're up to I mean this is a perfect.

B

Example of the first instance that lends itself down and that's what we hear right: businesses.

C

Still want to come or be important with or expand, so maybe everyone doesn't know that I mean we.

C

Know people want to live here, I mean so there's just the demand is. Is there on both sides? Yeah.

B

I think it's kind of a nice point to underscore coming out of the pandemic right. I think there.

B

Was a lot of at various points over the course of the last 36 months, just with uncertainty and.

B

How our downtown water wouldn't be occupied, um so kind of a nice deflection point great and we could.

F

Do it as a drip too yeah? Absolutely importantly, yeah. I'm sure stephanie could help us with that.

K

That the press release on the news stories we wouldn't have to sort that out on our own.

E

Great, uh I would like to also suggest that um this get presented to the council at some point when.

E

When you sifted the data a little more, maybe- and I know we've all looked at it from a high level.

E

um And but I think would be important for the council to have a presentation on of this at.

E

Some point too great suggestion. Thank you ever I don't know if this is the appropriate time.

L

To bring this up, but I was with a pretty major developer in the state yesterday.

L

And he said respective to question one in massachusetts, which passed uh three weeks.

L

Ago, whatever that, he said that the state the state of new hampshire had received.

L

500 phone calls in two weeks from massachusetts, businesses that want to relocate new hampshire.

L

And right and question one is that the millionaire attacks yeah right so and I suspect, given who this.

L

Individual was he had a pretty direct line to the governor's office and so and his development.

L

Was going to take was going to be taken advantage of that, so we as portsmouth, probably I'm curious.

L

Sean have we received calls do we have we had about relocation, business out of mass.

L

I have not have not yet okay interesting to know. You know what the state's office says.

L

About that this was his proclamation, so it was pretty telling and given what happened in mass.

L

You could totally see that yeah taking place and I'll say, but even even before um that issue came.

C

Up there were companies, there are companies looking to relocate for us. That's what I'm.

C

Hearing on the street hearing that from peas, I think there are that that demand is already there.

C

For people to move for companies to move up here, so this just adds yeah right and you'll see to it.

L

Given you know back to the office question, you know, I think I read only 45 of office space is.

L

Actually occupied, not least but occupied today, so we know peas is you know, subject to that and.

L

You know it must be a huge opportunity on a piece take advantage of that if, in fact,.

L

This actually takes place. You know you think they would be the prime beneficiary right yeah.

B

Be something we're watching, obviously yeah, it's I just I'm just we still have the issues of we.

C

Need employees and we need places for them to live. You know if you're at please you bring it.

L

You bring your employees with you right, they'd, probably yeah, largely sure, yep yep opportunity.

C

Understood right the opportunities there, we have sean on our website at relocation page. You know.

L

Talks about you know who to contact what, where I mean, I mean there's some general information.

C

I, but I that that is on my to-do list. It needs to be updated and more dynamic and I'm excited about.

C

The new digital person coming in to help me with that I'll be leaning heavily on some of those new.

C

Skills but yes, I mean, if there's some general information when they come with, if they want to.

L

Come to new hampshire, I can fax some stuff because that's about the level my technology and expertise.

C

I'm not even sure we still can't read any emails you send over again. I assume if it's important.

K

Michael just ask him about whatever all right I'll ask him what his wordal.

L

Word was it oh thanks for sharing whatever that's great, the other questions or thoughts.

B

On vrne, I just one question I have in terms of it feels like this is going to be ongoing. Work still.

B

I think, maybe I guess just a question on whether the.

B

Work of that working group expands or if it stays pretty narrow, I mean, I think, there's more of an outreach.

B

I prefer to the working group yeah. I think well good, go ahead, I don't I don't know. Maybe.

H

One or more of us would swap out or something or if somebody's interested sure.

H

I don't know that we need more people in the subcommittee.

H

Necessarily, but certainly yeah, I think you are like is the: is it going to be more outwardly.

B

Focused you know we're talking retention and expansion like kind of outreach coordinating that.

B

I mean that yeah, I I think it folds up into the strategic conversation like what what's the plan.

C

Now we have some data, we have some thoughts. We have some ideas. There's work to do. I think it'll.

H

It'll sort of morph into whatever it is over time and that'll- probably change every year. You know.

H

Depending on what we get for feedback and what companies we hear from and everything else and.

H

I think we'll discover something new every time.

B

Good, uh so the next we've got on here is our land use. Update. We've got the assistant mayor, jenny.

B

Yes update, you want to share so um recently. I was not in the meeting. I was in africa, but.

G

um The land use committee submitted for city council approval to go to the planning board a.

G

Revised adu our thought process is. We would like to be able to streamline the application process.

G

um To have certain perimeters that it would just be administrative approval, you would not have to.

G

Go in front of the boards there's a little bit of division on the thought. I think a lot of the.

G

Lanyards committee views adus as more generational housing versus affordable housing. We know that you.

G

Know it can cost anywhere from 150 to 300 000. So it's really not a replacement for any type.

G

Of workforce or affordable housing, but it really can streamline. um It really is a good substitute.

G

For generational housing so having either your children there or your parents there and or both.

G

um So that did that did pass so that will be going over to the planning board.

G

um So that that is that phase we will be starting our um affordable housing segment of it.

G

um Started, I think in january, um as um our city planner is retiring and we have just promoted.

G

And so he will be heading up that so we have suspended our meeting for this month and we'll.

G

Re resume next month, when he is um actually becomes more acclimated to the position.

B

I did want to also share that uh bob marhefka will be joining and replacing.

B

Sarah in her role on the land use committee, so um jumping in in january, when work resumes.

B

And I also wanted to just in the fact that the adu has been referred to the.

B

Planning board, I thought that probably would be something that this group.

B

Would be, I think, some indication of our support.

B

For increase of housing stock would be your discussion today.

B

um I know we don't have. We haven't circulated the actual language of the proposed amendments.

B

Of the zoning out to this group, we can certainly do that, but I thought it would be at least worth.

B

This, if this group feels that something we want to support and I think, increase the housing stock.

B

And and mitigating increases to housing costs in light of all the bre stuff would be something that.

B

Could kick around today and and if we were so inclined after reviewing the adu language, that's.

B

Up for consideration either our planning border before it gets referred back to the council for a.

B

Vote something we can talk about, maybe to watch our support s, our comments from folks on that.

B

Tom, but just it's a a real that I hate to use the term can of worms, but it's it's a real opportunity.

F

To sort of get lost in a rabbit hole on these type of issues, so I I think this would be an area a.

F

Topic area for us to weigh in on, and the question I would have is: how far down do we want to drill.

F

Because watching some of the city council meetings on this and reading the piece that was in the.

F

Paper last week um you know so this land use committee has put a lot of time into the adu.

F

But but the focus seems to be has been on.

F

As much sort of protecting the character of the neighborhoods in which the adus are going to.

F

Be built as it is: let's increase the number of units of housing in the city, um so, for instance,.

F

The provision that says that the the adu has to be architecturally compatible with the main structure.

F

um I'm not so sure why that is the case, particularly since you've got.

F

Neighborhoods, in which you've got houses from many different architectural styles and periods.

F

Of time, but is that something that we want to get down to that level? Do we want to say.

F

You know where we think the biggest issue is having affordable housing having more housing.

F

And all these extra things are impediments to that or do we want to simply say we we want you to.

F

You know, make adus easier period, and so that's that's.

F

A debate- I don't have the institute right now, but I think that's that's the level we have to get.

F

To if we're going to weigh in on it and sort of relate it to that, because joanna has just reminded.

F

Us that we they are gonna, that committee is going to go into affordable housing generally. I think.

F

That's going to run into an issue. We briefly touched on two or three months ago, which is.

F

um Will affordable will the answer to affordable housing mean allowing more of it in industrial.

F

Zones and other areas that currently um you know are experiencing shortage of space as.

F

Well, so we're going to run into the conflict between the growths of of certain segments.

F

Of the economy, with the need for more housing and that's another issue that we've published to spend.

F

Some time talking about before we jump on the bandwagon, but we'll have to do it pretty soon. Yeah.

B

Favorite comments down: if I could it's a it's a a little bit tangent, but it but certainly related. I.

K

Read it may have even been in that same article, uh but I'm not sure, and I'm certainly no expert.

K

um But I read something about there: being a lack of enabling legislation from the state that allows.

K

A mandate for affordable housing as part of a a project, so I'm wondering how other towns I.

K

Mean we hear about dover all the time uh you know and other in other cities and towns in the state.

K

Mandating larger percentages around that, how do they get around? That does anyone know and is that.

K

Something we can adopt, or is that just simply the way we do it? It's only a few density bonuses that.

J

They they that's. The only tool that exists through the state right now is density bonuses, so you can.

J

Incentivize it, but you cannot require it, um is the the broad strokes of how that works. Am I.

J

Correct david yeah: that's exactly what happened in stratford county courthouse right there, uh timber.

M

Was able to save it because he was able to get a mission enough additional units in the back side.

M

Of the building in a new structure to justify he keeping a certain percentage of them, affordable.

M

But you're absolutely right. The problem new hampshire has is no 40b enabling legislation so.

M

I know there's been some talk about working with all open delegation.

M

Trying to see where that goes, but you know new hampshire is such a homeless state yeah.

M

I'm not sure why there is, um I believe at least one piece of legislation that.

G

Was submitted prior to the session opening that is bringing a bill to bring that forward again.

G

um I believe, from my recollection that bills have been brought back almost every every single.

G

Session to try to push it through and they a lot of them just get expedited to kill, um but.

G

That that is a that is a problem and it's a it's a constant problem, especially, I think not especially.

G

But on the council side it's something that we we always you know have to go back to is, of course,.

G

We would require mandated affordable and workforce units in every development if we could, but we can.

G

um And so it's a it's a hard line that we have that we end up having to draw on as all of us.

G

Here explain to the public continuously like we would. If we could, we would if we could, we let we.

G

We can't um part of it. I know the the mayor and the males mayor's round tables are meeting again.

G

um The legislative subcommittee did meet with our local delegation and again we are pushing it.

G

um There has been small talk, small conversation about going to other about actual um the mayor.

G

Myself and some other people going to other communities through the the housing coalition.

G

And really pitching it out to them. I think we, you know you have this division in our state.

G

um And you know sometimes it's beating across the table saying that, just because we have this.

G

Legislation doesn't mean that you have to do it in your municipality, but we would like to do it.

G

In ours um to touch on one of the things, if you don't mind that tom said about the character base,.

G

um The goal was of that is not for everywhere in in the community. It's.

G

um Because if we go through the administrative approvals, we really wanted to do something to make.

G

Sure, like the htc and the planning board and the zoning board were going to be comfortable that if.

G

If something happened in in the historic district that it was going to fit the historic district.

G

um My personal opinion is, I think, that article was a little one-sided. There was no, um there was.

G

There was no questioning of anyone on the landers board, which is why there was no comments in that.

G

um So I think it was, it was very much you know. One counselor's opinion um presented in that article.

G

Which, I think is a shame, because it has been around nine to ten months of of really intense.

G

Work that's gone into um with with the landers committee with the city staff, with our outside.

G

um um Outside resources that went into really kind of honing down that, but again the goal of.

G

That part of the process is to get it, so it's administratively approved. So we have, you know a.

G

Dozen or so um requirements, and if you meet those then you're good you don't have to we were. We were.

G

Finding that people were spending 20, 30 000, just on legal upfront costs, um and so we were set. You.

G

Know our big goal and we did a big survey. We had small working groups with people who had.

G

um Built adus applied for adu's architects engineers attorneys that had represented.

G

Clients and the the overreaching analysis was that the initial cost of adus was so prohibitive.

G

And very subjective to, as we know these, these boards go back and forth and very subjective to.

G

um You know what people wanted in certain communities and in certain neighborhoods.

G

And so the goal again was to bring it back to just a very as we talk about streamlining.

G

Streamlining a lot of inspections and a lot of things within our city government is.

G

Bringing it back to okay, if somebody, if the chief planning um the the city planner, says yes, if the.

G

um You know if staff can say: yes, then we can get that we can get that going.

D

Cool, thank you, sarah. So one quick, I think, back to what um commissioner mahafka had shared.

D

When we were at the high school around taking positions around specific parcel development and.

D

um And commissioner watson's feedback on at at what cost or what's our position, I think it would.

D

Behoove us to develop some strong, shared positions on the areas that have economic impact in the city.

D

Like we, we are advocates for affordable housing or workforce housing in these conditions, and you.

D

Know in making it as easy as possible versus getting into the details of the supporting a.

D

Specific piece of um a piece of work: that's going through a particular board. I I feel like we're. We.

D

May be lacking some of those grounding principles that we can draw from when we decide what we take.

D

A position on and what we do not, I think, we've kind of always had you know a general policy, but.

B

Nothing in writing on on so so I think my thought on this wouldn't be specific to um it would be.

B

More an indication of support for increase in housing stock to mitigate costs, not for specific.

B

Parameters within the zoning amendment so that it would be applicable whether it's in this case.

B

Or others, but to your point I mean it could be in conflict. Sometimes if we feel like we don't want.

B

To be cannibalizing industrial zones or working against the zoning ordinance, so I think it could.

D

Be part of our everything seems to come back to the strategic development it could be. This is.

D

What we focus on as our strategy, so that this is this is what we choose to invest time and and in.

D

um And- and this is this is where we focus so, if we can draw from that, you know bring it back.

D

To our our goals and our principles, it'll make it easier to have these conversations.

A

Phil sean is there, um have we investigated the state or the governor's? um Do you have 20 million.

L

Dollars, what was the number that he was setting aside for? Affordable housing, invest nh, yeah, yeah.

B

um We haven't a big. I know that what she has. What's that, let's see the city has the city.

J

The city received significant funding both for uh to hire a position. That's a housing.

J

Advocate or housing advocate navigator navigator and uh also some money for some.

J

Zoning uh review and through by an outside consultant, so the city staff, did a great.

J

Job of tapping into some of that money, we're we're at fort smith. Unfortunately,.

J

um The the big pool of that money was to to for ten thousand dollars a unit to to incentivize some.

J

Housing would be at affordable rates that had to be shovel ready projects, and I don't think there's.

J

Anything that hit the right timing in portsmouth. So we we missed that pool of money which was.

J

Unfortunate but some local communities did, which I think will benefit the region as a whole.

J

um I think exeter exeter yeah both both received some funding in that I would- and I brought this.

L

Up since 2020, when the city received was a 12 or 20 million dollars, and it was it afghan, I'm.

L

I don't know sorry about the the acronym from the federal government and it was put- and I know the.

L

The city managers that we've used some of it over time, but there's a pool of money there and I was.

L

Just of the impression that would this would be a great place for us to seed. You know a major.

L

um uh Workforce housing project somewhere in the city- and I know other people- have.

L

Other feelings about it, but if you really want to have a legacy kind of impact on.

L

The city and, given that that's been what one of our primary objectives uh at the.

L

Edc it's part of our mission, then my view we should be advocating for that.

A

All right, I I had coffee with craig walsh a little while ago and.

E

um We talked about this whole thing and, yes, he missed basically missed.

E

The opportunity for that, because he didn't have a he's, just finished this one project.

E

um And he's looking at looking at his next one. Unfortunately, the everything moves too.

E

Slowly, to have him get uh in on that um for this year, but he's looking forward to next year as a.

B

If any of those funds might still be available yeah, I think I think, and I know sean right.

L

There's a window of time, we have to use it. I think, there's still a couple of years, but.

L

I forget all the details, I don't think yeah but but I guess the question that I would have is and.

K

Again, I I don't recall the details, you probably both would much better than I I seem to recall.

K

The the city manager um going through the uh the asks for that money versus the pool left and it.

K

Was something in the order of five million or 6 million left? Yes, 17 million in requests yeah, so so.

J

Yeah I mean I've been 100 agreement that you know that these are the kinds of things that we ought.

K

To be investing in, but I'm wondering practically speaking, whether that is is even a potential.

K

Seems like a missed opportunity, but you know there's so many required requests. Well, I guess.

E

I would respond to that as saying that you know um if, if this is a priority of the edc,.

E

um It would be good for the adc to make a statement to the city council.

N

System to touch on what you said, I think that this housing navigator, that that we.

G

Were granted the position over, I think two years will really help set up fundamentally.

G

You know the course that we need need to take. um I said, oh, I just like just lost it.

G

A

If uh the the committee would like, um we do have a housing policy uh set in place in 2017.

G

We are looking to um you know, revitalize that it basically says it was uh from.

G

um Spearheaded by senator uh coca, then counselor coca. That says that um it's really a policy geared.

G

Towards the approval boards that says that, if, if a project leads with affordability, to give it some.

G

Some mercy on some of the other things um so we're looking to kind of get that back out there to to.

G

The zoning board to the planning board- um and I you know, between sean and myself- can share it.

G

With this committee, because that may fall more in line, um as you said, commissioner lachance.

G

With the over, you know what we get behind and I constantly bring that up when we are when we're.

G

Talking about projects and email back and forth with the planning board, um because it's kind.

G

Of like a forgotten city policy that that you know if somebody is leading with affordability,.

G

um You know they to look at some of the cups and variances a little bit differently.

B

Would be interested in seeing that yeah? We know that portsmouth housing is moving forward with.

O

Their next project, his the deadline, was yesterday for submissions for concepts and he's looking at.

O

August the tax credit um deadline, but that project's also going to need zoning relief.

N

It'll need changes to zoning work to go forward. Tell us where that is or is that not public? Yet I.

O

I don't know, is it public, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know if it's hidden.

O

But I don't know right, I don't know, ask me after the meeting. Obviously I would say this that in my.

E

Conversation um with craig um he's very interested in the sherburne school all right. Thank you. Yeah.

G

I think that's I think, that's been out in the public around as lister academy is going to move.

G

To community campus, that's right um right, which that those fans are going up for approval, and I I.

O

Think the the one of the guesses on zoning is that it could move to be a gateway district, a g1 yeah.

O

Because it's not proper right now and that would need to be strips. I wasn't supposed to say that I.

E

Didn't say that I feel like that's why this didn't want to come from. My mouth wasn't coming from.

F

If anybody's watching this later on and there's this blank thing again,.

F

All right, the reach.

B

Just to close the loop on, I think someone made the one of the comments about.

B

um Ability for the city to to require.

B

Affordability within projects- I think that's one thing- that the land use committee will be.

B

Looking at is incentives, so I think it's time to revisit what exists in zoning now.

B

Evaluated through if there's changes there so that might frame some of the discussions and where we.

B

Can be active and advocating or not advocating and without being conflicting with zoning? That's.

B

Revised so okay, just just as closure.

F

We have an action plan or are we going to wait and see what happens next.

B

um So I think, if, if the assistant mayor could circulate the housing policy, I think we don't.

B

Not asking for, I think, maybe we can save some of the air time for the strategic.

B

Any discussion, I think, there's certainly enough there to my suggestion- would be to focus our.

B

January meeting on that topic, we can take up this particular item. As part of that, I don't think that.

B

The council will be hearing any first or second reading of any changes to zoning prior to then.

B

So I think we should all have a robust discussion around the topic, because it has implications for.

B

The adu, but also many others that we're likely to see in the year ahead so rather not be two.

B

Get too far ahead of ourselves yeah and I'm not. I don't have a specific proposal, but.

F

I it seems to me we might want to be involved earlier in that process of creating the new laws.

F

Than to wait till it gets to the council stage and then say you know, we have concerns about it.

F

um So, just just being a little more proactive, proactive at this stage, yep, and I think that.

B

Would be my thought, with representation on the land use committee as they're looking.

B

At that they'll keep us surprised, and I think you know we've got great.

B

Dc representation and perspective from both of you on on where we are so, as those discussions evolve.

B

And I think there's going to be opportunities for public input. um I think that's already happened.

B

On the adu p, so certainly we're kind of late to the game on that. But as we're going through the.

B

Public input process, you know bringing that back to us, but I think that strategic conversation and.

B

January will help tee that up and and maybe we can do, a good job of setting.

B

That in place, so when these topics come up, they'll be prepared to give our perspective.

A

Okay, all right excellent, so um do either of the counselors have updates outside of what we've.

B

Already touched upon to share with us today, yeah I have a few um just you know one of the things.

E

That the council has been working on is the um islington uh creek neighborhood parking program.

E

um And um I think so we had a very we had a workbook session on that.

E

um It was pretty robust commentation, um I um I don't know where that's going myself. um I.

E

My my major concern, my personal major concern is that it doesn't become something that is divisive.

E

um And because there's people who are all for it and there's people who are are not and.

E

um Maybe the assistant mayor can have a different view of that, but.

E

um The other thing that's been well. We talked about the code review and stuff like that. There's.

E

A proposal to create the you know the belhenko park as a sculpture park that was brought up by.

E

The uh the portsmouth 400 committee and uh that that was very good very positively. uh We did.

E

Settle the deer street uh law saw law suit as well, and that that was pretty important to do.

G

Sorry just to expand on on the deer street um within that settlement agreement, the city.

G

Is getting 100 and I think, sixty five thousand dollars to develop block two, which is if you've.

G

Walked by there recently that pretty awful lot that sits between the parking lot and an eastern.

G

Bank and so that will be a park that will be public public space, um so part of our settlement.

G

Money comes back and um well that will turn into green space public use park. It's not the whole lot.

G

It's it's lot too yeah a lot too tired from the street to the yeah. The whole whole lot too.

L

um It's pretty good the system is so is that is that, more than just what was the lay down area because way back when we cited the parking garage there.

L

Was gonna be a lay down area between the hotel and the garage, and that was.

L

Going to be a public area, and we would have sculptures so is it? Is that considered law.

L

Two, or is it that is not two yeah yeah: it is yeah, so there's a still a liner building.

G

Sold several of those lots so the so the development plans have changed um the hotel.

G

That will be on if you are looking on it onto the left, we'll still be there and then lot two yeah.

G

Cuts across like this, so I think maybe that parcel includes eastern bank that building yeah so so.

B

There was originally a liner building proposed, yes, that the lot too sits between the parking garage.

B

And that building that still will be developed at some point. It sounds like yeah or it could be. Yes,.

B

So we're not getting more land than we originally thought as well. No it's getting apart, we're just.

G

Getting apart, that's okay, great, uh the other thing um is, is that we removed all, but one taxi.

E

Parking spaces from downtown there's only one medallion left in town sounds like a business.

E

Opportunity yeah, so we thought that it was ridiculous to have all these taxi parking spaces.

G

Thank you, and so we add yeah, and so we added some more parking space, muted parking spaces.

D

Which is good, are they short-term or what? How how do they return to inventory? They were there.

E

Well, they're in this, I'm I'm not sure how they are so they were. There were three on.

G

uh Market streets so the this. I actually spurred this because, as um with uh outdoor.

G

Dining there was a little, obviously downtown um commotion, and so I went to my neighbors and said.

G

um Hey, if I could get you a spot in front of your your spot um year round, not just you know would.

G

You be happy with that, and so I went around and um um marked where all of the the taxi stands were.

G

And out, and about saw that they just weren't used so brought that back to park in traffic and safety.

G

um Through conversations found that there was only one active, medallion.

G

um I think that at the height there are like 10 active medallions, and so it made sense to have.

G

um You know six or seven spots, uh so we there's only one left and it's at the corner of beau and.

G

Market kind of uh right outside where uh native sun, the old fat bellies is, uh we were gained two.

G

Spots, their full normal spots, not 15, minutes um in front of essentially um the gas list, so right.

G

In front of that and then in front of g willikers, then there were two in front of um the new toscana.

G

And then I believe, one more down on congress that we got back. Oh wow, prime parking yeah prime.

G

Parking though, yes and obviously we know um for the last, I think, six or eight months, loading zones.

G

Were monitored and now those uh between three and five pm now turn into regular parking spots too.

G

So it's the higher use one. So I think it's market directly in front of my business stays a loading.

G

Zone until like 5 p.m, um but the ones in front of um kill ones and things become regular parking.

G

After I believe, 3 p.m, so really trying to up um available spots, especially in light of hanovers.

G

And cost of moxie now too um that becomes regular parking so.

G

We just know parking is always yeah, yeah, very exciting issue. uh What else? Oh, we had a special.

E

Meeting on the uh little bay water pipe, um this is a very important project for portsmouth. The.

E

This is a new pipe, a 24 inch pipe going across little bay from um from the balcony reservoir.

E

To right to portsmouth, uh 70 percent of our water comes from the bellamy, so it's.

E

um The and there are the two existing pipes are 60 plus years old. We have pictures of them.

E

They're all pitted- and you know it's- uh it would be a total disaster if we lost them in.

E

Any way, so this new pipe is very important. We had um we've been negotiating with the owners.

E

Of the property, it's private property um and it hasn't the negotiation negotiations have not yet.

E

Been fruitful but the the owners came to the meeting, um they seem to be very amenable. They.

E

Had concerns about what they viewed as a lack of communication, what the city viewed as changing.

E

um Engineering issues, um so it's it's a project, that's in process. The changing engineering.

E

They just created different conversations over time. The council really stressed that.

E

We would rather see a a negotiated sale of the right-of-way, rather than a than a eminent.

E

Domain process, just animate domains just an ugly thing to do so. um I I hope, I'm hoping that we get.

E

um Kind of frequent updates on where that is so that we can keep it in a negotiated process.

K

May I ask um the the reported drama around the eminent domain issue? Has it been overblown in.

K

Our uh in our press, or is that a real thing? It didn't seem like a lot of drama um it just.

E

You know I I mean we had conversations with these people who owned the property.

E

And it's they seem very amenable to to working with us. um They were just frustrated in that.

E

The the details kept changing because of the engineering.

E

So um is there currently just curious? Is there currently a pipe on the property that yes they're.

B

Two lives so so looking to kind of codify that solidify that and yeah so, and this would be a.

E

Third pipe and um this one of the problems is that those pipes are so old and the valves are so old.

E

um They don't dare turn them off or move them just because if it broke, you know it would be.

E

A disaster, so um what the plan is to put the new pipe in then cap off those pipes do what.

E

Whatever and that needs to be done to them, maybe run a liner through them and then reopen them.

E

So I think to expand on that. I think that's a very important part of it is that there's there's a lot.

G

Of concern about the integrity of the current pipes, uh there's been a lot of not a lot but.

G

A little bit of um community feedback, as you know, why don't we just run through those pipes and why.

G

Don't we, you know, try to salvage them, but it seems based on the engineering reports that they are.

G

Just not salvable um and generally concerned that, if we do anything to them, let it becoming yeah.

G

It could be compromised and um through dpw and there's, there's there's a big desire to expand our.

G

Ownership of the of the reserve area um because there are there is concern that um you know.

G

Developments could happen within a few miles of it and how that could affect affect uh the reservoir.

G

So I think the city's goal is to purchase more of of continuously purchasing more of that land to.

G

Make sure that our water supply stays safe right? This is, I mean this is just an easement across.

E

This property, if these properties, these pro this property, has been in the family, this family for.

E

Centuries, you know it was that old, um so I don't think they're willing to give it up.

E

um But other properties we've recently bought another track uh of land around.

E

The uh reservoir to protect the watershed, so it's it's it's important. um We did vote unanimously to.

E

um Authorize the eminent domain because it's the council's, we have to whether.

E

We want a negotiation, but we need the pipe. So it's uh stuff like that.

E

I guess um oh um there's a proposal to make state street 2a, and this is something that I think that.

E

The uh edc could uh think about and maybe give the council some feedback on uh that. This is one of.

E

Those things that uh that it would basically take the traffic off the bridge and take it up state.

E

um Inbound, take it up to state street rather than congress street or daniel street, and.

E

Congress street- and um it was, uh you know that kind of change- everyone has an opinion, and so.

E

um I'd like to know what you know, what the business community really thinks of.

E

That idea on the the opportunity for reducing traffic flow on up through market square and.

E

Congress street would give us the opportunity, maybe to change the ratio of street to the.

E

Sidewalk through that area and uh and maybe the advantage of that, of course, would be maybe.

E

Getting rid of the the jersey barriers for outdoor dining and all that stuff. So.

E

um It's an interesting question. I I don't know which way it'll go and so could I just ask: what's.

E

The timing on that, it's just a it- was just a proposal to study it. So there's no study yet.

H

There are studies from, I believe, 2017 and maybe 2019 yeah, but I know there's, I think, a 2017 one.

G

um And so it's it's just looking at that date again so, starting with like work sessions and.

G

Very broad conversations- and I think this was brought up by councilor morale.

G

um And it's it's really also looking at um market square will be renovated in the next few years. So.

G

Looking at what do we want to do there? Do we want to expand sidewalks? um I know a huge.

G

Point of conversation is the junction of pleasant and daniel or daniel, turns to congress and market.

G

And how it's, just if you're not familiar with the area, it just feels very a safe. I sit out there.

G

um More so, I think than almost anyone besides anne.

G

um And watched the flow of traffic there and it's pretty it's pretty horrible.

G

um So as we as we go through and start the process of looking at um the market street master market.

G

Square master plan uh is really looking again bird's eye view of the escape for downtown.

E

But the last thing I just want to bring up is- and I just we just received our council packet.

E

For monday, um and in it is a a report on the outdoor dining, I haven't read it yet. um I saw.

E

It was there, so is that the survey that you sent us um you know, as I say I haven't, read it yet.

E

No, it's the planning department, planning department.

C

A whole committee of staff that worked through the process.

G

So it's their report box that will be recommendations going forward, but.

E

um As I say it just came to the council came to my attention and but that I think, should be.

E

Informative to this committee as well right, yeah, okay, we've got it and you know andy and then tom.

O

um Just on the the two-way state street, I saw a presentation by the city planner for city of.

O

Dover and the work that they did looking at their main street, I can't remember the name.

O

Of the main street in dover, but you know it's a racetrack um and they we we saw the whole. He.

O

Presented the whole process they went through and they have decided to change to two-way, but.

O

They're waiting to 2024 because they too have a 400th birthday and they don't want to run images.

O

Of anybody coming back into the town and be confused, but it was interesting hearing why.

O

It went to one way and then what they've done to study it to get it get to yes on two-way.

I

Okay, andy again on the state street um for this, this group uh in this room, there's.

I

Plenty of resources and case studies out there for two uh one-way streets going to two-way, so.

I

If you're looking for a weekend reading, there's there's a ton of information out.

I

There that's been going on, you know, since we were building streets for bicycles um only and.

I

Just an encouragement to the counselors that are there with this. With this item uh on state street.

I

And a lot of other items that, where I've attended council meetings a lot of times.

I

The both the board and the community or the council and the community treats the.

I

Issue as if we're the first city in the whole country to ever deal, I've stood up and said that.

I

um Did a lot of work on the skateboard ordinance um 10 years ago and we had a change and I think.

I

We've had another change since then, and the bike lane on middle street is a really good.

I

Example of you know just go to montreal. There's tons of places that have spent so much time on.

I

These issues, but I'm really excited to see you know what the how the state street study goes.

I

But there's there's a lot of there's a lot of like great. If you're into urban planning.

I

There's a lot of great great information out there. There's tons yeah, oh yeah, a lot of case studies.

E

Yeah, I just have one more thing too, just that the uh arts and nonprofits uh committee is forming a.

E

Subcommittee to replace um to well to look at the cultural plan. Cultural plan was last done in 2000.

E

12, I think, um and uh it's needing it's needing updating it was done by art, speak if anyone.

E

Recalls art speak, which is now for seven years, uh the funk. So we don't have a um an art review.

E

Committee at this time, and uh so that's part of the cultural plan- is to create an art review.

E

Group for the city for public art, my hope is that it makes murals easier. So we can add.

G

Some vibrancy and we speak on monsters. I love walking around montreal and the.

G

Latin quarter and just you know, mural after mural after mural and it's it's beautiful.

B

Tom did you want to circle it back? I I don't want to belabor this, but I think this whole state.

F

Street thing is an issue that could impact on the business community, so I would ask maybe that.

F

Sean get copies of those 2017 and 19 reports. When we put that on the meeting in january.

L

Because it relates to that there was, there was a.

L

Studying whether or not they were to to make fleet street uh to expand, sidewalks.

L

Decide if that was going to be one way or two-way, is that sean do we know or do the.

L

City councilors know where that's gone. I think, because last summer we were talking about the.

G

um Yeah, well, I don't know exact status of it. um It was actually the first time that.

G

The city used the qr codes too, so they are expanding the sidewalks there. I believe it.

G

Is going to stay a two-way, but the sidewalks are going to get slightly so they're going to reduce.

L

The eliminate some parking spots- yeah yeah- I can get a full update from peter rice and.

G

Report back for the next meaning yeah, because I thought the impetus behind that was when you.

L

Come in from maplewood and try to get into the parking garage they wanted to go one way there.

L

So and that's a disaster right now with that yeah for the oyster house, yeah yeah, so so that's going.

L

To continue to be two-way, there don't quote me on that I'll get the report back from peter. You.

O

Know whatever it is, it's happening in 2020, 24., yeah, there's like there's a gap skipping the 23.

O

Year, because they don't want construction during festivities so and those people that are 400 are.

L

Coming back for their anniversary they're not going to know the city, it's going to be really.

E

Good and I mean there's a huge amount of infrastructure on on fleet streets.

E

And I was the driving factor right, so it's an opportunity for bringing more power into the city.

G

It's the first street. I believe that the lives will be buried well when they're redoing. That.

G

Don't quote me on that, but I I know that that wasn't part of the varied life it is part of.

L

The very pretty sure the buried lines, and I also believe that I think so yeah. I know that was a.

G

Heavy part of the conversation and then also on market street extension when that gets redone.

G

Looking at china looking at burying those- and I know that obviously there's no policy input.

G

But there's been a lot of conversation um uh with trying to push developers as they.

G

Redo things to very lines: did they do it at um mcnabb's yep? They did. They did it at the boat.

G

um Paid for that yeah the developer paid for that yeah, but how come? He still has two.

N

Big poles in front of the building that well, I think, they're, going to go away.

G

Yeah but they buried most of the conduit, and so I know that that is yeah. They.

E

Have a conversation underground transformer there too, which is eversource hates but yeah.

B

Counselor um thanks assistant mayor, uh so we've got ben next on our agenda. Yeah I'll 30.

J

Seconds or less here, uh we've had some really great success with public relations. Lately.

J

um uh Portsmouth is featured on usa today as the second best travel destination for holidays.

J

um Also, a trip advisor had a big article, so we also have several media in town this coming.

J

Weekend I wish the the rain was going to be snow, so it looked a little cuter for the holidays, but.

J

Regardless we'll get some good media out of uh that, we've been ramping up our educational.

J

Opportunities for our membership in the community and we've had several of those recently. I.

J

Mentioned restaurant week happened. uh We we gather the data from the restaurants, we ask them.

J

To compare their 10-day prior and their 10-day post to the 10 days of restaurant week and it's.

J

Pretty consistently a 50 bump during restaurant week, so that's uh significant for a restaurant.

J

Just the number of tickets granted, those tickets might be slightly lower price points slightly.

J

um But it's it's a it's a really great thing. um We also are engaging in a strategic planning process.

J

um So that that's kind of interesting timing, we'll be going through a similar process at.

J

The chambered starting that in january and wrapping that up by hopefully july.

J

um And then, lastly, I'll just mention is our public policy committee that does our advocacy work and.

J

Kind of monitors legislation- one of the goals of that committee- is to provide opportunities.

J

For uh the business community to connect with our elected officials, both on a local state and and.

J

To as much as we can a federal level, so we will be hosting an elected officials reception. We haven't.

J

Done that in many years so that'll be january 30th it's a monday evening and non-city council.

J

Monday evening and that'll be at the press room at the end of the work day, so you'll all receive.

J

Invitations to that, and really we just want to have great dialogue between the business community.

J

um And and our local and state elected officials- so hopefully you can join us for that and that's.

J

All I'll share great thanks, so I suspected we've got a pretty compressed time frame for the rest of.

B

Our meeting I do want to get the public comment, um but I think it feels like there's enough meat to.

B

What we talked about today to have a dedicated session, um I would say as soon as possible. I.

B

Think we've got our regular january meeting on the calendar for encirculate anything yet, but is that.

B

uh So, sixth or seventh, this, the sixth is, uh is the first friday I did. I didn't know if we wanted.

C

To look at that yeah monday's a holiday meet on the first friday of every month again next year,.

B

uh That would be my my default, but certainly which is fine with me, but yeah. We just hadn't.

F

Decided last year we handed out a yearly schedule in advance or something so I just didn't know.

B

Whether there was yeah, I think that would be the plan we'll we'll have something mapped out for.

B

The full calendar year at our next meeting, um I think we will plan to meet on the sixth unless.

B

There's any objections and then we'll plan on the first friday and we'll take a look at.

B

Where fridays fall with holidays and calendar um bigger picture, I think it would be helpful.

B

To have, maybe you know, we've done a retreat in the past. I think we did the last one we had in.

B

Person was at the levin syndrome in the library and we had it facilitated. um I think feels like.

B

It's been long enough and the world has changed enough, that it would be beneficial to kind of.

B

Follow the similar format, if there's an appetite and a willingness to do that, maybe outside of our.

B

First, friday meeting, so we can look at calendars when we get together the first of the month and.

B

Ellen and sean- and I can put our heads together on how we want to approach that. But I think.

B

We don't want too much more time to go by with all going on, potentially for us to weigh in on.

B

In the next year, um and then that way, we could still kind of keep our ordinary business, and I.

B

Wanted to put it to this group how the past year has gone. uh I think we've gone on some field trips.

B

um We'd continue to have kind of our our periodic report outs from the chamber from.

B

Colliers uh and from other city staff, members planning, board, etc. I think of my default again.

B

Would be to kind of stick to that and then but curious on feedback from from everyone here.

H

Yeah, I think that's a a good plan and I think you know in previous years we've adjusted.

H

As we've gone along, you know, if something comes up, then we decide how to approach it.

H

um And I think you know if we can do a retreat. I think that would be helpful. Yeah I forget, did.

H

We do a half day last time at the levinson room yeah it was a couple hours. It certainly wasn't.

B

A full day no, but it was certainly at two two and a half hours yeah. I thought that was good.

H

And then covet hit and screwed everything up after we had gotten everything perfect.

A

Under your leadership.

F

The question is whether we need a facilitator for that or not. um I think it's helpful. It is helpful.

F

If the person knows enough about what we're doing in advance, so it doesn't become a formulaic.

F

How do we build a team together? I think most of us have been on this for a couple of years. Anyways.

F

Right so um I I think in most cases, facilitators are good, particularly if you get enough like a.

F

Full day retreat, but I think, if we're only going to get together for three hours, then.

F

If, if we do our own advanced planning a little bit.

F

One of us can almost be the facilitator. Okay, just aside and this I I nominate commissioner watson.

A

You know the whole concept of commissioner watson seemed a little strange to me.

D

No, I agree, I think, if, if we only have three hours, it's really not the time for idea generation, it's.

D

The time for idea refinement, so we need some some sort of pre-work in order to make. If we're.

D

If we're hoping to exit that retreat with us a strategy, we need pre-work agreed yeah.

N

Well, well, what so, I think, that's you know our folks most comfortable with a three-hour.

B

Engagement, I think a full day would be great, but I don't know how realistic that is, for this group.

B

And I think I wouldn't want to wait to try to get perfection for more if there's a willingness.

B

To to dedicate a morning or an afternoon in january later in the month, so we can do maybe.

B

A little bit more pre-work and I would ask everyone to come to the january meeting with.

B

Some thoughts, I think we have some common themes. We've been grappling with for the last couple of.

B

Years that are obvious, but I think advocacy is a huge one. We all want to be more impactful and I.

B

Think there's likely to be a lot coming before the council um over the next 12 months that it.

B

Would be good for us to be ready to react and respond and be proactive on stuff coming through.

B

I agree perhaps we could circulate a straw man for uh commission to review and edit sounds good.

B

A

Okay, I guess I would say that as much as I think tom would do a good job. I think that if he's.

E

um Facilitating we lose his input, that was strategic events. Okay,.

A

You obviously haven't been on this long enough.

B

Well, I think we'll come with a couple of date: options.

B

um We'll think through that, put some pre-work in uh from a leadership perspective and ask.

B

For other input beyond that, we'll get something out before the january.

B

Meeting and welcome any additional topics or themes, we want to make sure we're covering.

B

That'll be exciting. Okay, um I did have one other question that I had on my list that I neglected to.

B

Ask in the council update section- and I know at our last meeting, uh the city manager had.

B

Mentioned that mcintyre might be coming before the council tonight december. I mean monday monday, okay,.

B

um I don't know okay, so it's in the packet uh it's and it's a non-public. Okay,.

N

It's like a meeting in december or yeah.

C

The second meeting is december: 14th is the second council meeting in december, and this.

B

Is a decision to get an application in to the national park service yeah.

H

Are you getting uh a budget? Are you going to find out what it costs? um I don't know.

C

Okay, hopefully we will before it gets built. I mean karen indicated that that happened.

I

A week ago and that's not confidential, but the number's confidential, so I think something.

B

Answers yeah: what is it? That's the confidential part yeah. Well, maybe you find that out tune in.

N

Monday night: oh right, okay, but again, another topic that that I think we've kind of been on.

H

The referencing, the bold c, should weigh in on you know of the city, pay or subsidize a project or not.

H

I'm sure that'll come before us well, it may become before us, but if there's action needed before.

B

Yeah, I think, we're probably running short on time to have a meaningful conversation already yeah.

B

By the citizens, but it sounds like the city council has to vote on this this month, right, yeah,.

E

I I presume so again, I you know we're going to learn a lot on monday night. I think.

E

I don't know what we're gonna learn either so and we you know, we won't learn until right. Right.

B

When it actually comes well, they presumably the council will approve whatever the proposal is.

F

Going to be in mid-december and then it has to be submitted to park service by the end of the month.

F

So it will be a beta complete by the time we meet again yeah yeah.

E

Sorry, you don't know anything anyways.

B

Okay, um well, then, I guess uh we'll jump. The public comment.

M

You were talking about, uh every business is coming in from massachusetts. It might be interesting to.

M

Have michael bergeron from the department of b a this is an economic repair to come and speak.

M

The whole sort of thing I will tell you that in bob and andy correct me if I'm wrong, but.

M

I don't there's exactly zero square feet of industrial space available in portsmouth right now,.

M

He's a very interesting he's got his pulse on who's, who they're talking to he could.

M

Respond to that question about the millionaires when I heard about that is more, that the ceos.

M

Are looking to buy property up here right here, establish the residents, not the companies, it's.

M

Very difficult to move a company and move people out of massachusetts up here. Did the company.

M

Just as an anecdote to that 111 ledge road is a industrial building in seabrook, my company and I.

M

Want to say, georgetown newbury, sometimes they've got called munchers, which makes dehumidification.

M

Equipment pool there, but it was not a move. It was an expansion. Okay. So that's what we're seeing a.

M

Lot of expansion, but we have no industrial space, so it's relevant the other question, the other.

M

Thing I just want to mention. I did when I saw that comment about making state street two-way.

M

I did sort of an informal survey of friends and businesses. I know not many people in favor, but for.

M

A lot of reasons, but I'm sure it'll, be looked at very carefully so and the other thing in regards.

M

To don't forget, there was a millions of dollars spent on improving state street when it's going.

M

Two ways would any of that be impacted. If I mean we're going one way, if it would go two ways, no.

M

Thanks dave, thank you.

N

Okay, um lots lots covered. Thank you uh anything further. Other business.

B

Anyone wants to touch upon before we entertain a motion to adjourn.

B

Okay, so next meeting uh friday january, 6th 7 30 a.m,.

B

Second, second,.

B