Town of Hampton - Lane Memorial Library

- ROCKINGHAM PLANNING COMMISSION -
The Rockingham Planning Commission (RPC) is a voluntary local public regional planning
commission established under state law (RSA 36) which is created by, sustained by and connected
directly to the local government it serves. It exists to provide professional planning assistance to local
governments and to coordinate local and regional planning in the areas of land use, transportation,
natural resources protection, housing and economic development and operates in an advisory capacity
to its member communities. The Commission, which is not affiliated with Rockingham County,
serves a state-defined population of approximately 180,000. Commission membership is voluntary
and is maintained through the payment of annual dues, based on town population.
The RPC is controlled by the Board of Commissioners, who set policy, oversee the budget and decide
what work the Commission will undertake. Each member town is entitled to appoint at least two
Commissioners to the RPC Board. The Commissioners representing Hampton are Peter Olney,
Warren Bambury, Fran McMahon and Maurice Friedman, Alternate.
The local technical services provided by the Commission include the preparation and updating of
master plans, CIPs open space plans, natural resource inventories and a variety of other planning
document; providing “circuit rider” (shared) planners for smaller towns; assistance with the review of
major development plans; developing GIS maps for town planning; assisting in grant application for
federal and state funds; drafting and update zoning ordinance and subdivision and site plan
recommendation of zoning regulations relating to the beach area. As a result of a town wide extensive
road inventory and road measurement program by the RPC last year, Hampton is receiving an
additional amount of state and federal gas tax money to more than cover our $10,785 annual dues.
Regional planning services including area wide transportation planning and project development,
regional housing needs, regional conservation and greenway planning, economic development
strategies, and the specific review, promoting regional cooperation and advising towns on proposed
developments that could have regional impact. The major regional initiatives of the Commission that
are particular interests to Hampton include the Route 1 comprehensive study, the results should be out
January 2007. Many of the improvements to the corridor relate directly to us. Please keep informed
about the upcoming management plan.
Membership in the Commission enables communities to interact with each other and to be aware of
the latest opportunities for local planning assistance, grant opportunities, direct assistance from RPC
staff, and regional activities in which the Town should be involved. More importantly, being part of
the Commission means our community has a voice (and a vote!) at the table where decisions are made
about regional plans for transportation, land conservation, economic development, housing and many
other issues.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the Commission.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter Olney
Warren Bambury
Fran McMahon
Maurice Friedman
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