Village Planning Committee

1. The engineers we hired

The Village Planning Committee hired engineers after voters approved a warrant article at the March 2004 town meeting to pay for a planning and design study to consider proposed improvements for safety, infrastructure and aesthetics in the historic district.

In April, the committee, assisted by Selectman Larry Schwartz and Road Agent Kurt Grassett, reviewed proposals submitted by Clough, Harbor and Associates, and by Holden Transportation Engineering in conjunction with William Hoffman, landscape architect. The same group interviewed both firms. The committee interviewed the references provided by each firm.

The Village Planning Committee recommended hiring Holden. Both bidders had an excellent engineering background, but the Holden and Hoffman team exhibited a deeper understanding of preserving the village’s historic character. Some Hancock residents were introduced to Hoffman’s approach to landscape design at the Village Planning Kick-Off Day in October 2003. Others are familiar with Holden’s work recently on the Tannery Hill Bridge.

The selectmen signed a contract with Holden Transportation Engineering to find solutions for long-standing problems in the Hancock Historic District. Holden immediately conducted an aerial survey of the village. Measured plans are required for all the work to come. The state, for example, will not consider funding any part of this project without measured plans.

2. Basic philosophy behind design decisions

Holden Engineering studied the extensive comments the committee has gathered in many meetings and forums.

A few basic rules have guided the committee’s lengthy discussions of any change in the historic district:

-- Keep it simple.

-- Preserve the historic working landscape.

-- Each change should blend in.

We have rejected many proposals by the engineers as being too fancy, better suited for Portsmouth or Portland, than Hancock.

3. Traffic calming

Main St. is increasingly becoming a short cut from Route 9 to Route 202. Some commuters from Keene are using this route to bypass Route 101.

We need to slow traffic coming into town.

The engineers proposed two large “rumble” zones of cobblestone, one in front of the church and one around the fountain. We rejected this for many reasons: It would be too noisy, it would look like a seacoast city, it would be hard to plow.

We have instead settled on creating two traffic islands at the entrances to town on Route 123 ( by the cemetery and before the Norway Pond parking lot, and on Route 137 just after the school entrance). We also suggest narrower travel lanes of 11 feet, increased traffic enforcement, and signs welcoming drivers to Hancock and advising them to slow down.

Crosswalks will break the traffic flow. The engineers had proposed five, made entirely of granite blocks. We believed there were too many crosswalks and they were too elaborate. We propose three crosswalks – two by the inn and market, and one by the church. They would be only outlined with two lines of granite.

The committee also looked at a suggestion by NH DOT to reroute the cut-off road from Main St. to Route 137 through the common. In this scenario the cut-off road would have been moved to where the bandstand is now. It would have become the road through town, forcing all traffic to stop at a stop sign where the cut-off road met Route 137. Main Street in front of the vestry would have been turned over for parking. We dismissed this plan because it would reduce part of the common to no more than a traffic island.

4. Parking

The head-in parking in front of the market and Fiddleheads is hazardous. After much discussion, we rejected parking at a 60 degree angle because cars and trucks would still be backing out blindly. We recommend parallel parking and have suggested that the selectmen set up a trial period for this arrangement.

We are also emphasizing off-street parking. The lot behind the library will now be open to all library patrons, not just staff. We recommend that the lot behind the town offices be better lighted, have a convenient path exiting it, and a sign to encourage parking.

5. Walkways and curbing

The committee recommends limiting the use of improved walkways and curbing to the north side of Main St. from School St. to the Vestry. The walkways would be gravel and about three-and-a-half feet wide to match the existing walk in front of the inn. We want to test three different surfaces which would give a more durable surface for snow removal, while looking like the usual gravel walk. These paving techniques lock the gravel with a plastic grid, or a polymer, or a combination of both. We are asking for the town to approve a warrant article for $2500 to put a 100-foot long test section in front of the library and Moller’s real estate office. We want to see how these materials wear and if they meet with the town’s approval.

Rough-cut curbing would be restricted to the north side. Landscape architect William Hoffman strongly recommends the use of old-style granite. This will avoid a hard, linear edge.

The curbing on the north side, and reworked drainage swales on the south side are an important part of the necessary repair of the drainage system. A new drainage system is being designed.

The “cow paths” would be kept on the north side from School St. to the fountain, and on the south side from Dot Grim’s driveway to the corner of Forest Rd.

The sidewalk in front of Fiddleheads would be lowered to make a better match with the store. The temporary fence would finally be removed.

A two-foot wide “cow path” would be restored running from Bud Adams’ apartments to the common. There had been a path there but it grew over.

This mix of gravel walkway and old paths should help preserve the town’s country spirit. The engineers had proposed more and wider sidewalks in many places, but again it would be too much paving.

6. Street lighting

No fancy faux-Victorian cast iron for us. Again, landscape architect William Hoffman had the solution: model the new lighting on the existing wooden posts in town. A few busy areas would be selected for new lighting. The light posts would be built by local carpenters. The lights would be on timers or would be photo-sensitive.

We also recommend removing the lone halogen street light on the common.

7. Care of the village trees

Ray Pierce completed a survey of the trees in the historic district with county extension forester John Nute. Each tree was graded for health and more than two-dozen were noted as needing care. The survey is on file at town office.

We are asking for the town to approve a warrant article for $5000 to care for the trees in the historic district. The proposed work will be explained at town meeting.

8. Burying utility lines

The committee met twice with representatives from PSNH. Holden Engineering has gathered rudimentary “windshield estimates” from PSNH, Verizon and Adelphia.

At a forum on October 26, Hancock residents heard from a panel of town planners and engineers who have successfully buried the wires in their historic towns and in private projects. Residents heard in detail about what is required, ways to keep costs down, sources of funding, and the resulting benefits. The panelists were:

-- Victor Reno, professional engineer and owner of Reno Engineering & Light Design. Reno has worked with PSNH to bury wires in big projects, including assisted living complexes.

-- Bill Parker, director of Milford’s Department of Planning and Community Development. In the 1980's Milford buried the wires on its Oval.

-- Bob Courage, the former director of Public works in Milford when the wires were buried.

-- Engineer Mark Fraser from PSNH.

-- Engineer Serge Laprise from Verizon.

-- Engineer Tom Reed from Adelphia.

There is a new utilities subcommittee which is gathering more information so the town can properly judge the feasibility of this project. Members of the subcommittee are: Keith Akerley, Michael Fallon, Bonnie Fecowicz, Pete Gilmore and Ted Renna.

9. What’s next

Holden Engineering has revised their preliminary plans three times, the last after a February meeting with the abutters in the historic district.

The plans will be presented to the town for review in April.

After the April meeting, the plans will be revised and work will begin on a budget, funding and construction plans. The goal is to present the final plans and budget for a vote at Town Meeting 2006.

We have already applied for two highly competitive historic preservation grants.

As we have done for the last two years, we will continue to meet, usually weekly: Wednesday, 7 p.m. in the Daniels Room, unless otherwise posted.

Village Planning Committee:

Pat Fairchild

Jim Gamble,

Howard Mansfield

Ray Pierce

Tom Pisaturo

Steve Pope

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