The Goffstown Planning Board will hold its first public hearing on its proposed 2026 Zoning Amendments in the Mildred Stark Room (Room 106) of the Goffstown Town Hall, located at 16 Main Street, Goffstown, New Hampshire, on Thursday, December 11, 2025. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM. Explanations of the proposed amendments are as follows and full-text copies may be obtained from the Town’s Website (Proposed Zoning Amendments 2026 Full Language Version), the Planning Department, and the Town Clerk’s Office, located on 16 Main Street, Goffstown, NH during the hours of 8 am to 4 pm, Monday-Friday. For ADA assistance in attending the meeting please, call 497-8990, Ext. 117 at least 72 hours in advance.
(Note: Amendments 1-4 are based on new state requirements / mandates.)
1. Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 1 to the Goffstown Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board, to amend the definition of Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADUs) in the Zoning Glossary as well as in Section 5.2, clarifying the definitions for attached and detached ADUs by allowing detached accessory dwelling units as adopted and mandated by the NH House Bill 577 (laws of 2025, Chapter 197)? Note: full language available at the Goffstown Planning Department upon request.
2. Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 2 to the Goffstown Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board, to amend the provisions of Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADUs) in Section 5.2 and corresponding addition to Section 14.9 Non-Conforming Structures, clarifying ADU provisions and allowing additional flexibility for the homeowner as adopted and mandated by the NH House Bill 577 (laws of 2025, Chapter 197)? Note: full language available at the Goffstown Planning Department upon request.
3. Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 3 to the Goffstown Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board, by allowing Multi-Family Dwelling Use on Commercially zoned land as adopted and mandated by NH House Bill 631 (laws of 2025, Chapter 201)? Note: This change would require approved commercial use on the ground floor, except where the Planning Board grants a Conditional Use Permit. Also, this Amendment would include amending Section 3.11 Table of Uses as well as adding a Section under 4.4 Multi-Family Dwellings. The amendment also requires adequate infrastructure (roads, water and sewer) be provided. The intent of this amendment is to comply with NH House Bill 631, while retaining the requirement for commercial use on the ground floor in the Commercial Zone. Full language available at the Goffstown Planning Department upon request.
4. Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 4 to the Goffstown Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board, by amending Section 7.2.5. Table of Off-Street Parking and Section 7.2.5 Table of Off-Street Parking Requirements by requiring one (1) residential parking space per unit and removing all requirements for guest parking as adopted and mandated by NH Senate Bill 284 (laws of 2025, Chapter 258)? Also, adding ADU to the studio apartment category in Table 7.2.5 which also will have the requirement of one space per unit.
5. Are you in favor of the adoption of No. 5 to the Goffstown Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board, by amending Accessory Dwelling Unit Provision Section 5.2.1 by increasing the square footage allowance of an Accessory Dwelling Unit from eight hundred (800) square feet of gross floor area to nine-hundred fifty (950) square feet of gross floor area, as allowed by NH House Bill 577 (laws of 2025, Chapter 197)?
6. Are you in favor of the adoption of No. 6 to the Goffstown Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Planning Board, by amending the definition of Buildable Area as follows: Buildable Area - Any of the area of a parcel, except (a) submerged land area, (b) wetlands, (c) any land within 100 feet of wetlands of at least 2,000 contiguous square feet, (d) slopes in excess of 20%, (e) utility easements, and (f) the area of any proposed public or private street rights-of-way, and (e) special flood hazard areas as designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in its "Flood Insurance Study for the County of Hillsborough, N.H" dated September 25, 2009 or as amended.?
7. Are you in favor of the adoption of No. 7 to the Goffstown Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Planning Board, by moving Section 13.5 Open Space Development from Section 13 Overlay Districts to Section 5 Supplemental Standards, creating a new Section 5.25 Open Space Development and by amending multiple sections under the provisions of RSA 674:16 and RSA 674:21, Innovative Land Use Controls as well as removing section 3.7.2? Note: full language available at the Goffstown Planning Department upon request.