By Gabriel Perry, The Laconia Daily Sun

The zoning board is one of the most important and most overlooked aspects of local governance in New Hampshire. Zoning boards must shoulder some of the burden of the state’s housing crisis, striking a balance between ensuring that a city or town zoning laws are taken into account while furthering development efforts. 

The zoning board, often called the zoning board of adjustment, is generally composed of citizen volunteers and meets regularly to consider zoning exceptions, variances and other items related to land use, construction or development of properties within the community.

Zoning board members may be elected or appointed, depending on the municipality, and must include five members, according to state law. Board members generally serve three-year terms, which are often staggered to ensure continuity on the board. Board members elect a chairperson on an annual basis.

Towns and cities generally enact zoning ordinances that, under state law, promote the general welfare of residents by preventing the congestion of streets, lessening the dangers of fire, providing adequate light and air, and preventing the overcrowding of land, among other items. 

Specifically, zoning ordinances generally regulate the height, number of stories and size of buildings; the size of building lots in each zone, and the percentage of those lots that may be occupied; requirements for open spaces; population density in each zone; and the use and location of buildings, structures and land for business, industrial and residential purposes. 

The zoning ordinance is usually written by members of the planning board, based on decisions made by city councils or voters on how the community should, or should not, develop. The zoning ordinance is subject to approval by the city council or by town voters. 

The zoning board hears appeals from official orders, requirements or decisions made by municipal officials and provides an avenue for variances and special exceptions as permissible within the zoning ordinance. For example, zoning regulations may allow only one house per building lot, or allow a certain number of apartments according to acreage and allowable housing density. However, for example, communities may allow construction of  accessory dwelling units on an individual’s property, based on what the zoning ordinance allows and subject to zoning board approval of a special exception.

The Know Your Vote, youth voter guide  project was designed, reported and produced by student and young professional journalists from The Clock,The Concord Monitor, The Equinox, Granite State News Collaborative, Keene State College, The Laconia Daily Sun, The Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, Nashua Ink Link and The Presidency and the Press program at Franklin Pierce University. See the full guide at  www.collaborativenh.org/know-your-vote.