Planning Board Advances Zoning Amendments, Tables Parking Delineation

calendar Dec 16, 2025 · 5 min read · Zoning Ordinance Public Hearing Parking Regulations Short-Term Rentals Accessory Dwelling Units Land Use Waterville Valley

Waterville Valley, NH – The Planning Board held a public hearing on December 16, 2025, to discuss and vote on proposed amendments to the town’s Zoning Ordinance. The Board addressed 13 amendments, approving most for inclusion on the March 10th Town Ballot, while one significant amendment regarding parking delineation was tabled for further review.

The meeting began with a brief discussion regarding parking for the Adventure Zone project. The Board reached a consensus on 161 parking spaces for the west side parking lot and suggested the applicant develop a contingency plan, such as a shuttle service. The public hearing for this matter was continued to January 13 at 4 p.m., with revised plans requested 10 days prior (link).

Following this, the Board proceeded with the public hearing on the proposed zoning ordinance amendments. A Board member noted the low public attendance for such significant changes, prompting a discussion on the process for approving and forwarding amendments to the Select Board. It was clarified that once approved by the Planning Board, amendments proceed to the Select Board for inclusion on the town ballot, with limited opportunity for further public input at that stage (link).

Here’s a summary of the amendments discussed and the Board’s decisions:

Approved Amendments for Town Ballot:

  • Permissive Nature of Ordinance The Board approved an amendment to add a provision stating that the Zoning Ordinance is permissive in nature. This means any use not expressly permitted is prohibited unless authorized by a special exception or variance. This clarification aims to enhance the town’s enforcement authority, aligning with state law (link).

  • More Restrictive Standard An amendment was approved to include a provision that, in the event of a conflict between standards or requirements within the ordinance, the more restrictive standard shall govern. This ensures consistency and clarity in applying regulations, such as building height limits (link).

  • Definitions Update The Board voted to revise Article Three definitions. This includes removing outdated terms like “dwelling two family” and “family” (as municipalities can no longer define “family” under state law). Other definitions, such as “dwelling unit,” “junk,” “lot coverage,” “multifamily dwelling,” “structure,” “two family residential unit,” “wall,” and “workforce housing,” were updated for consistency with state law and current land use practices (link).

  • “Restaurant” to “Food Service Establishment” An amendment was approved to replace the term “restaurant” with “food service establishment” throughout the zoning ordinance and to add a new definition for “food service establishment.” This change aligns the ordinance with state law and fire regulations, regulating state-licensed food service establishments. A brief discussion arose regarding its impact on the Snows Mountain District, which was noted for future consideration (link).

  • Short-Term Rental Regulations The Board approved an update to the town’s short-term rental regulations. This amendment adds a comprehensive definition that covers all building structures and land (to prevent scenarios like campers on undeveloped land being used as short-term rentals) and clarifies operational standards, incorporating existing permit application regulations into the ordinance (link).

  • Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Regulations Revisions to Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) regulations were approved to comply with current New Hampshire state law. The updated regulations allow for one attached or one detached ADU, with a maximum living space of 950 square feet. A key requirement is that the owner must occupy one of the units (link).

  • Parking Requirements for Residential Units An amendment was approved to reduce the minimum parking requirement for residential dwelling units to one space per unit. This change is mandated by state law, which prohibits municipalities from requiring more than one parking space per living unit, regardless of the number of bedrooms (link).

  • Offsite Parking Measurement The Board approved an amendment to clarify where the distance measurement starts when determining whether offsite parking can be used to meet requirements. The distance (300 feet for residential, 1000 feet for non-residential) will now be measured along the shortest reasonably available pedestrian route from the main building entrance or principal use area to the parking area. This definition is based on established case law (link).

  • Political Signs Exemption An amendment was approved to clarify that political signs complying with RSA 664 are exempt from the town’s sign permit requirements. This provision already exists within the regulations but is being moved to a more prominent location for clarity and protection (link).

  • Temporary Residential Signs The Board approved an amendment to the sign regulations, allowing one temporary sign on single and two-family residential properties. This addresses common needs like real estate signs, acknowledging that municipalities cannot regulate the content of such signs (link).

  • Maintenance of Structures An amendment was passed to include “maintenance of structures” within the town’s existing landscaping and property maintenance section. This broadens the scope of maintenance requirements beyond just yards and exterior building areas to include all constructed elements, with specific exclusions for items like utility poles and garden beds (link).

  • Zoning Map Amendment (White Mountain Athletic Club) The Board approved an amendment to change the zoning of Map 108, Lots 25 and 26, which pertain to the White Mountain Athletic Club. The zone will shift from Special Civic District to Village Commercial District. This change was requested by the property owner because some of their current uses are not permitted under the existing Special Civic zoning (link).

  • Grammatical and Formatting Corrections Finally, an amendment was approved to correct minor grammatical and formatting errors throughout the Zoning Ordinance. This amendment ensures clarity and consistency without making any substantive changes to the content or meaning of the regulations (link).

Tabled Amendment:

  • Parking Delineation A proposed amendment to require all open parking spaces to be clearly delineated (e.g., with painted lines) was tabled. While the current ordinance implies delineated spaces, it does not explicitly state this. The Board engaged in extensive discussion regarding the implications for existing parking areas, potential enforcement challenges, and the need for a grandfathering clause. Concerns were raised about the financial impact on property owners if existing, undelineated paved lots were suddenly required to add lines. The Board decided to table this amendment to allow for further rework and a separate public hearing on January 8th at 8:30 a.m. (link).

The meeting concluded with the Board setting the date for the continued public hearing on the tabled parking delineation amendment.