HB 1481

This bill requires the city of Nashua to hold public hearings and obtain voter approval of a highway construction project commonly known as the "Broadstreet Parkway."

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Nashua Highway Construction Project; Public Hearings and Voter Approval. Within 30 days of the effective date of this act, the city of Nashua shall conduct a public hearing with regard to a highway construction project known as the "Broadstreet Parkway." Additional public hearings shall be conducted at least every 12 months, and within 30 days of any proposed change to the project design that deviates from the original design approved by the voters. Said hearing requirement shall continue until the project is completed or abandoned. Notice of a hearing shall be posted in at least 2 public places in the municipality and published in a newspaper of general circulation at least 14 days before the hearing. No project design change or modification shall be implemented without a public hearing and approval of the voters.

The Department of Transportation states this bill will increase state expenditures by $2,000 in FY 2002, FY 2003, and FY 2004 and increase local expenditures by $500 for the same period. The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill will increase local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2002, FY 2003, and FY 2004. There will be no fiscal impact on state, county, and local revenue or county expenditures.

The Department of Transportation assumes that one public hearing per year for the next three years will be held. Total cost per hearing, shown below, is estimated at $2,500 per year; 80% ($2,000) is supported by federal funds and 20% ($500) is supported by city funding.

FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004

Personnel Time $1,475 $1,475 $1,475

Newspaper Ads 925 925 925

Mailings 100 100 100

Total $2,500 $2,500 $2,500

The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill has two components, a public hearing requirement and a public approval requirement. The public hearing requirement may not result in any additional costs to the city if the hearings are held in conjunction with the regular work of the Board of Aldermen or Planning Board. The public approval requirement would result in a cost to the city each time a vote is taken. This bill requires public approval each time there is a project design change or modification. The cost to take a vote, based on costs to hold a special election, in Nashua is approximately $12,000.