{"id":13213,"date":"2026-10-24T07:41:43","date_gmt":"2026-10-24T11:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/townunderground.com\/?p=13213"},"modified":"2026-10-24T07:41:47","modified_gmt":"2026-10-24T11:41:47","slug":"planning-board-adopts-capital-improvement-plan-10-16-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/townunderground.com\/?p=13213","title":{"rendered":"Planning Board Adopts Capital Improvement Plan, 10\/16\/2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Londonderry Planning Board<\/strong> public hearing regarding the town’s 2028\u20132033 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Highlights from the Meeting:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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  • $173M Total CIP Estimate:<\/strong> The board discusses a proposed CIP draft that includes $173 million in projected expenditures between 2027 and 2031.
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  • Debate Over Capital vs. Operational Costs:<\/strong> Board members debate whether routine vehicle leases, smaller equipment (like ambulance stretchers or air compressors), and software subscriptions belong in a major CIP or should be handled via the operational budget and warrant articles.
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  • Major Infrastructure Focus:<\/strong> The board pushes to simplify the document, focusing primarily on major brick-and-mortar projects like the Public Works (DPW) facility<\/strong>, High School additions and renovations<\/strong>, Leech Library upgrades<\/strong>, and turf field projects<\/strong>.
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  • Taxpayer & Public Messaging:<\/strong> Members emphasize the need for a realistic, clear planning roadmap that accurately reflects long-term municipal needs without causing unnecessary alarm over non-capital operational expenses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    During the meeting, the main concerns raised about the proposed Public Works (DPW) facility<\/strong> centered on three main areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Vast and Uncertain Cost Estimate ($30M \u2013 $50M):<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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      • Board members expressed frustration with the wide $20 million cost range listed in the CIP draft.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • DPW representative David explained that the department is still in the early design and spatial needs assessment phase, so exact pricing hasn’t been finalized yet. DPW wanted to avoid quoting a lower estimate now that might escalate later (as happened with past town projects).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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        1. Tax Impact and Voter Acceptance:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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          • Board members noted that Londonderry voters historically hesitate to approve massive bond issues. For context, members pointed out that the largest municipal bond passed in recent decades was $6.2 million<\/strong> for the fire department (which took two attempts to pass).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Presenting a $30M\u2013$50M line item without clear context could cause significant sticker shock and public backlash.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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            1. Timing and Phasing Strategy:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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              • The draft CIP initially slated the DPW facility in the same fiscal window as the High School additions and renovations (~$40M)<\/strong>, which board members warned would create an unsustainable tax burden.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • The board strongly advocated for phasing the DPW project over multiple years<\/strong> (e.g., $30M initially, followed by smaller increments) or scheduling it into years 4 through 6<\/strong> of the 6-year CIP plan to give staff time to finalize engineering and avoid overlapping major municipal bonds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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