MBCWHP FAQ August 2023.pdf

The Town Of Hanover | HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, 03755 | HANOVERNH.ORG
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Mink Brook Community Workforce Housing Project
August 2023
Add:
The Town is creating this FAQ document to help provide clear and consistent information to the community
based on questions we have received regarding this project. It is jointly written by Town Manager Alex Torpey
and Planning Director Rob Houseman and other staff, with input and review by the Selectboard before being
posted to the Town website on August 2nd
2023. This is meant to provide preliminary information. Much more
will be made available in the future, including numerous opportunities for public and stakeholder feedback and
engagement. If you have additional questions, please reach out to Rob Houseman at:
robert.houseman@hanovernh.org
This is the first round of questions that were compiled by staff and Selectboard members. As more questions are
received more FAQs may be created or this may be updated.
Questions:
1. What is this project?
2. What is its origin and history?
3. Why is it being considered?
4. As of July 2023, I heard it is a done deal. What’s the status?
5. But didn’t the Selectboard already choose the number of units to be built?
6. Why is the number of units allowed on the site higher than I remember?
7. How will the final plans be determined and how can the public be involved?
8. Who is Twin Pines Housing Trust, and why are they the partner organization identified?
9. Is this really a good building site?
10. How much land was conserved as part of this project?
11. Why haven’t I heard the Selectboard talk much about conservation, but only heard about housing?
12. What is “workforce” housing?
13. What are the next steps?
1. What is this project?
This is a project to build a small number of green, affordable workforce housing units on the current site of the
parking lot for trail access in the Mink Book Community Forest on Greensboro Road, with the remainder of the
forest (260 acres) to be conserved and actively managed by the Town’s Conservation Commission pursuant to
strategies laid out in the Mink Brook Community Forest Management Plan, which was created through a multi-
stakeholder set of public meetings in 2020 and 2021, and can be found here.

2. What is its origin and history?
This project was originally conceptualized in 2019, though its history can be said to go back to 2005.
In 2005, a 250-unit development was begun on the property by Paragon Residential that would have included
63 nursing beds, 45 single-family homes and 41 townhomes. Town Meeting subsequently changed the zoning to
prevent this massive development of forested land, the developer sued the Town, and the next ten years was
spent in litigation.
In 2019, the Town worked with the Trust for Public Lands to find a use that was more aligned with the
community’s values and goals. Town Meeting in 2020 approved the acquisition of the property to hold four
acres (which turned out to be five acres based on an updated survey) for workforce housing and the remaining
260 to be maintained as permanently conserved land. At the 2022 Town Meeting, new zoning was adopted to
allow increased density for workforce housing in all SR and GR districts and portions of lots in the RR district.
This change increased the number of units permissible at the site if they were income qualified for workforce
housing. At the 2023 Town Meeting, the transfer of the property was approved, pursuant to terms and
conditions to be determined by the Selectboard. To see a more detailed history of the project, scroll down to
Appendix A.
3. Why is it being considered?
It’s widely known that the Upper Valley, and especially Hanover, have a major housing availability and
affordability problem that is negatively impacting the economy, politics, and culture of the region. Many
employers can no longer hire new employees, and many people are being priced out of living in Hanover. On
the flip side, there is a concern about overdevelopment, and taking forested property and razing it to be
housing. This project was conceptualized to balance multiple interests - both in permanently conserving 260
acres of land, as well as providing some number of affordable workforce housing units; Taking a small step
towards a more affordable and diverse community for years into the future.
4. As of July 2023, I heard it’s a done deal, what’s the status?
It is far from being finalized. Even though the project has been discussed for several years, and has received two
affirmative votes of Town Meeting to move forward, it is still relatively early in the process as of July 2023.
Although the Selectboard received approval by 2023 Town Meeting to transfer the property to Twin Pines, no
plans have been accepted, terms set, unit numbers decided, or other details finalized. Most haven’t been
discussed at this stage. See next steps below for more information on the process and timeline, as well as
opportunities for additional public participation and feedback.
5. But didn’t the Selectboard already chose the number of units to be built?
No. Neither Town Meeting nor the Selectboard set any target units or decided on any number of units. The
“allowable” number of units is a number that has circulated, and which may have caused some confusion. This
is simply the maximum numbers of units that are allowed to be built based on the zoning adopted by Town
Meeting in 2022. As of July 2023, that number is 29.
6. Why is the number of units allowed on the site higher than I remember?
Voters in Hanover made zoning changes in 2022 at Town Meeting which increased the number of total units
that could be built on this site and others, by allowing greater density in certain zones if the project was for
workforce housing.
Although neither Town Meeting nor the Selectboard committed to unit numbers in the past, there have been
circulations of various unit numbers. What you may have heard might have included:
- 6 units, the number previously allowed by zoning prior to 2022 ((15,000 sq ft/unit in the SR district (2
acres)) and (3 acres/unit in the RR district (3 acres))

- 29 units, the number now allowed as of 2022 (7,500 sf/unit for all 5 acres) requires ZBA and Planning
Board approval.)
- 6-10 units, a remark by the prior Town Manager Julia Griffin at 2020 Town Meeting (You can view
question/answer at minute 52 here)
- 14 units, a draft concept plan that was developed by Town Staff and consultants in 2021, and the
number used at the Saving Special Places 2021, NH’s Annual Land Conservation Conference where JT Horne of
Trust for Public Lands and Julia Griffin, and Rob Houseman from the Town presented this project’s goals of
balancing small-scale workforce housing with conservation*
- 20 units, a draft concept plan that was developed by Town Staff and consultants in 2021
- 12-20 units, general guidance from Ross Chapin, AIA, “Pocket Neighborhoods, Creating Small
Community in a Large Scale World” that was used as part of the Town’s early discussions and planning.
To view a .pdf of the presentation given by Rob Houseman, Julia Griffin, and JT Horn in 2021 click here.
7. How will the final plans be determined and how can the public be involved?
Town Meeting authorized the Selectboard to transfer the property to Twin Pines under terms and conditions the
Selectboard will negotiate with Twin Pines. These terms will likely include broader project goals and values, as
well as what public processes will be created and used by Twin Pines to solicit feedback. Along with input
from their professionals Twin Pines will then be able to determine if the project is feasible, and if so, more
details about it.
8. Who is Twin Pines, and why are they the partner organization identified?
Twin Pines is the leading affordable housing developer in the Upper Valley, and has worked with the Town
and in Hanover on several other great community projects, including Summer Park and Gile Hill.
You can learn more about Twin Pines by viewing the presentation they made at the 6/26/23 Selectboard
meeting (1h:13m):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elpP835ukec&list=PLAdkf9ugxof4EZuCY82OEOJu4osEm369e&index=2.
9. Is this really a good building site?
No site is perfect, and it’s important to consider the pros and cons and special conditions to any site, including
how it may impact the surrounding area.
Potential benefits of the 5 acre site identified include:
• It is flat and mostly dry (some wetlands on the northern edge of the lot)
• The site is already disturbed (used as a log landing and now contains existing parking lot takes up a
portion of it).
• The site has existing sewer and water access
• The site has a state approved driveway entrance
• The site allows connection to nearby conserved/recreation areas
• The site is on a road with other nearby similar sized and larger residential development projects
• The site is two miles from Downtown Hanover and DHMC.
Potential drawbacks of the site:

• The road is owned by the state and does not provide any shoulder for a bike lane.
• There would be some disturbance in the area during construction for the several abutters
• The site has some wetlands on the northern part of the lot.
10. How much land was conserved as part of this project?
260 acres of land has been permanently conserved as part of this project. The Town thanks the Town’s
partnership with the Trust for Public Land, the Hanover Conservancy and the Leavitts for making that happen.
The current proposed project is very different from the 250-unit development proposed in 2005 that would have
permanently destroyed a key ecosystem in Hanover.
Leavitt Parcels - In 2005-6, Paragon Residential Group LLC and Paragon Residential Holdings
LLC submitted applications for Special Exceptions and Site Plan Review for a proposed 250-unit
Continuing Care Retirement Community, including 63 skilled nursing beds, 45 single-family
houses, and 41 townhouses. Petitioned zoning amendments were filed, which subsequently
changed the parcel zoning and prohibited the proposed use. The developer subsequently sued the
Town, and the case was litigated for over 10 years.
11. What is the market value of the site?
By deed restriction, the five-acre site is limited to the construction workforce housing. This significantly lowers
the market value of the site. When the appraisal was performed for the Trust for Public Land in 2021, it was
valued at $265,000.
12. Why haven’t I heard the Selectboard talk much about conservation, but only heard
about housing?
Conservation was the main driver of the original land purchase. The Selectboard’s purview on this project is to
work on the housing component. The conservation component is overseen by the Hanover Conservation
Commission, which developed a detailed Mink Brook Community Forest Management Plan that can be viewed
in entirety on this page here. This plan was developed with significant community input and technical advice
and helps lay out a clear path to preserve and improve the ecology of the land surrounding the five acres that
Town Meeting has authorized workforce housing on. This includes active management and active use of the
conserved land, for example, some of the grant funds obtained from US Forest Service require the conserved
portion not just to be generally open to the public, but for there to be active education and interpretative
programming on the site. The Selectboard is committed to ensure that the housing development does not impair

or impact the conservation goals of the Mink Brook Community Forest parcels overseen by the Hanover
Conservation Commission.
What is “Workforce” housing?
This term is defined in Hanover’s Zoning Ordinance. Copied below:
Housing development(s) constructed or rehabilitated to be affordable for rent or purchase
solely by individuals or households whose incomes are less than 120% of the Area
Median Household Income as published by the US Department of Housing and Urban
Development (USHUD) for Grafton County. Developments must reserve a minimum of
50% of their units for low and/to moderate income households as defined by the
USHUD. Affordable nonprofit workforce housing may include single family dwellings,
duplex dwellings, and multifamily dwellings.
13. What are the next steps?
• Selectboard to agree on and negotiate terms and conditions of the transfer, including the public input
process and design standards – Next 1-3 months.
• Once Agreement is reached, Twin Pines will complete its due diligence (Phase 1 Environmental Impact
Statement, develop funding, and begin the design) – 12 - 18 months.
• As part of its due diligence and in conformance with the federal lending requirements, Twin Pines will
create and circulate a publicly available RFP for the design team, and ultimately select a firm to work
with on the project
• The project team will then seek the necessary Town approvals for the project:
o Zoning Board of Adjustment - Special Exception for the increased workforce housing density
(includes a public hearing)
o Planning Board – Subdivision/Site Plan approval (includes a public hearing)
o Building permit and project construction.

Appendix A: MBCF Workforce Housing Project Detailed History
Fall 2019 – The Trust for Public Lands (TPL) approached the Town, indicating that the Leavitt property was
back on the market and TPL, on behalf of the Town, would be happy to try and secure a purchase and sales
agreement for the property.
Fall 2019 – The Hanover Conservancy found a seed donor for the project.
Fall 2019 – a partnership with TPL, Hanover Conservancy, and the Town was formed to move this project
forward.
December 2019 – Finalized the Purchase and Sales agreement.
December 2019 – The Town defined the out holdings to include approximately 4 acres for workforce housing.
January 6, 2020 – The Town, with the assistance of TPL, filed for a USFS Community Forest grant application
for $700,000.00.
February 3, 2020 – revised the grant ask to $600,00.00.
May 4, 2020 - Trust for Public Land and in partnership with the Town of Hanover, filed for LCHIP request for
the Mink Brook Community Forest. Our presentation to the NHLCHIP program highlighted protecting land
for conservation and creating workforce housing opportunities.
July 2020 the town approved the warrant article to acquire the Leavitt Property. The warrant article reads:
ARTICLE TWENTY-THREE: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $500,000 to fund the
Town’s commitment toward the purchase of the 265 acre Leavitt property, located on the north and
south side of Greensboro Road at 110 (Map 1, Lot 10 and Map 1, Lot 11); and to authorize the
withdrawal of $121,500 from the Land and Capital Improvements Fund as partial funding for this
appropriation. Further, to acknowledge that the remaining funding for this project will come from the
Conservation Fund (RSA 36:A-5) in the amount of $178,500 and the Lou and Ann Bressett Memorial
Endowment Fund in the amount of $200,000, with no monies raised from taxation. Further, upon
purchase of the combined 265-acre parcel by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), to see if the Town will
vote to approve the transfer of the property from TPL to the Town. No new tax dollars will be utilized
for the transfer with the majority of the funds to be used by TPL for the initial purpose to be raised from
federal and state grants and private donations. Approximately 260 acres will be owned by the Town
and maintained as permanent conservation land, available for community recreation while one (1) acre
and the farmhouse will be sold to generate revenue toward the property purchase and approximately
four (4) acres will be transferred to Twin Pines Housing Trust for future development of a small cluster
of cottage homes for workforce housing, subject to future approval at Town Meeting. This will be a non-
lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and will not lapse until the purchase is complete or June 30,
2025, whichever occurs sooner.

At the town Meeting, a member from the audience asked a question regarding the number of housing units, and
Julia Griffin stated that somewhere between 6 and 10 units, "with 8 being the most likely." You can hear the
discussion at minute 52:00: https://reflect-
catv.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/show/12402?channel=2&seekto=2891
Town staff had previously been researching concepts and focused on “Pocket Neighborhoods, Creating Small
Scale Community In a Large Scale World” by Ross Chapin, AIA. The drivers for the concepts were:
• 12 to 20 units
• Single Family and some Two-Family Units
• 800 sq ft to 1,200 sq ft/unit
• Carports (optional)
• Limited ownership option (>50%) and ROI limited (modeled after the Concord Housing Cooperative)
• Community space and storage
• Community gardens
• Rooftop or ground-mounted solar
• Public parking
• A MBCF trailhead and log yard
October 2020 – TPL received notice of funding from NH LCHIP.
December 2020 – Survey completed, Subdivision approved by the Planning Board. The survey sheets include
detail of those areas, including a new parcel around the existing Town of Hanover inholding at the water tank, a
new parcel to put an existing home on a 1-acre lot (to be resold by TPL), and a 5-acre out lot that will be held out
for a future workforce housing project. The remaining lands of the North Lot (157.86 acres) and the entirety of
the South Parcel (95.31 acres)
February 24, 2021 – TPL and the Town closed on the sale of the property.
March 2021 – Chris Kennedy, AIA, developed two concept plans for the property for a 14-unit and a 20-unit
development. There followed a refinement of the 12-16-unit development.
A 14-unit concept plan was presented at the Saving Special Places 2021, NH’s Annual Land Conservation
Conference. JT Horne, Trust for Public Lands, Julia Griffin, and Rob Houseman presented the Mink Brook
Community Forest and workforce housing project, highlighting the project’s approach and how it combined
conservation land acquisitions with housing development.

May 2022 – The Workforce Housing Overlay District adopted at Town Meeting. This amendment was
developed to address the lack of affordable workforce housing in Hanover and to enable non-profit groups that
would produce and maintain affordable housing to create workforce housing at a density double that of the
permitted density in the SR and GR zoning districts and certain lots in the RR zoning district.
May 2023 – The town meeting approved the transfer to Twin Pines. Warrant article language below:
ARTICLE FIFTEEN: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the conveyance of Tax Map 1, Lot 11-2 (5
acres of the 265 acre former Leavitt property) located on the north side of Greensboro Road, acquired by the
Town in 2020, to Twin Pines Housing Trust, or another nonprofit organization, to be developed as workforce
housing; on such terms and conditions as the Selectboard may negotiate.

MBCWHP FAQ August 2023.pdf

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MBCWHP FAQ August 2023.pdf