The Parsonage Committee Report
Of interest to this timeline, a committee was formed in May to study the future of the Parsonage Apartments — referred as the Parsonage Committee as well as the Parsonage Long Range Planning Committee. Incidentally, three (3) Planning Board members, Mel Low, Bill Epperson, and Phil Winslow, were members of the Committee along with ZBA Chair, Patty Weathersby and alternate Charles Hoyt, as well as Ray Jarvis who serves on the Budget Committee. A member of the public, Victor Azzi, attended many of the meetings and provided valuable input.
The Parsonage Committee wrote a report, dated October 3rd, 2016, and made the following recommendations:
1). The Town should not sell the Parsonage to, nor enter into a long term lease with, The Housing Partnership (THP) or any other entity.
2). The number of units at the Parsonage is not to be increased (on site).
3). The Town hire Plan NH to conduct a design charrette for the future of the Rye Center.
4). The Town lease the Parsonage to THP following the expiration of the lease for a term not to exceed twenty-years with a number of conditions attached.
5). The Town explore potential alternate Town-owned sites for low income/workforce housing.
The Parsonage Committee held eleven (11) meetings within the span of five (5) months and produced a detailed report (9 pages) with addendum (including a 3 page long report regarding “possible town-owned alternative sites for low- income housing”).
See link for the full report: http://www.town.rye.nh.us/Pages/RyeNH_BComm/PALRPC/Parsonage%20Comm%20Final%20Report.pdf
Editorial comments:
1). The recommendations made by the Parsonage Committee were not discussed by the members of the Planning Board in regards to the RCD proposed zoning amendment.
2). The Parsonage Committee’s recommendation to hire Plan NH to conduct a design charette for the future of the Rye Center illustrates the need for a comprehensive approach to planning in regards to the Rye Master Plan. There has been no Master Plan visioning beyond Climate Change in 10 years or more.
3). In its report, the Parsonage Committee makes the following statement: “it became very clear to the Committee early on that there is a need for affordable and workforce housing in the Town of Rye” (p.2).
