Search

ryan) Nashua

Goal:

Reliability and
Efficiency of
Multimodal
Operations

Ensure safe and efficient
operation of transportation
systems and balanced use of
street systems for all modes,
with focus on pedestrian and
bicycle networks.

https://imagine.nashuanh.gov

Action: Improve
intersection and bike
safety throughout the
City.

Recommendation 1

Ensure bicycle and pedestrians
can safely cross intersections with
creative crosswalks, pedestrian
signalization.

Recommendation 2

Focus safe crossings along 101A
Regional Rail Trail, West Hollis
Bike Route from Mine Falls to
Southwest Park/Nashua River Rail
Trail, and the Main Street “road
diet”.

Recommendation 3

Require all street improvement
projects and repaving projects
to incorporate bicycle facilities
consistent with bicycle network
expansion.

Action: Improve
wayfinding and increase
public awareness of
multimodal options.

Recommendation 1

Encourage use of the existing
and future network by helping
users navigate to their desired
destination with multi-lingual
wayfinding signs, QR codes,
creative paint treatments on
roads, maps.

Recommendation 2

Focus signage along and leading
to the Heritage Rail Trail, Mine
Falls Park, Countryside Drive, and
Groton Road.

Action: Close critical gaps
throughout the City’s
multimodal networks.

The Nashua Bicycle and
Pedestrian plan noted a general
lack of connectivity between
bicycle and pedestrian networks
and a need to focus on addressing
the lack of connectivity.

Recommendation 1

Focus new sidewalk construction
to connect to existing sidewalks
and near areas with high
pedestrian activity, such as
business districts.

Recommendation 2

Focus new bicycle facility
installation to connect to existing
trails and bike lanes.

Comprehensive Master Plan

Mobility and Transit

Recommendation 3

Address lack of connection on
Kinsley Street and Spit Brook
Road.

- Kinsley St: Sidewalks west
of Woodward Avenue and
plenty of space for at least a
bike lane if on-street parking
can be moved/pushed to side
streets

* Spit Brook Rd: Sidewalks
are missing from most of
the length on at least one
side, and lane-narrowing can
provide enough space for bike
facilities.

Action: Promote
physical exercise,
walking, biking, and
public transit through
built environment
improvements.

167

ifvetets601) Nashua \

Goal:

Regional
Connectivity

Enhance movement of people
and goods between Nashua
and the greater metropolitan
region, and encourage
increased activity north and
south via improved passenger
rail connections.

https://imagine.nashuanh.gov

Action: Plan proactively
around future commuter
rail station locations.

Recommendation 1

Encourage or incentivize
increased housing development
and job centers within walking
distance of future commuter rail
stations.

Recommendation 2

Create infrastructure for biking
and pedestrian access to station
sites that include shade and
separation from parking lot traffic.

Recommendation 3

Plan to preserve space along
walking routes to the stations
for valuable multi-uses for the
community.

Recommendation 4

Connect the stations to nearby
housing and commercial areas
with sidewalks and bicycle
facilities.

Recommendation 5

Require space at the stations for
secure bicycle parking.

Recommendation 6

Develop a systemic solution for
parking to limit vehicle trips to
and from the stations.

Action: Facilitate
connections

to neighboring
municipalities and
beyond for people
walking and biking.

Action: Work

with neighboring
municipalities, including
those in Massachusetts,
to coordinate trail,
sidewalk, and bicycle
facility projects.

Action: Advocate

to transition for the
electrification of regional
rail.

Comprehensive Master Plan
Mobility and Transit

169

Imagine [EET

2020 Housing Study

For detailed information on key
housing issues and strategies
for implementation in Nashua,
please see the recently
completed 2020 Housing
Study. The following actions
are extracted and generalized
from recommendations
outlined in the Housing study
which can be found on the
documentations tab.

Multi-family housing in Nashua

170

Goal:

Housing
Affordability and
Stability

Update policies and
regulations to increase and

maintain rental and ownership

affordability across the

city and remove barriers to
accessing affordable housing
options. vision and local
feedback in a predictable

manner.

https://imagine.nashuanh.gov

As recommended
in the 2020 Housing
study, use land use
policy and zoning to
address Housing Choice,
Affordability, and
Location in the city with
focus on

- Housing in the Downtown and
South Main Street

- Housing along major
commercial corridors

- Integrating “missing middle”
housing options into the
existing city fabric

- Distribution of affordable
housing options across other
parts of the City

- Adding or changing housing
programs or funding over time

* Prioritizing smaller new units -
studio, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom
to match population needs.

Leverage Public
Land for Housing
Production

Reintroduce
First Time Homebuyer
Program

The City should continue to
explore all options such as
deferring tax payments if
affordable housing is included,
selling the land at a significant
discount, or providing a grant or
no interest rate loan for a portion
of the cost.

Expand Rental
and Owner Rehab
Programs

Find ways to either leverage other
funding sources or find ways to
require payment of the loan over
time to build a revolving source of
capital.

Revisit the feasibility of offering
first time homebuyer assistance
in the form of down payment
assistance and closing cost
assistance.

- These two barriers to
homeownership are becoming
more acute as home prices
continue to escalate year over
year making it more difficult
for households to purchase
homes for the first time and
have some ability to move
from rental to ownership
housing.

Evaluate the type of program to
offer and the most effective way
to fund that program.

Employer
Assisted Housing

The City should evaluate a
program to partner with major
employers, like the hospitals, to
gauge interest in partnering over
time on an employer assisted
housing program.

Comprehensive Master Plan

Housing

The City of Nashua currently
offers two separate residential
rehabilitation programs
through the City’s CDBG
Housing Program. The first is
an owner-occupied Housing
Improvement Program (HIP)
which provides 0% interest
loans to correct code, safety,
health, or accessibility issues.

The City also began offering a
rental rehab program to assist
landlords with correcting
serious code, safety, health,
or accessibility issues. Given
the estimated rehabilitation
needs of property just in

the Downtown area alone
(estimated at $12 million),
these two rehabilitation
programs are of critical
importance to improving and
maintaining higher quality
affordable housing across the
City. Keeping these programs
in place and making them
financially sustainable over
time should be a priority for
the City.

171

Imagine [EET

New apartment complex in Nashua

172

Goal:

Environmental
Sustainability

Promote and support high-
quality, green building design
that is climate-resilient and
energy-efficient.

https://imagine.nashuanh.gov

All new
construction and
building renovations
and upgrades should be
designed and maintained
for resource efficiency
and GHG reduction

Recommendation 1

Phase out fossil fuel systems
for heating and appliances
and encourage the retrofit of
full electrification for existing
buildings.

Recommendation 2

Revise land use code to

explore requiring renewable

energy facilities such as solar

installations and energy storage
for new multifamily residential
construction.

- Explore requiring eco-roofs for
all new development. Solar,
solar thermal, green roofs,
white/cool roofs, and blue
roofs all quality.

Adopt incentives
to encourage LEED and
green building standards
as part of land use code.

Push existing
Zoning that encourages
the use of solar, wind,
and renewable energy
systems to incentivize
all new construction to
require renewables.

Adopt zoning to
incentivize preservation
and adaptive reuse to
reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from new
building materials.

Conducta
vulnerability assessment
of the City.

Recommendation 1

Evaluate how historic buildings
will be impacted by future hazards
and determine how to retrofit
buildings to accommodate future
flooding that is compatible with
historic fabric.

Recommendation 2

Encourage all buildings to adopt
energy efficiency upgrades that
are compatible with historic
fabric.

Recommendation 3

Determine zones of impact
throughout the City and provide
guidance on how the community
can prepare for future hazards
based on level of impact.

Comprehensive Master Plan

Housing

Create a passive
house standard for the
City.

Passive house minimizes heating
and cooling loads through

high levels of insulation, high-
performance windows, minimized
thermal bridging, and right-sized
HVAC systems.

Establish
requirements for new
multi-family construction
to include electric vehicle
charging infrastructure,
eco-roofs, and bike-ped
amenities.

With the
expansion on regional
rail, encourage transit
oriented development
by permitting new
development in close
proximity to the train
station.

173

Imagine TEENA

174

Goal:
Form and Design

Encourage use of form

based codes for appropriate
neighborhoods and corridors,
enhancing character and
positively contributing to
livability and surrounding
neighborhoods.

Create design
guidelines for small infill
development projects
which are compatible
with surrounding
neighborhood but ata
higher density than what
Zoning currently allows

Encourage active
ground floor uses to
increase neighborhood
amenities at a scale
that complements
surrounding urban fabric

https://imagine.nashuanh.gov

For larger
development sites,
require the development
of a finer grained internal
street and path network
and connecting public
open space.

Encourage the
creation of open spaces
and indoor common
areas in new multi-family
residential development
that are available for use
both by residents of the
new development and
the general public.

Goal:

Livability and
Development
Coordination

Encourage housing
redevelopment opportunities
that align and coordinate with
vibrant mixed-use, mobility
and open space planning.

Work with city
departments to address
the need for increased
infrastructure, including
schools, water, sewers,
health, and safety.

Recommendation 1

Encourage new housing
production in areas served by
existing transit and amenities

Look at actual
demographic patterns
for residents in newer
housing developments
(and using block-level
2020 census data, once
released) to assess the
real impact of housing
construction on potential
increases in school-age
population to accurately
plan for needs.

Comprehensive Master Plan

Housing

175