Imagine
Comprehensive Master Plan
DRAFT, October 6th, 2021
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Imagine {TEENA
Letter From the Mayor
Dear Nashua Community,
I am excited to share with you
Imagine Nashua, the framework
for the future of our city. This plan
was shaped by you; those who live,
work, play and care about Nashua.
Whether your family has called
Nashua home for generations
or you have just started a new
life here; whether you’re a small
business owner or an employee
at one of the city’s thriving
companies; or whether you area
senior or a student, your voice is an
instrumental part of this plan.
When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in
early 2020, we considered whether we
should pause the master planning process.
Through thoughtful discussion we realized
the opportunity to speak with and hear from
our community while we were in the midst of
a long-term crisis, to help us emerge stronger
than ever, was an important place to begin,
even if we had to reinvent how we would reach
all of you.
During the nine months since this process
began, our Master Plan Steering Committee
members, the Community Development and
Planning Staff and team from Utile have been
involved in an extensive engagement process
including more than a dozen official public
meetings and over forty focus group meetings
where your vision for Nashua was heard. Over
538 incredible ideas were shared through an
interactive project website, which had 1490
unique visits from those wanting to learn about
Imagine Nashua and provide feedback.
This plan reflects what we heard from you
as a community on what we are doing well,
what we can improve and where we want to
be: enhancing quality of life with affordable
housing; rethinking our transportation
corridors to be places of shared use; enjoying
a vibrant economy from arts to high-tech
supported by an excellent school system;
embracing a culture that welcomes and
empowers all Nashuans; maintaining the
balance of access to and protection for our
natural resources; and continuing to have fiscal
strength and responsibility. The goals and
recommendations of this plan detail how we
will get to where we want to be.
Thank you to the thousands of community
members who participated in the master
planning process and helped to inform this
plan. I want to especially express my gratitude
to the twenty-two community members who
served on our Master Plan Steering Committee.
You provided thoughtful and essential
guidance to City staff and our consulting team
throughout this unique and intense process.
Our work has just begun, this framework is
the essential jumping off point to reimagine
our land use code and citywide policies, to
ensure that the future Nashua envisioned here
can come to fruition over the years ahead.
Together, we can make this vision for Nashua
the reality for our future generations.
Sincerely,
J Duce
Mayor Jim Donchess
Comprehensive Master Plan
Imagine TEEINEL
Acknowledgements
Imagine Nashua Master Plan
Prepared for the City of Nashua by Utile
Brought to you under the leadership of Mayor Jim Donchess
Imagine Nashua reflects significant work and dedication from
a wide range of individuals and groups committed to building
a sustainable future for Nashua. Thank you to all the City staff
members, organizations, and community contributors who
participated throughout the planning process.
Planning Department, City of Nashua
Sarah Marchant, Director of Community Development
Matthew Sullivan, Planning Department Manager
Julie Chizmas, Transportation/Long-Range Planner
TK =T=Y a UTM OLA T=)
Mayor James Donchess, Mayor
Cheryl Lindner, Chief of Staff
Scott LeClair, Planning Board Chair
Adam Varley, Planning Board Vice-Chair
David Tencza, Chair of PEDC
Raymond Guarino, Nashua School Board Member
Heather Raymond, Back-up for School Board Member
Wendy Hunt, Nashua COCA President
Paul Shea, GAD Executive Director
Dan O’ Donnell, Back-up for GAD (Board President)
John Jurczyk, President of St. Joseph Hospital
Scott Cote, Designee from SYN
Bob James, Designee NH Realtor
Raymond Brousseau, BAE Representative
Amber Morgan, Chair of Masterplan Committee
Rabbi Jon Spira-Savett, Ward 1 Resident
Marjorie Bollinger Hogan, Ward 2 Resident
Gene Porter, Ward 3 Resident
Heidi MacDonald, Ward 4 Resident
Gloria McCarthy, Ward 5 Resident
Peter Schaefer, Ward 7 Resident
Mary Ann Melissa Golva, Ward 8 Resident
Homa Jaferey, Ward 9 Resident
Consultant Team
Utile: Tim Love, Will Cohen, Taskina Tareen, Elizabeth van der Els,
Andrea Baena
Ninigret Partners: Kevin Hively
Brown Richardson + Rowe: Dave Andrews, Althea Northcross
Horsley Witten Group: Jon Ford, Ellie Baker
Toole Design Group: Karen Fitzgerald, Jake Berman
Many thanks to all Nashua residents, workers, business owners,
and other stakeholders who helped make this plan a success!
Your insightful comments and suggestions on how to make
Nashua a more welcoming, diverse, and forward-thinking city are
incorporated in the final plan actions and recommendations.
For a complete list of staff and community contributors to the
Imagine Nashua Process, please see pages 186.
Cover Image: Seth J Dewey Photography
Cover image depicts the “Nashua River Light Parade” organized by
Nashua Area Kayak Exploration Destinations (N.A.K.E.D.) Group.
Comprehensive Master Plan
Nashua River Light Parade organized by Nashua Area
Kayak Exploration Destinations (N.A.K.E.D.) Group.
Imagine Nashua
Master Plan
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182
Introduction
What is Imagina Nashua?
Why Plan Now?
Vision and Core Values
Planning Procress
Community Engagement and Outreach
Top Goals and Actions
Land Use and Development
Mobility and Transit
Housing
Economic Development
Open Space and Environment
Arts and Culture
Additional Goals and Actions
Land Use and Development
Mobility and Transit
Housing
Economic Development
Open Space and Environment
Appendix
Comprehensive Master Plan
Imagine {ERIE
Imagine Nashua’s
Top Goals
Paice
Land Use and
Development
Learn more about the
Master Plan’s Top goals
on page 52.
Top Goal: Housing
Accessibility
Create a greater mix of housing
types that are accessible
to Nashua residents at
all life stages, household
compositions, physical abilities,
and socioeconomic levels as
identified in the 2020 City
Housing Study.
Mobility and Transit
Comprehensive Master Plan
Economic
Development
Open Space and
Natural Resources Arts and Culture
Top Goal: Parks and
NFeMa ees weer: b-3
Neel ce em eel
Fer ee CRU Cl
Nashua’s green network:
Enhance access to and better
connect Nashua’s existing open
space network for citizens of all
EYStooomer eye Lem eco
Top Goal: Mitigation of
Climate Change Impacts
TERM CRA UE
change on the community and
encourage public health.
Top Goal: Diversity
Celebrate and integrate
the diversity of cultures,
eFC CULE exeeM Ue
communities and support this
diversity in city policies and
ese
Top Goal: Arts and
fede hati c=)
Prioritize arts and culture as an
important aspect of inclusive
economic development and
strengthening placemaking in
EMMOTT
2. Provide the City of Nashua with a list of all unperformed services.
3. Place no further orders or sub-contracts for materials, services, or facilities, other than
as may be necessary or required for completion of such portion of work under the
contract that is not terminated.
4. Immediately make every reasonable effort to obtain cancellation upon terms
satisfactory to the City of Nashua of all orders or sub contracts to the extent they relate
to the performance of work terminated, abandoned, or suspended under the notice,
assign to the City of Nashua any orders or sub contracts specified in the notice, and
revoke agreements specified in the notice.
5. Not resume work after the effective date of a notice of termination unless and until
receipt of a written notice from the City of Nashua to resume performance.
In the event of a termination for cause, Professional Engineer shall receive all amounts due and
not previously paid to Professional Engineer for work satisfactorily completed in accordance with
the contract prior to the date of the notice, less all previous payments. No amount shall be
allowed or paid for anticipated profit on unperformed services or other unperformed work. Any
such payment may be adjusted to the extent of any additional costs occasioned to the City of
Nashua by reasons of Professional Engineer's failure. Professional Engineer shall not be relieved
of liability to the City of Nashua for damages sustained from the failure, and the City of Nashua
may withhold any payment to the Professional Engineer until such time as the exact amount of
damages due to the City of Nashua is determined. All claims for payment by the Professional
Engineer must be submitted to the City of Nashua within 30 days of the effective date of the
notice of termination.
If after termination for the failure of Professional Engineer to adhere to any of the terms and
conditions of the contract or for failure to satisfactorily, in the sole opinion of the City of Nashua,
to complete or make sufficient progress on the work in a timely and professional manner, it is
determined that Professional Engineer had not so failed, the termination shall be deemed to have
been a termination at will. In that event, the City of Nashua shall, if necessary, make an
adjustment in the compensation paid to Professional Engineer such that Professional Engineer
receives total compensation in the same amount as it would have received in the event of a
termination-at-will.
C. GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR TERMINATION Upon termination of the contract, the City of
Nashua may take over the work and prosecute it to completion by agreement with another party
or otherwise. In the event Professional Engineer shall cease conducting business, the City of
Nashua shall have the right to solicit applications for employment from any employee of the
Professional Engineer assigned to the performance of the contract.
Neither party shall be considered in default of the performance of its obligations hereunder to the
extent that performance of such obligations is prevented or delayed by any cause, existing or
future, which is beyond the reasonable control of such party. Delays arising from the actions or
inactions of one or more of Professional Engineer's principals, officers, employees, agents,
subcontractors, consultants, vendors, or suppliers are expressly recognized to be within
Professional Engineer's control.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION _ The parties shall attempt to resolve any dispute related to this contract
as follows. Either party shall provide to the other party, in writing and with full documentation to
verify and substantiate its decision, its stated position concerning the dispute. No dispute shall be
considered submitted and no dispute shall be valid under this provision unless and until the
submitting party has delivered the written statement of its position and full documentation to the
other party. The parties shall then attempt to resolve the dispute through good faith efforts and
negotiation between the City of Nashua Representative and a Professional Engineer
Representative. At all times, Professional Engineer shall carry on the work under this contract
and maintain and complete work in accordance with the requirements of the contract or
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