Shall the Town of Hampton vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $200,000 to design flood controls for the protection of the west side streets off of Ashworth Avenue, Brown Avenue, the Island Path and Glade Path areas north to Winnacunnet Road, including NH Route 1A and the areas surrounding Meadow Pond, including High Street, King’s Highway, Gentian, Greene and Meadow Pond Roads, the areas surrounding the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary and all contributing water ways. Such flood control designs are those recommended by the ongoing Flood Studies being conducted by the Town and the Town’s consultants. Funds may be utilized for the design and permitting of final engineering plans and construction plans for bidding purposes. Funds may also be utilized for necessary work projects that are needed to facilitate the construction of flood and drainage facilities prior to the issuance of construction contracts. Said sum of $200,000 to come from the Unassigned Fund Balance. This will be a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and shall not lapse until the work is completed or by March 31, 2024, whichever is sooner? (Majority vote required)
What it means: The requested $200,000 will be used to create modeling exercises to produce data regarding flooding, water flows, sea level rise and the like in the Route 1A/Hampton Estuary area and surrounding streets. The objective is to be better able to seek funding for modeling solutions and preliminary designs, which can serve as the basis for implementation and construction. A related report is expected from consultants under a $185,000 award to the Town. The current focus is to determine which recommendations can be put through to design and to identify potential resources such as the Army Corps of Engineers. The town can then look for matching grants to implement the recommendations. This work would demonstrate the Town’s commitment, with a plan that will be needed to attract financial backing.
Those in favor say: This process creates the “building blocks” for implementing solutions. It is in the best interest of the Town’s future real estate revenue stream to address this issue and to do it properly. Flooding happens today with much greater frequency than in the past. One possible solution may be “managed retreat” i.e. bringing properties back to estuary form because the frequency of flooding is so much greater. However, if there is a combination of solutions that can alleviate the problem, people can stay where they are. Structures can be waterproofed, raised, allow water to pass under and flow back. The priority is to tackle the most vulnerable spots; perhaps construction grants could come from federal sources. A speaker made note of the fact that the real estate tax revenue of the town is at risk if homes become untenable in sections of the town.
Those against say: Some skepticism has been expressed about what can be effectively done when water will keep coming over the seawall. Another speaker was concerned about the lack of specificity in the Warrant Article for the work that will be funded if the Article is successful.
Fiscal impact: There is no tax impact because the money was appropriated in prior tax years. This Article is allowing the withdrawal of the money from the fund for the specified purpose.