Article 8: Zoning Ordinance Related to New Overlay District on the West Side of Hampton

Click here to see the wording of this Article as it appears on your ballot.

 What it means: This creates and provides details for a new Liberty Lane Overlay District that includes new uses other than industrial, to include residential, retail, services and other currently prohibited uses.

Those in favor say: No one spoke specifically in favor of the Article, other than to clarify questions or concerns from the attendees about the intent of the Article (see below).

Those opposed say: There were concerns about the burden that might be placed on municipal services including sewer, police, fire, traffic, etc. To that point, it was explained that this is only expanding the allowed uses in the district. It is not the approval of any particular project, which would need to go before all the appropriate boards for a site review process. Further, recent projects on the west side of town have had to join a sewer alliance, whereby the transportation of sewage to the Transfer station is the responsibility of the sewer consortium, and there are restrictions on the amount of sewage that can be deposited.

One speaker said the reason this area was zoned as industrial originally is that it provided a natural buffer for the residential areas from the noise of I-95 traffic. By allowing residential development, you remove that buffer and generally increase evening and weekend traffic in an area that is already congested at peak travel times.