(As Petitioned) Shall the town of Hampton vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $520,000 for the construction of an Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliant six-foot sidewalk on the West side of Mace Road including installation of ADA compliant ramps and crosswalks connecting Mill Road to High Street.

What it means:  The petitioners who put forward this article are asking for just over a half-mile of sidewalk to be installed along Mace Rd. There are already sidewalks along 2 portions of a large triangle including Mill Road and High Street.  But Mace Road, used by many families to access Five Corners Park, Marston School and Hampton Academy as well as to jog and ride bikes, does not have a sidewalk.

Those in favor say:  DPW has assisted with identifying the engineering requirements and the cost estimate for the project.  No property would need to be taken by eminent domain, because the Town already owns the land necessary to compete the work.  In fact, the homes along the route would likely have improved “curb appeal” because there would be a sidewalk separating them from a highly-utilized vehicular roadway.  The project is about the safety of the townspeople and especially the children who use the road daily.

Those against say:  Although there does not seem to be any disagreement that this would be an improvement for the town and for the area, those who are against it point to either the cost or other pressing priorities in town.

Fiscal Impact:  The average Hampton home valued at $408,000 would bear an increased tax cost of $63.63 if this Article passes.  The tax impact is for this year only.  The cost per thousand of property valuation is .156.

On the petition of MaryRae Preston and at least 25 registered voters, shall the Town of Hampton raise and appropriate the sum of $50,000 to remove and/or trim dead or dying trees in the Hampton cemeteries for health, safety, and aesthetic purposes.

What it means:  The Town of Hampton owns cemeteries in town, the largest of which are the High Street cemetery and the Pine Grove cemetery.  There are many trees, and quite a few are dead or dying or have large branches that are compromised.  The Trustees put forward Article 46 because they feel that it is a basic maintenance obligation of the Town and that the hazard exists for visitors, cars passing by and neighboring homes (especially true of Pine Grove).

Those in favor say:  The cemeteries are on town-owned land and we need to address this safety issue.

Those against say:  No one spoke against this Article at Deliberative Session.

Fiscal Impact:  The average Hampton home valued at $408,000 would bear an increased tax cost of $6.12.  The cost per thousand home valuation is .015.

By petition of the following registered voters of Hampton, to be placed on the 2018 Town warrant, shall the Town express its support to Governor Sununu for New Hampshire to join Massachusetts and Maine and study the feasibility of developing offshore wind power in the Gulf of Maine?  The Town will provide written notice urging Governor Sununu to request the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to form an intergovernmental task force.  A bipartisan NH legislative committee studied the potential for offshore wind in 2014 and recommended the establishment of this task force.  Floating wind turbines located offshore in federal waters and barely seen from land, combined with other renewable energy will move NH to 100% renewable energy by 2050.  The building of offshore wind farms will bring a significant number of jobs and revenue to New Hampshire.

What it means:  Wind power has the potential to help the state move towards renewable energy. Once a tower is built, it takes a couple of years to recover the investment, but after that, the wind produces what amounts to almost free electricity.  That can last for about 20 to 25 years until the turbines need to be replaced. There is no cost to the town for the study, but a study is required before any further planning can be done. The study will be managed by the Bureau of Ocean Engineering Management at the invitation and request of Governor Sununu.  If Article 47 is approved, Hampton will communicate to the Governor to ask that he request the study.

Those in favor say:  Wind energy is a good alternative to natural gas pipelines and bringing in hydroelectric power from Quebec, Canada.  The petitioned warrant article asks the state to look into offshore wind power development.  There is no commitment.

Those against say:  Those against the study point to the challenges of a relative neophyte industry and the high up-front costs of establishing wind farms.

Fiscal Impact:  No Tax Impact.

To the Selectmen of Hampton: The undersigned legal voters of the Town of Hampton NH request you to insert in the warrant for the next Town meeting the following article:

Prohibit Smoking on all Town Beaches in Hampton

What it means:  The petitioners are asking the Town to disallow smoking on town-owned beaches.

Those in favor say: Breathing second-hand cigarette smoke and catching cigarette butts between your toes can ruin a family day at the beach. The petitioners want to send a message that for the sake of everyone, smoking should be disallowed at the beach.

Those against say:  The beaches for the most part are state-owned, so the state (not the Town) would need to change the rules.

Fiscal Impact:  No Tax Impact.