HB1005

Dear Members of the Housing Committee: I am in strong support of HB1005 which Repeals the "Commission to Study the Historical Evolution of the NH Zoning Enabling Act". I also echo Mr. Preece"s testimony of support and concerns that the Commission does not study or provide any unbiased research into municipal zoning. That the purpose of the commission is to politically dismantle and undermine RSA 672 and local land-use authority regarding planning and zoning for their own community's' health safety and welfare. RSA 672 enables local authority and governance of this. Instead, this Commission is trying to justify state pre-emption through one size fits all planning and zoning mandates and bypassing a municipality's rights by disabling their authority. Serve your communities and constituents and recognize that NH communities are not subjects of the State. Support HB 1005 and recommend OTP. Sincerely, Sharon Monahan

Dear Chair and Members of the Committee, I write in strong support of HB 1005, which repeals the so-called “Commission to Study the Historical Evolution of the New Hampshire Zoning Enabling Act.” This commission does not exist to solve a problem. It exists to undermine local land-use authority by rewriting history to justify state preemption. New Hampshire’s zoning system is not broken. It has been deliberately designed for nearly a century to place planning and land-use decisions in the hands of municipalities and voters. That principle is not accidental — it is the foundation of RSA 672 and the home-rule structure that has allowed our towns and cities to grow responsibly while protecting property rights, infrastructure, and community character. The study commission was never about neutral research. Its mandate was framed to question whether zoning should exist at all — not how to improve it, but how to dismantle it. That makes it a political instrument, not a fact-finding body. At a time when New Hampshire faces real housing, infrastructure, and affordability challenges, the last thing we need is a taxpayer-funded committee whose purpose is to lay the groundwork for stripping communities of their authority and replacing it with one-size-fits-all mandates from Concord. If the Legislature believes zoning law should change, that debate belongs here — in public hearings, with municipal officials, residents, and elected representatives at the table — not inside a commission created to reach a predetermined conclusion. HB 1005 restores honesty and transparency to the process. It eliminates an unnecessary body, saves public resources, and sends a clear message: New Hampshire’s communities are not subjects of the state — they are partners in governing it. I respectfully urge the Committee to recommend Ought to Pass on HB 1005. Sincerely, David John Preece State Representative, Hillsborough District 17

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