Special Projects

In addition to day to day duties, the department is involved in the following special projects:

Central Business District (CBD) Street Tree Plan

During 2020, the department worked with the Strafford Regional Planning Commission and EF Design & Planning, LLC to prepare the Central Business District (CBD) Street Tree Plan The plan was developed as part of a coastal resilience project funded by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Coastal Program. The overall goal of the project includes strengthening the City of Dover’s resilience to climate change by improving the City’s urban landscape through various mechanisms and providing education on innovative approaches to stormwater design.

The Street Tree Plan was endorsed by the Dover Conservation Commission on February 8, 2021 and on February 23, 2021 the Dover Planning Board voted to endorse the plan also.

The Street Tree Plan includes:

  • Guiding principles and objectives for the plan and a discussion of the role and value of street trees.
  • Information about the CBD street tree inventory that was conducted in the summer of 2020 and an analysis of inventory results.
  • A summary of a City-wide GIS-based canopy cover and socio-economic data assessment.
  • A discussion of CBD street tree management, including species selection and street tree design considerations, installation, and maintenance.
  • An implementation schedule to increase resiliency based on street tree inventory findings.

The Street Tree Plan is available here.

The plan includes 7 appendices which can be found here

Downtown Pedestrian and Vehicular Access Study
In 2013 the department began a project to review the circulation patterns for both pedestrians and drivers in downtown Dover. The project is geared toward creating a safer downtown, with improved connections between the Transportation Center and the central business district, as well as improve connections between the Upper Square and Lower Square.

The results from the study will be used to plan Capital Improvements for downtown Dover in the coming years. You can take a survey about downtown circulation, and assist the team by providing feedback on alternatives by clicking here.

View more information here.

Heritage Neighborhood Residential District

In the fall of 2012, the City of Dover began looking at ways to rezone the gateways that lead into downtown. The recommendations that resulted from the Gateway Rezoning Study were presented to the Planning Board last fall and adopted by City Council in February. The recommendations were adopted as presented, with one major exception. It became clear during the Planning Board hearings that our recommendation to rezone the properties along Silver Street missed the mark.  Residents expressed concern that the rezoning would detract from the historic residential character of Silver Street, instead of enhancing it. Instead, it was suggested that the City take a holistic view of not just the properties along Silver Street, but those neighborhoods extending to Fisher Street on the south side, and towards Washington Street on the north side. 

This project is currently underway. 

View more information here.

Space Needs Study
In 2007 the department oversaw the development of a space needs study, which reviewed existing office layout of function areas of City Hall. The consultant, AG Architects, interviewed staff and administrators to determine future needs and then developed a plan to guide staff placement reorganization throughout City Hall.

In 2008, Planning staff oversaw the relocation of offices within City Hall to assist in creating a more flexible and efficient working environment, with improved customer service opportunities within the existing City Hall.

View more information here.

Cochecho River Dredge
The City of Dover and Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) are teaming up to conduct the dredging project to remove sediment as part of the cleanup of the former Dover Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site and to improve navigation in Dover Landing. This dredging work will be conducted in conjunction with the maintenance dredging of the Cochecho River channel by the City and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

View more information here.

Community Trail
Since the mid-1990’s, the City of Dover has been actively planning and acquiring right-ofways for a Community Trail Project. The Dover Master Plan recommends a community trail to provide both recreation and alternative
transportation opportunities for Dover’s citizens.

The trail follows a former railroad bed through much of the City and will provide public access to protected greenways along the Cochecho River. An Expansion project is underway. 

View more information here. | Take our survey

Downtown Parking Facility Study
The Downtown Traffic Circulation Study was a review of the travel and economic development issues associated with the Dover’s Urban Core. The goal of the study was to evaluate the traffic circulation patterns in the Central Avenue/Main Street region of downtown and study the impact waterfront revitalization will have on the current and future patterns. In order to effectively complete this study an in depth traffic study based upon redeveloping the City’s waterfront area, was completed.

The Circulation study was mentioned in many of the recommendations contained in the Transportation Chapter of the Master Plan. A common theme is that the study should review the reestablishment of the Washington Street Vehicular Bridge, which is seen as vital to the Riverfront redevelopment effort. This vehicular bridge would complement the pedestrian access bridge.

View more information here.

Downtown Transit Loop/FastTrans
This is a downtown transit loop project. The intention of the project is to encourage the use of public transit for trips that take place between two Dover locations.

Staff worked with COAST to develop two different
loops that interconnect with existing public transit opportunities. The first loop began operation in December of 2008, and the second began operation in March of 2009.

For updated route information, please visit coastbus.org

Waterfront Redevelopment
On February 9, 2005 the City Council established the Cochecho Waterfront Development Advisory Committee (CWDAC) and delegated the task of the waterfront redevelopment to the Dover Housing Authority (DHA). The CWDAC was responsible for reviewing all aspects of the City's River Street parcel redevelopment and facilitating a plan for developing the lot as a multi-faceted destination point, offering recreational, economic and quality of life opportunities for everyone.

Staff has assisted CWDAC with its review and development of the Design Guidelines and LDA.

Context Sensitive Zoning
Dover's Form Based Code project is envisioned as the first comprehensive review of the City's urban core zoning since 1983. This process includes an intense public participation component and is based on the idea that context sensitive development should be at the forefront of our continued development and growth pattern.

The Form Based Code project began in September of 2008 and was adopted in December 2010. The process was sucessfully replicated in 2012 and 2013/2014.

View more information here.

View the 2013/2014 Downtown Gateway Project here.

Impact Fee Development
Impact fees may be assessed to new development to compensate
the City and the School District for the proportional share of capital facilities generated by new development in the
City of Dover. Any person who seeks a building permit for new development may be required to pay an impact fee in the manner set forth.

In 2003, the City felt that Impact Fees were a way to mitigate unintended consequences of growth. Fees are meant to pay for the impacts to capital facilities caused by development. The enabling legislation also requires that the fees only be used for the purposes for which they are collected.

View more information here.

Willand Pond
Willand Pond is one of the City of Dover's natural treasures. In 2005 and 2006 the area flooded, due to a number of conditions, including higher than normal rainfall, and the limited permeability of the pond's soil layer. Staff worked with consultants to develop an engineering study of the pond, and worked to improve stormwater management and outreach and education about stormwater.

View more information here.