Keene · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Keene public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Gilbo Avenue solar pavilion siting and future development
After months of debate, the committee picked the parking-lot site for the solar pavilion over the original tree-shaded spot, favoring much higher power output and faster payback over preserving the lot for future housing development.
Fast Food Restaurant with Drive-Thru at 348 Winchester Street
The former Rite Aid in Riverside Plaza could come down and be replaced by a roughly 4,576-square-foot fast food restaurant with a drive-thru. Neighbors and shoppers may care about traffic, drive-thru operations, and how the waivers the applicant requested affect site standards.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Tank Repairs
The council was slated to consider construction services for the first phase of tank repairs at the wastewater treatment plant — the kind of behind-the-scenes work that keeps the city's sewer system running.
Emergency Pearl Street Sewer Main Repair
A cluster of water infrastructure items came before the committee: repairing the 3-million-gallon tank, inspecting the transmission water main with new engineering services from KenWave Solutions, and contracting for the City Hall garage rehab.
Monadnock View Cemetery running out of burial space
A resolution was on the agenda to allocate funds for construction of the Monadnock View Cemetery expansion. This affects long-term burial capacity for the community.
RSA 79-E Housing Tax Relief for 429 Elm Street
A property owner applied for temporary tax relief under the city's Residential Property Revitalization Zone program to rehabilitate a building at 429 Elm Street. The program trades short-term tax revenue for long-term property improvements.
16-inch Water Transmission Main Assessment
A cluster of water infrastructure items came before the committee: repairing the 3-million-gallon tank, inspecting the transmission water main with new engineering services from KenWave Solutions, and contracting for the City Hall garage rehab.
Guitard Homes Cottage Court Utility Easement
Three of the night's approvals use Keene's newer Cottage Court rules to add housing: two Habitat for Humanity homes on Grove Street, a 14-unit townhouse project near Elm/Carroll, and a starter home on George Street. The board noted the city changed its code specifically to allow this kind of gentle density.
School Street speeding and cut-through traffic
Duncan Hilchey and Amy Christian asked for a traffic study and safety assessment of School Street; the council unanimously sent it to staff for a report.
Downtown Project Water Shutoff and Fire Safety Failures
An October 1 water main break left downtown businesses without water far longer than planned, and a restaurant owner discovered she hadn't been notified her building's domestic water was affected — and briefly believed fire suppression was down. Public Works admitted a records error, confirmed the fire line stayed active, and pledged better communication during future shutoffs.
Central Square Traffic Lane Configuration
The downtown project's plan squeezes traffic north of the Common into a single 22-foot lane with a raised crosswalk. Business owners and some councilors want two 11-foot lanes, arguing one lane will bottleneck traffic and hurt downtown commerce; Public Works says the single lane is safer for pedestrians and can be changed later since it's only paint. The full council will take this up.
SAFER Fire Staffing Grant Acceptance
The Fire Chief was scheduled to present the Fiscal Year 2025 SAFER grant award for fire and emergency response staffing. Accepting it could bolster fire department staffing at little local cost.
Fire Department Staffing and Overtime Costs
Keene Fire is running on fumes — top firefighters averaging 75-hour weeks and 24,385 overtime hours last year just to hit the 12-person minimum. Adding one firefighter per shift costs $525,460 but offsets $527,691 in overtime, though it's not yet in the budget so it hits the tax rate.
0 Howard Street rezoning to Conservation
A resident wants the city-owned wooded lot at 0 Howard Street rezoned to Conservation to permanently block housing there, but staff say it's one of the last buildable infill parcels in the urban compact and rezoning it could be illegal spot zoning. The board found it inconsistent with the Master Plan, but it's headed to City Council for a public hearing where neighbors can speak again.
Short-term rental regulation (O-2026-09 and O-2026-10)
The council held a public hearing on a proposed ordinance governing short-term rental uses in Keene. This could affect homeowners who rent out their properties and neighbors concerned about neighborhood character.
Howard Street Zoning Map Amendment (O-2026-13)
The council took up the second reading of a zoning change for 0 Howard Street, moving the parcel from Medium Density to Conservation. That change would limit future development on the site.
Restricting sale of 7-OH and concentrated kratom products
The council was asked to consider restricting the sale of 7-hydroxymitragynine and concentrated kratom products, a synthetic opioid-adjacent substance sold in some shops. This is a public health and safety question for the community.