Draft Town Zoning Amendments 2023
The Planning Board is considering a zoning amendment. The Planning Board is considering replacing the existing Zoning Ordinance with a new Zoning Ordinance that will reduce the number of zoning districts, encourage development where infrastructure exists to support it, allow flexibility to property owners to utilize their property consistent with the existing use while maintaining minimum standards to protect surrounding properties, and to incentivize the creation of diverse housing options. It will also clean up ambiguities in the ordinance by revising wording and adding definitions.
View the Draft Ordinance under supporting documents.
View the Current vs Proposed Zoning Map under supporting documents.
These changes are intended to:
- Help implement the Town’s Master Plan.
- Maintain limited development potential in our more rural areas.
- Provide stability for existing residential subdivisions located between the more rural areas and the more populated areas of town.
- Allow for a greater variety of housing types and infill development for the residential areas closer to the center of town.
- Allow for vibrant, walkable centers, including downtown Exeter, with a mix of new and redeveloped commercial, residential, and community uses that respect Exeter’s historic heritage.
- Continue to allow spaces for neighborhood-serving retail and services as well as heavier commercial and light industrial/warehousing uses.
The proposed amendments to the zoning ordinances can be found under Supporting Documents at the bottom of the page.
Related Meetings and Links
- 9/29/22: Project update is given to the Master Plan Oversight Committee at their September 29th, 2022 meeting.
- 10/13/22: Project update is given to the Planning Board at their October 13th, 2022 meeting.
- 1/5/23: The Town's Planning and Sustainability Office hosted a public meeting at Exeter High School on January 5th, 2023 to discuss plans to update the Town's zoning. A video of the presentation from the meeting can be viewed on the Exeter TV YouTube page.
- 1/12/23: The Planning Board held a public hearing on the zoning changes at their January 12th, 2023 meeting. For the full meeting agenda, packet, and video of the meeting, visit the Minutes and Agendas page.
