Keene meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Keene boards meet on housing, variances, and city projects; minutes pending

Three Keene boards held meetings in the past two weeks, covering a proposed triplex conversion, two variance requests, and several city infrastructure and policy items. All three meetings have published agendas, but minutes are not yet available, so no decisions have been reported.

Planning Board (July 27)

The Planning Board held public hearings on a conditional use permit to convert a two-family home into a triplex at 128-130 School St. The board also considered a temporary change of governmental land use for construction storage on Gilbo Ave and School St, related to the Downtown Infrastructure Project.

In addition, the board reviewed a boundary line adjustment transferring approximately 0.09 acres between parcels at 35 and 39 Kendall Rd, and took a final vote on applications previously conditionally approved (specific items not listed in the agenda). The board received a staff overview of administrative and minor site plan approvals from January through June 2026.

Zoning Board of Adjustment (August 3)

The Zoning Board of Adjustment held hearings on two variance requests:

• ZBA-26-5: 59 Optical Ave, for dispatch, office, bus storage, and maintenance.
• ZBA-26-8: 31 Mill Rd, for a new garage with an accessory dwelling unit in the front setback.

City Council (August 6)

The City Council heard a presentation on the city-wide reevaluation by the City Assessor. The council also considered nominations to the Human Rights Committee and discussed a request for a temporary moratorium on data centers and cryptocurrency mining facilities.

Resolutions appropriating funds for the Marlboro Street & Cheshire Rail Trail Improvements Project and for Wastewater Treatment Plant Capital Reserve Funds for HVAC replacement were on the agenda. The council also discussed a petition for safety improvements at the South Lincoln Street and Roxbury Street intersection.

No vote tallies or specific dollar amounts were provided in the agendas.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are scheduled in the next 14 days.

Keene committees set stage for park renovations, wastewater HVAC funding, School St triplex hearing

Keene's advisory committees and Planning Board met the week of July 22–27, but minutes have not yet been published for any of the sessions, so no votes or final decisions can be reported. What follows is drawn from the posted agendas, which list what each body was scheduled to take up. Residents who want the official record should consult the city's published minutes once available.

Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee — July 22

The committee was slated to receive a Phase 1 presentation from consultant CHA on the Robin Hood Park Renovation. Also on the agenda: a citizen petition from Erik Murphy seeking safety improvements at the South Lincoln Street and Roxbury Street intersection, and an Eversource Energy request for temporary access to Old Gilsum Road for a transmission structure replacement.

Additional agenda items included proposed rumble strips on Route 12 and Route 9, an airport terminal renovations update, conceptual design for a Gilbo Avenue solar pavilion, restricting vehicle access to the wastewater treatment plant driveway, and a downtown infrastructure project update. No vote tallies are available because minutes have not been published.

Finance, Organization and Personnel Committee — July 23

The committee was scheduled to consider two resolutions and several funding items. Resolution R-2026-36 would appropriate Wastewater Treatment Plant Capital Reserve Funds for an HVAC replacement project; the agenda does not list a dollar amount. Resolution R-2026-34 relates to fiscal policies.

Other scheduled items: waiving the city's claim against casualty and flood insurance proceeds for 112 Washington St and for 34 Court LLC (both item 79-E), a request to carry forward FY2026 personnel funds for City Clerk's Office renovations covering the Deputy City Clerk and Assistant Clerk positions, and a non-public session. No outcomes are recorded yet.

Planning Board — July 27

The board had public hearings scheduled on two land-use matters:

• **PB-26-16 — Cottage Court Conditional Use Permit** to add a dwelling unit to a barn at 128-130 School St, converting a two-family home into a triplex.
• **Change of Governmental Land Use** for temporary construction storage at 0 Gilbo Ave and 0 School St, tied to the Downtown Infrastructure Project.

The agenda also listed a boundary line adjustment (PB-26-18) transferring approximately 0.09 acres between parcels at 35 and 39 Kendall Rd, a final vote on applications previously given conditional approval (specific items not listed), and a staff overview of administrative and minor site plan approvals from January through June 2026. No hearing results or votes are available.

Coming up

• **Zoning Board of Adjustment — Monday, Aug. 3 (today):** Hearings on two variance requests — ZBA-26-5 at 59 Optical Ave for dispatch, office, bus storage, and maintenance use, and ZBA-26-8 at 31 Mill Rd for a new garage with an accessory dwelling unit in the front setback.

All recent meeting outcomes above remain unverified until the city publishes minutes. Readers seeking the authoritative record should consult the official agendas and minutes posted by the City of Keene.