City Council

Minutes were approved on July 11, 2025, by the Government Operations & Ordinances Subcommittee. CITY OF LACONIA - CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING Government Operations & Ordinances City Hall - Armand A. Bolduc City Council Chamber 1:30 P.M. 3/27/2025 - Minutes 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Haynes called the meeting to order at 1:32 PM 2. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Councilor Cheney led the salute to the flag. 3. RECORDING SECRETARY Katie Gargano, City Clerk 4. ROLL CALL Clerk Gargano called the roll of the following committee members: Councilor Cheney, Councilor Haynes and Councilor Felch. Chairman Haynes confirmed all members were in attendance and a quorum was established. 5. STAFF IN ATTENDANCE Kirk Beattie, City Manager; Matt Canfield, Police Chief; Rob Mora, Planning Director; Wes Anderson, DPW Director; Tyler Carmichael, Assistant Planning Director. 6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 6.A. Approval of Government Operations and Ordinances Subcommittee meeting minutes of March 10, 2025 Councilor Felch made a motion to approve the March 10, 2025 minutes as distributed. Seconded by Councilor Cheney. The motion passed with all in favor. 3-0 7. GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ORDINANCES (Haynes, Felch, Cheney) 7.A. Ordinance 2025-167-2, 167-3 amending Chapter 167, Noise, Section 167-2, Certain Noise Restricted, and Section 167-3, Sound Equipment As originally requested by Councilor Haynes, the Government Operations & Ordinances Subcommittee met earlier this year to review the City’s Noise Ordinance following a concern voiced by a constituent. After discussion, the proposed language to be incorporated into Chapter 167 of the Noise Ordinance was sent for legal review, resulting in the revisions contained in the draft Ordinance that is attached to the agenda. Attorney Driscoll went over the sections where the edits have been made. He explained the  As originally requested by Councilor Haynes, the Government Operations & Ordinances Subcommittee met earlier this year to review the City’s Noise Ordinance following a concern voiced by a constituent. After discussion, the proposed language to be incorporated into Chapter 167 of the Noise Ordinance was sent for legal review, resulting in the revisions contained in the draft Ordinance that is attached to the agenda. Attorney Driscoll went over the sections where the edits have been made. He explained the reasoning for this change is to address outside noise, particularly the operation of construction equipment. There was a discussion on where in the city should be identified on where the noise is allowed based off the zone. Councilor Felch made a motion to table the item until the changes are made, seconded by Councilor Cheney. The item is tabled. Councilor Felch made a motion to reconsider, seconded by Councilor Cheney. All were in favor to reconsider the motion. Councilor Cheney made a motion to approve the changes as amended and to send them to the City Council. Seconded by Councilor Felch. Discussion: None. The motion passed with all in favor. 3-0 7.B. Proposed change to City Ordinance 201-7 - Depositing snow or ice The Government Operations and Ordinances Subcommittee met on February 21, 2025, on the proposed changes to the City Ordinance on depositing snow and ice on City sidewalks and roads. The Ordinance language follows: § 201-7 Depositing snow or ice. No person shall throw or put or cause to be thrown or put any snow or ice into any street, land or alley from any place outside thereof, except temporarily in case of necessity on account of no other place being available; and, in such case, he shall immediately remove the same or cause it to be removed. An 1898 decision by the NH Supreme Court (State v. Jackman 69 NH 318) determined that it was unconstitutional for municipalities to “compel persons to keep the snow, ice and dirt from the sidewalks in front of premises owned or occupied by them.” The City Attorney’s interpretation is that this decision applies to snow/ice from a storm falling on a sidewalk not snow being piled onto a sidewalk by abutting property owners. The guidance from the meeting was to retain the term “immediately” but to establish a time limit for the removal and a fine associated with the limit. The same fines should apply to both depositing snow on the sidewalk and plowing snow into the street. Also, if the abutting property owner did not remove the snow within the time limit and Public Works removed the snow, the property owner shall pay the City the cost of removing the snow. The proposed fines for piling snow onto City sidewalk or into a City road follows: 1st Offense $ 200 2nd Offense $400 3rd or more offense $800 The following reflects the proposed changes to the City Ordinance. The changes are in bold: § 201-7 Depositing snow or ice. a. No person shall throw or put or cause to be thrown or put any snow or ice into any street,  3rd or more offense $800 The following reflects the proposed changes to the City Ordinance. The changes are in bold: § 201-7 Depositing snow or ice. a. No person shall throw or put or cause to be thrown or put any snow or ice into any street, sidewalk and or alley from any place outside thereof, except temporarily in case of necessity on account of no other place being available; and, in such case, he shall immediately remove the same or cause it to be removed. If the snow piled onto the sidewalk or into a street by an abutting property owner or their contractor is not removed from the sidewalk or road within 24 hours from the end of the storm, the abutting property owner shall be fined per paragraph c. b. If the City removes the snow after the time limit is exceeded, the City, in addition to the fine, will recover the cost of the snow removal from the abutting property owner. c. Offense Fine 1st $200 2nd $400 3rd $800 Director Anderson presented the changes he made to the ordinance since the last meeting. Councilor Felch asked for the fines to be reduced to $100, $300, $600. Director Anderson said he will make that change. Councilor Felch made a motion that the Government Operations and Ordinances Subcommittee concurs with the proposed changes to the Ordinance to enable Public Works to finalize the proposed changes with the City Attorney and send to the full council. Seconded by Councilor Cheney Discussion: None. The motion passed with all in favor. 3-0 7.C. Proposed change to City Code § 235-41, Residential Accessory Uses This proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance will add provisions to Article VII related to the regulation of keeping domestic chickens as a residential accessory use in the City. These provisions include definitions, performance standards, and adding the use to the Table of Permitted Uses. Specifically, the current draft language includes definitions for “chicken,” “henhouse,” and “Runway” as they pertain to this proposed amendment, and will be added as definitions to the Zoning Ordinance to ensure they comply with State statutes and regulations. Performance standards which regulate the location, number, type, housing, and storage of manure and materials are also included. The Table of Permitted Uses will be updated accordingly to ensure that the keeping of chickens is permitted solely as an accessory to a single-family residential use. In accordance with Article XIV of the Zoning Ordinance, the Planning Board must review, approve, and hold a public hearing on all Zoning Ordinance amendments. Should this Committee determine the proposed amendment to be prudent, it should refer the language to be reviewed by the Planning Board. I move to refer the proposed amendment to Chapter 235, Zoning, Article VII, Supplementary Provisions, Section 235-41, Residential Accessory Uses to the Planning Board at their next available meeting. Councilor Cheney would like to see language added that there must be a cover over the hen house to protect them from flying out. And he’d like to see a minimum lot size added. Manchester lists a minimum lot size in Sq. Ft. which is equivalent to ½ acre. He’d also like to see them limited to only being allowed in the rear of a property. The proposed 3 cu. Ft. is also a lot of manure to be keeping and the stench is very strong. That amount may also be reduced.  Councilor Cheney would like to see language added that there must be a cover over the hen house to protect them from flying out. And he’d like to see a minimum lot size added. Manchester lists a minimum lot size in Sq. Ft. which is equivalent to ½ acre. He’d also like to see them limited to only being allowed in the rear of a property. The proposed 3 cu. Ft. is also a lot of manure to be keeping and the stench is very strong. That amount may also be reduced. Councilor Felch would like to see language added to have ¼ acre. Councilor Haynes does not think this is a good idea for small lots which houses close together. He’d like to see it regulated and inspected annually with permits. The committee would like to see it go to the planning board to get public feedback. The committee voted 2-1 to send it to the planning board for a public hearing and then bringing the results back to the subcommittee. Councilor Haynes is opposed. 7.D. Proposed changes to the City Council Rules of Procedure At the March 10, 2025, City Council meeting Councilor Cheney raised concerns with the language contained in the City Council Rules of Procedure. City Manager Beattie will present proposed changes to the Rules of Procedure during this meeting. Manager Beattie went over the proposed changes to the Council Rules of Procedure. Rule #8 changing the Council Meeting agenda to be put on the City Website no later than Friday at 4PM. Rule #9 correcting the order of business on the City Council Agendas Rule #10 changes the City Manager from the Chief Executive Officer to the Chief Administrative Officer. Rule #24 adding the Appointments subcommittee to the list and defining the word “citizen” for letter (K) only. Rule #25 adding language regarding there being no cap on membership numbers for Special Ad Hoc Citizen Advisory Committees. Councilor Felch made a motion for the City Manager to make the proposed changes and bring them forth to the full council. Seconded by Councilor Cheney. Discussion: None. The motion passed with all in favor. 3-0 8. CITIZENS REQUESTS TO COMMENT ON CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS 9. Any other business that may come before the Council 10. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Haynes adjourned the meeting at 2:29 PM Respectfully submitted, Katie Gargano, City Clerk Katie Gargano, City Clerk