About Me

My name is Jim Pritchard, and I am running for the 2-year term on the Pittsfield planning board.  I respectfully ask for your vote.

I am very knowledgeable in planning board procedures and land-use law.  I have been following the planning board for 8 years.  I have read all of the town’s land-use ordinances, all of the state’s land-use statutes, and most of the state supreme court’s decisions on land-use law.  I have read treatises by recognized authorities, such as New Hampshire Practice, by Peter Loughlin, A Hard Road to Travel, by Bernard Waugh, Model Subdivision Regulations, Text and Commentary, by Robert Freilich and Peter Levi, and The New Illustrated Book of Development Definitions, by Harvey Moskowitz and Carl Lindbloom.

My position on land-use law is simple:  I support land-use regulation when—and only when—the regulation is well defined, clearly stated, authorized by state law, and necessary to fulfill a well-defined, clearly stated, and necessary public purpose.  I oppose regulations that do not meet those standards.

I believe that zoning is necessary because haphazard development makes property values go down and taxes go up.  For that reason, I oppose Dan Schroth’s petition to repeal the zoning ordinance.  But zoning can be overdone or poorly done.  For the reasons on the home page, I oppose most of the planning board’s proposed zoning amendments.

For the past few weeks, I have been knocking on doors, listening to voters, and asking for votes.  A couple of voters told me that someone had told them that I am pushing land-use regulations for my own personal benefit.  I have been urged to confront this allegation.

The allegation is absolutely and verifiably false.  First, the town hall can tell you that neither I nor any family member has ever filed any development application.  Second, no person claiming that I have a personal agenda could possibly know what my private plans are.  And third, state law has always prohibited any regulation that I have proposed in the past or that I might propose in the future from applying to any development that I have ever opposed.  See RSA 677:19, Subsequent Amendment:

“[If, during an appeal,] the court finds … that the application should have been approved but the ordinance was amended to prohibit the type of project applied for during the pendency of the appeal, … [then] the court shall, upon request of the petitioner, issue an order approving the application, provided that the court finds the application complies with valid zoning and subdivision regulations existing at the time of the application.”

I am running because of no personal agenda.  I am running because, in my experience before the town boards, this town government treats its citizens more like subjects than citizens.  I am running because the American way is to get involved if you want to change government.  Some voters have told me that they do not go to board meetings or town meetings because they feel disrespected and ignored.  I know the feeling.  Last May, the planning board chair himself wrote in the Suncook Valley Sun, “This town could function a whole lot better if [Pritchard] were to take his pungent behavior somewhere else.”  The chair recently told the Concord Monitor that Pittsfield is a “slummy mess.”  (December 15, 2010.)  If you elect me, this contempt for Pittsfield and its citizens will stop.

When I was on the planning board two years ago, I did more of the board’s work than the other members combined, and I spent no taxpayer money.  By contrast, the planning board majority spent $17,500 for a zoning revision.  What did $17,500 buy you?  $17,500 bought you a proposal for an oppressive and expensive bureaucracy.  That bureaucracy includes an invasive building-permit requirement that eliminates the current exemption for “general maintenance.”  Everything, no matter how minor, will require a permit.  $17,500 bought you expedited approval of private dumps, which are currently not permissible.  Clearly, regulations like these are not necessary for any valid public purpose, and, for that I reason, I oppose them.

My opponents in this election are planning board chair Bill Miskoe and member Dan Schroth.  Bill supports the new bureaucracy while Dan wants no zoning whatsoever.  I am in the middle supporting sensible regulations.  Please honor me with your vote on March 8.

Thank you,

Jim Pritchard