I. Plan Summary
A. A Plan for the Future of Hampton Beach
| The Town of Hampton and the State of New Hampshire have joined efforts to create a comprehensive Master Plan to resolve longstanding problems and create a positive new vision for the future of Hampton Beach. The purpose of this Master Plan is to coordinate public and private sector initiatives that will enhance the environmental, recreational and economic value of this area, and support extended seasonal activity and year-round residents. |
Hampton Beach is a unique coastal community and tourism destination that can benefit from a planned approach to its future. This Plan is a joint project of the Town of Hampton and the State of New Hampshire to create a common vision for the area, and translate that vision into a working program of specific actions that will incrementally improve the Beach and its environment.
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The Plan has been designed to enhance the substantial assets of this area and reverse negative trends that are largely the result of the unusual history of the community. It includes a program focused on the next few years, but it also contains a vision for the long-term.
Through an open public planning process, the sponsors of this effort have sought a new consensus on action. The preparation of this Master Plan has been guided by the participation of a broadly representative Hampton Beach Master Plan Advisory Committee (HBMPAC), and local and state agencies. The Hampton Planning Board formally adopted this Plan on November 7, 2001. The New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development also approved the Plan on this day.
This Master Plan establishes a comprehensive program of improvements for the private and public sectors that will steadily transform key aspects of Hampton Beach. The Master Plan creates a new framework for development and promotes a program of amenities and visual improvement. It considers land use and includes recommendations for providing a more coherent pattern that will reinforce the value of the land. The Master Plan seeks to further protect the special environment of Hampton Beach through actions and regulation. The Plan targets infrastructure improvements that support the Beach, involving transportation, circulation, storm water, water supply and sewer service. It also contains an economic strategy that will link investments to important benefits for the Town and the State.
The recommendations herein lay out a step-by-step process and actions for implementing proposed actions over a 50-year period. Some changes can be implemented immediately; other recommendations require a longer planning period. The initial phase describes detailed steps with responsible parties, funding sources, and appropriate costs, while the later phase identifies only the long-term steps. These strategies have been refined and advanced with illustrations to help explain and relate some of the physical changes with the proposed activities and uses.