Friday Updates - August 1, 2025

Friday, August 1, 2025

A beautiful spider web seen in Oyster River Forest this week. Courtesy, Veronique Ludington, Land Stewardship Coordinator

Did you know spiderwebs are not only beautiful and intriguing, they are also being used by scientists as eDNA filters.  Environmental DNA (eDNA) sequencing is a rapidly emerging method for studying biodiversity and monitoring ecosystem changes. As organisms shed DNA into their environments, eDNA analysis can provide clues about the species present without disrupting the ecosystem. Spiderwebs are passive air filters collecting eDNA from vertebrates as far as a mile away.  Find out more in this 2024 research paper HERE.

AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY NIGHT

• Proposed tabling of Public Hearing on Ordinance #2025-09 regarding Lodging Houses.
• Request to set a public hearing for Resolution #2025-16 for acceptance and expenditure of a NH Office of Highway Safety Grant.
• Request to approve a Special Event Permit Application for University Day.
• Request to appoint Peter Howd as an alternate to the Planning Board.
• Presentation by Business Manager, Gail Jablonski, on the 2nd Quarter Financial Report.
• Presentation by Dr. Michael Ferguson & Matt Frye of UNH on the Parks & Recreation Community Needs Assessment Study.
• Continued Public Hearing on Ordinance #2025-08 regarding with height restrictions in the CB-1 Zone.
• Approval of July 7, 2025 minutes.

PETTEE BROOK CULVERT REPAIR AND TRAFFIC DETOUR ADVISORY UPDATE

During the initial project evaluation in July of 2021 it was found that the Pettee Brook concrete Box culvert, which is a 7-foot wide and 38 inches high (from stream bed to underside of top slab), and roughly 40 feet long structure, exhibits extensive concrete spalling with exposed and deteriorated reinforcing steel on the bottom side of the top slab in the vicinity of the catch basin, directly under the roadway (see photo below). Given the level of deterioration to the top slab and that it is directly under a travel way, engineering recommendations included an interim repair of the culvert, prior to full replacement with the noted section of slab strengthened and/or replaced as part of the Phase 1 segment 2 phase.  This scope has been included in the Madbury Road Phase 2 contact with contractor G.W. Brooks and the Pettee Brook culvert repair will involve the excavation and replacement of a portion of the structure's top concrete slab.

Curing of concrete to achieve proper strength is anticipated to be completed by Monday August 4, at which time backfilling of the excavation will be permitted. The full closure of the southbound lane of Madbury Road at the culvert will continue through at least the first half of next week with daily closures of the northbound lane for construction equipment to stage. Access to Woodman Road and Mathes Terrace will be maintained at all times, as well as access to businesses in the project area. 

ADDITIONAL MADBURY ROAD COMPLETE STREET PROJECT UPDATE

Segment 1, between Pettee Brook Lane and Garrison Avenue – This segment is nearing completion. Remaining work includes miscellaneous stone masonry punch-list items, top course paving, and line striping. We anticipate completion of these tasks over the next 2 weeks, with final paving to align with Segment 2 as noted below 

Segment 2, from Main Street to Pettee Brook Lane, Curbing installation has been completed over the last week with sidewalk construction continuing along with streetscape, pedestrian crosswalk improvements and traffic calming elements. Milling and Paving of this section of roadway is scheduled to occur during the week of August 4th, see more details below.

1. Madbury Road from Main Street to Pettee Brook Lane and Garrison Avenue from Main Street to Madbury Road will receive a milling treatment on Monday morning 8/4 beginning at 5am. We expect the Madbury Road portion to take 2-3 hours to complete and result in delays for traffic approaching Madbury Road from the East and West. 2 police details will be present. Garrison Avenue will follow. Parking will be closed during the day and traffic will be routed one-way (Main to Madbury).
2. Structure Adjustments will be completed on Tuesday 8/5 or Wednesday 8/6. Parking will be affected during the day on Madbury Road from between Main Street and Garrison Avenue and Garrison Avenue from Main Street to Madbury Road where these structures exist to complete this work. Impacts to traffic will be minimal.
3. Paving is expected to occur Thursday 8/7 or Friday 8/8. Parking will be affected during the day to complete this work and traffic will be routed in a northbound only configuration between Pettee Brook Lane and Garrison Avenue on Madbury Road and eastbound only from Main Street to Madbury Road on Garrison Avenue. 

Roadway painting will be the final impactful portion of the project and is currently slated for August 11th. Please be mindful that this schedule will be delayed if we experience any wet weather next week.

Please seek alternate routes and expect extended delays during this operation. 

STATUS OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE REGARDING LODGING HOUSES

The Town Council had scheduled a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance regarding Lodging Houses for August 4. However, after review of the amendment by the Town Attorney, it appears that the proposal would be prohibited under the new law HB457, just signed by the Governor. It is proposed that the Council table the public hearing.

The Durham Town Attorney noted in communication recently to the staff (slightly modified here) for the benefit of the public: “Although the Town Council voted to schedule a public hearing on this potential zoning amendment on August 4, that vote was taken prior to the Governor signing HB 457. In light of this new law, and guidance received from our town attorneys, we expect that the Town Council may decide to cancel the public hearing at the start of the meeting. We are required to give statutory notice about the scheduled public hearing regardless. We expect that an announcement will be made at the beginning of the Town Council meeting regarding whether the public hearing will take place that night. As always, the meeting will be aired live on DCAT and on Zoom. Should the public hearing go forward, it will be held later in the evening, so that anyone who wants to attend in person will have time to drive from their home to the Council Chamber or to participate on Zoom. Please note, however, that Zoom is offered as a convenience to the public and we cannot guarantee that Zoom will always function seamlessly. So, for anybody who wishes to participate in the meeting it is recommended that they attend in person.” 

You can see the proposed amendment, related documents, and the letter from the Town Attorney HERE. Feel free to email the Town Planner with any questions at mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us.

RIVERWOODS PROPOSAL FOR ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO BE BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD ON AUGUST 13.

Riverwoods has submitted an application to the Planning Board for development of Phase II of the community on the vacant lot on the northerly side of Stone Quarry Drive. The project will involve construction of two new senior independent living buildings with 55 units, a community center, and a maintenance building. The application will be presented to the Planning Board on August 13. The public hearing will likely be held on August 27. You can see the application materials HERE. Email the Town Planner with any questions at mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us  

HAS YOUR RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE REGISTERED TO VOTE?

Did your child recently graduate from high school? Are they planning to go away to college in the fall? Suggest to them that they might consider registering to vote before heading out.  

U. S. Citizens must be 18 years of age in order to vote in New Hampshire. However, they may register to vote as long as they will be 18 by the next election. The next election in Durham is March of 2026. Anyone who will be 18 by next March is welcome to register any time before then. They will then be ready to vote here either in person or by absentee ballot for the Durham Town/School election.

New voters may register at the Town Hall whenever that office is open, or at any of the public Supervisor of the Checklist Sessions. The next Session will be held on Monday August 25 from 7:00 – 8:00 PM at the Town Hall. Existing voters may also make changes to their name, address, and/or party at the Town Hall or at a Session.

Applicants for registration must bring with them proofs of identity, age (18 by the next election), U.S. citizenship, and domicile (in Durham). Affidavits are no longer accepted. The list of proofs currently accepted, especially for domicile, is rather complicated. A NH Driver’s License or Non-Driver’s License with your local address is the easiest thing to bring for identification, age, and proof of domicile in Durham. However, it does not prove citizenship, even if it is a Real ID, so you must also bring another document for that.  If you are unsure of what is necessary and what will be accepted, please call the Clerk’s office at 603-868-5577 or check the Secretary of State’s website HERE and click on the link ‘Registering to Vote in New Hampshire.

OUTDOOR LIGHTING UNDER REVIEW

The Planning Board and Conservation Commission have been discussing what kind of outdoor lighting is desired to meet the various objectives of lighting: preserving the night sky, protecting insects that are critical to the health of our environment, reducing glare, keeping costs down, enhancing safety, showing true color rendering when that is desirable, and maintaining a desirable nighttime mood and character. You can see an interesting presentation to the Conservation Commission from this past Monday HERE. The discussion starts at 14 minutes and 30 seconds in. See below for an opportunity to receive free, wildlife-friendly outdoor lighting.

Come to Downtown Durham Day or to the LaRoche Farm on Farm Day to pick up free, wildlife-friendly outdoor lighting (two per household). Volunteers will be handing out amber yellow bulbs, which can be used in any standard outdoor light fixture. The bulbs have a CCT (Correlated Color Temperature) of 2200K.

The benefits of installing these yellow bulbs vs standard white light bulbs are many: they won't attract disease vectors like mosquitoes and flies to your entryway, they make it easier to see the stars, they interfere less in firefly reproduction, and they are less disruptive to circadian rhythms in humans and wildlife.  

The "Did You Know?" on May 23 offered Durham residents a convenient drop off location at our transfer station’s Swap Shop for plastic plant containers and trays. (NOTE: These items are not recyclable locally and should not be put in curbside bins or brought to the transfer station for recycling in the plastics recycling bin.).

Since May 23, members of the Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee (IWMAC) have picked up these containers and trays collected at the Swap Shop and brought them to our local Home Depot and Lowe’s for commercial recycling (thanks to members Mike, Peter and Janet). 

With your help, our town has been able to divert hundreds of plant containers and trays from our landfill. This collaborative effort helps our environment by cutting down on plastic pollution and it helps our town save money on tipping fees at the solid waste landfill. Thank you!

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee 

Questions about recycling or composting? Email us at: DurhamRecycles603@gmail.com

Check us out on Instagram: sustainable.durham.nh

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check here: www.Recyclesmartma.org

Want to learn more about the Swap Shop? Click HERE.

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL NEWS

Summer Nutrition Programs

Oyster River families in need of assistance during the summer months can contact End 68 Hours of Hunger HERE and Community Action Partnership of Strafford County HERE.

Summer Hours Between June 23 and August 22

The SAU office summer hours are Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The SAU and schools will be closed on July 4 in observance of Independence Day.

The schools' summer hours are:

• Mast Way School: Tuesday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Moharimet School: Tuesday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Oyster River Middle School: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 
• Oyster River High School: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

ORCSD School Board Updates

ORCSD school board meetings recordings are available on the ORCSD YouTube channel HERE, and the agendas and minutes are available HERE. School board meetings are live streamed on the ORCSD Streaming channel HERE.