From:	Michael Behrendt
Sent:	Monday, February 16, 2015 12:31 PM
Subject:	Hamel Recreation Center - email from R. Mower

To the PB (and TRG and applicant),
For your information, below.

Michael Behrendt
Director of Planning and Community Development
Town of Durham
8 Newmarket Road
Durham, New Hampshire  03824-2898
(603) 868-8064 (phone)
mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us
www.ci.durham.nh.us


From: RMower [] On Behalf Of RMower 
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2015 2:23 PM 
To: Michael Behrendt 
Subject: Re: Hamel Recreation Center expansion | Public hearing for 
February 25, 2015

Dear Michael,

Please forward this email to the Planning Board. Thank you.

                   -- Robin

*
Dear Members of the Planning Board,

Let me preface my comments by acknowledging the limits of the Planning Board's 
role in responding to any UNH development proposal. That said, I believe several 
points should be addressed during the public hearing and Board's subsequent 
discussion.

First, I note the following paragraph, excerpted from Doug Bencks' transmittal 
("RSA") letter to Durham, dated February 9, 2015:

                             "The two story addition creates a new dedicated entrance to the 
Hamel Recreation Center, separate from the Whittemore Center Arena. The 
location and configuration of the addition results in the loss of about 40 parking 
spaces in the adjacent existing parking lot, while providing for as much area as 
possible for the outdoor pool to the north, and which is consistent with all the pool 
designs shown since last May."

How does UNH plan to:
          a)  address the reduction in parking spaces serving the Recreation Center and 
the Pool? (We know there is already pressure on the parking along Main Street and 
in the Depot Road lot.)

          b)  mitigate the "heat island effect" of a large parking lot, now that we 
*know better* and can take steps to do so? (Will it be broken up by landscaping?)

          c) provide safe and attractive pedestrian paths to these destinations?


Second, it would be helpful for the public and the Planning Board to see a 
computer-rendered illustration showing the Hamel Rec addition in context, e.g., 
relative to the projected resulting parking lot and the projected new swimming 
pool.
                   Such illustrations would allow us to interpret  scale and massing. In 
addition, some of the above questions would be answered thereby.


Third, what provision will UNH make to include a meaningful number of secure 
bicycle parking spaces, some of which should be sheltered? 
                   Perhaps I am missing notation on the site plans or inclusion in the 
elevations, but it would seem to me that this renovation presents an extraordinary 
opportunity to promote UNH's and Durham's aligned interests in encouraging use 
of alternative transportation. As more students use the Hamel Rec Center, and as 
more students are accommodated in downtown, bike- and walk-accessible 
locations, this would certainly seem appropriate.


Thank you for your consideration of these points. I hope you will raise these issues 
with Mr. Bencks and address each to the public's satisfaction, requesting additional 
information if appropriate.


                             Regards,
                                      Robin


Robin Mower
11 Faculty Road
Durham, NH 03824

* * * * * * * *

On Feb 13, 2015, at 4:59 PM, Michael Behrendt wrote:

To the TRG,
The Planning Board is reviewing proposed expansion of Hamel Recreation at a 
public hearing on February 25, and will then offer any suggestions per RSA 
674:54.  If you have any comments that you would like me to forward to the 
Planning Board please submit them to me by the end of the day this Thursday, 
February 19.  Thank you.
 
Michael Behrendt
Director of Planning and Community Development
Town of Durham
8 Newmarket Road
Durham, New Hampshire  03824-2898
(603) 868-8064 (phone)
mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us
www.ci.durham.nh.us
 
 
 
From: Bencks, Doug [mailto:Doug.Bencks@unh.edu]  
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 9:36 AM 
To: Michael Behrendt 
Subject: Hamel Rec Ctr RSA packet
 
Michael,
 
Here’s the packet for the Hamel Rec Center.  I will drop off a hard copy as 
well.  Please let me know if you have any questions, and I look forward to discussing 
this with the Planning Board on February 25th.  As with the outdoor pool, I’ve invited 
Stacey Hall, Director of Campus Recreation, to join me in case there are operational 
questions that she would be better able to answer.
 
Doug Bencks
University Architect and Director of Campus Planning
University of New Hampshire