Keene’s Finance Committee tackles parking concerns, renewable energy goals and development plans

KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) – At tonight’s Keene City Council Finance, Personnel, and Organization Committee meeting, several important topics were addressed, including downtown parking issues and the city’s progress toward its renewable energy goals.

Parking Concerns and Downtown Business Impact

The committee revisited downtown parking issues that have been a point of contention for business owners, particularly those in the service industry. Jaida Carland, owner of The Gilded Mane barbershop on Winter Street, was among those who voiced concerns about the high costs of parking and its impact on small businesses as well as safety issues in city lots. Carland previously spoke in November 2024, detailing how the current parking rates and enforcement practices burden downtown employees, particularly low-wage and tipped workers.

At tonight’s meeting, Chelsea North, city parking operations manager, provided an update on steps taken to address these concerns. These included installing surveillance cameras and LED lighting in the Wells Garage and promoting alternative parking options closer to Central Square, including in Roxbury Plaza and the City Hall upper deck. Despite these efforts, some council members felt that the response still did not sufficiently address the issues.

City Manager Elizabeth Dragon explained that parking fees fund the self-sustaining system, which includes enforcement salaries. However, she acknowledged that more needs to be done to ease the burden on downtown employees. She proposed expanding employee and residential parking programs and improving safety with better lighting. The committee ultimately voted to refer the matter back to the city manager for further proposals.

Black Brook TIF District and Development Plans

The committee also discussed development efforts related to the Black Brook Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District. City Assessor Dan Langille highlighted the success of the district, which began with an initial valuation of $12.5 million and now boasts a value of over $70 million.

The committee authorized the city manager to negotiate development and TIF financing for a 135-acre property within the district. This area holds potential for future development, although challenges remain in finding a developer and securing necessary infrastructure support. The committee voted unanimously to authorize City Manager Elizabeth Dragon to negotiate a development plan and a TIF plan the Black Brook district, including  exploring whether it would be beneficial to enlarge the area to include any additional parcels ,

Renewable Energy Goals and Community Power Plan Update

A significant portion of tonight’s meeting focused on the city’s renewable energy goals. The committee revisited the Community Power Plan, which aims to move Keene toward 100% renewable energy by 2030, although some members suggested extending the deadline due to current economic and global challenges. The committee discussed reducing the number of renewable energy options from four to three and raising the default renewable energy rate to 35%. The standard and Keene 100 plans would include an “adder fee,” between 0.075 and 0.125 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Some members expressed concerns about rising costs for residents, emphasizing the need for flexibility in the plan to allow for future adjustments based on economic conditions.

Ultimately, committee members voted 3-2 in favor keep all four renewable energy options, with 35% as the default.

The plan, which will not incur direct costs to the city because administrative fees would be covered by consultants, is set to move forward with revised details for full council approval at its next meeting.

Other approved projects

The committee also approved engineering agreements for two grant-funded projects at Keene Dillant-Hopkins Airport, including a $325,000 (using a 90 percent bipartisan airport infrastructure grant) to install a airport wildlife perimeter fence of which the City would be responsible for paying 5 percent and the N.H. Department of Transportationt he other 5 percent. The second project, the $308,000 reconstrution of the airport taxiway, would be paid for with a 90 percent FAA Airport Improvement Program grant and again, 5 percent by the state DOT and the other 5 percent by the City.