MANCHESTER, NH – Last night, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to approve Manchester’s historic new Zoning Rewrite, a major step toward modernizing the city’s land use regulations and advancing the community’s vision for growth, housing, and economic opportunity.
The rewrite implements key recommendations of the 2021 Manchester Master Plan, which was the first master plan update since 2009. The Master Plan was shaped by extensive community input and outlines residents’ long-term goals for how Manchester should develop. One of the plan’s central recommendations was to update the city’s land-use regulations to reflect the community’s goals and to make these laws clearer and more user-friendly.
The rewrite is the first and most important step toward fulfilling that recommendation. It will anchor a new Manchester Land Use Code that will bring together the zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, and site plan regulations into a single and streamlined document. This consolidation will make the rules easier to understand and apply, reduce red tape, and create more opportunities for development, housing, and business investment.
Work on the rewrite began in late 2021. Since then, the City has partnered with planning consultants and engaged in an extensive public process that included interviews, a multi-day design charrette, and multiple rounds of drafting. The first public draft was released on June 21, 2024, followed by a robust citywide outreach effort.
Throughout the summer of 2024, Manchester hosted 12 community meetings in partnership with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension to ensure broad public participation. The City also partnered with the UNH Survey Center to conduct a zoning survey. More than 1,000 residents attended public meetings and nearly 1,500 responded to the survey. The thousands of comments provided during this process helped shape the second draft, which was released on August 8, 2025.
“We must drive down the cost of housing and make Manchester more affordable. This zoning rewrite is one of the most important steps we can take to secure Manchester’s future,” said Mayor Jay Ruais. “By modernizing our land use code, we are unlocking new opportunities for housing, promoting responsible growth, and making it easier for residents and businesses to invest in our city. This work reflects the voices of thousands of Manchester residents, and I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who participated in this process. I especially want to thank Director Jeff Belanger, Senior Planner Kristin Bixby, and the entire Planning and Community Development Department for their leadership, their persistence, and their tremendous dedication to getting this right.”
“This zoning rewrite is the product of the most comprehensive public engagement that the City of Manchester has ever done for a zoning ordinance,” said Jeff Belanger, Director of the Manchester Planning and Community Development Department. “From the beginning, our goal has always been to understand what the people of Manchester want for the future of their city and to deliver that to them. I want to thank everyone who participated in the public engagement, whether they came to a community meeting, or filled out a survey, or submitted a comment. We heard you, the rewrite is a reflection of what you said, and this process could not have succeeded without you. I also want to sincerely thank Mayor Ruais for his leadership and support, which was essential to the adoption of the zoning rewrite.”
This is only the third comprehensive zoning rewrite in Manchester’s history. Its approval marks a significant milestone in ensuring the city remains responsive to the needs of today’s residents and businesses while supporting sustainable and well-planned growth for decades to come.
The Tax Office Will be Closed Thursday December 25, 2025
And Friday December 26, 2025
We will resume our normal business hours on Monday December 29, 2025.
The Tax Office will be CLOSING AT 12 PM ON WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 24, 2025.
The Office of the City Clerk will close at noon on Wednesday, December 24. Marriage Ceremonies will only be available from 8AM until 10AM on that day.
Our office will also be closed on Thursday, December 25, and Friday December 26.
We will reopen at 8AM on Monday, December 29.
Please be aware that some applicants to the ZBA and Planning Board have received fraudulent emails from planning.cityofmanchester.gov@usa.com that appear to be forwarding an invoice, stating that all correspondence must be conducted exclusively by email and require payment only by wire transfer.
The Planning and Community Development Department will never send an invoice that requires payment only by wire transfer. If you have any questions regarding fees owed, please call customer service directly at (603) 624-6450.
MANCHESTER, NH — The City of Manchester announces the Inauguration of Mayor Jay Ruais, Members of the Board of Aldermen, and Board of School Committee.
The public is invited and encouraged to attend this civic event, which marks the beginning of a new term of municipal leadership and service to the community. The ceremony will include the administration of oaths of office, remarks from the Mayor, and musical performances.
“The inauguration is an opportunity for our community to come together, celebrate public service, and look ahead to the work that lies before us,” said Mayor Ruais. “I am honored to continue serving the people of Manchester, and I look forward to partnering with residents, businesses, and our dedicated city officials to continue making progress here in the Queen City.”
Details regarding parking, accessibility, and program schedule will be shared closer to the event date on the City’s website and official social media channels.
Event Details
- What: Inauguration of Mayor Ruais, Board of Aldermen, and Board of School Committee
- When: Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.
- Where: Palace Theater, 80 Hanover Street, Manchester, NH
Public Invitation
All residents, community partners, media, and stakeholders are welcome to join the City of Manchester for this important civic celebration.
Organizational meetings of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and the Board of School Committee will be held at City Hall immediately following the ceremony.
Thank you for subscribing to the Manchester City Library's newsletter, MCL Notes. A corrected version of the December/January/February issue is now available.
Thank you for subscribing to the Manchester City Library's newsletter, MCL Notes. The December/January/February issue is now available.
Please be advised that the City of Manchester has experienced no CSO activations during the past 12 hours.
For more detailed CSO discharge information please go to EPD's website at:
https://www.manchesternh.gov/csomap
Thank you
Please be advised that the City of Manchester has experienced CSO activations due to heavy rainfall and corresponding high flows.
For more detailed CSO discharge information please go to EPD's website at:
https://www.manchesternh.gov/csomap
Thank you
Please be advised that the City of Manchester has experienced no CSO activations during the past 12 hours.
For more detailed CSO discharge information please go to EPD's website at:
https://www.manchesternh.gov/csomap
Thank you
Please be advised that the City of Manchester has experienced CSO activations due to heavy rainfall and corresponding high flows.
For more detailed CSO discharge information please go to EPD's website at:
https://www.manchesternh.gov/csomap
Thank you