Comprehensive Community Plan

The Town of Portsmouth's Comprehensive Community Plan is a large document. Please contact us if you have trouble accessing it.

Subsequent Changes to the Comprehensive Community Plan


2004-10-27 A


Steps to Approving the Current Draft of the Comprehensive Community Plan (CCP) 2021

  • The Portsmouth Town Council will hold public hearings, which will be advertised and posted.
    • Public hearings will take place in July or August.  The public will be notified in advance in order to review the plan.
      • Maps are not yet included with the Plan; maps will be provided in a separate glossary.
  • The Town Council officially adopts the draft plan by resolution, incorporating the plan by reference into the Town's code of ordinances.
  • The Division of Statewide Planning conducts a final review and holds a 30-day public comment period prior to their final approval. 

A quote from the draft plan states,

"A successful CCP should achieve the following:

  • Be reflective of the desires and viewpoints of the Town’s residents.
  • Be based upon an accurate inventory of the Town’s resources.
  • Act as a reference document for facts, concepts, goals and actions.
  • Be maintained as a dynamic living document, providing a roadmap for the future of the Town.
  • Be flexible in order to respond to changes in growth pressures, economic forces, environmental conditions and shifts in policy.
  • Provide a means to manage conflict between differing town priorities" (CCP Draft, 2021, pg I-3)

Previous Drafts of Comprehensive Community Plan Update

The Planning Department, Planning Board, Citizens Interested in the Comprehensive Community Planning Process Committee, as well as individual town citizens have all worked diligently to bring our town an updated Comprehensive Community Plan.

After holding an additional Planning Board workshop to discuss the full draft plan, the Planning Board will hold official Public Hearings prior to submitting a recommendation to the Town Council regarding adoption of the draft plan. At the conclusion of the official Planning Board Public Hearings, the draft plan will be submitted to the Division of Statewide Planning for review and comment. Upon addressing any comments or concerns to the State’s satisfaction, the Planning Board will submit the draft plan to the Town Council for the holding of a final set of fully-noticed official Public Hearings leading to adoption. The draft plan is officially adopted when it has been incorporated by reference into the municipal code of ordinances by resolution of the Town Council. The Division of Statewide Planning then conducts a final review and holds a 30-day public comment period prior to their final approval.

Final Draft - Comprehensive Community Plan Update - For July 8, 2020 Planning Board Public Hearing

Note:  Maps will be provided in a separate document.

  1. Draft Intro 20200225
  2. 1 - Draft Natural Resources Element 20200225
  3. 2 - Draft Recreation Element 20200225
  4. 3 - Draft Historic and Cultural Resources Element 20200225
  5. 4 - Draft Housing Element 20200225
  6. 5 - Draft Economic Development Element 20200225
  7. 6 - Draft Agricultural Element 20200225
  8. 7 - Draft Services and Facilities Element 20200225
  1. 8 - Draft Energy Element 20200225
  2. 9 - Draft Water Supply Element 20200225
  3. 10 - Draft Transportation Element 20200225
  4. 11 - Draft Natural Hazards and Climate Change Element 20200225
  5. 12 - Draft Land Use Element 20200225
  6. 13 - Draft Implementation Matrix pg 1 - 2 20200701
  7. 13 - Draft Implementation Matrix pg 3 -33 20200701