By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

Modifications to Hooksett.s wastewater treatment facility and composting program, and zoning changes are among the 21 articles Hooksett voters will see on the May 10 ballot.

Composting
In 2002, voters passed an article approving $3.5 million to be used for renovations to the current wastewater treatment facility and to finance a new composting facility.

Under the provisions of the article, the money can only be accessed by state revolving loan funds.

A yes vote for Article 6 on this year's ballot would allow the town to access the money from other sources and stay away from the state funds, said Sid Baines, Hooksett Sewer Commissioner.

Baines said the state's stringent bidding processes would likely make things twice as expensive than if the town were free to negotiate bonding with outside sources.

"It (Article 6) gives us more authority to shop around," said Baines. "We're just trying to get the most bang for the buck."

Since voters have already awarded the $3.5 million to the town, Baines said passage of the article wouldn.t demand any new taxation.

The passage of Article 6 is contingent upon the passage of Article 7, which would rescind the 2002 article as it was written.

Both the Town Council and the Budget Committee recommend Articles 6 and 7 unanimously.

Baines said Hooksett has already purchased 10 acres of land from Manchester Sand and Gravel on which they plan to put the new composting facility.

The issue of composting has been highly debated in Hooksett over the past few years as neighbors across the river from the previous composting facility - located behind the wastewater treatment facility - complained of noxious odors.

Baines said this new land, which he expected to be deeded with the state by April 22, will resolve any disputes, as it will allow the construction of an enclosed composting facility that will use a filter to eliminate odors.

Joan Bailey, who spearheaded a campaign against composting before the town's previous two elections, could not be reached for comment.

Controlling growth
Article 2 on this year's ballot presents to voters nine amendments related to zoning and land management, including two amendments created by petition.

Amendment 9, not recommended by the Hooksett Planning Board, is a growth management ordinance that was signed by nearly 200 petitioners.

The ordinance would limit the annual allowance of new residential building permits to 2 percent of the total dwelling units in Hooksett from the previous year.

As laid out in the ordinance, this 2 percent limitation would allow only 91 new residential building permits for 2005.

Also as specified in the ordinance, residential building permits would be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. No more than five permits per year would be issued to any one party, and 25 percent of annual permits would be reserved for landowners building their own home.

Hooksett Town Planner Charles Watson said that although the people who created this ordinance were "very well intended," the planning board still cannot recommend its passage.

Watson said growth management is an increasingly important issue in Hooksett . he cited census data that showed a high 33 percent growth rate in the '90s, but that the research behind this ordinance isn't satisfactory.

"An ordinance to stop growth can be done," Watson said. "But there's no factual evidence here to suggest that this would work."

Watson said limiting the residential growth rate to 2 percent, for example, could be dangerous if growth in the communities around Hooksett is at a much different rate.

"Growth is a regional thing," Watson said. "If the region is growing at 3 or 4 percent and Hooksett comes in with 2, all that growth is going to be thrust onto other communities."

Watson predicted that if the amendment does pass, it would likely be dismissed in the state court, though he said its passage would send the planning board a clear message.

"If this gets overwhelmingly passed, you can bet your boots I.ll have a plan for a very careful and complete study," Watson.