10.7.2026 Citizens Request Subcommittee

The City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Citizens Request Subcommittee met on October 8, 2026, to review 27 resident and committee proposals. Staff explained that the six-year CIP is a planning document rather than an appropriation: funding is determined through the annual budget, and projects needing debt authorization return for further approval. The city’s stated limits are no more than 2% of the prior-year budget for capital outlay and 10% of the current-year budget for net debt. The subcommittee approved a motion to advance its recommended changes, with no contract awards, vendor selections, or immediate spending approvals identified.

The recommendations included advancing CIP consideration for sidewalks on Banfield Road and Jones Avenue, a zero-waste planning effort, protection and propagation of the municipal cherry trees, a Maplewood Avenue complete-streets project, and an updated inventory of city-owned undeveloped land; some were proposed as out-year or unfunded placeholders pending further study. Disc golf was also assigned an out-year placeholder without funding pending Recreation Board site and cost review, while ball hockey was referred for further study. The existing $25,000 annual public-art allocation was understood to continue, and other requests were directed to existing programs or processes. The $50,000 fleet-electrification request was not advanced as proposed; staff recommended evaluating fleet options using the existing EV-charger CIP element, with the topic to be discussed at an October 26 rolling-stock work session. Solar installations on city properties and public-transit planning were discussed in relation to existing CIP work; staff favored pursuing easier behind-the-meter solar opportunities first. Staff will communicate next steps to requesters, and some projects may seek grants or require later cost and feasibility analysis.