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Town of Bedford, NH
Hillsborough County
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Code
New Laws (7) Index
[Amended 3-9-1993; 3-13-2012; 3-14-2017; 3-12-2019; 3-9-2021]
For the purposes of this chapter, the Town of Bedford is hereby divided into the following districts:
Zoning District
District Description
Residential and Agricultural
R&A
To provide areas for agricultural uses and for single-family residential neighborhoods in conventional or cluster residential developments at a density of 1 1/2 acres per dwelling unit. Institutional uses are also permitted. Properties are most likely served by on-site well and septic systems, but there are areas with access to public water and sewer. The R&A provides for the lowest density of development in Bedford, to preserve the Town's rural character.
General Residential
GR
To provide areas for single-family residential neighborhoods, in conventional or cluster residential developments at a density of 1/2 acre to 1 1/2 acres per dwelling unit, depending on access to public water and sewer. Institutional uses are also permitted. The GR includes neighborhoods in Bedford which have historically been more densely settled.
Apartment Residential
AR
To provide areas for multifamily residential development and duplexes. Minimum lot size is 40,000 square feet plus 4,000 square feet per dwelling unit, with up to 12 units per building. Properties are most likely served by public water and sewer. Some institutional uses, such as schools, parks and day cares are permitted.
Civic and Institutional
CI
To provide areas for recreational, civic, and community uses, such as golf courses, cemeteries, religious institutions and schools.
Neighborhood Commercial
NC
To provide areas for small retail, office and personal service establishments that are intended to serve the needs of the surrounding neighborhood.
Commercial
CO
To provide areas for retail, office, medical office, personal service establishments and related commercial uses primarily serving local needs.
Commercial 2
CO-2
To provide areas for areas for retail, office, medical office, personal service establishments and related commercial uses primarily serving local needs. The size of building floor areas are not restricted in the CO-2.
Highway Commercial
HC
To provide areas for a wide range of commercial uses, including those that are convenient to the traveling public, such as gasoline service stations and automotive repair.
Office
OF
To provide areas for professional office, medical office, financial institutions and day cares.
Service and Industrial
SI
To provide areas for industrial uses, including manufacturing, research and development centers, and distribution and warehousing facilities. Permitted residential uses include elderly and workforce housing developments.
Performance Zone
PZ
To provide areas for a variety of uses including mixed use, retail, workforce housing, office, medical office, research and development and industrial uses serving both regional and local needs. The PZ provides for flexibility in land use development in exchange for meeting certain site layout, landscaping, parking and environmental design standards. Residential uses are not permitted except by approval of a waiver by the Planning Board. This is an innovation land use control ordinance where the Planning Board serves as the land development review board for all zoning and planning matters with the exception of encroachments into the wetland setback.
Overlay Districts
Historic District (overlay)
HD
To preserve, protect, and enhance the historic and aesthetic character of Bedford's Town center and surrounding residential areas.
Wetland Conservation District (overlay)
WCD
To preserve the environmental quality of wetlands, protect fish and wildlife habitats, maintain ecological balances, and safeguard drinking water supplies.
Floodplain Development District (overlay)
FDD
To preserve public safety and minimize damage to property from flood events by requiring additional safeguards for structures and land uses located within flood hazard areas as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The location of said districts is delineated on the map entitled "Zoning Map, Town of Bedford," as amended, which shall hereinafter be referred to as the "Zoning Map" and shall be made part of this chapter. [RSA 674:20]
Where any uncertainty exists with respect to the boundary of any district as shown on the Zoning Map, the following rules shall apply:
A. 
Boundaries indicated as a street, utility line, and watercourse or other water body shall be construed to be the center line thereof.
B. 
Boundaries indicated as following approximately parallel to a street, utility line, and watercourse or other water body shall be construed to be parallel to the nearest line thereof, and the number placed on the Zoning Map between the boundary and such line shall be the distance in feet between them as measured at a right angle from such line.
C. 
Where a boundary apparently follows a property line, it shall be interpreted as such. Such property line shall be interpreted as one existing at the time of enactment of this chapter.
D. 
Where a boundary is indicated as intersecting the center line of a street, utility line, and watercourse or other water body, it shall be construed to intersect at right angles to said center line or, in the case of a curved center line, at right angles to the tangent of the curve at the point of intersection.
E. 
In the case of uncertainty of the location of a district boundary, the Zoning Administrator shall determine the exact location of said boundary. An aggrieved party may appeal this decision to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.