Author Archives: HM Jaarsma

Public Hearing on three proposed amendments to the Cornish Zoning Ordinance: January 23, 2025, 7 p.m., Cornish Town Offices.

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You are hereby notified that the Cornish Planning Board will hold a public hearing pursuant to RSA 675:3 on three amendments to the Cornish Zoning Ordinance proposed by the Cornish Planning Board. Time and location of said hearing is as follows: THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2025, 7:00 PM, CORNISH TOWN OFFICES, 488 Town House Road, Cornish, NH

The full text of the proposed amendments to the Cornish Zoning Ordinance is on file at the Cornish Town Offices and is available on the Planning Board page.  Following is a description of the three amendments to the Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Cornish Planning Board:

AMENDMENT NO. 1
The Planning Board’s Amendment No. 1 amends the Zoning Ordinance to comply with recent changes in State law. Pursuant to House Bill 1567, home-based child care is allowed as an accessory use to any primary residential use by right if all requirements for such programs adopted in rules of the NH Dept. of Health and Human Services are met.

AMENDMENT NO. 2
The Planning Board’s Amendment No. 2 amends the Zoning Ordinance to allow by Special Exception a Child Care Agency to operate as a principal use.

AMENDMENT NO. 3
The Planning Board’s Amendment No. 3 amends the Zoning Ordinance to comply with recent changes in State law. Pursuant to House Bill 1400, towns must comply with certain requirements as they relate to off-street parking spaces for residential developments.

Supervisors of the Checklist meeting 1/21/2025.

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ATTENTION CORNISH NH VOTERS 

​THE SUPERVISORS OF THE CHECKLIST ARE MEETING ON TUESDAY JANUARY 21, 2025, BETWEEN 7:00-7:30 PM AT THE TOWN OFFICE BUILDING.  We will be finalizing the official checklist at this time.  If you need to make changes or you wish to register before the upcoming School and Town Meetings, this is the last opportunity to do so with the exception of new voters who may register on election days.  If you are a new voter, please remember to bring proof of identification (photo license) and proof of residency.

You must be a registered Cornish voter to vote at the upcoming meetings:

  1. School District Meeting on Saturday March 8, 2025 from 1pm – 5pm
  2. Town Meeting Official Ballot Session on Tuesday March 11, 2025 from 10am – 7pm at the Cornish Town Hall 
  3. Town Meeting Business Session on Saturday March 15, 2025 starting at 10am at the CES Gym

Times and locations of these meeting are posted on the Town Website.  If you have any questions, please contact:

Robin Monette (603-542-4849)
Cara Decato (603-469-3053)
Hannah Darling (603-675-9230)

Town Clerk Holiday Hours.

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The Town Clerk’s office will be closed December 24-25 and December 31-January 1.

  • December 23: 12:30-3pm;
  • December 24: Closed;
  • December 25: Closed;
  • December 26: 5-7pm;
  • December 28: 9-12;
  • December 30: 12:30-3pm;
  • December 31: Closed;
  • January 1: Closed;
  • January 2: 5-7pm.

Happy Holidays!! Paula and Angela

2024 Property Tax and Assessment Questions.

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The Town Office has received many questions about the relationship between the 2024 tax rate, the 2024 property revaluation, and the increase in tax bills. The town is legally required to revalue property at 100% of market value every five years. The 2024 revaluation saw property assessments on average increase by over 78%. The 2024 tax rate, which is calculated using the new property assessments, is $16.19 per thousand. As the total value of property increases, the tax rate decreases. If we hadn’t done a revaluation in 2024 and everyone’s assessment had stayed the same as it was in 2023, this year’s tax rate would have been $28.92 per thousand, which would have been 10.26% more than the last year’s tax rate of $26.23 per thousand.

2024 Revaluation (total value of property in the town)

20232024Change%Change
Total Assessment$199,733,630$356,668,170$156,934,54078.57%

The increase in tax bills is due primarily to an increases in school, county, and town spending. The chart below shows the increase in the net tax effort, which is the amount the town must collect in taxes to fund the budgets voted on in March. Tax bills are up because this year the Town must collect $538,360 more in taxes than it did last year.

Cornish Net Tax Effort: Prior Year Comparison

20232024Change%Change
Town$938,618$958,254$19,6362.09%
State & Local School$3,781,245$4,128,360$347,1159.18%
County$508,638$680,247$171,60933.74%
Total Tax Effort$5,228,501$5,776,861$538,36010.30%

It is important that every taxpayer familiarize themselves with their tax card. Tax cards are available free of charge from the Town Office to property owners. Please also see the reference guide Understanding Your Property Record Card from Avitar, the Town’s assessors.