This bill requires that new or rehabilitated buildings in commercial zoned districts in a municipality must allow residential uses as a matter of right. The bill adds a new paragraph to RSA 674:16, stating that the local legislative body of a city, town, or county must allow residential use on any commercial lot. The lot and yard standards, setbacks, and lot coverage must comply with residential dwelling requirements, and parking requirements must be based on per unit requirements for multi-family dwellings. All relevant building code and fire code requirements apply. This provision applies to new construction or rehabilitation of existing buildings.

The bill also amends RSA 674:20 to add a reference to the requirement for residential uses in a commercial zone. The local legislative body may divide the municipality into districts and regulate and restrict the use of buildings, structures, or land within each district, but the regulations must be uniform for each class or kind of buildings throughout each district, except for the regulations in a commercial zone that must allow residential uses as required under RSA 674:16, VI. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 674:16, 674:20