RSA 36-B:1 Compact Authorized.
36-B:1. Compact Authorized.
The director of the division of planning and community development and/or a regional planning commission which is established under RSA 36, or both, may negotiate with the proper authorities of the states of Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont a compact for interstate regional planning substantially in form as follows, which is hereby ratified:
Interstate Regional Planning Compact
Whereas, the social, economic, and esthetic growth and development of the several states has, in certain regions, extended beyond the boundaries of two or more states; and
Whereas, such growth and development has resulted in physical problems, which require co-operative regional planning and mutual assistance toward their solution for the betterment of the health, welfare, and economic prosperity of the people living in such regions; and
Whereas, Congress has recognized the need for co-operative planning by giving its consent to two or more states entering into compacts for interstate regional planning; and
Whereas, co-operative regional planning between states can be best accomplished through interstate regional planning agencies; now therefore, the signatory states do agree and are bound as follows:
Article I
Any New Hampshire municipality is authorized by vote of its city council or town meeting to become a member of a regional planning agency established under the statutes of Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont provided that the office of planning and development, and the state agency with regional planning responsibilities in the signatory state, and the regional planning agency concerned determine that membership in such agency would be effective for planning purposes.
Article II
Any city or town in the states of Maine, Massachusetts or Vermont is authorized by a vote of its municipal legislative body to become a member of a regional planning commission established under RSA 36, provided that the regional planning commission, and the office of planning and development, and the state agency with regional planning responsibilities in the signatory state determine that such membership would be effective for planning purposes.
Article III
Any municipality becoming a member of an interstate regional planning agency located in another state shall adopt the statute establishing such agency, and shall be subject to all provisions of such statute for representation, financial contributions, duties, reports, and otherwise hold full membership, except that requirements for initial establishment of the regional planning agency shall be based only on the municipalities in the state in which the agency is located.
Article IV
A municipality which becomes a member of a regional planning agency in another state may regard any plans, studies, proposals, and recommendations by such agency as advisory and need not be bound by them, and shall not be required to make any financial contribution thereto unless said contribution has been voted by its legislative body.
Article V
An annual report on the activities of any regional planning agency engaged in interstate regional planning under the provisions of this compact shall be filed with the state agency with regional planning responsibilities in each signatory state, in addition to any reports otherwise required from the regional planning agency.
Source. 1969, 27:1, eff. May 3, 1969. 2003, 319:9, eff. July 1, 2003. 2004, 257:44, eff. July 1, 2004. 2017, 156:64, eff. July 1, 2017. 2021, 91:198, eff. July 1, 2021. 2025, 141:33, eff. July 1, 2025.