Portsmouth 2023 City Council candidate Kate Cook
Name: Kate Cook
Education: Bachelor of arts, master of science in education, master's in public and international affairs.
Occupation: Educational and nonprofit consultant.
Political or civic experience highlights: Portsmouth city councilor, former U.S. diplomat at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, past board chair and chief volunteer officer for the Southern District YMCA.
Are you working with any consultants, groups, or a slate of candidates? If yes, please disclose who you’re working with.: I am not working with any consultants, groups, or slates of candidates. However, I will gladly accept advice and support from my constituents, friends, and family, and endorsements from individuals and groups with whom I share common values and goals.
What is the biggest problem Portsmouth is facing and how you would solve it?: Like cities all over the United States, Portsmouth is facing a housing crisis. While housing shortages are impacting residents at all income levels, shortages drive up the costs of renting and buying which disproportionately impacts our younger workforce, individuals with disabilities, and older residents on a fixed income. This crisis exacerbates our workforce staffing challenges, specifically in retail, hospitality, nonprofits, childcare, education, and public safety. While this issue cannot be resolved quickly or easily, the long-term solution is to build more housing. First, the City Council should do the one thing that will guarantee new housing is built in Portsmouth: partner with a public housing authority to build workforce housing. Next, we must look at changes in zoning and parking requirements and permitting processes to encourage individuals and businesses to build housing. The City Council already altered the Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance and the downtown zoning incentives to increase the number of affordable housing units built by residents and builders. We must now consider expanding gateway zones in our master planning process, and alternative housing options like live-work spaces, micro-unit housing, and boardinghouse style housing to help fill housing gaps. Finally, we need to continue our efforts to lobby in Concord for more state funds for housing, and better state policies to regulate short-term rentals and out of state corporate housing ownership.
What is the biggest problem Portsmouth is facing and how you would solve it?: Like cities all over the United States, Portsmouth is facing a housing crisis. While housing shortages are impacting residents at all income levels, shortages drive up the costs of renting and buying which disproportionately impacts our younger workforce, individuals with disabilities, and older residents on a fixed income. This crisis exacerbates our workforce staffing challenges, specifically in retail, hospitality, non-profits, childcare, education, and public safety. While this issue cannot be resolved quickly or easily, the long-term solution is to build more housing. First, the City Council should do the one thing that will guarantee new housing is built in Portsmouth: partner with a public housing authority to build workforce housing. Next, we must look at changes in zoning and parking requirements and permitting processes to encourage individuals and businesses to build housing. The City Council already altered the Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance and the downtown zoning incentives to increase the number of affordable housing units built by residents and builders. We must now consider expanding gateway zones in our Master Planning process, and alternative housing options like live-work spaces, micro-unit housing, and boardinghouse style housing to help fill housing gaps. Finally, we need to continue our efforts to lobby in Concord for more state funds for housing, and better state policies to regulate short-term rentals and out of state corporate housing ownership.
Should the city work to create below market rate housing, and where is the best site?: The City Council already started the process to find locations where the city can partner with a public housing authority to build additional workforce housing. As part of this process, the council asked the Land Use Committee to review all the publicly owned buildable land in the city, and make recommendations to the Council on the best locations for workforce housing. The committee has identified four potential sites for workforce housing, ranked those sites based on desirability for housing, and reported back to the council. I supported those efforts, and I will continue to support a process to identify a site and a partner to expand our workforce housing. At this stage, the council must give direction to this process by determining how to move forward with final site selection and identification of a public housing authority partner for the project. While building public housing takes time, the advantage of public housing is that it remains at below market prices. In my opinion, the need for additional below market rate housing is so great that the city should explore adding public housing on all four identified sites, and establish a timetable for that process.
Should the council continue to try to acquire the Thomas J. McIntyre federal building property?: The council is in the last stages of trying to acquire the McIntyre building, and the council is actively working with our congressional delegation to convince the GSA to transfer the building to the city. However, that effort is limited by the timing of the GSA auction. Unless the GSA agrees to stop the auction, the building will be transferred to the highest bidder, and will no longer be available for the city to acquire. Alternatively, if the GSA halts the auction, the council will continue to work with them to secure a transfer of the property to the city. I support those efforts, because I believe the need for affordable housing in Portsmouth is so great, that we should identify all possible ways to expand the number of affordable housing units. Either way, the public should have some indication of the direction of this issue well before the next council takes office.
Do you support the council’s spending level on the last two budgets? If not, what’s an appropriate level?: Yes, I support the council’s spending levels on the last two budgets. Given the budget cuts during the pandemic, and resulting job losses, this council was faced with an unprecedented situation. We had to restore jobs to the public schools to meet federal requirements for students with disabilities, and at the same time, we had to hire staff to replace those who left during the pandemic. During the height of inflation, this required increases in salaries, and increases in costs for materials and supplies. The council renegotiated union contracts with three-quarters of our public sector unions, with increases commensurate with neighboring towns, but not exceeding the pay rates for those communities. Despite historic increases driven by our contracted obligations, the council and city manager managed to keep budget increases within the requested 4.5%, well below the rate of inflation. As a result, in the last two budgets, the city manager cut other spending areas in order to keep budgets below inflationary levels. I am proud of the work the council has done to adequately staff our city government, Police Department, Fire Department and schools, all while being mindful of the need to reduce the impact on taxpayers.
Should Market Square be open to pedestrian and bike travel only?: The expanded Market Square Redesign plan that I proposed to the council with Councilor Bagley involved an expansion of the design beyond Market Square to include the approaches from Market, Daniel, and Pleasant streets, and the remainder of Congress Street. I envisioned wider sidewalks to increase accessibility for all, move outdoor dining onto sidewalks and sidewalk bulb-outs, and allow for better retailer access for sidewalk sales. I envision a plaza type atmosphere at Market Square and along Pleasant Street, with vehicular traffic reduced in volume to decrease adverse interactions between automobiles, pedestrians, and other vehicles. The number of accessible parking spaces in that zone should be increased to accommodate those most in need of proximal parking. The plan would also address bicycle and scooter parking to encourage bicycle and scooter travel. I never envisioned a complete closure of the square to automobile traffic, but rather a diversion of traffic from Memorial Bridge onto a two-way State Street, and ways to better address closures of Pleasant Street for events in the summer such as metal retractable bollards. Ultimately, however, the final vision will be determined by a public process with the planning consultant for the Market Square Redesign. I hope to see our residents and business owners engage in a robust discussion of the future of our downtown planning for the next 50 years.
How do you feel about the safety and aesthetics of outdoor dining in the city?: Following extensive public emails in support of this program to the City Council last winter, it was clear that the residents of Portsmouth support outdoor dining. The current outdoor dining configuration on the streets, however, could use some changes to bring improved safety and aesthetics to this program. The proposed design guidelines that the Economic Development Commission presented to the City Council on September 18 help address those concerns, but more importantly accessibility for all to outdoor dining. Ultimately, I would like to see a Market Square Redesign that moves outdoor dining back onto the sidewalk. Until that goal is realized, however, outdoor dining within the streets is the best way to provide accessible dining downtown to individuals who cannot access indoor dining either due to mobility challenges, or health issues that complicate their full return to indoor activities.
What’s a bigger priority, building a new police station or an indoor sports arena?: While the council often weighs challenging financial decisions with a limited Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) budget, in this case, this question creates a false dilemma between two potential projects. Currently, the police station proposals are under review by the City Council and are addressed in the CIP budget for next year. The City Council will ultimately have to decide the necessity, scope, and plan for a new police facility within the coming year. The indoor sports arena proposal is currently revenue neutral. In other words, the city has requested input from two outside vendors that are interested in building a multi-sports complex on city property or in a surrounding community, without a direct cost to the city. The City Council has approached this issue by setting up a committee including neighboring communities to discuss this possibility, and to determine where it would be feasible to build such a facility, if they were to build one. There is no guarantee that this facility will be located in Portsmouth, or that the city will be investing any funds as part of a capital expenditure. Until the parameters of this proposal are better examined, it is unreasonable to make a direct comparison to a proposal already in the CIP budget for consideration.
Should the council address the pace and type of development in the city? If yes, how?: The Council will be addressing the type of development in the city through the Master Planning Process set to commence sometime in early 2024. The council has already begun to address some of the needed changes to that plan through alterations to our Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance and our downtown incentive-based zoning for large lots, specifically to encourage the building of affordable housing. When it comes to pace of development, that is dictated by the land owner, their builder, and the land use board approval process, which is out of the control of the City Council. The City Council can only control the zoning laws after changes are reviewed by the Planning Board. In that review process, I would like to see more incentives for commercial conversions into affordable housing, expanded types of housing options, and expansion of our mixed-use districts outside the city center. This would allow for more walkability throughout the city, not just in the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. I would support an effort to alter zoning to better realize standards of accessibility in the 15-minute city model, which advocates for safe streets and accessibility for all to necessities within a 15-minute walking or biking area around their home.
Does the city need to regulate overnight parking on city streets and lots by RVs and campers?: Overnight RV camping on city streets is a challenging issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. First, there is a distinct difference between overnight parking and overnight camping, and they must be treated differently. We do not want to unduly impact residents by imposing excessive limits on street parking. Also, we must consider residents who are living in their vehicles due to the high cost of housing, and those who have become unexpectedly unhoused resulting in them living in their vehicles on a short-term basis. We also need to be proactive in finding solutions specifically for the illegal sewage dumping that has occurred on the city streets, directly impacting residents. First, the city should address the dumping challenge by investigating the possibility of providing a dumping station open on a scheduled basis. Next, the city should initiate greater outreach to the unhoused population in an effort to provide better services and assist them in finding long-term housing solutions. The city should also work with retailers like Wal-Mart that often allow travelers to camp overnight in their parking lot, to make sure that option is available to individuals traveling through the area who are too tired to drive to their next stop. Finally, the city should research the possibility of establishing an RV park on otherwise undevelopable land to help provide a longer term solution to on-street camping.
Is overserving at city bars and restaurants a public safety issue?: Overserving at bars is always a public safety issue. When I was in high school, I was injured in an automobile accident when a drunk driver crashed into the vehicle in which I was a passenger. I suffered significant facial lacerations and joint injury, but I was lucky to walk away from the accident. As a result, I am particularly sensitive about this issue. In New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission has the authority to review the practices of bar owners and servers and enforce penalties on those that violate their licensing. The city supports their efforts. The Portsmouth Police Department works diligently to protect our community from drivers who are under the influence, and they will continue to partner with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission to make sure our families remain safe on the roads.
Has Portsmouth changed for the better or worse during the past decade?: Like many coastal cities, Portsmouth is changing with an influx of new residents. There are positives and negatives to change, and it is often challenging for those who have lived in a place for a long time to adjust. There are many wonderful changes that have happened in Portsmouth in the last 10 years, including an expansion of the arts and cultural offerings. We have had significant improvements to our infrastructure including the roadway and sidewalk redesign along Islington Street and Maplewood Avenue, a new wastewater treatment plant, and expanded pedestrian and bicycle paths throughout the city. Our downtown is bustling, and people travel to Portsmouth and support our local businesses and organizations while shopping, dining, and attending events in the city. All this change comes with growing pains. Like many other vibrant cities, we are struggling with rapid gentrification, a further loss of affordable housing options, and shifts in our local governmental needs. All of these issues have to be addressed to keep our city thriving. However, growth is important for the city to remain a wonderful place to live. Without economic growth, the city will become stagnant, and all the good things that come with change will be lost. I believe the change that Portsmouth has experienced is largely positive, but requires some reflection and adjustments to our Master Plan to make sure future changes continue to meet the needs of our community.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth 2023 City Council candidate Kate Cook
