The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce plays an important role for businesses in the Capital Region by engaging in advocacy at both the local and state levels. There are two standing committees within the Chamber that address this:
State Government Affairs Committee
This committee tracks legislation at the state level, reviewing the myriad of bills (well over 1,000 each year!) that could have an impact on business in New Hampshire. The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce routinely partners with other chambers of commerce in New Hampshire, including the Business and Industry Association (BIA), to identify impactful bills, and to testify before legislative committees regarding their potential effects. The Chamber encourages businesses to get engaged in testifying at the committee level, because elected officials want to hear directly from employers.
Local Government Affairs Committee
This committee monitors and advocates for businesses at the local level. Recently, this committee met with City of Concord Mayor Byron Champlin to discuss key issues around economic development, housing, and Concord’s zoning ordinance, which is in serious need of fine-tuning. At some point in the future, the city will undergo a thorough review and revision of the city master plan, which will set the table for a comprehensive review of the zoning ordinance. That process is very important, but may take years to complete. In the meantime, unnecessary restrictions are hampering Concord’s ability to grow its tax base and increase Concord’s housing stock. The current outdated zoning ordinance requires applicants to routinely seek variances that are typically granted, but this causes project delays and unnecessary cost increases.
Chamber members who would like to get involved in these committees are invited to reach out to Chamber President, Tim Sink, at tsink@concordnhchamber.com.