When someone tells you they have a master plan for the town, that’s usually a cause for alarm – unless, of course, the person tel ling you this is Rick Sawyer, Bedford’s planning director.

Sawyer has held this position since April 2007, prior to which he worked in various capacities within the City of Nashua’s Planning Department for ten years.

He recently took some time away from his responsibilities to tell us why town planning is so important, how Bedford’s growth stacks up against that of other New Hampshire towns, and yes, a few details on the town’s master plan.

Here’s part of the conversation:

Question: What are the main functions of the Planning and Zoning Department?

Answer: The primary role of the Planning and Zoning Department is to build consensus among Bedford citizens and businesses on the future direction of our community and to incorporate these guidelines into planning documents for use by the land use boards and commissions of the town. On a day to day basis we review site plans, subdivision and applications to the four major land use boards and enforce on violations of the town ordinances.

Q: What is the role of the planning director?

A: I often tell people my job is getting adults to talk with and listen to one another, but the director is responsible for making sure the land use boards and the Town Council have all the information they need to make their decisions regarding new development. The director must stay current on changes in law and recommend changes to local practices as necessary. As zoning administrator, I am responsible for interpreting and enforcing the zoning ordinance.

Q: Can you tell me about the town’s master plan?

A: Bedford has a great history of master planning, having completed our first one in 1962 and updating it every ten years since. In 2011, the 2010 Master Plan was awarded Plan of the Year from the New Hampshire Planners Association, which reflects that all the time and effort of the citizen volunteers, the planning staff and the consultants was well worth it. The plan contains 11 vision statements, which focus on preserving our rural character and great quality of life while expanding our commercial tax base and providing housing opportunities for people of all ages. Simply put, keeping Bedford as a great place to live, raise a family, work and play. I would encourage people to view the master plan at the library or online at www.vhb.com/bedfordmasterplan.

Q: What are some of the most common requests handled by the Zoning Board?

A: The ZBA will often see variance requests from homeowners who want to put an addition on their home or to add a pool, deck or shed in a location that does not meet the structure setback. The ZBA receives a fair number of requests for variances to the home occupation requirements and for additional commercial signage beyond what is allowed. Finally, the ZBA has to approve a Special Exception for all accessory apartments.

Q: What are some of the most common requests handled by the Planning Board?

A: The Planning Board reviews all subdivisions and all proposed commercial development and changes to the uses of existing commercial properties. Over the last few years, residential subdivisions have been extremely rare, with the Preserve subdivision off of Pulpit Road being the only project to create more than a few lots. Commercial activity has remained strong with projects like the redevelopment of the Bedford Mall, Mini Cooper, Lexus, the Bedford Medical Center, The Bedford Hills mixed use development and Market Basket.

Q: What purpose do planning and zoning requirements serve?

A: The requirements are intended as reasonable restrictions that keep us healthy, safe and improve the general welfare of the community. As an example, a setback requirement makes it less probable that fire will spread from building to building ,wiping out a whole section of town, or requiring a separation between septic systems and water bodies and wells keeps our water safe to drink. Other standards such as for architecture or signage simply help to ensure that we maintain the quality visual environment that our residents have stated they want.

Q: What kind of growth has Bedford seen over the last decade or so? How does this compare with other New Hampshire towns?

A: Residential growth has really changed in the last five years, with only a handful of lots being approved each year as compared to previous 20 years, when around 150 lots were being approved annually. I believe this is not unusual for similar communities in the region and state. On the commercial side, Bedford has weathered the recent economic downturn better than most. Historically, Bedford has approved around 1 million square feet of commercial space each decade and we are currently on track to meet that goal again.

Q: What kind of commercial development is being planned for Bedford right now?

A: I know that a lot of people are really looking forward to the coming of Market Basket to Donald Street and the Fresh Market to the Bedford Mall. Additional development has been approved for the Bedford Hills site next to The Copper Door to include an Elliot Hospital medical office building, a corporate headquarters building for Optics1, a Popovers restaurant, a day care and other retail space. Hopefully we will see something done with the former Wayfarer complex soon, but nothing is currently proposed.

Q: What are the ramifications of poor town planning?

A: Really, the biggest impact would be having a community where no one wants to live, raise a family or have a business.

Having a quality planning environment that is workable for the development community while maintaining the high standards that our residents demand keeps Bedford as a place where there will be continued growth of the commercial tax base which helps to stabilize costs to its citizens.

I really must say that all of the citizen volunteers on our land use boards and our town council have a tremendous respect for planning and they along with the other department heads, the building officials and the planning staff make my job as planning director a lot easier and I value their support.