BY STEPHEN BEALE

What began as a meeting on a proposal to lower speed limits to 30 mph or less ended with a suggestion to increase them to 40 mph on some town roads.

On Monday, May 5, the Board of Selectmen swiftly defeated a proposal for establishing a townwide speed limit of 30 mph, unless otherwise posted. At that meeting, selectmen also voted on an exemption for the Shoreland Protection Act and set a public hearing on the Goffstown Rail Trail.

The new speed-limit ordinance, supported by the outgoing and incoming police chiefs in town, also would have lowered the limit to 25 mph on portions of Center Street and Main Street. It would not have affected state roads, such as Route 114, where speeds of 40 mph are already allowed.

Only one member of the five-person Board of Selectmen, Phil D’Avanza, moved to adopt the proposed ordinance. No one would second his motion, meaning that the measure failed before it could even come up for a formal vote.

Several selectmen said they did not think the public wants to lower speeds from 35 to 30 mph, especially on through roads such as Goffstown Back Road and Wallace Road. Selectman Scott Gross estimated about 60 percent of his constituents opposed the idea.

Chairman Nick Campasano said there had been no public outcry for the change, describing it as a “solution looking for a problem.” Campasano said that since the new limit was proposed, he had tried to drive down Goffstown Back Road at 30 mph as often as he could. That speed on that road, he said, is exceedingly slow. He worried that the stricter limit would backfire, causing more unsafe driving.

“It is going to prompt people to tailgate, to pass by on the double yellow line,” Campasano said. “I think you’re inviting risky behavior.”

Instead, Selectman John Caprio suggested that the town Highway Safety Committee consider increasing the speed limits on portions of Wallace Road and Goffstown Back Road to 40 mph.

The vote came after two public hearings. Some residents at those hearings had said they were more worried about speeding on dead-end roads. Others questioned whether the lower limit was appropriate for Wallace Road and Goffstown Back Road, warning that it would funnel fast drivers onto Route 114, leading to traffic congestion.

Sullivan said he hoped the selectmen would approve the new ordinance, adding that the Police Department has received complaints about speeding on Goffstown Back Road, especially around the YMCA facility. He said the Highway Safety Committee will be discussing the possibility of coming back to the selectmen with a revised

version.

Selectmen did approve three other less-sweeping ordinances dealing with traffic around Maple Avenue Elementary School, all three taking effect Aug. 15, before the start of the new school year.

The new rules instituted a no parking zone on Maple Avenue, barred right turns into the school driveway and created a three-way stop at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Smith Road.

In other business, the board voted to exempt approximately 50 properties from the new state Shoreland Protection Act, which imposes restrictions on developments on land within 250 feet of the Piscataquog River.

The properties were concentrated in the heavily developed Goffstown Village area, on both sides of the river. The exempted area was chosen by consensus at a meeting of the Planning Board, Economic Development Council and Conservation Commission. Representatives of the three boards agreed on all the properties, save one.

Gross backed the exemption for the Goffstown Village properties, saying it was conducive to economic development. Much of the discussion centered on the one disputed parcel where half the land was on the restricted side of the 250-foot line.

“Why do we want to set up another hurdle for someone to develop a parcel that we want to see developed?” Gross said.

Selectman Vivian Blondeau recused herself. Her family owns several properties in the exemption area.

Campasano was the sole dissenter from the vote, saying that the exemption was premature. He also said that he wanted to avoid the development of dense housing along the riverfront.

D’Avanza countered that some housing might be necessary in order to bring in new businesses as part of a mixed-use development, similar to the one planned for the land between the Shaw’s and Hannaford supermarkets in Pinardville. Gross added that the area might also be appealing for riverfront restaurants.

One of the properties exempted from the Shoreland restrictions was the Goffstown Rail Trail. On May 19, the board will hold a public hearing for the final design of the trail.