Councilor
Christine Dwyer
Age: 60, yrs. in Portsmouth: 22
Occupation: policy evaluation and research
Public Experience: City Council, Planning Board, Building Re-Use Comm., Safe Routes to School Comm.; Blue Ribbon Comm. on Arts and Culture; chair of Art-Speak Board; chair of N.H. Council on the Arts 

-As the cost of living in Portsmouth rises, what can be done to provide affordable housing for working families and people with moderate incomes?

I worked on the density ordinance we passed this year and believe it should be expanded to more parts of the city, encouraging developers to create housing that is in the “workforce” range.  I believe the city should take opportunities with property it controls to create partnerships for workforce housing development. 

-What would you do to manage growth in the city’s Northern Tier?

I worked on crafting zoning regulations to assist with the physical dimensions of growth in the Northern Tier, including building mass and height, proportionality of building height to street width, usable open space, access to the water, landscaping and streetscape amenities. I will work to ensure those regulations are followed.

-What kind of new businesses would you like to see opening in Portsmouth?

Businesses that pay higher wage jobs than are typically available in the retail and hospitality sectors, so that there are opportunities for above-median income jobs. In terms of retail, downtown residents need some more basic options—drug store, grocery.

-What would you do to promote sustainable practices and green building in the city?

Continue to ensure that city-developed buildings are “green” and LEED certified. Expand the municipal green practices to private businesses. Continue to build in “green” incentives into the zoning/building codes. Develop a project to make Portsmouth a center of green building techniques applied within historic preservation.

-What was the last cultural or artistic event you attended in Portsmouth?

Richard Russo’s reading/talk at The Music Hall about his new book, and the Art ’Round Town walk.

-It was largely the artistic community that made Portsmouth a popular destination, but now most artists will tell you that they cannot afford to live or work here. Have we killed the goose that laid the golden egg?