Town of Surry Master Plan

What is a Master Plan?

A master plan is a long-term planning document that outlines a community’s vision for its future growth and development. It serves as a blueprint or roadmap for how the town or city should evolve, describing how, where, and at what pace the community wants to develop. The master plan addresses aspects like land use, housing, transportation, economic development, natural resources, and more – essentially capturing the community’s goals for its character and quality of life. Importantly, a master plan is not a law or ordinance itself; instead, it provides guidance to local officials when making decisions on budgets, zoning, capital improvements, and development rules. In simple terms, the master plan offers a vision of what could happen in the community and steps to achieve positive outcomes, rather than setting enforceable rules on what can or cannot happen.

Legal Basis and Purpose

New Hampshire state law gives planning boards the authority- and responsibility- to create a master plan. Under RSA 674:1, every municipal planning board is charged with preparing and updating a master plan “to guide the development of the municipality. The purpose of a master plan, as described in RSA 674:2, is to lay out “the best and most appropriate future development” of the town as clearly and practically as possible, to help the board design ordinances that preserve and enhance the community’s unique quality of life, and to guide all the board’s other duties toward sound planning principles. In other words, the master plan is meant to steer growth in a way that aligns with the community’s values and protects resources through smart planning.

RSA 674:2 also specifies what a master plan should include. At a minimum, every master plan must have two required sections: a Vision section and a Land Use section. The Vision section captures the broad wishes and goals of residents for the future of their community – essentially the community’s long-term vision and guiding principles. The Land Use section translates that vision into physical terms by describing existing conditions and the desired future land use patterns.

Master Plan and Zoning Ordinances

One of the most important roles of a master plan is to serve as the foundation for local zoning ordinances and land use regulations. In New Hampshire, zoning ordinances (the local laws that govern how land can be used in different areas) must be based on an adopted master plan. In fact, RSA 674:18 explicitly requires that a community have a master plan (with the required vision and land use sections) before it can adopt a zoning ordinance. This means the master plan comes first, setting the policy groundwork, and the zoning ordinance follows, acting as a tool to implement the plan’s vision. It’s important to note that the master plan itself is not a regulatory document – you can’t enforce the vision or recommendations in the plan directly. However, it gives legal standing to the implementation of ordinances and policies that a town adopts.

Who Develops the Master Plan?

In New Hampshire, the planning board is the local body responsible for most land-use planning activities, including the master plan. The planning board may delegate development of the plan to a master plan steering committee, as was the case with this update to the Town of Surry Master Plan. The planning board itself, however, must adopt the plan through a vote of its members and after holding a duly noticed public hearing. Master plans are best developed in close consultation with the wider community, through outreach methods such as surveys and community forums. The measures taken in updating this plan are described in Chapter 1.

Supporting Broader Community Goals

A master plan can be more than just a land use document; it is a comprehensive strategy for the community’s well-being. By setting forth a shared vision, the master plan supports broader municipal goals in several ways. It can facilitate coordination across municipal committees, guide decisions about capital improvements, help provide the basis for grant applications, and more.

History of Master Planning in Surry

The Town of Surry first adopted a master plan in 1983. That plan included a range of topic-specific studies, including those on population trends, community facilities, and education, traffic and transportation, the economic environment, and existing land use. In addition, it included chapters on each of these topics, along with recommendations regarding implementation. In 2001, an update was undertaken that focused specifically on land use issues. In this most recent update to the plan, the revised document aims to right-size and structure the document so that it highlights action items that the town can take based on current trends and feedback received from community members.

To view the 2025 Master Plan, please use the following link: Master Plan 2025 Final