Can voters amend proposed zoning amendments at the deliberative session of an official ballot referendum meeting?
A. No. RSA 675:3 governs the method of enactment of zoning ordinances and amendments to the zoning ordinance. It gives the planning board authority to determine the final form, as it will be submitted to the voters, of an ordinance or zoning amendment that it proposes. RSA 675:4 governs petitioned zoning amendments. Petitioned amendments must be submitted to the selectmen, who must submit them to the planning board “in a timely manner.” The planning board must hold a public hearing on any petitioned zoning amendment and then submit the petitioned amendments to the town clerk for inclusion on the official ballot, which can be either the same one on which the names of candidates for town offices appear, or a separate ballot. The ballot must include a notation of whether the planning board approves or disapproves of a petitioned zoning amendment. All towns that elect officers by official (Australian) ballot must vote on zoning amendments on that same or a separate official ballot. Zoning
