KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) – Keene City Council is returning from their month-long summer break Wednesday evening.

Councilors will ease back into business with committee meetings this week. The Planning Licenses and Development committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday at 6 pm.

PLD has a short agenda, but it includes an ongoing discussion on amendments to the Land Development Code as it relates to Charitable Gaming Facilities.

A public hearing was held at the last full City Council meeting on August 1st where City Planner Mari Brunner discussed the amendments.

The amendments include a lengthy list of use standards. Among those standards is that there can only be one charitable gaming facility permitted per lot, they are only permitted on parcels greater than 1.25 acres in select areas of the commerce district including land with frontage on; West street west of Island street, Winchester Street south of Island Street and north of Cornwell Drive, Main Street south of NH 101 and north of Silent Way, and on Key Road, Ash Brook Road, and Kit Street.

The amendments also stipulate that no charitable gaming facility can be within 500 feet of another such facility, 250 feet of any place of worship, child daycare center, or public or private school, within 250 feet of any single- or multi-family dwelling, or a residential zoning district.

The minimum square footage of the gaming floor within the facility is set at 10,000 square feet, as the amendments stand now.

Parking and traffic were a major concern for the community when the idea of a charitable gaming facility in Downtown Keene was first brought up. With these amendments, a traffic study would be required, and off-street parking must be provided at a ratio of no less than .75 parking spaces for each gaming position.

A complete list of the amendments and use standards is available in the meeting agenda packet on the city’s website.

The PLD committee meets Wednesday evening at 6 pm in Keene City Council Chambers.

The Finance, Organization, and Personnel committee is scheduled to meet Thursday evening at 6 pm. A number of grants and donations make up a portion their 10-item agenda, along with a professional services contract for over $1.3 million for the preliminary and final design phase of the Lower Winchester Street Reconstruction Project.