Visioning and Goal Setting

Over forty community leaders and business people from five of the six towns in the study area participated in the September 12, 1995 "Visioning" meeting. After a brief overview of the visioning process, the group broke into four smaller groups consisting of approximately ten people each to discuss the Greater Ossipee area's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Problems. The group leader requested a diversity in each smaller group so that a wide range of issues and concerns would be identified. The participants recognized that because of the interrelationship of the four categories, some issues appear in more than one category.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Problems (SWOP)

The four groups focused on the following features: Physical/Natural Resources, Economic Development, Transportation, Cultural/Lifestyle, Human Resources and Tourism.

Regarding the area's strengths, the four groups identified the area's scenic beauty, natural environment and reasonable proximity to the National Forest, mountains, lakes, rivers and the Atlantic Ocean as very positive factors that shape the character of the Greater Ossipee area (GOA). While the area is not now "over-built" according to some, the potential for growth exists recognizing the abundance of underemployed and seasonally employed persons, large tracts of land, lower land and housing prices and wage rates. The Greater Ossipee area enjoys a quaint, relaxing and "old fashioned" simplicity and consequently can be an excellent place to live, work and raise a family. Transportation is considered a plus for the Greater Ossipee area because of the general condition of NH Route 16 south, and thus the proximity to both Portland and Boston. While some participants consider the Ossipee area to be a "best kept secret," the area's favorable characteristics and proximity to major markets provide tourists with a "great escape" at a "bargain price."

Regarding the area's weaknesses, the major concerns are:

• Limited access to Lake Ossipee
• The dormant status of Mt. Whittier
• The attitude to existing businesses
• Employment opportunities: shortage and low paying
• The visual image of land uses along Routes 16 and 25
• Need for improvement of post-secondary education
• Low educational levels
• Low motivation
• Lack of a destination resort or theme

Because of limited access to Lake Ossipee and the lack of developer interest at Mt. Whittier, two of the area's major recreational facilities suffer from under-utilization. A major recreational facility at one of these sites could provide the focus needed to become a destination resort area. The focus of any new development at Lake Ossipee should be land-based activities with water views and no on increasing the number of motor boats.

Some participants consider the need to upgrade the educational and motivational characteristics of the labor force as important factors that will lead to increased employment opportunities. The continued commercial development on Route 16, apparently undertaken with a lack of proper planning and design, creates an "unattractive" image for the greater Ossipee area , thus making it difficult to develop an effective theme (or message) that will be appealing to the passers-by - whom the area would like to retain as overnight visitors.

Having completed a comprehensive discussion of the greater Ossipee area's strengths and weaknesses, the consensus of the four groups regarding opportunities fell into place easily and is as follows:

• Multi-use approach for Mt. Whittier
• Winter/summer recreational trail system
• Opportunities for biking, walking, cross country skiing, etc.
• Improve access to Lake Ossipee
• Improve camping opportunities
• Tourism related destination
• Telecommuting -- affordable Internet access
• Encourage business start-ups
• Routes 16 and 25 - improve attractiveness/image
• NH owned railroad or right-of-way
• Manufacturing or industrial park or area
• Trainable labor force

Developing a year-round trail system for recreational uses, improving access to Lake Ossipee, encouraging electronic telecommuting, encouraging a positive attitude towards existing and prospective manufacturers, and working cooperatively with NH DOT and roadside businesses on the Route 16 study in order to improve visual characteristics could be quickly initiated by the Greater Ossipee Area Chamber of Commerce and its Economic Development Committee.

The four groups identified the following problems:

• Weather dependent tourism business
• Need to upgrade transportation facilities to areas not along Route 16
• Lack of capital
• Balance between manufacturing and tourism
• "Attitudes" -- Conflicting visions of the area's future by seasonal retirees and life-long residents
• High cost of living versus lower economic conditions
• Need year-round higher paying employment opportunities
• Seasonal influence on business
• Route 16 - appearance, through traffic to Mt. Washington Valley
• High utility costs

Visions for the Future

Based on the above discussion, three topics were selected for further deliberation to frame a vision for the desired future for the area.

Vision Statement #1

Recognizing that the area's transportation system determines its economic conditions and affects its overall attractiveness, the communities in the Greater Ossipee area, in cooperation with the NH DOT and roadside businesses, need to use all planning tools available (access control, zoning, site plan review, design control and selective land acquisition) in order to: create a positive tourism theme, provide a sense of arrival and place, emphasize the area's natural/scenic beauty and accentuate the history and heritage of the Greater Ossipee area.

Vision Statement #2

Recognizing that the most direct pathway to increased economic activity for the Greater Ossipee area is the improvement of the area residents' educational and skill level, community leaders will work to provide educational and training opportunities in an affordable and convenient manner.

Vision Statement #3

A positive and balanced attitude towards the economic diversification of the area is required by greater Ossipee area town officials and the community at large. To that end, all concerned parties recognize the need to target industries that fit well with the area, to provide land and utilities for industry at an affordable cost and to encourage the development of natural resource based industries when practical.