DOVER — The city hopes to review and update zoning rules along the avenues which serve as gateways to the downtown through a state grant.

The New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority (NHHFA) awarded Dover with a $50,000 community planning grant to study the gateways to the city, review existing zoning and determine whether it meets the needs of the community, according to Christopher Parker, director of planning and community development for the city.

Because the city must provide $5,000 in matching funds and in kind services of staff time, Parker said the grant must be accepted by the City Council. That could be done as early as September. He added the Council already set aside the funding in the city’s budget.

“Our plans for this project include a large-scale public participation process, which will be comprehensive throughout the project,” Parker said in an email. “A complete outreach plan will be developed with the consultant.”

Parker said the public will have ample opportunity to contribute to the process through a series of public hearings, stakeholder interviews, design charrettes and mailing information to property owners and residents of the areas under reviewed. He added the work should begin in the fall and continue into 2013.

“We hope to go out to bid in August for a consultant to perform the work,” Parker said in an email.

While Parker said officials have been considering the matter since 2007 when they last reviewed zoning, the grant will help the city work with the residents of various gateways to downtown to review, and possibly update, the zoning along those roadways.

When the downtown zoning was revamped in 2009, Parker said the idea was to review the gateways into downtown at a later date. He added now that the grant is available, the Council will be asked to award a bid to a consultant to complete the work once the bidding process is completed.

“In 2010, the city adopted a Form Based Code for the downtown commercial district,” Parker said in a press release. “Since then we have looked at Central Avenue, Sixth Street, Broadway and ortland Avenue and wondered if we have the proper zoning along those roadways.”

He stressed the study will not affect any parking issues, which are part of a separate process.

“The planning department supports the parking commission and parking manager as they review demand and need for parking in Dover,” Parker said in an email, adding the grant will not be used to review the city’s parking issues.

Parker said any zoning amendments from the process must still be approved by the Planning Board and City Council, like any other project.

He added public input will once again be part of any changes to zoning ordinances, which could occur in late 2013 or even in 2014.

For more information about New Hampshire Housing’s CPG Program, go to the New Hampshire Citizen Planner Collaborative at nhcitizenplanner.org/.

For more information about Dover’s application, contact the Dover Planning Department at 516-6008 or view the application on the city’s website, under the planning department’s home page at www.ci.dover.nh.us/planhome.htm.

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John Quinn may be reached at jquinn@newstote.com.