Pittsburg's Growth Spurt

THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT YOUNG’S STORE IN PITTSBURG IS THAT THE SNOWMOBILES GREATLY OUTNUMBER THE CARS.

STACKED EIGHT DEEP AT THE GAS PUMPS, THEY'VE SEIZED WHOLE SWATHS OF THE STORE’S GIANT PARKING LOT.

DONNIE HIBBARD OF WEST STEWARTSTOWN HAS JUST RIDDEN-IN FOR SUPPLIES.

HE'S WITH A GROUP THAT INCLUDES HIS DAUGHTER ERICA AND TWO FRIENDS.

CUT-HIBBARD

(“SCHOOL VACATION IS THIS WEEK AND… ONCE A YEAR…WE GO SNOWMOBILING... ONE DAY OUT OF THE WEEK…ON THS WEEK....”)

DOWN THE ROAD AT THE SPRUCE CONE CABINS, THE SNOWMOBILES WIN AGAIN.

LARRY WARNER OF BROOKLINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE IS TUNING -UP HIS MACHINE FOR ANOTHER DAY OF RIDING ON THE CONNECTICUT LAKES WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND, HIS BROTHER, HIS BROTHER’S WIFE AND THEIR KIDS.

CUT-WARNER
(“WHY DO YOU GUYS COME UP HERE? WELL, WE COME UP… BECAUSE THERE’S SO MANY TRAILS AND YOU CAN JUST GO FOR MILES AND MILES UP HERE…AH, WE’VE GOT NO SNOW DOWN OUR WAY, NOW, SO THIS WAS REALLY THE ONLY CHOICE IF WE WERE GONNA BE DOING ANY SNOWMOBILING AT ALL THIS YEAR.”)

IN THE LAST TEN-YEARS THE SNOW, THE LAKES AND THE VAST WILDERNESS HAVE COMBINED TO HELP TURN NEW HAMPSHIRE’S NORTHERN MOST COMMUNITY INTO A BONA-FIDE SNOWMOBILE MECCA.

THE TOWN WITH 650 REGISTERED VOTERS WILL HAVE AN ESTIMATED POPULATION OF TEN-THOUSAND ON ANY GIVEN WINTER WEEKEND.

AND SNOWMOBILE BUSINESS IS GOOD BUSINESS FOR PITTSBURG.

TOWN SELECTMAN JAMES SHALLOW SAYS THE LOCAL ECONOMY HAS GONE FROM A SLEEPY WARM WEATHER HUNTING AND FISHING SPOT TO A YEAR-ROUND DESTINATION.

CUT-SHALL4
(“.WITH THE ADVENT OF SNOWMOBILING IT GAVE A COMLETE NEW DIMENSION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY UP HERE. NOW PEOPLE COULD RUN THINGS - THEY COULD RUN RESTAURANTS AND RUN HOTELS FOUR SEASONS. REALLY THE ONLY DOWN TIME THAT WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IN PITTSBURG IS MID-MARCH TO AROUND THE FIRST OF MAY WHEN WE HAVE MUD SEASON”)

BUT THE NOISE FROM THE SNOWMOBILES HAS TRIGGERED AN ECHO.

A BUILDING BOOM.

PITTSBURG’S GROWING REPUTATION AS A RECREATION AREA - AND ITS RELATIVELY CHEAP REAL ESTATE - HAVE MADE IT A DESIRABLE PLACE TO BUY LAND AND OTHER PROPERTY.

SEASONAL TOURISTS WHO USED TO STAY IN MOTELS ARE FAST BECOMING CAMP OWNERS.

AND THOSE SEEKING TO ESCAPE URBAN AREAS ARE BUILDING SECOND HOMES SURROUNDED BY PITTSBURG’S LAKES AND PRISTINE VIEWS.

THAT’S LED TO A WHITE HOT REAL ESTATE MARKET THAT IS DRIVING-UP LAND VALUES AN ESTIMATED 2-3 PERCENT A MONTH.

THE LATEST EXAMPLE, SAYS SHALLOW, IS A HOUSE ON A ONE-ACRE LOT ON BACK LAKE THAT WAS APPRAISED BY THE TOWN AT 288-THOUSAND-DOLLARS.

CUT-SHALL2
(“IT WAS PUT ON THE MARKET AT FOUR-HUNDRD AND FIFTEEN AND THERE WAS AN OFFER MADE WITHING FIVE DAYS. WON’T KNOW WHAT THE FINAL COST IS UNTIL THE SALE IS COMPLETE – BUT IF IT WAS ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THE FOUR-HUNDRED THOUSAND RANGE – WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT DRIVES THE PROPERTY VALUES OF EVERY OTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY UP AROUND BACK LAKE”)

THE FEAR IS THAT IF SITUATION CONTINUES, LIFE-LONG RESIDENTS WON’T BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN PITTSBURG ANYMORE.

BUT THERE DOESN’T APPEAR TO BE MUCH ANYONE - INCLUDING THE TOWN - CAN DO ABOUT IT.

SELECTMAN SHALLOW.

CUT-SHALL5
(“WE DON’T HAVE A PLANNING BOARD, WE DON’T HAVE ANY ZONING, AND NOT MANY PEOPLE IN TOWN WANT THAT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO - WITH THEIR LAND - WHATEVER THEY WANT TO. THAT LEADS TO A LOT OF UNRESTRICTED GROWTH AND I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU CAN CURB THAT. I DON’T THINK THAT YOU CAN. I DON’T THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO PUT IN ZONING OR LAND MANAGEMENT AND SO I THINK THAT WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH THIS GROWTH”)

PITTSBURG’S PROPERTY VALUE CRISIS IS SPILLING-OVER INTO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT

THERE SO MUCH REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY PLANS ARE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DAYS THE TOWN BRINGS-IN APPRAISERS.

CURRENTLY THE TOWN BRINGS IN APPRAISERS 15-DAYS A YEAR

TOWN OFFICIALS WANT TO INCREASE THOSE VISITS TO TWICE A WEEK, ALL YEAR LONG.

FOR N-H-P-R NEWS. I’M TODD WELLINGTON.