Milford Conservation Commission: Scenic Roads

Under RSA 253: Sections 17 and 18, towns may designate any road (other than Class I or Class II state highways) as Scenic Roads by town meeting vote. This important piece of legislation stipulates that a public hearing must be held and approval of the Planning Board or official town body be obtained before any repair, maintenance, reconstruction, or paving that would involve cutting of medium- or large-sized trees takes place.

Scenic Road designation protects views from destruction without being overly restrictive or inflexible. The law does not prevent landowners from working on their property. Routine maintenance is not affected by the law either. The highway superintendent is allowed to cut trees, shrubs, vegetation, and any other natural or man-made obstruction within three feet of the traveled roadway without consent and to cut trees beyond three feet of the roadway in emergency situations. Furthermore, Scenic Road designation does not affect the town's eligibility to receive state construction and reconstruction aid pursuant to RSA 241.

The advantage of Scenic Road designation is that it provides a mechanism for public input before the highway department does its work. Views that are highly valued by property owners and those who travel the roads daily are not destroyed suddenly and unexpectedly by maintenance personnel unaware of their value.

Following is a list of the roads in Milford, almost 22 miles in all, that have existing designations limiting the destruction of their scenic quality. Additional roads deserving protection may exist.

Scenic Roads (with date of designation)

Road		Location
1. Ball Hill Road		From point of origin off Melendy Road to Young Road (1974) [back to map]
2. Emerson Road		From the intersection with Federal Hill Road to the intersection with Ponemah Hill Road (1991), and from the intersection with Route 13 South to the intersection with Federal Hill Road (1992) [back to map]
3. Federal Hill Road		From state compact line to Hollis town line (1974) [back to map]
4. Foster Road		From the intersection with Wallingford Road in the east to the Brookline town line in the west (1988) [back to map]
5. Jennison Road		From North River Road to Lyndeborough town line [back to map]
6. Joslin Road		From intersection at Jennison Road to Amherst town line (1975) [back to map]
7. Mason Road		From state compact line to Wilton town line (1974) [back to map]
8. McGettigan Road		From the intersection at Mason Road to Wilton town line ( 1975) [back to map]
9. Melendy Road		From Osgood Road to Route 13 South [back to map]
10. Mile Slip Road		From Mason Road to the Brookline town line [back to map]
11. Osgood Road		From intersection with Young Road to Brookline town line (1991) [back to map]
12. Osgood Road		From intersection of Melendy Road to the corner at Young Road (1975) [back to map]
13. Ponemah Hill Road		From intersection at Route 101A To Amherst town line (1975) [back to map]
14. Ruonala Road		From Melendy Road to Brookline town line [back to map]
15. Savage Road		From intersection at Phelan Road to Wilton town line (1975) [back to map]
16. Young Road		From point of origin at Ball Hill Road to the intersection with Osgood Road (1974) [back to map]
17. North River Road		From the Old Iron Bridge(aka Green Bridge) to Wilton Road (1993 & 1994) [back to map]