Section 270:12 - Operating RestrictionsI. The commissioner of safety shall, after receiving a petition signed by 25 or more residents or property owners of each affected town or towns in which a lake, pond or river is located and after notice and hearing, at which it appears that the public interest requires, adopt rules governing the maximum horsepower of boat engines and outboard motors or prescribe maximum speed limits for the operation of such boats or outboard motors applicable to or upon all or any portion of the public waters of this state. The commissioner of safety shall, in like manner and after notice and hearing, prohibit the use of motorboats and outboard motors on bodies of public water having an area of 35 acres or less; provided, that said prohibition shall not be construed as affecting the bodies of water covered by RSA 270:75 through 270:132. Hearings under this section shall be held in the vicinity of the body of water under consideration during the months of June, July, August, and September following the date of the petition.II. Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 270:12, I, any hearings regarding the closing or restricting of any body of water to seaplanes shall be addressed to and heard by the commissioner of safety or his designee. Prior to issuing a decision, the commissioner shall consult with the director of aeronautics, rail, and transit, department of transportation.III. Persons petitioning the commissioner requesting a change of use or restriction of the use of any public waters shall notify, by certified mail, all abutters with deeded waterfront property or deeded water access rights of the proposed change or restriction and the department shall post the petition on its official website at least 2 weeks prior to a public hearing scheduled by the department.IV. In this section, "abutter" means any person who owns property immediately adjacent and contiguous to the area on which the change of use or restriction of use will take place. If the change of use or restriction of use is located in an area which by its configuration would cause the change or restriction to affect noncontiguous properties, owners of those properties are considered as abutters. The term does not include the owner of a parcel of land located more than 1/4 mile from the limits of the proposed change or restriction.Amended by 2012 , 67: 1, eff. 7/14/2012.Amended by 2011,: 12011 , 8, eff. 6/24/2011.1947, 78:1. RSA 270:12. 1963, 119:1. 1987, 124:6, I(c), (f)(2). 1989, 339:23. 1992, 7:1; 187:2. 2004, 257 : 31 , eff. July 1, 2004. 2011, 8 : 1 , eff. June 24, 2011. 2012, 67 : 1 , eff. July 14, 2012.