Denton Launches Bid for City Council

Joshua Denton, an Iraq War Army veteran, formally launched his campaign for Portsmouth City Council on Saturday in Goodwin Park by stating his support for a new senior center, better parking solutions and form-based code zoning.

Denton, 31, knows he is a newcomer to Portsmouth politics, which is why he decided to announce his candidacy for the City Council before Memorial Day. On Saturday morning, Denton outlined his three top priorities that he would pursue at City Hall, if elected in November.

First on his list was the construction of a new Portsmouth Senior Center to replace the one that was lost on Parrott Avenue. Denton said he believes a proposal to transform the Paul A. Doble Army Reserve Center on Cottage Street into a new senior center is a very sound option.

Denton also said he supports building a new parking garage outside of the downtown area instead of previous proposals such as trying to build a new facility on the Worth Lot. Denton said the city will have a shortfall of 300 parking spaces this summer and that number will grow to 650 spaces by 2020.

"Portsmouth is a walkable city where any garage should be located on the outskirts of town instead of the center of town," Denton said.

Denton said he also favors the city's current project that looks at the potential adoption of form-based code zoning so that city residents can make sure new development projects do not exceed height limits and comform aesthestically with the buildings that surround them.

One of the reasons Denton said he chose to hold his press conference in Goodwin Park is because Olde Port Traders is located across Islington Street and is in the process of being torn down to make room for four new condominium buildings.

Denton said he was born in Brooklyn, grew up in New Jersey and later attended the University of New Hampshire in Durham before he served four years in the Army as a second lieutenant. He also served a year in Iraq where he helped train an 800-member Iraqi Army Battalion.

After he returned home to Portsmouth, Denton used the G.I. Bill to obtain his law degree at UNH and later became a community activist who helped organize New Hampshire's first Iraq War Veterans Parade in July 2012. He said he would like to organize a similar parade for Afghanistan War veterans when the U.S. involvement in that conflict officially ends.

To build his name recognition, Denton said he plans to attend neighborhood meetings this summer. This fall, "I will plan on knocking on doors," he said. Currently, Denton serves as the veterans liason for U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, D-NH.

What follows is a video of Denton outlining his views on the city's future parking needs.