Well whew!
Tonight, December 11, 2006, The Newburyport City Council passed the Zoning Amendment to Section 9 or the “Infill Ordinance.”
I believe the vote was 10 for and 1 against.
A very big thank you to the Newburyport Planning Board, the Newburyport City Council and all the various committees and boards as well as the multitude of Newburyport residents that helped passed this much needed zoning amendment.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
The zoning amendment for Section 9 or the “Infill Ordinance” comes up for its second reading, I believe, at the Newburyport City Council tonight. I hope against hope, of course, that it passes.
At the Public Hearing for the zoning amendment to Section 9, an architect, who I’ve know ever since I moved here and like very, very much, spoke up.
His concern was that the amendment would not effect the “design” of whatever was proposed. I believe I also heard him say that this amendment was much less “daunting” than he first expected.
The issues the zoning amendment addresses are trying to make sure that whatever is being built fits in with the neighborhood in relationship to size, scale, massing and volume. It says nothing about “design.” And everything that I know that this architect has been responsible for would fit in with the revisions to section 9 just fine.
This architect also said something to the effect that although he understood that really good modern architecture was very difficult, it could often be a challenge for more contemporary architecture to be accepted in Newburyport, MA.
It’s true.
And I not only love the old buildings that give our small seacoast city the “patina” that I love so much, but having an art education in the 60’s and 70’s, I really, really love good modern architecture.
And I probably have a much more “live and let live” approach to what is built or amended than what most people would expect. I am by no means a purest, although I enjoy what purest preservationist offer a lot.
And probably one of my favorite modern buildings in Newburyport, MA, are the very modern condominiums at the top of Johnson Street. I love them.
And as far as I’m concerned, they may be contemporary, but they fit in with the neighborhood in respect to scale, mass and volume just fine.
(Oh, gasp, preservationists.)
So I hope the Amendment to Section IX passes tonight. As far as our zoning issues go, I think it is a very good first step.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
A little clarification here on the proposed plundering of the back of the Wheelwright property by Wills Lane LLC. This proposal will be in front of the Newburyport Planning Board December 6, 2006.
This is a traced/drawing from the Newburyport GIS map showing part of the back of High Street, from State Street to Lime Street or what is know as the “Ridge” the land behind the stately High Street mansions.
The area in red was the original Wheelwright Property, the back of which Wills Lane LLC is proposing to develop a subdivision.
This is a photograph taken of the beautiful entrance to the Oak Hill Cemetery off State Street. The “lane” of the proposed subdivision by Willis Lane LLC would basically parallel this gorgeous, historic roadway.
Edward Gerrish Mair © 2006
And this is a close up of the subdivision Wills Lane LLC would be proposing in front of the Newburyport Planning Board. This is the “sensitive” community version, rather than the “by right” version (see pictures in earlier post.)
What I did was take a picture of the public document at the Newburyport Planning Office. The “peach” colored area is the Oak Hill Cemetery. The beautiful entrance to the cemetery is also sort of in peach color. This was done by moi for clarification sake… I hope I can’t be sued for this. If I could, would somebody please let me know ASAP. (Actually if the developer, who lives in town, is proud of this plan, the nifty peach color could be an asset, setting off the planned subdivision in all its “glory.”)
If a picture is worth a 1000 words, then this is a pretty sorry state of affairs.
Again, for activists out there in local Web Land, the City cannot do all that much to stop this “ridiculous” plan (as Ester Macomber calls it in the Newburyport Current, October 27, 2006.) It is the owner, who lives in Newburyport, MA, who does not appear to be changing his mind one little bit.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
(Editor’s Note: For an even more detailed map please see The Newburyport Preservation Trust)
I took a look at the Newburyport Planning Board’s agenda and low and behold Willis Lane LLC, Brown Street is up to bat, yet again. (December 6, 2006)
So, curious human being that I am, I totteled over to the Newburyport City Hall Planning Office to take a look at what Willis Lane LLC might have in mind for the back of the Wheelwright Property that abuts the sacred Oak Hill Cemetery.
Could our happy developer, who lives in Newburyport, have come to his senses and amended (or scrapped) his previous plans to plunder (changed the verb) the property.
The answer is apparently not.
Here are the plans for what the developer feels that he could do “by right.”
Now whether or not he could do this “by right,” I have no idea. Fortunately the Newburyport Planning Board does.
And take a closer look at what the developer feels he could do “by right.”
Yes, you saw correctly, three 2-families (plus a one family that is not on this detail.) Isn’t that fun.
And having been shocked at what the developer might be able to do “by right” here are the sensitive community plans.
Doesn’t look like much change to me. Sigh….
Houses, with (it looks like) garages now right by the scared Oak Hill Cemetery. The “lane” to the subdivision pretty much paralleling that gorgeous “lane” to the Oak Hill Cemetery. Sigh…
Unfortunately, it seems to me, there is no accounting for taste.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
Public Hearing on the Zoning Amendment to Section 9 or the “Infill Ordinance.”
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Newburyport City Hall, 7:30 PM
City Council Chambers
==============
Property rights folks don’t get too upset, this is “Infill Ordinance Light.”
Basically if your average homeowner would like to build an addition or alteration that is bigger than 500 square feet for a “non-conforming” structure for either a one or two family home, they would need to come before the City for a “chat.”
(This version includes both one-family and two-family homes. The previous version only applied to two-family homes. This change came about at the request of members of the Newburyport City Council.)
The wording on the present draft of this zoning amendment has been changed from a “Finding” to a “Special Permit for Non-Conformities.”
Got to admit that a “Special Permit for Non-Conformities” sounds pretty scary, but actually it’s not.
A “Special Permit for Non-Conformities” is a pretty low bar. Basically it’s a “Finding” that’s recorded. It is NOT a Variance and it is NOT a Special Permit (which was in the first version that got shot down by the Newburyport City Council) which are both much higher bars.
As I understand it, what this version does is to require that the homeowner or developer notify the neighbors and come in front of the City for a “chat” to try and make sure that whatever is going to be built is not only good for the homeowner, but is also in keeping with the local neighborhood character.
And frankly, good grief, if we as a City can’t even pass “Infill Ordinance Light,” what hope do we have of even remotely retaining our historic and neighborhood character. These are the qualities that make us so economically vibrant (even in bad economic times) and is why people want to come and live, work, visit and play in Newburyport, MA.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
A little history.
In 1970 Newburyport, MA, except for a few places here and there, was in really, really bad shape. All those pictures of how downtown looked before Urban Renewal…it wasn’t good.
Even when I moved here in 1981 (I think I’ve blogged about this a little before) downtown had just been restored. The Tannery did not exist, neither did Maudslay State Park. Urban Renewal had just begun to have a ripple effect into the surrounding neighborhoods of the North and South End.
There were places in the South End that I didn’t want to venture into. One person has told me that when they bought a place in the South End they could not get a mortgage from one of the banks because it was literally on the wrong side of the tracks. This is not to say anything bad about whatever bank it would have been; this is to remind folks that not too long ago a lot of Newburyport, MA was in tough shape.
Survival was the name of the game. A lot of folks had a hard time believing that anyone would want to live in Newburyport, MA, much less build an “infill” project in the North and South Ends of town.
When I moved here there were lots of places with apartments. It is my understanding that one family homes had apartments to help pay the bills. It was about survival.
And I am wondering how many of those apartments, like the one on Eagle Street, were given a building permit but never went through the process of getting a variance. I’m guessing that in their wildest imagination many people would never have envisioned that anyone would want to build a large out of scale “infill” structure in their back yard. The idea would have seemed preposterous.
I am guessing that what the neighbors found out about 16 Eagle Street, even though it had a building permit, but that a variance was never given for the upstairs apartment, may well apply to many places in Newburyport, MA.
And if that could be the case, then that opens up a whole can of worms.
And once again, if the “Infill Ordinance” or the Amendment to Section 9 was in existence, all parties would have had a chance to have an open dialogue before anything was done, and this whole fiasco concerning 16 Eagle Street might have been avoided.
If this is an issue that you care about, please contact your Newburyport City Councilor and ask them to vote in favor of the “Infill Ordinance” or the Amendment to Section 9. Also, please write a letter to the editor in support of this zoning amendment. All of this would really help.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
I miss Stephanie Chelf who used to be the Newburyport reporter for the Newburyport Daily News. Stephanie has gone on up the journalistic ladder.
There were at least 3 really good stories in Newburyport this week. Stephanie would have known what the three stories were. And she would have also known not only the issues involved, but also the players.
Stephanie really helped the Newburyport Political Blog by giving me so much to blog about. She was also really willing to go out there and get, for this small town, some fairly controversial quotes and cover your not so run of the mill journalistic stories.
One of the stories this week is 16 Eagle Street.
For me this is a heart breaker. On the one hand I am glad that people are becoming so passionate about the issue of infill. On the other hand it elicits such anger and hard feeling in Newburyport’s neighborhoods.
As I understand it, Jamie Pennington bought what he believed to be a deeded two family home. An 1850 dwelling with an apartment on the top floor. And there was enough land to “legally” build a large addition.
I’ve never talked to Mr. Pennington, but my guess would be that his thinking could have been something along the lines of, “great I can build another attached house, and I can make some money by either renting one of them, selling one or both and help myself and my family.”
If this was his thinking, he is hardly alone. Over the years, I will admit that I’ve had plenty of those thoughts myself. I’ll think, “Oh my goodness, maybe I could make this bedroom into a studio apartment.” And then I’ll come back down to earth and think, “No, Mary, not a good idea.”
I can’t quite remember when infill started to come to people’s attention in such a passionate way, but I would imagine that back when Mr. Pennington bought his home, it was not the issue that it is now.
As I understand it a foundation is poured and part of the back of the house is demolished.
Understandably the neighbors were alarmed that a large addition was going up in their neighborhood. Just like neighbors and residents all over town.
And as I understand it, what the neighbors found out was that the apartment had a building permit, but never had a “variance” so that the apartment was not (I don’t know what the legal term is) “lawful” even though on paper the property was a deeded 2 family. And apparently the Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals has agreed with them.
What an incredible mess.
And this is one of the many reasons why the Newburyport City Council so desperately needs to pass the “Infill Ordinance” or the Amendment to Section 9. The zoning amendment not only would help protect local neighborhood character, but it would also greatly clarify things so that neighbors would have a chance of living more peacefully together.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
The Newburyport Daily News on Monday October 9, 2006 ran a cartoon by Gary Robertson (no, not our City Councilor Gary Roberts) on what is being proposed for the back of the Wheelwright property by Todd Smith and Peter Nordblom of Willis Lane LLC, or what is now being referred to by the developers as “Brown Street.”
The cartoon has a bunch of construction folks with chainsaws hacking down trees to make way for the development by Willis Lane LLC. There is a sign that says:
“COMING SOON
to this Historic Property…
Wheelwright Estates
FIVE –count’em – 5 Luxury Homes
Priced from…must you ask?”
And then there is a gentleman standing inside the Oak Hill Cemetery gateway saying:
“Hey! Are you the same guys that tried to build a strip Mall right next to Gettysburg?”
Gotta love it!
I have traced/drawn from the Newburyport GIS map part of the back of High Street, from State Street to Lime Street or what is know as the “Ridge” the land behind the stately High Street mansions. The tracing/drawing is pretty crude, but I hope it will give folks an idea of just how much land is back there.
The area in red is the Wheelwright Property that is being developed by Willis Lane LLC. Two little dark blobs near High Street are where the Wheelwright House, the historic gardens and the Carriage House would be. (The Wheelwright House is very large, so that gives some idea of how huge the property actually is)
The little green squiggly part is the “wet-lands” in the middle of the property. And then the brown line starts at what is Brown Street, and my freehand drawing of the extended road would give an idea of what the developers have proposed for the road in the ORSD or Cluster Zone subdivision.
(See previous post for the actual plans.)
It sure looks to me as if that whole area by the historic Oak Hill Cemetery would be decimated. And the neighbors are beginning to organize, handing out flyers and circulating a petition. That’s a relief.
The green area belongs to 67 High Street and that area has a deed restriction on it by the owner. That land bordering Oak Hill Cemetery can never be built on. Well, yeh, whew…thank goodness.
I’ve outlined the Ridge area in blue. (Again, a little crudely drawn, but the hope is to get the general picture.) This as far as I know, except for 67 High Street, is completely unprotected. (Please see Disclaimer on the “Overview, Guidelines and Information” page.)
As I understand it, there are things that the owners can do, like putting deed restrictions on the property, or possibly the City of Newburyport could do a protective overlay, I don’t know.
Who would have thought that a beautiful piece of property like the Wheelwright land would be proposed for a subdivision, of all things. I hope that the residents and the City of Newburyport could do something to protect the rest of this irreplaceable landscape.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
I went down to the Newburyport Planning Office and took pictures of the two plans that were submitted to the Newburyport Planning Board by the developers Todd Smith and Peter Nordblom of Willis Lane LLC. The plans are for the back part of the Wheelwright property that abuts historic Oak Hill Cemetery.
The proposed Wheelwright subdivision project is being called “Brown Street.”
There is also a memo from the consultant who is helping out the Newburyport Planning Office, former Newburyport Planning Director, Nancy Colbert (a great person.)
I would need the help of a pro for me understand what it all means. The gist of the memo appears to be, “there are a lot of problems with this Preliminary Application, folks.”
I did understand: “ The proposed cul de sac does not appear to comply with subdivision regulations.”
There seems to be some concern with the steep slope of the land (and the land is very steep.) From the same memo: “For the Board’s information, many communities prohibit development on steep slopes and do not allow the inclusion of steeply sloping land to be part of lot area calculations.”
Here are the two maps.
The first is the traditional subdivision map (this does seems unlikely to me.)
Traditional subdivision map for Wheelwright Property
The second is the OSRD or Cluster Zoning version. Things are real close to historic Oak Hill Cemetery. And there appears to be retaining walls along part of the proposed road.
OSRD subdivision map for Wheelwright Property
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
What is going on at 16 Eagle Street is an excellent example of why we need this new Amendment to Section 9 or the “Infill Ordinance.”
The owners of 16 Eagle Street, which is an 1850 dwelling, bought the property I believe 3 years ago. As far as they knew it was a deeded 2 family. As I understand it, the third floor was an apartment.
They applied and received a building permit to construct an attached unit that, as I understand it, would be 35 feet by 22 feet, technically two and a half stories, but apparently the plans show straight dormers, making the house look more like a 3 story structure. From what I understand the square footage would be slightly over 2000 square feet.
The neighbors feel very strongly that the house does not fit in, in regards to scale and mass, with the local neighborhood character.
To make things even more complicated, the property is owned by Jamie Pennington, who is a member of the Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA.)
The hearing tomorrow night, in front of the Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals, is to request that the building go no further (at the moment I believe the foundation is poured) and that the building permit be revoked.
At issue, apparently, is whether or not 16 Eagle Street is a legal 2 family. It is my understanding that a variance was never applied for when it was expanded in 1986. It is possible that the statue of limitations for challenging the lack of a variance for this property has run out.
It is complicated.
What is not complicated however, is that we need this new amendment to the zoning ordinance Section 9. As is stands now, a legal two family, with a small apartment, can build a large attached structure that is completely out of scale with the existing neighborhood character.
This is and has happened all over town. 16 Eagle Street is yet one more example of how this loophole has been taken advantage of.
If the Zoning Amendment to Section 9 or the “Infill Ordinance” existed, the neighbors and the City would have been informed of the new large addition and a dialogue would have taken place.
Hopefully a win-win situation would have come about.
As it stands now, this is a lose-lose proposition. Mr. Pennington has stopped construction. The neighbors are faced with the possibility of a large infill project. There are lots of bad feelings all around. And no matter how the ZBA rules tomorrow, it would be my guess that the case, because it is so complicated and the project is so far a long, would go to court.
What a mess.
I would urge everyone to contact their City Councilor and urge them to vote for the Amendment to Section 9 or the “Infill Ordinance.”
There will be a joint public hearing with the Planning Board and the Newburyport City Council. And then this issue will come before the Newburyport City Council for two readings. On the second reading there will be a deciding vote.
The Newburyport City Council hopes to vote on the Infill issue either in November or December of this year.
It is very unclear to me whether this Infill issue has the votes to pass.
I would also urge everyone who cares about this issue to get a Save Our Town bumper sticker and put it on their car, on their door, in their window.
Unless something like this happens in a person’s backyard, people do not appear to be aware of what an acute problem the City of Newburyport, MA is facing.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
In response to Newburyport City Councilor Erford Fowler’s feeling that every homeowner who would be effected by the proposed “Infill Ordinance” or “Amendment to Section 9” be notified, because a “Finding” could be very expensive.
Well, I asked around.
The first response was that if a person could afford to build, paying for a “Finding” would be “Bubkes” (Yiddish for nothing.)
As I understand it, if what was being proposed was “reasonable” and met the criteria in the proposed zoning revision, (i.e. that it fit in with the neighborhood in regards to size, scale, mass, volume) then whoever is requesting the “Finding” could probably do it themselves or use their architect.
However, if whatever is being proposed is out of character with the existing neighborhood and the City of Newburyport, well then, an attorney might be in order. As far as I’m concerned, hopefully that applicant would not be granted a Finding by the Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), but instead would have to go back to the drawing board.
Let’s face it, greedy developers who do not have our City’s best interest at heart probably are not going to like this new proposed “Infill Ordinance” or “Revision to Section 9.”
Those who do have the City’s best interest at heart or are willing to be educated on what would be an appropriate addition or alteration for a “non-conforming” structure over 500 Square feet (and there are lots of folks like that out there,) would really appreciate this new zoning amendment.
It’s about Saving Our Town. And to quote from Steve Rudolph of Save Our Town, it’s about making sure that “our historical assets are not exploited for short-term economic gain, but preserved for long term economic growth,” And let me tell you that really, really works for me.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
The “Infill Ordinance” or the “Amendment to Section 9” of the Newburyport Zoning Code is on the agenda for tonight’s Newburyport City Council Meeting.
The Newburyport Planning Board is asking for a joint Public Hearing with the Newburyport City Council
Last year, a previous version of this amendment to the zoning code was turned down by the Newburyport City Council.
What’s the biggest change in this version (at least that I can make out)?
The first version required a “Special Permit.” This version requires a “Finding.”
Huge difference.
Basically if your average homeowner would like to build an addition or alteration that is bigger than 500 square feet for a “non-conforming” structure for either a one or two family home, they would need to come before the City for a “chat.”
(This version includes both one-family and two-family homes. The previous version only applied to two-family homes. This change came about at the request of members of the Newburyport City Council.)
A special permit, whether it is for the Newburyport Planning Board or the Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is fairly stringent. Part of the requirement for both boards is that:
“The requested use is essential and/or desirable to the public convenience or welfare.”
One of my questions on the first version of this amendment to Section 9 was that if your average homeowner wanted to build, lets’ say a 600 square foot addition that included a bedroom and a very nice new kitchen, how would that be “essential or desirable to the public convenience or welfare?”
Well, frankly, it wouldn’t. It would be for the homeowner’s convenience and welfare. Under this version, that stringent requirement does not apply.
As I understand it, what this version does require is that the homeowner or developer come in front of the City for a chat to try and makes sure that whatever is going to be built is not only good for the homeowner, but is also in keeping with the local neighborhood character.
This works for me. And I hope it works for every member of the Newburyport City Council. In my book, that would be terrific.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
Let’s have a little chat about the Mayor John Moak’s redefining Julie LaBranche’s (our former City Planner) old job description.
In the past City Planners in Newburyport, MA have worked with applicants to explain what is generally acceptable to the Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA.)
The City Planner has explained to all sorts folks coming into Newburyport City Hall for help and information on projects large and small about height, building mass, lot coverage, setbacks when applying for special permits and variances.
Believe me before I started the Newburyport Political Blog I had no clue about any of this stuff. And it’s so complicated that I still do not comprehend most of it, and I’m really trying.
So I know for your average person in Newburyport, MA talking with someone about what they would like to do is really, really important. And it is my understanding that many of the projects that are initially presented to the Planning Office simply wouldn’t fly with the ZBA.
And yes, this is where a City Planner is so handy. Because a City Planner in Newburyport, MA can offer options as to how to avoid excesses that may cause delay or just downright rejection by the ZBA.
And a good City Planner can also offer up constructive solutions that will benefit the applicant and the residents of the City of Newburyport as well. Or what I would call one of those delightful “win-win” situations.
However, if the new “Zoning Administrator” is going to have to review every building application, which by the way it is my understanding that that job belongs to the Newburyport Building Inspector, “goodbye” helping the public and “hello” to jamming up the Zoning Board of Appeals. And this is very unappealing in my book, let me tell you.
So, I still cannot figure out what in the world Mayor John Moak could be thinking about with this revamping of the Planning Office. It really, really doesn’t work for me.
And whoever is Mayor next, if they are in tuned with what a Planning Office is all about, they will have to completely redefine what the Zoning Administrator, Building Inspector and Planning Office would be doing. And hopefully change the Zoning Administrator’s job back to that of a City Planner. Yes, necessary and vital, and what an incredible waste of time for all and sundry in Newburyport, MA.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
Well, I’m a little upset about the Mayor of Newburyport rewriting what used to be Julie Labranche’s (our former City Planner) job. This must be part of what the Mayor keeps talking about when he keeps saying he would like to “streamline the permitting process.”
So now we will not have a City Planner. We will now have a “Planning/Zoning Administrator.”
The new position essentially takes over half of the Building Inspector’s job.
One might assume that Mayor John Moak may not be interested in long range planning issues for the City that would protect Newburyport’s historic heritage, local neighborhood character and environmental quality.
If I really wanted to be “catty” I could say that Mayor John Moak appears to be interested in making his long time friend, Gary Calderwood, our building inspector’s job a whole lot easier.
Now I like Mr. Calderwood, he has always been very kind to me. But from a taxpayer’s point of view, it would make more sense to me for our Building Inspector to do the existing job description, than take away much need expertise from the Planning Office.
We need a Planning Office that would be focused on long term planning to protect our local neighborhood character and historic heritage and environmental quality.
Local neighborhood character, environmental quality and historic heritage = money for the City of Newburyport, MA.
Destruction of our historic heritage, environmental quality and local neighborhood character = loss of money for the City of Newburyport, MA.
I am confused. What part of this equation does Mayor John Moak not seem to understand?
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
I’m going to say a dirty, dirty, dirt word – Local Historic District (LHD.)
Wow, it’s as if we’ve been brainwashed in this town to think LHDs are evil.
A LHD in Newburyport MA has come to mean “I’m only allowed to paint my house a certain color of purple and the outside doorknob has to be brass surrounded with diamonds.”
Well, I’m exaggerating here, a purple house with a brass and diamond doorknob isn’t exactly New England historic (I don’t know exactly what it is, but it’s not New England historic.)
But you get the idea, people in Newburyport MA have gotten the idea that a LHD means someone is going to dictate what they going to do and it is the equivalent of being in “property ownership jail,” plus they would never be able to sell their house and their property values would drop like crazy.
Well, let’s see. A Local Historic District is the only thing that would completely protect our historic assets. We can create incentives to do right, but given the example of let’s say threatening to turn the Wheelwright House into condominiums, “incentives” to do “right,” may not always work with people who have no intention of doing “right” by Newburyport, MA.
I’m a big advocate of “Local Historic District Light.” Basically creating a Local Historic District or a series of Local Historic Districts that have absolutely the minimum restrictions and see how we all deal with that. A little bit like having a demolition delay that starts with 6 months and seeing how it works.
You can write whatever you want a Local Historic District to be folks…it doesn’t have to be purple houses with diamond doorknockers.
And as for “Local Historic District Light” being a waste of time, well “nuts” to that, some protection is better than no protection at all.
And guess what, properties in Local Historic Districts usually appreciate at rates greater than your general housing market. Well, just look at Newburyport, MA, people want to live here because of our historic structures.
Historic heritage = money.
Worst-case scenario for houses in a Local Historic District is that they would appreciation at rates equivalent to the overall local market. Boy, that’s really bad.
And also for houses in a LHD, there is less volatility when the market goes south. Believe me folks, that’s really terrible.
Hey, this all of this works for me.
Our luck in Newburyport, MA has changed. It’s time to un-brainwash ourselves about LHDs. No, a Local Historic District is not the equivalent of having the Bubonic Plague.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
In today’s Newburyport Daily News, September 7, 2006 there is a brief article on Mayor John Moak’s economic agenda.
“The city is trying to streamline the permitting process for new businesses…” The Mayor also talks about luring business and industry to the City.
Nowhere does Mayor John Moak mention protecting our historic heritage that is the foundation of our economic survival.
And last night the Wheelwright property came before the Newburyport Planning Board. According to the Newburyport Daily News, the Newburyport Planning Board agreed to divide the property. The front parcel can now be sold as a separate entity and the back parcel can now be considered for a “subdivision.” From what I understand, legally, there was not much the Newburyport Planning Board could do to prevent the Wheelwright land from being divided…sigh.
However, the Newburyport Planning Board has been working hard at what I would consider the City’s best interest. They have been working on an amendment to a zoning ordinance that would help protect our historic heritage and local neighborhood character. Whew.
This is the amendment to Section IX (9) of the zoning code or what I call the “Infill Ordinance,” which was on the Newburyport Planning Board agenda last night.
I have seen the “Proposed Revised Version of Section IX” dated August 28, 2006 and it looks good to me.
Basically any non-conforming one and two family homes are allowed additions of 500 square feet. In my mind that’s a good amount of square footage which would allow a responsible addition or alteration—a very nice kitchen, family room, master bedroom, huge spa.
Anything over that would require coming before the City for a dialogue about what would be proposed. This does not mean that something larger than a 500 square foot addition could not be built. It would, however, be a step towards helping to insure that all parties are working together to keep the historic nature and local and neighborhood character of Newburyport, MA.
This amendment to the zoning ordinance will require a vote before the Newburyport City Council. Last year, for reasons I am still unclear about, a similar amendment to the zoning code did not pass.
My hope is that this year we have a different political climate. That the residents and City Council are beginning to see that we are at a turning point of over development and that we are about to or already are losing our economic base. My hope is that the vote on this zoning amendment is a “no-brainer,” and that the Newburyport City Council will do its part in helping to insure our economic survival.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
A very astute reader of the Newburyport Political Blog has this to say:
“We were preserved because of the 1811 fire and the storm that filled the harbor with sand. Since that time, until the early 80s when low prices brought so many of us here to restore, there was no money to demolish and rebuild. Long-term depression was our gift. Now, there’s money, and lots of it, and we are faced with the downside of economic success. We can now, finally, demolish and rebuild.”
Well, “yuck.” Unfortunately, it is my belief that this reader is right. And I have heard this opinion many times before.
Just look at the Wheelwright property, the rape of the Ridge, “the compromising of another stately building and its surrounding property which will visually affect the historic landscape of that area.” (From another reader of the Newburyport Political Blog.)
So what to do?
George Cushing, of Frog Pond (yes, there really is a Frog Pond) at the Bartlett Mall, the new political consultant for the Newburyport Political Blog is mulling this dilemma over.
George Cushing of Frog Pond at the Bartlett Mall
contemplating this dilemma
George Cushing feels that the only way to prevent “demolish and rebuild” is by having zoning amendments that protect our historic heritage. Otherwise, “ouch” the future looks very, very bleak.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
The new owners of the Wheelwright House property, 75 High Street, Willis Lane Investments, LLC, will becoming in front of the Newburyport Planning Board this Wednesday, September 6, 2006, 7:00 PM at City Hall to apply for an ANR – Approval Not Required – Subdivision.
These guys are moving fast. According to the Daily News, August 31, 2006, the firm would like to develop the roughly “4 acre” land at the back of the property and put in a 5 single-family home subdivision.
Newburyport Planning Board
Wednesday, September 6th
7:00 PM at City Hall
75 High Street
Wheelwright Property
ANR – Approval Not Required – Subdivision
And a very big “thank you” to Ulrika Gerth and the Newburyport Current for the front page story on Save Our Town in yesterday’s paper, September 1, 2006. The Newburyport Current also has a great story on the Wheelwright property.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
The rape of the Ridge has begun. This is one of my worst nightmares for Newburyport, MA.
The “Ridge” is the area on High Street on the upper side of the roadway that goes roughly from State Street to about Lime Street. It is one of the most beautiful and stately areas of High Street and one of the most beautiful parts of Newburyport, MA.
And folks we have been sold out by the Board of the Wheelwright House, the realtor that listed the property and the lawyer, who ironically was Newburyport’s Mayor for 3 terms and the Mayor under whose administration the Newburyport Master Plan took shape, former Mayor Lisa Mead.
To say that I am beside my self is an understatement. I really thought long and hard about using the phrase the “rape of the Ridge,” but this morning I thought it was more than appropriate.
And many thanks to Stephanie Chelf and the Newburyport Daily News for putting this story on the front page and also having the aerial view of the entire property on page A8.
According to the Newburyport Daily News, August 31, 2006, the property was bought by Todd Smith and Peter Nordbloom of Willis Lane Investments, LLC. Both men are officials of Nordblom Real Estate Solutions of Burlington, “one of the regions largest real estate and commercial property firms.” Believe me, they do not have our best interest at heart.
The firm bought the entire property for $1.6 million. The property is “nearly 5 acres.” That’s a lot of land folks.
Willis Lane Investments, LLC has already put the Wheelwright House, the historic gardens and the carriage house back on the market for $1.3 million. The house and the carriage house “are protected through a preservation restriction that prevents alteration or demolition.” The historic gardens are not protected and it doesn’t mean that the Wheelwright House and carriage house could not be converted to condominiums.
And basically the rest of the property was bought for $300,000…not a bad price folks. And the firm would like to develop the roughly “4 acre” land at the back of the property and put in a 5 single-family home subdivision.
This is on the Ridge.
It sounds from the paper that the firm will have to get a number of permits for the “subdivision proposal.” Thank goodness for that.
Let us not welcome these folks to town. Let us make their lives as miserable as possible. I cannot imagine that the Newburyport Planning Board or residents of this City would be amenable to this proposal.
And for goodness sakes let us start pestering our City officials, especially the Newburyport City Council for zoning amendments that protect our historic assets. This project alone helps destroy our economic vitality.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport
We had been amazingly lucky for a long, long time. After Urban Renewal started in the 1970’s, people already in town and people who moved here were excited about restoring the rest of Newburyport’s Historic District.
People were rescuing old, often neglected properties, some that had been broken up into apartments, and would repair and restore the structure.
For quite a while we were pretty good stewards of our own unique American Story. We were lucky. And somehow our luck has changed.
And, for a whole variety of reasons, we have no protection. There are no zoning amendments that protect our historic heritage. That’s crazy.
I know I am going “on and on and on” about this, but I don’t want to lose what makes Newburyport MA unique.
I think about what could have happened to High Street back in 1999. Part of what makes us economically vibrant would have been wiped out and we never, ever would have gotten it back.
All the trees would have been gone and the road would have been straightened and narrowed. All the carriage steps and hitching posts that are scattered along the roadway, which are like hidden treasures, would have been wiped out. Along the Ridge from State Street to about Temple Street, people would have lost part of their property and a large retaining wall would have been put there to create another turning lane. Who knows what in the world would have happened to our statue of George Washington, no plan for that one.
The same thing is happening now, only it’s happening incrementally. We are losing a house here a house there. Large oversize structures pepper Newburyport’s Historic District changing local neighborhood character. It is happening so slowly, we hardly notice that it’s happening at all until it is too late.
What if we took all those changes and put them along High Street, the damage would not seem incremental—it would seem dramatic.
So why aren’t we pestering our City government for amendments to the zoning code that protects what we have left? It seems like we need to start thinking about doing that.
And since Christopher Ryan has decided not to be our next Planning Director, maybe it would be a good idea to start lobbying the Mayor (who picks Newburyport’s Planning Director) for someone who has a strong background in Historic Preservation and would know how to help us keep what we have—what makes us economically alive.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport