Category Archives: Zoning

Zoning and city planning that effects the types of building in Newburyport, MA

Newburyport, The Waterfront

Is anyone who has been following the riveting Central Waterfront ongoing saga now surprised that Mayor John Moak did not reappoint Janet Marcus, the current chair of the Newburyport Redevelopment Authority?

Well, I gotta tell you, I’m not.

No big surprise here. Mayor John Moak has been upfront and center about his wish to have LOTS of parking on Newburyport’s Central Waterfront, and there was some disagreement on this one on Ms Marcus’s part. (Is this an understatement? Yes.)

And should Patricia Dorfman, the former Executive Director of the Customs House Maritime Museum as an appointee be a huge surprise? I don’t think so.

Ms Dorfman has stated her understanding for parking in regards to the Customs House Maritime Museum, and perhaps Mr. Moak is hoping for a receptive ear.

My experience is that Ms Dorfman is a very bright young lady. And it is also my experience with very bright young ladies is that they are not always as predictable as one might expect. Don’t put any money down on this one yet, folks. I’m not.

And my experience is that Ms Dorfman is very personable and easy to get along with. This seems to be a prerequisite when it comes to Moakian appointments. Is this a terrible, terrible character flaw? In my book there are a whole lot worse, let me tell you.

Ok, so let’s say that this the worse case scenario happens. All Mayor Moak’s appointments turn out to share and vote for his very focused goal of having LOTS of parking on the Central Waterfront and NOT paying any attention to the people’s wishes in 2 surveys of having half park and half parking.

What Mayor John Moak does not appear to grasp yet, is if the “all-parking” thing actually got voted on, it would be litigated in the courts for years.

Legally the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will not allow it. And forget about the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, war chests in Newburyport, MA are most probably already being stocked for this very possible conclusion.

My money is on Ms Dorfman being fair and balanced. But whether she would be fair and balanced or not, one thing seems to be almost guaranteed, no matter what happens, the Central Waterfront Saga may “delight” and “entertain” us for years and possibly yet many more duplicate decades to come. This is only the 85th act of goodness knows how many acts of the Central Waterfront performance to follow.

And yet one more thing. I hear “newbies” (good grief, I a “newbie never a native” who has been here for “only” 26 years, am now calling 5-10 year transplants “newbies”) speculating on all kinds of things that might be possible on the Central Waterfront property.

To these “5-10” year “newbies,” whatever you have thought of, has not only been thought of before, but has been vigorously fought over before. But, hey, if everyone wants to fight about those things all over again, go right ahead. Just “enhances” the Central Waterfront drama that much more.

Who’s to say there should be any time limit on this saga. A half a century, a full century, maybe even 2 full centuries. Why not go for the Guinness Book of Records for the longest and “most delightful” civic brawl?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, a Hotel, the Waterfront

Mayor John Moak would very much like Mr. Stephen Karp to build a hotel on Mr. Karp’s waterfront property.

The only thing that would appear more cursed than resolving the Central Waterfront parking conundrum, would be a hotel on Newburyport’s waterfront.

Hmm… let’s see, Roger Foster had an awful lot of problems with a proposed hotel on the waterfront way back when. Didn’t do much for his pocket book, as I recall, a lot of litigation.

And, hmm… let’s see, my recollection is that the Lagasses, who bought a lot of property from Mr. Foster, also proposed a hotel on the waterfront. And that was way back whenever. That proposal is still being litigated, yo these many, many years later. (Newburyport Current, February 2, 2007)

The Newburyport hotel waterfront curse. Be a real selling point for anyone wanting to leap in yet again. And from what I can make out from the article by Ulrika Gerth in the Newburyport Current, February 2, 2007, there is a little bit of hesitation. No one appears to be running gleefully towards the notion with wide and inviting open arms.

Judging from past contentious history, the notion of a hotel might be approached with caution. But no, Mayor John Moak apparently would like to dive into this one.

“Mayor John Moak said attracting a hotel is a prime focus of his administration… “I know this administration, me and the Planning Department, would be much more interested in trying to tweak things if it means more overnight accommodations,” he said. “We’re committed to that and we know we have to make some compromises to make it work.” ” (Newburyport Current, February 2, 2007)

What has people puzzled to downright alarmed is the reference in the above quote by Mayor John Moak to “tweaking things” and “making some compromises to make it work,” much less having a hotel be his “prime focus” (big news to a lot of folks). A hotel at all costs? Tweaking? Compromising? If history is any indication it is possible that not all of Newburyport’s populace would necessarily agree.

And maybe one of the most discouraging things in the article in the Newburyport Current is not about Mayor John Moak, who is desperately trying to find money somewhere to pay for all the civic things that Newburyport doesn’t have money for (like our schools among other things). But the fact that Stephen Karp, who controls Newburyport’s destiny, has only bothered to have one conversation with the gentleman in the corner office.

And I find this very dispiriting indeed.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Historic Assets

These are photographs of one of the other houses that was destroyed in 1934 for Route 1. I did not put the photographs up because I was afraid, even though the house is an architectural gem, the house would not be appreciated.

I was afraid people would look at 31 Winter Street and say to themselves, “why wouldn’t anyone tear that one down? It has low ceilings, small rooms, lead paint. Much easier to demolish and put up something ‘more appropriate’ ”

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31 Winter Street, 1770-1780
Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division
Historic American Buildings Survey, Arthur C. Haskell, Photographer, June, 1934.

But our very own Bill Steelman put this lovely and historic home in perspective. Bill Steelman is one of Newburyport’s unsung heroes. And he works at the Essex National Heritage Area (ENHA).

The Essex National Heritage Area is an incredible resource for a great many things including historic preservation.

The Essex National Heritage Area also has a new blog on “First Period Architecture.” And yes there is a posting by our very own Bill Steelman on first period buildings, which includes 31 Winter Street.

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31 Winter Street, 1770-1780
Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division
Historic American Buildings Survey, Arthur C. Haskell, Photographer, June, 1934.

The ENHA blog explains why first period architecture is both important and intriguing. It is a “must read” for anyone in Newburyport, MA (or elsewhere) and for anyone who is considering making alterations or demolishing one of these first period architectural gems.

The ENHA site also has a whole section on “Preservation” and a very important section on the “Heritage Landscape Inventory” (check on “Newburyport” in that section). Both of these sections are “must reads” for people who care about Newburyport, MA.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Historic Assets Lost

I had seen these photographs before, but had never been able to find them again. And they were right under my nose, online, on the website of the City of Newburyport, under the Newburyport Public Library, photo archives.

The pictures I was looking for were those of Newburyport’s historic High Street that were taken right before Route 1 went in and all those houses on High Street were destroyed in (I believe) 1934.

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High Street between Summer Street and Winter Street
Area destroyed for Route 1
Courtesy of the Newburyport Archival Center
at the Newburyport Public Library

This next photograph I believe was taken a little later. It is also the area of High Street between Winter and Summer Streets, historic assets that were lost and that can never be replaced.

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High Street between Summer Street and Winter Street
Area destroyed for Route 1
Courtesy of the Newburyport Archival Center
at the Newburyport Public Library

And I also found this photograph in the Newburyport Public Library Archival Center of that neighborhood after the destruction. The photograph is of the bridge being build between Winter and Summer Street.

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Bridge being built between Summer and Winter Street
For Route 1
Courtesy of the Newburyport Archival Center
at the Newburyport Public Library

For me that is a devastating photograph, especially knowing now what would have been there. And when one looks at the automobiles in the photograph above (although, yes, I know things have slightly changed, for goodness sakes) one wonders if the loss of all those neighborhoods, family homes, historic assets was worth it. It feels like part of the soul of Newburyport, MA was slashed away.

We are still losing our historic assets in Newburyport’s Historic District. It’s just not quite as obvious, dramatic or shocking.

And as a community, not just the 15% (maybe) ( and if you are reading the Newburyport Political Blog, you are probably part of that 15%) that pay attention, do we care? And how do we get the other 85% to look around and think about what is happening now in Newburyport, MA?

Unless something is happening in someone’s backyard, most people in Newburyport, MA are “asleep at the wheel,” so to speak. How do we wake up the rest of the residents of Newburyport, MA from their vapid stupor?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Engineer Looking Over Wheelwright Property

Georgiana Tadpole, George Cushing’s new “love interest,” spotted a snippet in the Newburyport Daily News, January 22, 2007 on page A3.

(George Cushing is the Political Consultant for the Newburyport Political Blog. If you would like to know more about George Cushing please see “About George” at the right hand side of the blog’s “Home” page. A very handsome picture of George, if I do say so myself. And George Cushing is quite pleased about it as well.)

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Georgiana Tadpole
George Cushing’s “love interest”

The Newburyport Planning Board (a subcommittee, Jim McCarthy, Bonnie Sontag and Dan Bowie) and Newburyport’s Planning Director, Nancy Colbert met Friday January 19, 2007 with an independent engineer (Phil Christiansen) to go over the plans for the back of the Wheelwright property subdivision proposed by developer Todd Fremont-Smith.

This is in part because of the concerns voiced by residents of Newburyport, MA. And the independent engineer is “to raise concerns about particular aspects of the development.” (See it pays to show up and speak out. How about that.)

” “Christiansen will look into the board’s concerns to help it decide whether to approve the development.

“This is a tough site,” he (Christiansen) said.”

In fact Mr. Christiansen has been asked to make a whole list of concerns, no less, for the Newburyport Planning Board to consider.

I do like that. Good for Georgiana for spotting that one.

(Georgiana is hoping that the engineer can ward off this hideous proposal.)

Georgiana also pointed out another project. (It has been mentioned before on the Newburyport Political Blog, but what the heck, it’s definitely worth mentioning again.)

Georgiana is particularly concerned about this project because it would abut the March’s Hill park, where in the spring, in particular, she likes to “splash” around with I guess other frogs??

The lot at 39 High Street is being divided. This is the house with the tennis court up near the Newbury line. A new house will be built (all legal and everything) in the new split-off lot.

Poor old High Street. The old Grand Dame is taking quite a beating. Not to mention all that beautiful open space all around her gorgeous, gorgeous self.

Sigh.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Protecting High Street

In the Library of Congress, there is yet another set of wonderful photographs, this time of the “Pierce-Knapp-Perry House” at 47 High Street.

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Historic American Buildings Survey Frank O. Branzetti, Photographer Nov. 1, 1940.

This is a photograph of that magnificent house taken in 1940.

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Historic American Buildings Survey Frank O. Branzetti, Photographer Nov. 19, 1940.

And this is a photograph of the house entrance and fence also taken in 1940.

And I think this is very cool. Sally Chandler took this beautiful photograph of the same house entrance and fence in 2004 for the book “Gardens of the New Republic.”

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Sally Chandler © 2004
Image courtesy of Historic Gardens of Newburyport

I think that it is a really amazing preservation success story. And what a loss it would be to Newburyport, MA if this house no longer existed.

Ah, protection of High Street, the Grand Dame of Newburyport, so important to the city’s economic welfare.

To quote Ted Nelson on the proposed subdivision by Todd Fremont-Smith at the back of the historic Wheelwright property.

“That someone had the audacity or could be as brazen to put a subdivision at that spot…” Newburyport Current, January 19, 2007.

And this quote from Doug Locy, the chair of the Newburyport Planning Board in today’s Newburyport Daily News, January 22, 2007.

” “I think there is less and less open land available to build on,” … That problem, he added, may lead to more developments like the one planned by Wills Lane Investments LLC, which is planning to put up four homes on a plot of land behind the Wheelwright House, 75 High St.

“I think those parcels that are available for by-right subdivisions, people are going to try to pick up and begin constructing homes,” he said.”

Chilling. At least for this blogger.

So what can we do?

Property owners can follow the lead of Ester Macomber and put a Conservation Restriction on their land–those acres and acres of land behind those historic High Street homes. That is the easiest and quickest fix that I can think of.

Any thing is possible now. Who would have thought that anyone would have been “brazen” enough to build on the historic Wheelwright property?

An overlay to protect the large amount of land in front of those historic High Street homes has already been proposed to the Newburyport City Council. Don’t think it couldn’t happen, because it most certainly could.

And an overlay to protect the acres and acres of land behind the historic High Street homes. What a travesty it would be to have a very possible continuation of the “brazen” subdivision behind the historic Wheelwright property.

We as a city have an enormous amount of historic assets to lose. We can prevent further damage from being done. However, that means continuing to create awareness of this dilemma, as well as having the will to address this very real problem, not just talking and worrying about it, until it is too late.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, A Choice Not Taken, The Wheelwright Property

The Wheelwright property in today’s Newburyport Current, January 19, 2006, an article by Ulrika Gerth.

Apparently two gentleman generously offered the developer of the proposed subdivision at the back of the Wheelwright property–a choice. Ted Nelson and Nathan Felde offered Mr. Todd Fremont Smith a buy-out plan with the intention of donating the land for public use in perpetuity with the idea that Mr. Todd Fremont-Smith could be a hero.

My understanding is that Ted Nelson and Nathan Felde felt that they were negotiating in good faith to the point where they were making plans on how to raise the needed money, offering the chance for Mr. Fremont Smith to be well loved by Newburyport, MA.

It appears that Mr. Todd Fremont-Smith was, unfortunately, not interested. Not a hero, I’m afraid Mr. Smith.

I guess the back of the Wheelwright property, abutting the historic Oak Hill Cemetery will not be one of Newburyport’s preservation success stories. How unfortunate.

Once again, I found these photographs in the Library of Congress.

77-HS_library-congress_BLOG.jpg
The Abraham Wheelwright House, 77 High Street, built in 1810
Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Historic American Buildings Survey Frank O. Branzetti, Photographer November 19, 1940

This is a photograph of 77 High Street, the Abraham Wheelwright House. The William Wheelwright House, 75 High Street, is down the street, next door to the left in this photograph.

What this photograph does, I think, is give an understanding of the majestic quality of the houses on historic High Street. And how important it is to Newburyport, MA to retain that majestic quality.

And yes, indeed, right next to the Abraham Wheelwright House you can see Wills Lane. I am sure that the Wheelwright family never imagined that Wills Lane would afford the “frontage” for a subdivision by Todd Fremont-Smith to be built in back of their beloved property.

77-HS-land_BLOG_lib-of-con.jpg
Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Historic American Buildings Survey Frank O. Branzetti, Photographer August 19, 1940

And this photograph is in back of 77 High Street looking southwest towards the historic Oak Hill Cemetery.

I think this photograph gives a sense of why the land in back of the High Street houses, often acres and acres, adds to their majestic quality.

Obviously Mr. Todd Fremont-Smith does not think so.

I would imagine that this blogger will start blogging a whole lot more again on the unfortunate circumstance that this stately and imposing land (as well as the residence of Newburyport, MA) sadly finds itself in.

Another Newburyport preservation disaster that had the opportunity of being a resounding Newburyport preservation success.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Demolition, Restoration

On the Library of Congress’ website I found another one of these fantastic photographs. This one is of 8 Summer Street.

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8 Summer Street, Newburyport, MA
Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Historic American Buildings Survey, Arthur C. Haskell, Photographer. June, 1934.

Yup, you guessed it, 8 Summer Street no longer exists. This beautiful home was another house in that neighborhood that was demolished to make way for Route 1.

And I also found this accompanying document from the Library of Congress.

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Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Historic American Buildings Survey

The document (obviously from the survey) says:

“8 Summer Street, Thibault House, History-Built c. 1815, Demolished June 1934 for Cut Off”

Ah, the price of “progress.”

Chilling.

At least for this blogger.

Ok, I don’t know the back story of this demolition extravaganza, whole Newburyport neighborhoods demolished and destroyed. Restoration did not appear to be on the radar screen.

But, this sorry tale, certainly applies to Newburyport, MA in the year 2007. Do we as a city have regard for the retention and restoration of our historic assets, the “intangibles” that make this town so economically vibrant. Or, are we going to throw our historic and economic assets in the dumpster for today’s quick buck?

And in my mind, our historic assets include things like the acres and acres of land behind (or beside) the stately homes on High Street. Yes, I am thinking of the land that once belonged to the Wheelwright property that abuts the historic Oak Hill Cemetery. Been out of the press for a while.

And apparently there are projects in the works for 30 High Street and 321-323 High Street.

In yesterday’s Newburyport Daily News, January 17, 2007, John and Sandra Welch are requesting a division of their very large lot, 39 High Street (that is the house on historic High Street with the tennis court up by March’s Hill.)

The plan according to the Newburyport Daily News, is that John and Sandra Welch, who are retired, will sell the existing house and then build a new house “within the year” on the remaining 12,078 square feet, which would become 30 High Street. Plenty of room legally for a new dwelling.

Sigh.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, the Loss of our Historic Assets

The 2 historic documents that I put up on the Newburyport Political Blog from the Library of Congress were such a hit that I thought I would put up a couple of more.

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5 Birch Street, Newburyport, MA
Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Historic American Buildings Survey. Arthur C. Haskell, Photographer, April, 1934.

library-of-Con.7-Birch-St.h.jpg
7 Birch Street, Newburyport, MA
Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Historic American Buildings Survey. Arthur C. Haskell, Photographer, June, 1934.

What I love about these 2 photographs is that they give such a sense of Newburyport’s history. Such a sense of the feel and soul of Newburyport, MA. Even though I moved here in 1981, Newburyport at that time still had the same feel and texture, if you will, that is captured in these 2 historic photographs. Very different from the “glitzy” feel that it is beginning to acquire in the year 2007.

Can you imagine the look of the gentleman’s face in the top photo if he was told that some houses in Newburyport, MA would sell for millions of bucks and that we were so “upscale” that Starbucks had arrived.

One can imagine that the gentleman would have said that was “nuts.” And of course he probably would have said, “Starbucks? What the heck is Starbucks?”

Anyway, I went on a hunt for Birch Street. I finally found it. It is a tiny street between Market Street and Summer Street, near the YWCA, that parallels High Street.

2 and 3 Birch Street exist (that’s as far as the street goes,) but no 5 or 7 Birch Street. The 2 houses in the photographs above no longer exist.

Wow.

So I went back to the Library of Congress and did a little more digging. These photo’s were taken during the Depression (1934). It looks like the photos were part of a survey done at that time concerning the houses that were going to be demolished to put through Route 1, so that traffic would not have to go through downtown Newburyport, MA.

So, it appears that 5 and 7 Birch Street would have been, yes indeed, in the middle of Route. 1.

One can only imagine the upheaval around that massive demolition, although, so far, I have not located any written documentation. (I am sure there is tons of stuff in the Newburyport Public Library archives and many people in town who remember the event.)

As a person who loves old homes, the fact that 5 and 7 Birch Street (not to mention that whole area of town) no longer exists, is chilling and just downright sorrowful. I would call this not a “Newburyport preservation success story,” but a “Newburyport preservation story disaster.”

And just as a reminder, demolition is still a happening thing. Demolition has been happening all over our National Historic District. It just isn’t as dramatic as losing entire neighborhoods to the bulldozer or whatever.

And not to be a broken record here, but to be a broken record here, Newburyport, MA has a few stalling tactics up its sleeve now, but no real protection for our historic assets. And this, in my mind, is chilling and just downright regrettable.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, The Federal Street Overlay

One of the things that really bugs me is the fact that often the Federal Street Overlay District gets a bum-rap. This really pisses me off.

Fed-OverLay.jpg
Image courtesy of Mary Baker Eaton
The Federal Street Overlay
Looking towards the Old South Church,
in back of the Johnson and Bartlett houses

A little history here. The Catholic Church owned the land that is now the Federal Street Overlay District. On that land were/are two very historic homes. The William Johnson house (1777) and the William Bartlett house (1797.)

There were no promises from anyone, the corner office of Newburyport, MA at that time or the Catholic Church, that the Johnson and Bartlett houses would not be destroyed.

Bartlett hs.jpg
Image courtesy of Mary Baker Eaton
The front of the William Bartlett house

And in 2001 the William Bartlett house and the William Johnson house made it onto Preservation Massachusetts’ “Ten Most Endangered Historic Resource List.”

Today because of the Federal Street Overlay District and the good will of the Catholic Church, the Bartlett and Johnson Houses have been saved and lovingly restored.

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Image courtesy of Mary Baker Eaton
The back of the William Johnson house

The William Bartlett house and the William Johnson house and the Federal Street Overlay District are one of Newburyport’s very proud preservation success stories.

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Image courtesy of Mary Baker Eaton
The back of the William Johnson house
and the Federal Street Overlay from Ship Street

And we as a city owe many, many thanks to all the untold heroes that made this Newburyport preservation success story a reality.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Historic Memory Loss

I just made this amazing discovery. The Library of Congress has some amazing photographs that can be used in the public domain. I never knew about this until yesterday, even after all these years.

One of the things that concerns me about Newburyport, MA in the year 2007, is that we often have very little historical memory, sometimes it feels like we have downright historic amnesia. I keep thinking that might be one of the reasons we appear to be so reluctant about being more pro-active about having more zoning laws protecting our historic heritage.

Believe me, this has nothing to do with the Newburyport Planning Board, who in my opinion are doing everything that they possibly could do. I’m thinking here, about the general population and just possibly lack of leadership on this issue from the corner office.

I believe that this is a photograph of High Street. I can’t figure out where on High Street it is, and if the Library of Congress does say where it is, I cannot find it. It is a pretty cool photo.

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Courtesy of the Frances Loeb Library, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, the Library of Congress, Historical American Buildings Survey Collection.

This photograph, also from the Library of Congress, is a beautiful Georgian House on High Street.

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Courtesy of the Frances Loeb Library, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, the Library of Congress, Historical American Buildings Survey Collection.

And Sally Chandler took this photograph of I believe the same Georgian House on High Street in 2004.

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Sally Chandler © 2004
Image courtesy of Historic Gardens of Newburyport

Amazingly the house looks very much like the much earlier photo from the Library of Congress. But folks, we can no longer take our historic heritage for granted. If we do not do something proactive, we have and will continue to lose the very thing that makes Newburyport such an important and compelling place inwhich to work, live, visit and play.

Do we value our historic heritage or are we willing to let it be destroyed?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s note: I’ve heard from several readers of the Newburyport Political Blog and the location of the High Street photograph from the Library of Congress, is the top of Fruit Street, with the Cushing House Museum being the brick house in the center. Many thanks to the readers of the Newburyport Political Blog.)

Newburyport, the Mayor, the Council as well as “Over-Development”

A first rate editorial in the Newburyport Daily News today (January 8, 2007) by Taylor Armerding. In fact I thought it was so good I called Mr. Armerding up and told him that myself.

The editorial is “Mayor’s report card has unfinished business.”

One of the interesting things is that it references this quote in an article in the Newburyport Daily News, January 5, 2007, written by Stephen Tait:

“”There seems to be a desire in residential areas to keep growth at a minimum and I think that’s happened,” he (Moak) said, referring to a new ordinance the City Council enacted last year to curb so-called “in-fill” development – the building of new homes and additions in Newburyport’s already tightly packed old neighborhoods.”

In an article in the Newburyport Current, December 15, 2006, written by Ulrika Gerth, there is this quote in reference to the “Infill Ordinance”:

“Mayor John Moak, who has been critical of the amendment from the start, said he still has “a few problems, but not enough to veto it.” ”

That’s quite a switch in attitude towards residential over-development in let’s see, about 3 weeks.

It sounds like (and I hope this is really, really true) Mayor John Moak has come over to the “Bright Side” in regards to the residential over-development issue. Who knows why this might be. Could the new Newburyport Planning Director, Nancy Colbert (and believe me this is ALL conjecture on my part, no chats yet by moi with Ms Colbert) have had a conversation with the mayor on the subject??

The other interesting bit pointed out by Mr. Armerding is the acknowledgement that there has been a lack of communication so far by Mayor John Moak with the Newburyport City Council, an unbelievably important and key political skill.

This one has always puzzled me. I watched for years as Mr. Moak as Newburyport City Clerk communicated beautifully with the Newburyport City Council. For this to have been a major stumbling block the first year has always been for me a “say what?” “excuse me?”

I think this particular Newburyport City Council has a great deal to offer and that means, to quote Mr. Armerding, that “showing respect and responding to the concerns of councilors” by the Mayor of Newburyport, MA is really important.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, George’s Talking Points

George Cushing, of Frog Pond at the Bartlet Mall, the political consultant for the Newburyport Political Blog, is trying to get my attention again.

What is it this time George?

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George Cushing
trying to get my attention again.

George feels that it is questionable whether the “progressives” can get their “act together” so he would like to make some talking points on what he believes municipal policy could be.

Ok, I’ll bite George, but remember you are a FROG.

What in the world do you have in mind?

1) (We’re doing numbers here George? How very organized.) An aggressive planning agenda that addresses zoning changes to protect Newburyport’s neighborhood character and historic assets.

(Good start. But remember George’s last name is “Cushing” and he comes from a pretty swanky address, i.e. Frog Pond on Newburyport’s historic High Street.)

2) George likes these “Buy Local” folks. He would like two see two economic overlays, one for downtown and one for Waterfront West, sighting tons of ordinances that have been drafted across the country. He’d like to see Waterfront West have a square foot limitation for retail space. Apparently there is a correlation, according to the National Trust for Preservation, between retail space and historic preservation. Who knew? Smart Frog.

3) The Industrial Park, rezoned to include office space. George and Mayor John Moak like that one.

4) The capping of the Crow Lane Landfill completed. He thinks Mayor John Moak is doing all that any mayor could do.

5) The Senior Center, would like to see the Cushing Park (same name as George you notice) plan on the November ballot. (George thinks that if a Senior Center is built that there would be room for frogs??)

6) The Central Waterfront, would like to see the people’s wishes observed and have half park and half parking.

(Ok George, what about parking? From an aerial view, the train station has tons of unused parking? George, that’s from 5,000 feet, you really think anyone is going to go for that one? Hasn’t exactly been a popular solution all these years. And you want the City of Newburyport to include a Frog Pond? I don’t think so George, frogs are a zero constituency, no one is going ask the tax payers to pay for a Frog Pond. Come on.)

7) Schools. (Yes, I agree George, what a mess. Money, where are you going to get the money?) George would like the State and the Feds to get their act together and pony up some major bucks, because the tax burden on the average resident is already too high.

8) High Street (Oh, George, is this for me?) The Bike Lanes either finished or removed and the rest of the High Street Master Plan, which was passed by the Newburyport City Council, begin to be enacted — brick sidewalks, textured crosswalks, trees etc. (I like this.) (Apparently this was not for me. Had more to do with his feelings about Frog Pond. George wants the rest of High Street to be as nice as the restoration to the Bartlet Mall.)

9) And a discussion about the ineffectiveness of a 2 year mayoral term. Either a 4 year mayoral term or a city manager form of government. (My, “la de da,” aren’t we really out there on that one?)

Well, I’m impressed. That’s not a bad start considering he’s a FROG, except for the insistence that the tax payers pay for another frog pond and that frogs would get to hang around in a Senior Center. Good grief.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport’s Commercial Progress and Heritage

Certainly the “Buy Local” folks are bringing to the forefront the discussion of an economic plan for downtown Newburyport. We have a Newburyport Master Plan, but I’m not sure that we have a recent municipal Newburyport Economic Master Plan for downtown Newburyport, MA. (I haven’t heard of one, but that doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist somewhere.)

You see, this is where I get in trouble. I am an artist (and now I guess a blogger.) I am not a “business” person in the traditional sense and I do not have a degree in economics, nor do I have an MBA.

In this area, I am a “neophyte.”

And I am now learning more about chain store stuff than I ever imagined.

It seems as if on this subject, Newburyport, MA could be at a crossroads.

How does one define “commercial progress” for Newburyport, MA in the year 2007?

Is it possible that we could sustain ourselves economically with individual locally owned entrepreneurial businesses? Of course I hearken back to the days when I first moved here and almost every business was locally owned, and I loved it. Could I be naïve in wanting to go back to that economic formula in the year 2007? That amazing sense of “community.”

Many people that I’ve talked to think it is very possible for Newburyport, MA to have a viable mix of chain stores and locally owned businesses. And that the chain stores could bring business to other locally run shops.

But of course there is the great fear that landlords would find “tried and true” chain stores so much more appealing than less “tried and true” local entrepreneur business human beings. Especially if those landlords don’t live in Newburyport, MA.

And of course there is the fear that Newburyport, MA would lose it’s “flavor,” and become yet one more bland, homogenous place to live, work, shop and play.

BuyLocal.jpg
“Buy Local” decal
(Image used with permission)

I am very glad that the “Buy Local” folks have initiated this discussion. It is one that we in Newburyport, MA badly need to have outside of the business community itself, because what happens commercially downtown would affect all our lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

And what the “Buy Local” folks are suggesting, which never occurred to me, is that as residents, we have a choice, if we decide to use that choice, about how downtown Newburyport, MA would look like economically. We could choose what would or would not go into downtown Newburyport, MA the way Nantucket, MA, Bristol, R.I. and Ogunquit, Maine have done.

This is a radical and fascinating idea, and one that had never occurred to me.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Community

BuyLocal.jpg
(Image used with permission)

I think one of the things that I like so much about www.supportNBPT.org is the emphasis on “community.”

I was also astounded at the figures that local business “pour more than 50 percent of the revenue back into the local economy compared to 14 percent for national chains.” (Newburyport Current, December 21, 2006)

The detailed reports can be found on the www.supportNBPT.org website. These folks have done their homework.

And to quote Gene Volovich from the same Newburyport Current article, “A city like Newburyport, where most of downtown is in the hands of one owner, is particularly vulnerable to ‘manipulation’…”

Yes, that is most definitely the concern.

That locally owned businesses would have the City’s best interest at heart over “large corporations” and “national chains” and that it would be better to promote “community welfare” over “corporate welfare.” (Source www.supportNBPT.org website.)

Works for me.

And I certainly would want our local entrepreneurs to be supported and to flourish.

(Now I’m wondering out loud here, which has gotten me into trouble before, so if there’s any “Mary could be sued” stuff, please let me know, ASAP.)

This is what I wonder. Would the corporate folks at large corporations use our local banks, our local lawyers, our local insurance people?

If a very large landlord (of course I’m thinking of Mr. Karp here) has the choice between a “tried and true” establishment, that is guaranteed to pay the rent and possibly pay more, would the landlord take the “tried and true” business over a lesser-tried local entrepreneur?

If let’s say (and this is absolutely guaranteed hypothetical) a national chain store like a Barnes and Noble went in the yet to be developed Stephen Karp property, would our local (much loved, at least by me) book stores suffer? I would think the answer would be “yes,” but possibly I’ve been watching way too many movies.

Anyway, this new group, founded by Allyson Lawless and Gene Volovich, has created a decal for local business to put in their windows.

BuyLocal.jpg
“Buy Local” decal
(Image used with permission)

And the decals are beginning to pop up all over downtown Newburyport, MA. Obviously there are local business out there in our downtown that would like to remind folks to “Buy Local.”

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, supportNBPT.org, Buy Local

I can’t tell you how pleased I was to read the most excellent article by Ulrika Gerth in the Newburyport Current, December 22, 2006 on “Buy Local, supportNBPT.org.”

And I was a little puzzled by Mayor John Moak’s comments in this Sunday’s Globe North, ‘”Locally owned businesses are the backbone of our community,” Moak said. “But I also believe that larger corporations can be an intricate part of the city as long as they understand the limitations of the city.”‘ (Boston Globe, December 31, 2006 — Kay Lazar.)

Ah, and let me quote from the beautiful website of www.supportNBPT.org (it is also on their most excellent brochure.)

“Community

‘It grows out of people stopping by the bar for a beer, getting advice from the grocer and giving advice to the newsstand man, comparing opinions with other customers at the bakery and nodding hello to the two boys drinking pop on the stoop . . . hearing about a job from the hardware man and borrowing a dollar from the druggist . . .

‘Most of it is ostensibly utterly trivial, but the sum is not trivial at all. The sum of such casual, public contact at the local level. . . most of it fortuitous, most of it associated with errands . . . is a feeling for the public identity of people, a web of public respect and trust, and a resource in time of personal or neighborhood need. The absence of this trust is a disaster to a city street.’

‘The Death and Life of Great American Cities,’ by Jane Jacobs”

What I would beg to differ with Mayor John Moak is that it has been my experience that “large corporations” are an anathema to “community.” And community, I think, is one of the things that so many of us love about Newburyport, MA. Could I possibly be right about this one?

And of course, the elephant in the room here, that I haven’t mentioned so far, is of course Mr. Karp. Our new huge downtown landlord, developer Stephen Karp.

I would imagine that this blogger will be blogging a little bit more about “Buy Local”.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, The Importance of the “Ridge”

Why is the “Ridge” important to Newburyport, MA? The Newburyport Daily News has been asking this question, and an excellent question it appears to be.

The “Ridge” is the area on High Street, in the “South End” of the city that runs roughly from State Street to a little beyond Lime Street, down towards the Newbury line, that is on the upper side of the roadway. That’s the geography.

High Street itself has been called, “one of the most scenic streets in all of New England,” by the “Michelin Guide to New England.”

And to quote the High Street website, “The wholly intact nature of the setting allows the High Street of today to impart the same sense of spaciousness, beauty and dignity that it did 100 years ago.”

The Ridge has beautiful and stately mansions (not McMansions but real to goodness, the real thing, mansions.) And what adds to their beauty, their sense of mystery, their stateliness is LAND. In some cases many, many acres of land.

And this of course was true of the Wheelwright House, the back of which Mr. Todd Fremont-Smith is proposing a suburban subdivision. (See all kinds of previous posts. Just put in Wheelwright into the “search” box at the top of the main page of the Newburyport Political Blog, and you will find gobs of stuff.)

Now not to get too grandiose here, but to get grandiose here, think of “Versailles.” Yes, I’m talking about the Versailles in France, a la King Louis XIV. Yes, I realize this is a bit of hyperbole, and that any mansion on High Street, Newburyport, MA is not quite the same thing, but bear with me here, Ok?

Now, no matter how stunning, how beautiful, how tasteful, would anyone want a subdivision built at the back of Versailles? No.

No, because it would be tacky and lack class, and just plain not a good idea.

The same principle applies to any land in back of the High Street mansions on the Ridge in Newburyport, MA.

To build a subdivision of any kind back there would be tacky and lack class.

Now, my one gander at Mr. Todd Fremont-Smith at the last Public Hearing concerning his project to build a subdivision in the back of the Wheelwright property, the young man in question did not strike me as “lacking class” or being “tacky.” Nor did he strike me as lacking a conscience. (This bloggett obviously finds Mr. Fremont-Smith’s proposal completely unconscionable.)

And if Mr. Fremont-Smith goes ahead with his proposed subdivision — “tacky and without class,” what a lousy legacy to be left with. My.

And I would imagine that if he ever thought that the project would gander so much negative publicity, that he might never have taken the project on at all. And I’m afraid for Mr. Fremont-Smith, that things, bad publicity-wise, are just beginning to really rev up. Vroooom, vroooom.

So one and all, this bloggett does not wish the Ridge a tacky and without class legacy. And I know many (vast understatement) out there in Web Land do not wish this for Newburyport, MA either.

Happy New Year…

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Wheelwright Land, Wills Lane Proposed Subdivision

Wow, did I ever come away mighty depressed after going to the Public Hearing at the Newburyport Planning Board for the subdivision proposal by Mr. Todd-Fremont Smith, Wills Lane LLC, regarding the back of the Wheelwright property.

I had this vague chirpy notion that after the last hostile greeting that Mr. Fremont-Smith received at the last Newburyport Planning Board Public Hearing, that Mr. Fremont-Smith would have made some revisions to his plans for the property adjacent to the historic and sacred Oak Hill Cemetery.

But no.

And as I listen to the presentation, and Mr. Fremont-Smith’s refusal to at least remove one of the dwellings to make the whole thing a tiny bit more palatable, my mood grew fowler and fowler.

WillsLaneInvest.jpg
Map of the proposed subdivision

This image is courtesy of the Newburyport Preservation Trust. If you click on the image on the Newburyport Preservation Trust page you will get a map of the complete plot plan.

In an earlier time, given the mood of the crowd, this young man would have been tarred and feathered for his audacity to build on the legacy of Newburyport, MA.

That was then, this is now.

But Mr. Fremont-Smith apparently just doesn’t get it. And short of legal action to find some sort loophole that will stop his plans (the Conservation Law Foundation gives out advice about this sort of thing for free) or wilting under a high profile public relations assault, that was promised by one of the more talented members of our community, there appears to be no hope.

Alas and alack.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, the Wheelwright Property Subdivision

The proposed Wheelwright property subdivision is back on the docket of the Newburyport Planning Board, this Wednesday, December 20, 2006.

This photo (a much larger version) was sent around by Nathan Felde. Thank you Mr Felde.

oakhill.jpg

Aerial view of property that
Todd-Freemont Smith hopes to
develop into a subdivision.

I find the whole thing depressing.

It seems pretty obvious that local developer Todd Fremont-Smith has no intention of backing down on moving on with this project, despite what I gather was a fairly hostile reception at the last Newburyport Planning Board Public Hearing.

The land in question in the photograph is marked in orange, with a big question mark pointing to it. That’s one big piece of property.

If you want some idea of how it’s going to look, take a look at “Robert’s Lane” off High Street at the top of Marlboro Street.

That used to a be beautiful wooded piece of property.

The “lane” in question is a huge gash through the upper part of High Street, and now everyone has a lovely view of the Water Tower. Sigh.

And the houses Mr. Fremont-Smith would like to build (4 of them) would not be dainty, 3,500 to 4,000 square feet (Newburyport Daily News, December 7, 2006.) Yes, those would qualify as McMansions in my book.

Sigh.

What a happy holiday gift for the city of Newburyport, MA.

So again, the meeting:

Newburyport Planning Board
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
City Hall, Council Chamber
7PM

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Zoning Amendment Relief

I am so relieved that the Zoning Amendment to Section 9 or the “Infill Ordinance” passed at the Newburyport City Council Monday night, and by such a huge margin — 10 to 1.

And I am so proud of the Newburyport Planning Board, that they did not give up after the “Infill Ordinance” failed to pass last year, but instead calmly and very professionally went back to the “drawing board” and took another look. I admire their perseverance.

They set a great example for other boards and committees in the city — when something doesn’t work, don’t give up, but go back and take another gander.

And a very big “thank you” to Jim McCarthy, a member of the Newburyport Planning Board, for his diligence, thoughtfulness and all his incredible hard work. And this is a volunteer board folks. No one’s getting paid for all this time and hard work.

The passing of the “Infill Ordinance” feels like a huge collective weight off many collective shoulders.

One of the things that I learned is that our Zoning Ordinance is a “living document.”

The Newburyport Planning Board will see how this new “Infill Ordinance” works out. And if it needs “tweaking,” they will tweak away.

It is my understanding that the Newburyport Planning Board would like to take a look at the 3 different residential areas in the city, R1, R2 and R3 which all have very different standards, and see if they need “tweaking” too.

So, many thanks again — a great first step.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport