Haverhill Zoning Protects Waterfront

The Eagle Tribune has reported that the Haverhill City Council has approved a temporary zoning law that bans projects that block views and public access to the Merrimack River waterfront.  The temporary zoning change.  The plan is in place through October 2009 while Haverhill’s planning officials draw up permanent zoning for waterfront land.

For decades, Haverhill has been contually cleaning up the Merrimack River waterway, where apartment and condominium developments have arisen and business has grown along the northern waterfront. Hundreds of boats are docked along the channel in the summer.

The city hopes to eventually dredge the river channel so large tour boats can reach downtown, allowing passengers to visit businesses there. Construction of a public, 300-foot boardwalk along the river at the west end of downtown is scheduled to begin this month, with the project completed in late summer.

The riverfront zoning requires that for the next six months, any developer of riverfront property in the zone go before the City Council that will decide on the project, based on river visibility, public access and other factors.

Read the entire Eagle Tribune article.