HAVERHILL — The city is protecting its prime natural resource, the Merrimack River, by banning projects that ruin views of the river and block public access to the waterfront.
Haverhill has created temporary zoning that will prevent developers of property along most of the inner city riverfront from putting up buildings that interfere with views of the waterway.
The zoning also bans developments that would block residents from walking along the river. The zoning encourages developers to create boardwalks and other public access points to the river.
The City Council approved the zoning this week. It will remain in place for the next six months as planning officials draw up permanent zoning for waterfront land, said Planning Director William Pillsbury.
He said key properties that Haverhill wants to protect from the wrong kinds of developments include two vacant parcels — the old Skelley's gas station and the old Cleary's Cleaners, both near the intersection of Water and Mill streets. The rest of the area affected by the temporary zoning includes the stretch of riverfront from that intersection west to the Basiliere Bridge, and waterfront property along downtown Merrimack Street and in Bradford between the Basiliere and Comeau bridges, he said.
"The City Council and the mayor for years have identified the river as a primary asset," Pillsbury said. "We need to use our zoning power to protect that asset."
During the last 40 years, efforts to clean up the Merrimack River have resulted in a more popular waterway, with hundreds of boats docked along Haverhill's stretch of the river each summer. Apartment and condominium developments and businesses have popped up along and near the river.
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.
The city had similar temporary zoning in place for the last half-year, but it has expired. That meant developers would have had a loophole to propose a wider variety of projects if the council did not put the temporary zoning in place this week.
Pillsbury said his office will work on permanent zoning for the waterfront in an effort to have it ready for the city to adopt when the temporary zoning expires in six months.
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