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2006-02-08 CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES Date: February 8, 2006 Board: Economic and Community Development Council Location: Beverly Public Library Members Present Tina Cassidy, Carla Cox, Neil Douglas, Frank Killilea, Bill O’Hare, Don Stacey Members Absent: Pat Grimes Others Present: Beverly Harbor Management Authority members Don Neuman, Greg Ward, Miranda Gooding Recorder: Eileen Sacco Meeting commenced at 7:00 p.m. Cox opens the meeting by inviting Don Neuman, Greg Ward and Miranda Gooding of the Beverly Harbor Management Authority to address the Council on future waterfront plans. Neuman states that the property has been in a state of quiescence for a lot longer than anyone would like, and explains the locations of the property. He states that it is easier to think of the site as having a water side and a land side with the McDonald’s site being on the land side and the water side which has a recreational marina with 28 slips and the Ferry Way Landing which has historically been a landing for 200 years. Next to that is the public pier with the Harbormaster’s building. He explains that there are a lot of restrictions on the McDonald’s site due to a combination of grant restrictions and state laws. He notes that the deed for the former McDonald’s property requires that the site be used for open space or recreation in perpetuity and it is also in a designated port area which requires marine industrial use. He notes that part of the challenge is to do something pleasing for recreational boaters, commercial fishermen and the general public. He also notes that it would be nice to have a restaurant on the waterfront and explains that it might be possible with a two story building, housing the restaurant on the top floor as an adjunct use. Neuman notes the Harbor Authority has grants that we qualify for but there is no money available at this time. He also noted that the Seaport Council is suggesting that there will be two million dollars available to the City this year. Neuman explains that looking at the site in thirds, one third would be along the street for parking, one third in the middle would be open space, and one third would be on the edge would have a new two story building with a restaurant, with integrated landscaping so it doesn’t look broken up. Minutes 2-8-06 ECDC Meeting Page 1 of 4 Neuman notes that the floats alongside the public pier need to be replaced as does the dolphin at the end of the pier, and a handicap access ramp and steel float will be installed which would allow for water taxis and commercial ships to dock at the pier in the future. Cox refers to phase one and Neuman explains that phase one includes repairing the seawall infrastructure, fendering the pier, installing a steel float at the end of the pier with a handicap ramp at the end of the steel float. Cox questioned if this work is within the limits of the channel. Neuman explains the plan and the Federal Channel. Cox asks if people could cast off for fishing. Neuman states that fishing is an issue and explains. Cassidy notes that water and electric need to be upgraded as well. Cox asks about the brown building. Neuman states that the building is the subject of emotional debate. He notes that it would be cheaper to take the building down as the cost to repair it is very high. Neuman states that Tina Cassidy is working on an RFP to deal with the recreation aspect of the site. Cassidy explains that the RFP includes the land side of Ferry Way Landing and the area around the McDonald’s building. Cassidy also states that included in the RFP is that they are open to a proposal of someone taking over the management of the marina. A city employee presently manages the marina. Douglas recalls that there were preliminary plans with regard to the utilization of the site. Neuman explains that there was a plan for a two-story building with a walkway around the waters edge. He also notes that there was a second proposal from Hawthorne Cove Marina in Salem that was just a proposal for 300 slips. Douglas also notes that there was a proposal for a boatel that did not elicit much support. Neuman states that the boatel is made for a marine industrial waterfront. Ward states that he participated in a committee that resulted in changing the zoning down there and explained that the Master Plan and the Harbor Plan need to have the zoning in place. Cassidy states that the RFP is going through a last review and will be published in the Central Register on February 15, 2006 and will be available to the public. She also explains that the deadline is April 26, 2006 to allow people to submit quality proposals. Cox asks for an explanation of the RFP process. Cassidy explains that there are two phases of the RFP. One is the non-price segment which is a submittal of what they want to do and the other is a Price Proposal which includes lease and payment proposals. Cassidy further notes that a committee will review the proposals and evaluate the RFP’s and rank them before making a recommendation to the Mayor. If the Mayor approves they will negotiate an agreement in principal with the successful respondent. Minutes 2-8-06 ECDC Meeting Page 2 of 4 Cox asks if there is an opportunity for input on the design. Cassidy explains that the Planning Board will have site plan review authority over the building which also triggers review by the Parking and Traffic Commission and the Design Review Board. There are several other permitting processes with the Conservation Commission, Army Corp of Engineers, Department of Environmental Protection, and Coastal Zone Management and each provides opportunities for public comment. Coz asks if the permitting is in place for phase one. Cassidy reports that the permitting is all done as part of the preparation of the engineering drawings. A discussion was held on the designation of Beverly’s channel as a Federal Channel. Neuman explains that it was an act of Congress that designated the channel and explained the history. He notes that at one time the channel was measured by the Army Corp for potential use by cruise ships but they never documented the findings in writing. It was noted that any cruise ship that came to Beverly would need an attraction and most modern cruise ships are shallow catamaran type boats. Ward states that a proposal to drop the designated port designation would result in all slips in the harbor being permitted for 99 years and would create an enormous amount of value and would be very marketable. Cox states that we need to establish with certainty what we need and work that out. She also notes that the ECDC would like to hear any recommendations for value recapture. Gooding states that there is a lot to be learned from what has happened with other properties down there. Cox asks where the Harbor Management Authority gets their resources. Neuman states that they get money from the fees for the slips and half of the excise taxes on boats. The other half goes to the Waterway Improvement Fund. Cox asks if the excess money gets turned back to the city. Neuman states that the money stays in the Harbor Authority’s fund. Stacey asks if they plan to move the federal channel. Neuman states that they will not move it and explains that they would shrink it to add more slips. Cox thanks the members of the Harbor Management Authority for attending the meeting. Update from Planning Director Cassidy explains that she met with the consultant today for the waterfront study. She explains that they are focusing on four waterfront properties: Beverly Port Marina, the Ventron site, Mass Electric and Moynihan Lumber. Minutes 2-8-06 ECDC Meeting Page 3 of 4 Cassidy reiterates that the McDonald’s RFP will be published on Wednesday and she will share a copy with members when it is final. She notes that the city received a $470,000 Urban Self Help Grant in the mid 1990’s and she wants to be sure that they do not violate the terms of the grant. The Council discusses its short and long term work program. Cox notes that they have been looking at the waterfront and talking to the owners of various properties and reviewing to be sure that all is in compliance with the master plan. She notes that the committee still need to talk with the owners of Rowands Fisheries. Douglas suggests that the Council frame some thoughts for the benefit of the Mayor relative to direct strategies that might be taken at this point. He describes it as a conceptual proposal that embraces the thinking of the Council. Cox offers to prepare a synopsis of what has been presented to the Council and to distribute it via email to the members. Douglas states his appreciation for the Beverly Harbor Management Authority attending the meeting this evening. The next meeting of the ECDC will be held on March 8, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting is adjourned at 9:00 p.m. Minutes 2-8-06 ECDC Meeting Page 4 of 4