LHD Public Hearing, Thursday June 21 at 7PM

The long saga of whether Newburyport creates a Local Historic District in addition to the one we already have on Fruit Street continues this Thursday night June 21 at 7:00PM when the Newburyport Local Historic District Study Committee (LHDSC) will hold a Public Hearing in the Newburyport High School Auditorium (241 High Street, Newburyport, MA) to hear from residents of the proposed district and local citizens about the preliminary study report, proposed district map, and ordinance.

The Study Committee was created by Mayor Moak and the City Council in 2007 to take the time to review whether or not to implement such an ordinance and if yes, how.  This has been a long, and I would say, thoughtful process.  The process is spelled out in Massachusetts General Law.

Everything you wanted to know about the LHD but were afraid to ask is at http://cityofnewburyport.com/Planning/lhd.html#ProposedLHD

Of particular importance, a summary of updates to the proposed ordinance can be found at http://cityofnewburyport.com/Planning/LocalHistoricDistrict/2012%20Public%20Hearing%20LHD%20Ordinance%20Summary.pdf

If you haven't been reading the paper for the last five years...

Daily News, February 26, 2007 Protecting the past: Residents push for Historic District

http://www.newburyportnews.com/local/x845794769/Protecting-the-past-Residents-push-for-Historic-District

 

Daily News, June 27, 2008, Survey to assess interest in local historic district

http://www.newburyportnews.com/local/x845845107/Survey-to-assess-interest-in-local-historic-district

The Yes to LHD Petition is here at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/support-a-local-historic-district-for-newburyport.html

A Say No To LHD Petition is here at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/say-no-to-lhd/signatures

And another (seems like some of the same signatories) No Petition is here at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/opposition-to-the-creation-of-a-local-historic-district.html

So come to the meeting, speak your mind, listen and then start bugging your City Councillors.

POST- PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS

There are additional steps that need to occur after the public hearing. They are, in order:

• Study Committee incorporates any relevant changes from the public hearing into the final proposal.
• Study Committee submits the proposal to the City Solicitor for legal review.
• Study Committee completes and submits the final report, map, and ordinance to the Massachusetts Historical Commission and City Council.
• City Council sends proposal to one or more council committees.
• Council committees work and deliberate, possibly hold public hearing(s).
• Full Council has two readings of the final proposal, each needs a 2/3 majority for passage.