2000 SALEM HARBOR PLANThe City of Salem, Massachusetts
Mayor Stanley J. Usovicz, Jr.
May 2000
SALEM HARBOR PLAN
The Cecil Group, Inc.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. SUMMARY
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................1
The Vision..................................................................................................................................................1
II. INTRODUCTION
Overview....................................................................................................................................................4
The Harbor Planning Area ......................................................................................................................4
The Planning Process ...............................................................................................................................5
A Guide to the Planning Recommendations ..........................................................................................8
III. FRAMEWORK FOR PLANNING
Summary of Existing Conditions ..........................................................................................................12
Goals and Objectives ..............................................................................................................................18
IV. PLANNING RECOMMENDATIONS
Area-Wide Recommendations ...............................................................................................................22
South Commercial Waterfront..............................................................................................................33
Tourist Historic Harbor .........................................................................................................................42
North Commercial Waterfront .............................................................................................................49
Industrial Port ........................................................................................................................................55
Community Waterfront .........................................................................................................................58
V. IMPLEMENTATION
Responsibilities........................................................................................................................................65
Economic Development ..........................................................................................................................72
Phasing Strategy .....................................................................................................................................80
Resources .................................................................................................................................................82
Implementation -Summary of Proposed Actions.................................................................................88
Salem Harbor Plan
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VI. REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
Overview: Chapter 91 ..........................................................................................................................100
Activities Subject to Chapter 91 ..........................................................................................................100
Designated Port Area ...........................................................................................................................102
Authority of the Salem Harbor Plan and DPA Master Plan ............................................................104
Guidance to DEP: Substitute Provisions ...........................................................................................105
Guidance To DEP: Non-substitute Provisions ..................................................................................110
Other Local and Federal Regulations and Permits ...........................................................................114
VII. FUTURE PLANNING
APPENDIX: COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Overview of the Community Involvement Effort ..............................................................................120
Public Outreach ....................................................................................................................................120
Public Input ...........................................................................................................................................121
Initial Submittal of the Plan ................................................................................................................122
Additional Public Outreach and Response to Comment ..................................................................123
SEPARATELY BOUND APPENDICES
Report on the Harbor Today
Report on the Harbor Tomorrow
Feasibility Assessment
Report on New Salem Wharf
Salem Harbor Plan
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figures occur
after the following
page numbers:
Figure 1: Planning Areas ..............................................................................................................................5
Figure 2: Waterside Uses ............................................................................................................................13
Figure 3: Trolley Routes .............................................................................................................................30
Figure 4: South Commercial Waterfront ..................................................................................................34
Figure 5: South River Dredging and Harbor Walk Sections ..................................................................34
Figure 6: Long-Term Recommendations ..................................................................................................36
Figure 7: Tourist Historic Harbor .............................................................................................................42
Figure 8: North Commercial Waterfront..................................................................................................50
Figure 9: Primary Access to New Salem Wharf .......................................................................................54
Figure 10: Industrial Port ...........................................................................................................................56
Figure 11: Community Waterfront ...........................................................................................................58
Figure 12: Designated Port Area and Chapter 91 Designation .............................................................103
Figure 13; South Commercial Waterfront Guidelines...........................................................................105
Figure 14: Water-Dependent Use Zones .................................................................................................109
Cover: Image of Derby Wharf in 1797, from Salem - Maritime Salem in the Age of Sail. National Park
Service in cooperation with the Peabody Museum. U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.
1987.
Salem Harbor Plan
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Acknowledgments
Mayor, City of Salem
Stanley J. Usovicz, Jr.
Salem City Council
Salem Harbor Planning Committee
Craig Wheeler, City Planner, Chair (1998-99) Mike Sosnowski, Fisherman
Patrick Reffett, City Planner, Chair (1999-00) Russ Vickers, Salem Port Development Corp.
Peter Paskowski, City Council-Ward 1(1998-99) David Smith, Seaport Council
Scott LaCava, City Council-Ward 1(2000) Tom Neel, House of the Seven Gables
Bill Wholley, Harbor Master Ernest Greer, Pacific Gas & Electric Co
Annie Harris, Salem Partnership Jim Haskell, Salem Harbor CDC
Steve Kesselman, National Park Service Nancy Goodman, Salem Sound 2000
Walter Power, Chair, Planning Board (1998 – 1999)
Tony Cotoia, Salem State College, Cindy Dunn, Salem Sound 2000 (2000)
Salem Chamber of Commerce
Harbor Plan Project Manager
Fara Courtney
Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
Thomas Skinner, Director
Andrea Cooper, Regional Coordinator
Dennis Duscik, Tidelands Policy Coordinator
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
John Simpson, Senior Environmental Analyst
Tom Maguire, Regional Planner
Consultant Team
The Cecil Group, Inc., prime consultant, urban design and waterfront planning
Nucci Vine Associates, Inc., marine engineering
Urban Harbors Institute, regulatory and environmental planning
Byrne McKinney & Associates, Inc., economic planning
Vannasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., transportation and infrastructure planning
Management Strategies Limited, implementation strategies
Bermello-Ajamil & Partners, Inc., cruise ship facility planning
The Harbor Consultancy International, Inc., water transportation planning
Impact Research Associates, Inc., tourism economic planning
The participation of the community’s residents, businesses and institutions has been
instrumental in the development of the Salem Harbor Plan. Their contributions in the
form of workshops and discussion provided valuable input necessary for a harbor plan,
which will benefit all of Salem. The Salem City Council voted to approve this plan on
May 25, 2000.
Salem Harbor Plan
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Preparation of the Salem Harbor Plan was funded in part by a grant from the
Executive Office of Environmental Affairs
Salem Harbor Plan
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SUMMARY
Introduction
The Vision
Salem Harbor Plan
I. SUMMARY
Introduction
The City of Salem and its citizens have created this plan to guide the future use and
character of its central waterfront. Salem seeks to enhance the maritime orientation of its
central waterfront and to enhance the harbor’s contribution to the quality of the
community for residents and visitors alike. This plan for Salem Harbor is a framework for
guiding development and preservation choices facing the City. The Salem Harbor Plan
provides an important basis for the City and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to
employ shared approaches to the development and regulation of waterfront areas that are
subject to public rights and interests. Importantly, the Harbor Plan outlines the
implementation requirements associated with achieving a vision for Salem Harbor.
The Harbor Plan has been prepared by a Harbor Planning Committee appointed by the
Mayor. It has been developed through a process that included extensive citizen
participation and the involvement of landowners and waterfront interests. Numerous
agencies, private institutions and associations have contributed to the development of the
Harbor Plan.
The Vision
Just as Salem Harbor was at the center of the City's illustrious past, it holds great potential for
shaping its future. The Harbor Plan describes opportunities to unlock the significant potential
benefits that such a resource represents for the City and its residents. The Harbor Plan
outlines a comprehensive strategy for protecting and enhancing the economic, environmental,
historic and cultural resources related to Salem Harbor. This effort has sought to achieve a
balance between the residential and business needs of the adjacent neighborhoods,
opportunities for the entire city, and the potential of the waterfront as a regional resource.
The vision for Salem Harbor sees a number of exciting initiatives already underway in the
City as building blocks for future opportunities. The successful Salem Ferry Demonstration
Project has already brought interest to and enlivened the site of the proposed New Salem
Wharf. The Peabody-Essex Museum expansion signifies the long-term commitment to
preserving and celebrating Salem’s heritage on the part of a world class organization. The
Museum recognizes its growth as an opportunity to strengthen the connection between the
waterfront and downtown. The arrival of the vessel Friendship and the other ongoing
National Park Service projects are visible signs of the waterfront’s rich heritage and potential
for transformation. Salem State College’s initiatives at the Northeast Massachusetts
Aquaculture Center underscore the educational and research potential of Salem Harbor.
The vision for Salem Harbor calls for a vibrant seaport which affords a high quality of life for
residents while maximizing the public benefits inherent in this unique resource. The Harbor
Planning Committee's mission statement guided the creation of this vision:
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Salem Harbor Plan
Reclaim Salem's identity as a vibrant seaport, which makes use of its waterfront for a
variety of commercial and recreational waterside activities, and has high quality
landside facilities necessary to support these activities at an environmentally
beneficial, and economically sustainable level. Such waterside activities and landside
facilities should preserve the City's distinguishing historic character and ultimately
enhance the quality of life in the City for residents, visitors and businesses.
In this plan, a vibrant seaport is seen as a place in which the harbor has a place in people's
minds and lives. Connections between the downtown and the waterfront are clear, and
opportunities to enjoy the harbor are plentiful, both at its edges and on the water. The City is
able to realize the economic potential of such a resource and the resultant public benefits
enhance the quality of life for those who live and work there. This vision sees the harbor as a
lively source of activity throughout the year, a place where the waterfront’s heritage is
celebrated in many ways. Every improvement called for in the vision is considered in terms of
its potential to meet the highest standards of environmental quality. Within the context of this
overall vision, the Harbor Plan is tailored to the specific qualities of the diverse areas along its
edges.
This vision sees Salem Harbor re-invigorated throughout the central waterfront area in a
manner that ensures environmental excellence. Potential for new waterside activities is
abundant throughout the area. The South River can be reclaimed as a source of public
enjoyment both on the water and along its edges. In the vicinity of Derby Wharf, the National
Park Service improvements set the tone for an emphasis on tourism that celebrates the City’s
rich historic and cultural heritage. The New Salem Wharf proposed for the site of the new
ferry will bring opportunities for a broad range of new waterside activities of the highest
quality, ranging from cruise ships to lobster boats and water taxis. The vision for the area
around the power plant calls for supporting the continuation of water-dependent industrial
uses and promoting environmental impact improvements at the site. In the Winter Island area,
the vision proposes a beautifully landscaped park offering the community new opportunities
for boating as well as passive enjoyment of the park.
New water transportation opportunities are identified throughout the waterfront. Water taxi
landings are proposed at Turner Wharf, next to the House of the Seven Gables, and at Winter
Island. Small boating activity will be encouraged on the South River, as floats are added and
the river is dredged to accommodate these new uses. In the vicinity of the power plant,
existing water-dependent industrial uses will be supported.
In line with all of the new activity on the water, the vision calls for establishing new
connections to the waterfront throughout the planning area. The long-term vision for Salem
Harbor would maximize pedestrian access along the water's edge from Palmer Cove to Winter
Island in the creation of the “Salem Harbor Walk.” Such a goal recalls Salem's early days
when "ye sea" was as widely embraced a concept as "ye common," and the public was
assured access to the water. A comprehensive signage and streetscape system would also
serve to strengthen connections between the waterfront and the downtown and adjacent
neighborhoods.
The plan calls for segments of the Harbor Walk to be constructed along both sides of the
South River, as well as one connecting the Congress Street Bridge and Pickering Wharf.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Along the central waterfront, elements of the Salem Harbor Walk are proposed wherever
public rights-of-way currently exist. The plan proposes that the City consider means of
completing any missing links in the system over the long-term. In the interim, the plan calls
for making a series of streetscape improvements along Derby Street and several side streets
running south toward the harbor to strengthen pedestrian connections to the harbor in this
area.
In the Blaney Street area, pedestrian access to the waterfront will be increased significantly
through a series of pathways as part of the overall Harbor Walk, leading to the site of the New
Salem Wharf. The Harbor Walk to Winter Island will be clearly indicated with signage and
streetscape improvements along Derby Street and Fort Avenue at the edge of the power plant
site. At Winter Island, the Harbor Walk and a pleasant bikeway will wind along adjacent to
the existing access road to bring pedestrians and cyclists down to the water's edge.
This vision for Salem Harbor also calls for creating new public open spaces as well as
improving existing parks along the waterfront. Recommendations include developing a series
of pocket parks along the South River, supporting the National Park Service initiatives and
creating a number of scenic lookouts within the central waterfront area. Pleasant new open
spaces will be an integral element in the design of the New Salem Wharf area. A program of
improvements at Winter Island Park is intended to enhance community enjoyment of this
unique waterside amenity.
Finally, the plan seeks to ensure that the quality of life in Salem's neighborhoods is enhanced
by the improvements proposed. Such recommendations include a streetscape program to
improve the public realm in the vicinity of the harbor; improvements to existing infrastructure
systems to ensure adequate capacity to accommodate major new uses; and a transportation
management plan to address issues associated with increased traffic and demand on parking.
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INTRODUCTION
Overview
The Harbor Planning Area
The Planning Process
Salem Harbor Plan
II. INTRODUCTION
Overview
This Plan was prepared in compliance with the requirements for a Municipal Harbor Plan
as stipulated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone
Management (MCZM). As a Municipal Harbor Plan, this document is intended to
establish a consistent regulatory approach to those lands and waters subject to
Commonwealth jurisdiction. The Commonwealth retains specific interests in the future of
the harbor for public access and water-dependent uses through M.G.L. Chapter 91 (Public
Waterways Act, 1866), and through the implementing regulations (310 CMR 9.00). The
Commonwealth has also identified a segment of Salem Harbor as a Designated Port Area
(DPA). Within the DPA, the intent of state policy and programs is to encourage water-
dependent industrial uses. This Harbor Plan also serves as a DPA Master Plan,
establishing specific local goals, objectives and actions to achieve state policies.
The Harbor Planning Area
The Harbor Planning Area encompasses the Salem shoreline and adjacent landside areas
extending from Winter Island to the area around the South River and the water’s edge of
Shetland Mills and Palmer Cove. The landside boundary is defined by the roadway closest
to the waterfront, which for most of the planning area is Derby Street and Fort Avenue.
The overall Harbor Planning Area is divided into five sub-areas as shown on Figure 1 and
defined below.
1. The South Commercial Waterfront. This portion of the waterfront includes the
section at the South River between Derby Street and Peabody Street, adjacent to
the Point neighborhood. It includes Pickering Wharf and Marina, and the water’s
edge of Shetland Mills and Palmer Cove.
2. The Tourist Historic Harbor. The Tourist Historic Harbor centers around Derby
Wharf and includes waterfront historic sites, such as the Salem Maritime National
Historic Site to the House of the Seven Gables. Landward, this sub-area extends to
Derby Street and the adjacent waterfront neighborhood.
3. The North Commercial Waterfront. This part of the planning area extends from
Hawthorne Cove Marina to the edge of the power plant, and includes parcels
proposed for the public or public/private construction of the New Salem Wharf.
The Designated Port Area extends into this planning sub-area and encompasses the
site of the proposed wharf.
4. The Industrial Port. Located at the end of the deep-water channel that leads into
Salem Harbor, the Industrial Port encompasses the Pacific Gas & Electric station,
the former Northeast Petroleum fuel oil distribution facility, the South Essex
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Salem Harbor Plan
Sewage District Treatment Plant (SESD), and the Federal Channel. The
Designated Port Area comprises most of this sub-area with the exception of the
SESD.
5. Community Waterfront. This sub-area occupies the northernmost portion of Salem
Harbor and includes Cat Cove, Winter Island and Smith’s Pond. Winter Island is
the largest recreational space on the inner harbor, and is used for such activities as
camping, picnicking and walking by residents and visitors alike. It is also the site
of numerous marine related activities, with its pier and boat ramp. Bordering the
sub-area are the sewage treatment plant, the Plummer Home for Boys and the
Winter Island neighborhood.
In addition to consideration of these five sub-areas, the Harbor Plan has taken into account
the relationship between the Harbor Planning area and the surrounding harbor and
community context, to ensure proper coordination with other issues and initiatives that are
linked to the Harbor and the recommendations of this Plan.
The Planning Process
The planning process that has led to the completion of this Harbor Plan was formally
initiated in 1996 through a public process that served to establish the key issues that
should be addressed to ensure a positive future. A Harbor Planning Committee was
appointed by the Mayor to create a Scope for the Plan. This committee worked closely
with the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (MCZM) to fulfill the
procedural requirements associated with a Municipal Harbor Plan. A consultant team led
by ICON architecture, Inc. assisted in this process through funding provided by MCZM.
Initial research of existing conditions was undertaken to establish key issues. Discussions
were held to identify the geographical limits for a Harbor Plan. Surveys of the public were
conducted, and public meetings were held to confirm aspects of the Scope. In June 1997,
the Scope for the Salem Harbor Plan was completed and approved by the City. The Scope
was subsequently approved by the Secretary of Environmental Affairs.
This Harbor Plan was developed by the Harbor Planning Committee during a year-long
process beginning in January 1998. The planning process was managed by Planning
Department of the City of Salem. Assistance was provided by a consultant planning team
led by The Cecil Group, Inc. The recommendations evolved through an iterative process
involving public input and response at key points throughout the planning process. The
work of developing the Harbor Plan fell into five general phases as outlined below.
Throughout this process, the Harbor Planning Committee met on a monthly basis to
oversee and monitor the progress of the consultant team. A variety of public workshops,
open house events and focused discussion groups held throughout the planning process
made an invaluable contribution to the effort (see Appendix: Community Involvement).
The first phase established the conditions of “Salem Harbor Today”. During this first
phase, efforts focused on gathering information from existing studies and from residents
of Salem to provide insights about the key issues facing the City with regard to the harbor.
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SALEM HARBOR PLAN
The Cecil Group, Inc.
Figure 1: PLANNING AREAS
Byrne McKinney & Associates Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Nucci Vine Associates
1. South Commercial
Waterfront
3. North Commercial
Waterfront
2. Tourist Historic
Harbor 4. Industrial Port 5. Community
Waterfront
21
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5
SALEM HARBOR
COLLINS COVE
CAT COVE
SALEM
COMMON
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WINTER ISLAND
Salem Harbor Plan
The report The Harbor Today, produced for this phase of the project, is incorporated as a
separately bound appendix to the Harbor Plan.
The second phase then turned to “Salem Harbor Tomorrow”, identifying potential
opportunities for change as well as acknowledging those characteristics and resources that
the community would like to preserve and enhance. The Harbor Planning Committee
developed a set of goals and objectives, as well as criteria to be used in evaluating the
alternative concepts. The report The Harbor Tomorrow, produced for this phase of the
project, is also incorporated as a separately bound appendix to the Harbor Plan.
The third phase of the effort focused on “Strategic Alternatives”. Working with the
Harbor Planning Committee, the consultant team prepared several alternative scenarios to
spur discussion and facilitate detailed evaluations. A set of baseline improvements was
developed, including projects and policies that should definitely be pursued. Then,
alternative scenarios were created to explore the potential of various public and private
improvement options for the harbor. These included:
• Alternative One: Strategic Investment to Reclaim the Waterfront - This strategy
would concentrate investment in particularly promising locations within the harbor
planning area. This program of improvements included the minimal levels of
investment in opportunities necessary to initiate reclaiming Salem’s waterfront as
a resource and re-establish connections to the Harbor.
• Alternative Two: Maximum Investment to Reinvigorate the Waterfront - This
option built upon improvements outlined under Alternative One, calling for an
ambitious program of public and private investment and mixed-use development at
the harbor. Alternative Two saw the harbor as a vibrant source of both waterside
and landside activities which could accommodate a wide array of active uses.
• Long-Term Improvements - These improvements are desirable in the long term,
but may not be practical in the short-term, or may require substantial investment
that may be difficult to achieve. These proposed changes would nevertheless
represent worthwhile improvements that should be clearly encouraged through
public policy for future consideration and action.
The fourth phase of the process included an extensive evaluation of the Alternatives to
fully inform the Harbor Planning Committees decisions, and included a report, the
Feasibility Assessment. Each alternative was evaluated with regard to the Harbor Planning
Committee’s Evaluation Criteria, as well as its economic implications, regulatory
requirements, transportation impacts, infrastructure requirements and marine
infrastructure impacts. A summary and set of conclusions was then prepared, providing
the basis for shaping this Draft Harbor Plan. The Feasibility Assessment is incorporated as
a separately bound appendix to the Harbor Plan.
The final phase of planning included the development of a preferred approach and a Draft
Harbor Plan. The elements of this Plan were presented at a public forum for discussion
prior to being finalized in a completed document.
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Salem Harbor Plan
An economic analysis of the feasibility of creating a New Salem Wharf contributed to the
preparation of the Harbor Plan. This study reviewed the economic market conditions that
could contribute to the development of a mixed-use maritime facility. The study
investigated the conditions at a preferred site near the existing fuel tanks at the Pacific
Gas and Electric property. Site plan options were explored and economic feasibility
projections were created. The results of this analysis were presented to the Harbor
Planning Committee and the relevant conclusions have been incorporated into this Harbor
Plan (see separately bound Appendix: Report on the New Salem Wharf).
The Harbor Plan has been prepared in close coordination with a parallel effort intended to
resolve important issues concerning potential future dredging and dredge disposal in
Salem Harbor. MCZM is leading a major statewide effort to produce a Dredged Material
Management Plan (DMMP) for key ports, including Salem. This effort focuses on
identifying long-term disposal sites for dredged material which is unsuitable for
unconfined ocean disposal. Taking a long-term comprehensive approach to solving these
issues is intended to minimize costs and streamline the planning process for future
projects over the long run. A Dredging Committee, with overlapping membership with the
Harbor Planning Committee, has been formed to help ensure close coordination. The City
of Salem and the Harbor Plan consultant team have provided additional staffing of the
coordination effort between the Harbor Plan and the Dredged Material Management Plan.
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Salem Harbor Plan
A Guide to the Planning Recommendations
The following graphic summary is presented to help you navigate through this complex
and important document. The report includes summaries of the key issues which are listed
within boxes in each of the planning area sections. The recommendations are found in
sections discussing area-wide issues and implementation of the plan as well as each of the
planning districts: South Commercial Waterfront, Tourist Historic Harbor, North
Commercial Waterfront, Industrial Port, and Community Waterfront. The location of each
section and the issue boxes are identified by page number.
Area-Wide Recommendations see page 26
Navigation and Waterside Use
• Maintenance dredging of the Federal Channel and South River and all public and
private facilities.
• The state-sponsored Dredged Material Management Program.
• Environmental quality in Salem Harbor.
Landside Use
• Pedestrian access along the harbor's edge.
• Prohibition of gambling boats.
Infrastructure
• A consistent and coordinated streetscape program.
• Informational signage and a citywide signage strategy.
• Pedestrian connections between the waterfront and the downtown.
• An overall parking and circulation strategy.
• Utility infrastructure.
South Commercial Waterfront see page 38
Navigation and Waterside Use
• Activity on the water at the South River.
• Pickering Wharf.
• Dredging of the South River.
Landside Use
• A "gateway" concept.
• Connections between the downtown and the waterfront and to the South River.
• The Salem Harbor Walk along the South River.
• Waterfront access improvements in the vicinity of the Congress Street Bridge.
• Community amenities; uses, parks and the need for parking in the Point.
• The Massachusetts Electric Company substation.
• Identity of the community and its cultural heritage.
• Redevelopment of Pickering Wharf.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Infrastructure
• Vehicular and pedestrian access.
• Signage and streetscape improvements.
• Stormwater drainage.
Long-Term Recommendations
• Public access.
• Water taxi service at Pioneer Village.
• Docking capacity at Palmer Cove.
• Private development along the South River.
Tourist Historic Harbor see page 47
Navigation and Waterside Use
• Floats.
• Water taxi service and other boating activities.
Landside Use
• Streetscape improvements.
• Outlooks at the ends of streets.
• Walkway improvements along public rights-of-way and other public access.
• National Park Service (NPS) programs and improvements.
• A dinghy dock.
• Landside support facilities for a water taxi service.
• Tourism activities including events, programs and design elements that celebrate the
heritage.
• Facade improvement programs.
Infrastructure
• Dredging.
• Citywide transportation management plan.
• Stormwater drainage.
North Commercial Waterfront see page 54
Navigation and Waterside Use
• Dredging, new berthing and other support services to accommodate boating activities.
Landside Use
• Consistency of uses with Designated Port Area requirements.
• Water-dependent uses and non-water dependent uses; New Salem Wharf.
• Services to boaters such as a re-fueling station.
• Streetscape improvements along Derby Street.
• Pedestrian connections, walkways and open spaces.
• Neighborhood identity, local history and cultural identity.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Infrastructure
• Managing increased traffic and parking.
• Adequate and safe vehicular and pedestrian access.
• Stormwater drainage.
Industrial Port see page 60
Navigation and Waterside Use
• Existing and future marine industrial uses.
• Federal channel maintenance dredging to provide deep-water access.
• Streetscape improvements.
• Landscape improvements along the Pacific Gas & Electric site.
• A graphic program to paint the oil tanks and other energy plant elements.
• Environmental impact improvements at the site.
Infrastructure
• Additional parking facilities to support new uses.
Community Waterfront see page 63
Navigation and Waterside Use
• A water taxi service and harbor tours.
• Floats at the existing pier.
Landside Use
• Streetscape improvements along Fort Avenue and a walkway as part of the Salem
Harbor Walk.
• Improvements throughout the park.
• Recreational vehicle (RV) camping and tenting.
• Landside support facilities for water taxi service and harbor tours.
• Swimming at Winter Island.
• Re-use of the former Coast Guard hangar building and former barracks building.
• Fort Pickering and lighthouse improvements.
Infrastructure
• Sewer improvements for Winter Island.
Implementation Plan see page 70
Management
• Management structure and coordination among management entities.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Coordination
• Improving the visitor experience and maximizing public benefits.
• Strategic marketing to promote Salem as a visitor destination.
• Funding mechanisms for the operation of tourist businesses.
• Establish Harbor Plan Implementation Committee
Economic Development
• A new management entity for the development of the New Salem Wharf.
• Financing mechanisms to support the New Salem Wharf.
• Redevelopment and operation of Winter Island.
Resources
• Establishing a Waterfront Enterprise Fund.
Regulatory Environment see page 107
Chapter 91
• Realizing public access, visual access, and increased activity.
• Provisions for a Designated Port Area (DPA).
• Standards for a Municipal Harbor Plan/DPA Master Plan.
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FRAMEWORK
FOR PLANNING
Summary of Existing Conditions
Goals and Objectives
Salem Harbor Plan
III. FRAMEWORK FOR PLANNING
Summary of Existing Conditions
An extensive analysis of existing conditions was undertaken as the first step of the
planning process. The following brief summary provides a general overview and reference
for the recommendations that follow. While many of the issues and conditions in the
Planning Area are associated with individual sites or sub-areas, there are several topics of
common concern. These area-wide topics are discussed first, followed by a review of the
sub-area conditions.
Area-wide Conditions in the Harbor Planning Area
Chapter 91 and the Designated Port Area
An important common consideration for planning is the regulatory framework, with
particular emphasis on existing state regulations. Much of the planning area is subject to
Commonwealth laws and regulations collectively called “Chapter 91”. These laws and
regulations secure important public access and water use rights on qualifying lands and
within the harbor. In general, the areas within the jurisdiction of Chapter 91 consist of the
harbor areas and lands that have been filled but were once below the mean high water
mark.
Salem Harbor includes a Designated Port Area (DPA) that was created as part of the
Chapter 91 regulatory framework. The DPA consists of both land and water areas in two
of the planning sub-areas, the North Commercial Waterfront and the Industrial
Waterfront. The Designated Port Area generally directs future water use and land use
decisions to protect the needs of marine-dependent industrial uses as a statewide priority.
Area-wide Transportation and Infrastructure Conditions
Key issues affecting transportation in downtown Salem and along the waterfront include
the lack of adequate convenient parking and narrow, congested streets. Circulation is
confusing and ineffective because of the configuration of streets and intersections
inherited from the historic development patterns. There are poor pedestrian connections
between local attractions, and generally inadequate and confusing local signage. There is
a potential for increased traffic and parking impacts, as the local attractions become more
popular. These issues affect all of the sub-areas in varying degrees, and will need to be
addressed.
Recent transportation studies and master plans conducted for the City of Salem identify
the critical need for additional parking facilities.
Area-Wide Waterside Conditions
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Salem Harbor Plan
Salem Harbor is one of the state’s largest natural harbors. The main entrance to the
Harbor is through the Federal Channel, extending between Winter Island in Salem and
Naugus Head in Marblehead. The Federal Channel is located at the north portion of the
harbor, and is one of the state’s deeper federally maintained channels with a draft of 32
feet. The Channel was constructed by the Corps of Engineers in 1905. It measures
approximately 8,500 feet long (1.5 miles), with the width limits ranging from 300 feet and
widening to 400 feet at the bends and at the inner end.
In addition, there is a less formally defined South Channel which extends east along the
northern end of Marblehead and southeast of the Federal Channel in the western portion
of Salem Sound. Another shallow channel is located northeast of Salem Harbor between
the projections of the Federal and South Channels.
There is a second Federal Channel in Salem Harbor at the South River. The South River
Channel provides access to recreational boating and tourist interests at Pickering Wharf.
The Federal Channel extends up the South River and along the north side of Derby Wharf,
at 8-foot draft. The Congress Street Bridge, with its freeboard of 6 feet at high tide, limits
vessel connection. Permitting of the dredging of South River is pending approval. There is
a 10-foot draft entrance channel from the Harbor to the South River Channel which ranges
in width from 300 feet within the Harbor to between 200 and 90 feet at Derby Wharf.
Cat Cove is located between the land defined as Salem Neck and Winter Island. It lies at
the northwest end of Salem Harbor, approximately 1,300 feet from the Federal Channel.
The Cove measures approximately 820 feet wide in the east/west direction by 3,100 feet
long in the north/south direction. A dam structure lying approximately 200 feet from the
head of the Cove separates the waterbody into two sections. The northern section is
known as Smith Pool.
The Cove is relatively shallow, with depths of only a 1/2 foot at its head to 3 feet above
low water at the mouth. The Cove has frequent rock outcrops and an outfall pipe crosses
the Cove on the eastern side. A natural resources study revealed the presence of European
Oysters along the entire perimeter of the Cove. Eelgrass beds were identified to exist at
the southeast end of the Cove by Halftide Rock.
Palmer Cove is located on the western side of Salem Harbor just south of Derby Wharf. It
is a fairly shallow cove with two channels defining its central area. The first defining
channel stretches along Long Point to Palmer Cove Yacht Club to the north, and a prior
Federal Channel (defined by timber piling) extending to Dion’s Yacht Yard lies to the
south (outside of the Study area). The southern channel is reported to have been dredged
by the Corps of Engineers as the yacht yard had previously served as a federal vessel
repair facility.
The southwestern edge of the Cove is characterized by an intertidal mudflat and the
central area between the channels is very shallow, generally ranging from elevation -1 to -
3 (MLW datum). The north and western edges of the Cove are lined by a granite block
seawall. Primary use of the Cove is for the Palmer Cove Yacht Club, with Dion’s Yacht
Yard to the south.
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Salem Harbor Plan
There are approximately 1,200 moorings throughout the Harbor, within 5 fields which are
designated by the letters S-A-L-E-M. The City charges a fee of $1/linear boat foot for
each mooring for residents, $5/linear foot for non-residents and $1/linear foot for all slips
leased throughout the harbor. There are 6 mooring service companies, which are
registered with the Harbormaster who maintain the moorings.
Mooring Field “S” is located within the general convergence of the Danvers River, Bass
River and the North River, west of the Salem/Beverly Bridge. According to the
Harbormaster, there are approximately 85 moorings within this area.
Mooring Field “A” is located at the convergence of the Beverly Channel and Collins
Cove. There are roughly 180 moorings within this area.
Mooring Field “L” is located north off of Salem Neck into Beverly Harbor. There are
approximately 210 moorings within this area. The exposed location of this field limits the
frequency during which the area can be utilized.
Mooring Field “E” is located off of the Federal Channel, extending south beyond Derby
Wharf and north to Winter Island. This field has been permitted for 270 moorings by the
Corps by Hawthorne Cove Marina and Barnegat Marine. There are an additional 300
moorings which are individually permitted.
Mooring Field “M” is located south of Field “E”, extending south of Palmer Cove. There
are approximately 176 moorings within this area.
The South Commercial Waterfront
The southern section of the Commercial Waterfront begins at Palmer Cove and extends
along a narrow band of shoreline up to the South River and its surrounding land areas.
The area around the South River included in the Plan is defined by Peabody, Lafayette
and Derby Streets.
Landside uses largely consist of a mix of commercial enterprises, with a small amount of
housing. Immediately adjacent to the planning area is the Shetland Mills complex, a
large collection of renovated mill buildings used primarily as office space, which
dominate the west end of the Harbor. A large residential area lies immediately adjacent to
the south. Along the South River west of Congress Street, several uses are oriented to
automobile use and access: there are two gas stations, a tire center, two parking lots and a
fast food outlet. The new 205-space public parking garage at the corner of Congress and
Derby Streets was recently completed.
The Massachusetts Electric Company maintains a transformer sub-station on a land parcel
along the southern edge of the South River. Pickering Wharf is located at the northeast
corner of the South River, and is a mixed-use complex that provides retail, restaurants,
and multi-family housing. Pickering Wharf redevelopment plans are currently underway
and include the possible construction of a new hotel.
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Other land uses in the area include the recreational areas of Palmer Playground and
Palmer Cove Yacht Club.
Waterside uses include the Pickering Wharf Marina, berthing for whale watching boats,
commercial and small fishing boats, slips for private boats, restaurants, a waterfront
boardwalk and open space. Approximately 80 mooring spaces are provided in this sub-
area. The City has a small boat landing facility at the foot of the Congress Street Bridge.
With the exception of Grapevine Restaurant, which offers outdoor dining, and the
adjacent boat slips, the properties along the South River west of Congress Street provide
no uses oriented towards the waterfront.
Waterside infrastructure consists of seawalls, steel sheet pile bulkheads, piers and
wharves, as well as marina structures. While most of the structures in this area appear to
be in fair to good condition, there are a few exceptions. At Palmer Cove, the timber
bulkhead and cut stone wall that provide foundation support for the yacht club building
are in poor to fair condition. The rip-rap revetment and cut stone seawall on the east side
of Shetland Industrial Park are also in poor to fair condition. Two sections of the wall
have failed.
The Tourist Historic Harbor
The Tourist Historic Harbor extends northward from Pickering Wharf to Hawthorne Cove
Marina and White Street and is bounded by Derby Street and Salem Harbor. This sub-area
centers around Derby Wharf and is anchored by the Salem Maritime National Historic
Site, including berthing for the Friendship. Single and multi-family residences
characterize portions of the waterfront. The most dominant presence in the sub-area is the
Salem Maritime National Historic Site, which provides one of the most important open
space elements along the Salem harborfront. Derby Wharf allows for panoramic vistas of
the Salem and Marblehead shorelines from the mouth of Salem Harbor southward, toward
Forest River Park. The House of the Seven Gables is also located in this sub-area.
Waterside infrastructure in the Tourist Historic District consists of Central Wharf and
Derby Wharf (both of which are federally owned and maintained), and several privately
owned seawalls and bulkheads. Central Wharf has been observed to be in good condition,
while Derby Wharf appears to be in fair to good condition. The seawalls and bulkheads
appear to range from poor to good condition.
The North Commercial Waterfront
The North Commercial Waterfront extends along Derby Street from White Street and
includes the Pacific Gas & Electric Company and the Northeast Petroleum site. The
northern section of the Commercial Waterfront is utilized for water-dependent uses
centered at Hawthorne Cove Marina. The Salem Ferry, which began operating during the
summer of 1998, is located within this planning sub-area, on a site that has been proposed
for a New Salem Wharf. Portions of this study area are within the DPA.
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Waterside edge treatments include stone, steel-sheet pile, concrete and timber wall
bulkheads with areas of riprap revetment. The edge in the area of Hawthorne Cove Marina
is primarily a combination of stone, steel-sheet pile and timber wall bulkheads in good to
fair condition with a small section of riprap. The edge in the area of the proposed New
Salem Wharf is comprised mostly of riprap and a small length of deteriorating stone and
concrete bulkhead.
The Industrial Port
The Industrial Port sub-area includes most of the Salem Harbor Designated Port Area
(DPA) and extends from the site of the proposed New Salem Wharf northward to the
property line of the Northeastern Massachusetts Aquaculture Center at Cat Cove. The
entire land area of the Industrial Port sub-area is used for water-dependent industrial uses.
It is comprised of the former Northeast Oil terminal and tank farm, the Pacific Gas &
Electric power plant, and the South Essex Sewage District Treatment Plant. A berthing
facility for off-loading oil and coal at the southern end of the parcel is the terminus of the
main channel for the DPA.
The waterside infrastructure in this sub-area consists of structures that are part of the
Pacific & Gas and Electric facility, including cut stone and concrete seawalls, steel sheet-
pile wall, timber and concrete dolphins, timber piers, stone revetments, gangways and
floats and stone and fill jetty. The edge of the South Essex Sewage District Treatment
Plant is formed by stone revetment and concrete seawall, both of which are in good
condition.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Community Waterfront
The Community Waterfront sub-area is comprised of Cat Cove, Winter Island, and Smith
Pool. It is bounded on the landside by Fort Road, and Winter Island Road. Most of the
uses within the sub-area are water-dependent and water-enhanced. Major uses include the
City-owned Winter Island Park. Recreational uses on the waterfront of Winter Island
include Winter Island Park, a large public boat ramp, camping facilities, and a small
bathing beach locally known as “Waikiki”. Another major use is the Northeastern
Massachusetts Aquaculture Center at Cat Cove. This facility, operated by Salem State
College and including Smith Pool, was created to provide a research environment to study
marine life in a simulated ocean environment. The Plummer Home for Boys is situated
along the Salem Sound side of Winter Island.
Waterside infrastructure located within the Community Waterfront includes a dam,
seawalls, stone revetments, concrete piers and a boat ramp. All of the structures in this
area are in good condition, most notably the concrete boat ramp and sloped stone
revetment and concrete pier, which are both new.
Other Sites and Resources
Salem Willows
North of the planning area, along the northern extent of Salem Neck lies the Salem
Willows Amusement Park. The Willows has two pier structures, one which is City-
owned, and another timber pier used by the Willows Yacht Club. The park includes
facilities for active and passive uses. Active facilities include ballfields, ball courts and a
public beach. Other facilities include docking facilities, picnic areas, a walkable
waterfront and a bandshell with permanent seating. The Willows also offers a range of
waterside activities, including kayak rentals, harbor and charter cruises and deep-sea
fishing. Adjacent to the Willows is a strip of seasonally operating businesses, including
arcades, souvenir shops and eating establishments. Discussions are currently underway to
operate a ferry out of this point to Gloucester and possibly to Boston.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Goals and Objectives
The development of the Salem Harbor Plan has been guided by goals and objectives that
were established by the Harbor Planning Committee and refined throughout the planning
process. Associated with each goal is a series of objectives that illustrates how that goal
might be achieved. This list of goals and objectives underlies the rationale for the
recommendations that have been included in this Harbor Plan.
Goal 1: Re-establish the identity of Salem as an active seaport by developing new and
improved facilities serving many types of vessels on the waterside, and by enhancing
access to, and visibility of the harbor on the landside for residents and visitors alike.
This should be done by defining a specific program of activities to intensify use of the
harbor, as well as funding to implement priority projects.
• Expand services for cruise ships, transient vessels, including yachts, commercial
ships and ferries.
• Increase berthing and mooring capacity for industrial, private recreational and
commercial vessels such as fishing and yacht charters, in a manner consistent with
MCZM water quality policies.
• Enhance facilities for local fisherman.
• Develop landside and waterside public amenities to enhance the experience of the
harbor.
• Explore opportunities that do not conflict with the industrial activities.
• Assess opportunities for increased maritime industrial activities at the U. S.
Generating Company site or elsewhere.
Goal 2: Maximize the economic potential of the harbor in the context of the economic
development goals of the City as a whole, while enhancing the quality of life for
residents in adjacent areas.
• Expand tax base and economic activities in general.
• Promote private commercial development that will take advantage of increased
visitations, as a result of public investments (such as the establishment of the
Essex National Heritage Area) in this area.
• Ensure the integrity of historic resources and quality of life in residential
neighborhoods near areas with intensified harbor uses.
• Promote private uses that reinforce public goals on Winter Island, with priority
given to the quality of life in the small residential neighborhood along Winter
Island Road.
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• Encourage and support highest, long-term economic value from the Industrial Port.
Goal 3: Promote the waterfront as a focal point for Salem's visitor economy,
emphasizing cultural tourism, high quality recreational experiences and longer visitor
stays.
• Promote Salem as a vacation destination through a coordinated strategy employing
a variety of means, including advertising.
• Promote access to historic resources, without compromising their integrity.
• Promote improved pedestrian connections, such as the proposed Harbor Walk.
• Develop landside and waterside public amenities to enhance the year-round
experience of the harbor and the City as a whole for both visitors and residents.
• Develop amenities to sustain visitor interest and accommodate longer visitor stays.
• Develop additional support facilities for transient vessels including visitor
moorings.
• Increase dollar expended per visitor.
• Develop programs and services as a means to encourage the public enjoyment of
Winter Island.
• Support private tourism activities on Winter Island that are consistent with the
provision of public amenities.
• Encourage and support economic activities, which extend beyond the peak
seasons.
Goal 4: Protect and enhance access to the waterfront and on the water for the Salem
community for passive and active recreation; reconnect the community to its waterfront
where the connection does not currently exist.
• Develop water taxi and ferry links among attractions on the harbor and to Boston.
• Promote improved pedestrian connections, such as the proposed Harbor Walk.
• Develop waterside public amenities to enhance the experience of the harbor.
• Maximize the potential public benefits to residential neighborhoods throughout the
waterfront.
• Improve public access along the waterfront, in particular along Pickering Wharf
and along Shetland Mills property.
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Salem Harbor Plan
• Maximize amenities and opportunities for recreational boaters.
Goal 5: Identify and preserve those aspects of Salem's waterfront experience that
should be preserved and protected from change.
• Promote programs and projects that are consistent with the rich maritime cultural
and architectural character of Salem's waterfront.
• Support events and programs which celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the
harbor's residential neighborhoods and reinforce their identity and character.
• Support programs and projects which see the harbor master plan as a catalyst for
community building among the neighborhoods along Salem's waterfront.
Goal 6: Protect and preserve those aspects of Salem's waterfront experience which can
beneficially link the City to its maritime past.
• Support programs and projects which heighten public awareness of the historic
maritime resources of the waterfront as vital to Salem's identity and well being.
• Enhance incentives for preservation of historic waterfront resources.
Goal 7: Ensure that public investment in waterfront infrastructure will support and
encourage private investment. Develop long-term capital maintenance/management
strategies to ensure that public investment will result in infrastructure that is
sustainable over the long-term.
• Promote water-related commercial development by leveraging public investments
in the area.
• Develop an access plan that maximizes the effective management of traffic
associated with any proposed improvements and develops appropriate solutions to
the parking demand that exists and will be created by any improvements
associated with improved waterfront access.
Goal 8: Protect and enhance the environmental quality of the harbor and its environs
as an integral component of any proposed development or revitalization efforts.
• Support programs and projects which heighten public awareness of the harbor as
an important and unique natural resource.
• Promote programs and projects which reinforce environmentally sound and
appropriate use of the harbor, such as the Northeast Massachusetts Aquaculture
Center, natural history trips and environmental awareness outreach programs.
• Provide for adequate waste handling facilities, for trash, waste oil, marine pump-
out, recycling, etc., in promoting increased waterside and landside use.
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• Minimize the potential negative impacts of intensified harbor use and development
on the harbor's natural resources.
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PLANNING
RECOMMENDATIONS
Area-Wide Recommendations
South Commercial Waterfront
Tourist Historic Harbor
North Commercial Waterfront
Industrial Port
Community Waterfront
Salem Harbor Plan
IV. PLANNING RECOMMENDATIONS
Area-Wide Recommendations
This section describes the principal recommendations proposed in the Salem Harbor Plan.
These recommendations have evolved in response to current conditions and concerns
within the waterfront area and to achieve the City’s overall goals and objectives for its
waterfront.
The area-wide recommendations convey key considerations that would serve the entire
planning area. They are followed by recommendations for each of the five sub-areas
encompassed by the plan. Within each discussion, recommendations are organized
according to the proposed Waterside Improvements, Landside Improvements and
Infrastructure Requirements. In some cases, the discussion also considers long-term
recommendations to guide future decision-making in line with the Harbor Plan’s vision.
Area-wide Recommendations for Navigation and Waterside Use
• Support the ongoing state-sponsored DMMP in the effort to locate an appropriate
disposal site for dredged material from projects in Salem.
• Support maintenance dredging of the 32-foot deep Federal Channel that provides
deep-water access into Salem Harbor and the turning and berthing basin that
supports the industrial uses within the port.
• Support dredging of the Federal South Channel that provides access into central
areas of the harbor.
• Support South River dredging.
• Support maintenance dredging for all public and private facilities within the
harbor, including the marinas, New Salem Wharf, Winter Island facilities, and the
National Historic Site.
This Harbor Plan centers on the notion of a reinvigorated harbor, one that offers a broad
variety of recreational, commercial and water-dependent industrial waterside activities.
Central to the plan is the New Salem Wharf, which is proposed for the North Commercial
Waterfront area, serving a specific set of water-dependent uses, including cruise ships,
lobster boats, ferries and water taxis. Throughout Salem’s waterfront, steps will be taken
to increase water transportation opportunities. The South River is reclaimed as a potential
source of small scale, recreational waterside activity as floats are added, and the necessary
dredging is carried out. In the Tourist Historic Harbor, landings are proposed for a water
taxi service and small boat access.
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Salem Harbor Plan
The Industrial Port remains characterized by the continuation of water-dependent
industrial uses. In the Winter Island area, the plan calls for increased public access to the
water, including additional floats, new moorings and water taxi landing. A critical factor
in the Salem Harbor Plan is the necessity to ensure the continued or enhanced
environmental quality of the harbor.
Dredge Material Management Program
Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management (MCZM) has initiated a program which
attempts to address disposal issues on a long-term- basis. The Dredge Material
Management Program (DMMP) has been developed as a parallel program for the four
Port cities (Salem, Fall River, New Bedford and Gloucester) that are presently developing
their MCZM Harbor Management Plans. The first phase of the program identified
potential dredge and disposal sites within each port city over the next 20 years. The
second phase, which commenced in January 1998, provides resource evaluations, testing
and sampling to determine disposal suitability, and the eventual permitting
(Environmental Impact Report) of disposal sites for each port.
The DMMP program goal is to establish cost-effective means to dispose of material that is
unsuitable for offshore disposal. Through the current process, alternate methods have been
investigated, including placement and cover of such material in deep, or intertidal water,
upland landfill disposal sites and disposal and cover of such material in excavated aquatic
pits.
The DMMP program will investigate and permit the most appropriate disposal site for
unsuitable material; however, the program will not conduct permitting for any dredging
projects. The projects themselves will still require design and permitting for dredging and
infrastructure by the Applicant. The major advantage of the DMMP program will be that a
relatively low cost, high volume site will be available for the Applicants over at least the
next 20 years. City support in the siting, permitting and eventual management of the
disposal site is key to the process.
In the course of the preliminary data-gathering and analysis phase of the DMMP, CZM
proposed investigating the feasibility of creating a site in Salem Harbor to accommodate
disposal of dredged material from North Shore harbors other than Salem. This potential
“regional disposal site” concept met with significant public and political objection, and
was subsequently removed from consideration.
The ongoing DMMP process is focused on identifying local disposal options for material
generated by local dredging projects. The Salem Harbor Plan supports the effort to
identify the most environmentally sound method of addressing the disposal of material
generated by public and private dredging projects in Salem. The Plan opposes any
importation into Salem waters of dredged material from outside Salem Harbor.
Priority Projects
Dredging is the key to maintaining the safe navigability of the harbor. Dredging approval
within the state is a complex process, which involves the interaction between state, federal
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Salem Harbor Plan
and local agencies. Dredged material must be sampled and chemically tested to determine
where the material can be disposed. To date, the Federal Channel off Winter Island, the
Federal South Channel, the City South River, and the City New Salem Wharf projects are
the major projects identified for the Harbor. Other smaller maintenance and improvement
projects by marinas, yacht clubs, the Pacific Gas & Electric Company, the Winter Island
facilities, the National Historic site, and Pioneer Village have been identified as potential
future projects, which will be more feasible and cost-effective, after a City disposal site
has been developed.
The City should support the maintenance dredging of the 32-foot deep Federal Channel
that provides deep-water access into Salem Harbor and the turning and berthing basin for
industrial and proposed mixed uses within the port. Similarly, the City should support
dredging of the Federal South Channel that provides access into central areas of the
harbor.
The new uses and public access improvements proposed for the South River require
dredging, which in the past was economically unfeasible due to the high cost of sediment
disposal. With new disposal options currently available, the Harbor Plan calls for
supporting the undertaking of dredging. Similarly, the City should provide support for
maintenance dredging for all public and private facilities within the harbor, including the
marinas, New Salem Wharf, Winter Island facilities, and the National Historic Site.
In addition to the costs associated with the recommendations within the harbor planning
area, the Harbor Plan supports necessary improvements and repairs to the waterside
facilities at the Willows.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Environmental Quality
Promote measures that will improve and enhance the environmental quality of Salem
Harbor.
Protection of the environment and of the water quality of Salem Harbor is one of the
fundamental goals of the Harbor Plan. Every measure will be taken to ensure that all
dredging, new construction, and new uses such as the fueling dock and boat repair
activities, are done to the highest environmental standards.
Recreational boating is presently a major use of the harbor and waterfront and the plan
envisions enhancements of this use in the future. However, recreational vessels and the
facilities that support them have the potential to degrade water quality through activities
such as fueling operations, marine head discharges, and boat cleaning, and through
stormwater runoff from parking lots and hull maintenance and repair areas. In order to
mitigate detrimental effects on the environment, the Salem Harbor Plan endorses a
program of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for marinas and boaters. Examples of
these BMPs are:
• Construct fueling stations where fuel that is spilled can be easily cleaned up and
does not spill into surface waters. Automatic shut–off nozzles should be installed
to reduce spillage at the pump.
• Provide adequate and easily accessible pump-out facilities. Salem currently has
two facilities, one at the Winter Island Dock and the second at Congress Street
Bridge. Promote usage by boaters through signage and a harbor-wide educational
program.
• Provide adequate public trash containers and recycling receptacles for solid waste
and ensure that collection service is regular and consistent.
• Provide and maintain storage and disposal containers for waste oil.
• Provide public education and training programs for boaters.
• Implement effective stormwater management measures to reduce untreated runoff
from properties supporting recreational boating activities.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Area-wide Recommendations for Landside Use
Landside improvements proposed in the Harbor Plan seek to provide the necessary
support to promote and complement the range of new waterside activities on Salem
Harbor. These ends would be achieved through a variety of means, including the “Salem
Harbor Walk,” a long-term initiative to achieve continuous pedestrian access along the
edge of the Harbor. Uses which do not support the vision of the Salem Harbor Plan, such
as gambling, would be excluded.
• Establish the notion of the “Salem Harbor Walk” and chart its route as part of a
long-term program to maximize pedestrian access along the harbor's edge.
Continuous pedestrian access along the edge of Salem Harbor from Winter Island to
Palmer Cove has been cited as a long-term goal and an integral element in the vision for
Salem Harbor’s future. The plan recognizes that while complete implementation of this
vision of a continuous “Salem Harbor Walk” may take a long time in light of private
development patterns, this public policy direction should be instituted in the short term to
lay the groundwork for future decision making. While the public currently enjoys
considerable access to the harbor’s edge in Salem, significant impediments exist to the
realization of this vision of a continuous public walkway. Consequently, the City must be
poised take advantage of opportunities as they arise, either through purchase, easements,
the Chapter 91 licensing process or other agreements. The diagrams of each sub-area chart
the route of the Salem Harbor Walk, noting inland routes when the water’s edge is not
accessible. It is important to note that these inland routes have a special character of their
own, and can make an important contribution to the pedestrian experience along Salem
Harbor. The Harbor Walk will comply with all relevant American with Disabilities Act
(ADA) requirements.
The Salem Harbor Walk, while traversing areas of differing character, will have a distinct
and recognizable design character of its own. This will be achieved through the use of
consistent paving, lighting, benches, plantings and other streetscape elements from one
end of the harbor to the other. The interpretive potential of the area will be expressed in a
number of streetscape design elements throughout the waterfront.
The Harbor Walk will run along both sides of the South River wherever physically
feasible, making a pleasant waterside connection from the Congress Street Bridge to
Pickering Wharf. Elements of the Salem Harbor Walk are planned wherever public rights-
of-way currently exist from the Congress Street Bridge to the House of the Seven Gables.
The City will explore ways to complete missing links in the system over the long-term.
MCZM has published a handbook, “Preserving Historic Rights of Way to the Sea,” which
clearly lays out the steps that communities need to take to reclaim access to the sea.
Signage and streetscape treatments will be used to indicate areas where the Harbor Walk
follows an inland course, encouraging pedestrians to enjoy the historic maritime
experience along Derby Street and several side streets, including Kosciusko, Daniels,
Hardy and Turner Streets. These streets will terminate in opportunities for passive
enjoyment of the waterfront, either from pleasant landscaped lookouts at (Kosciusco and
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Salem Harbor Plan
Daniels Streets), or a landing (Turner) or dinghy dock (Hardy Street) with plantings and
seating provided. After this inland course, the walk will run toward the harbor again.
In the North Commercial Waterfront, a network of pathways will lead to the site of the
New Salem Wharf. Signage and streetscape improvements along Derby Street and Fort
Avenue at the edge of the power plant site will indicate the continuation of the Harbor
Walk to Winter Island. The Harbor Walk and a bikeway will wind along adjacent to the
existing access road completing its course at Winter Island.
• Exclude gambling cruises as an acceptable use within the Harbor Planning Area.
Institution of gambling cruises would be inconsistent with many of the goals and
objectives of this Harbor Plan. As such, the Plan specifically excludes the docking of
gambling boats within the Harbor Planning area as an acceptable use. This exclusion is
intended to consist of both landside and waterside uses, and was recommended and
adopted by the Harbor Planning Committee for several reasons.
• Parking is scarce within the planning area, and traffic congestion is a significant
community concern. The limited ability to provide for adequate circulation and
parking is such that the development of a gambling cruise would preclude other
water-dependent uses that are more beneficial to the goals and objectives of this
Plan.
• Gambling cruises1 do not tend to provide direct and indirect economic and quality-
of-life benefits to Salem. Frequently they contribute to traffic congestion, which
will exacerbate the shortage of parking needed for the other uses promoted in this
plan. It is therefore the conclusion of this plan that the detriments of gambling
cruises far exceed the benefits to the community to an extent that justifies their
exclusion in accordance with Section 9.31 (3)(b) of the Waterways Regulations.
1 This plan defines a gambling cruise as any excursion vessel outfitted essentially for gambling, excluding
cruise ships, ferries, and other vessels dedicated primarily for marine transportation.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Area-wide Recommendations for Infrastructure Requirements
Several recommendations focus on making Salem’s waterfront more recognizable as a
distinct city district to residents and visitors alike, and more easily accessible by foot, by
water, by transit and by automobile. A comprehensive informational signage system,
which would guide visitors to the waterfront, could also strengthen its identity as a special
district. The area’s character would be reinforced by a consistent approach to streetscape
and landscape treatments throughout the waterfront. Development of a transportation
management plan to effectively deal with parking and circulation would aid movement
throughout the area, and improvements to the publicly-owned and maintained water and
sewer utility infrastructure in the study area would ensure that needs for any new
development are met.
• Implement a consistent and coordinated streetscape program of sidewalk paving,
signage, street furniture, trash and recycling receptacles, lighting and planting
throughout the waterfront.
• Establish an informational signage system to provide multiple reference points and
orientation for visitors within the waterfront.
• Initiate a citywide "path finding" signage strategy to allow visitors to easily find
their way to and from the waterfront, coordinated with other destinations.
• Promote easy pedestrian connections between the waterfront and the downtown at
various points within the planning area.
• Develop an overall parking and circulation strategy for the waterfront and the
downtown, including comprehensive planning for public transit links by land and
water and satellite parking facilities
• Promote measures that will ensure adequate provision of utility infrastructure in the
City.
A comprehensive directional signage and information system will not only guide visitors
to, from, and between the Harbor and its attractions, but will reinforce the presence of the
harbor in the minds of visitors and residents alike. A city-wide “path finding” strategy will
provide direction to visitors not only to harbor attractions but to parking and other points
of interest in the City as well. Such a “path finding strategy” might employ a variety of
means -- signs, markers, pavers and banners -- to make such connections legible. A
central component of this informational system will be a system of signs and markers that
guide and orient visitors within the waterfront district. A series of informational kiosks
will be located at strategic points throughout the waterfront providing directions and
current scheduling information. Plaques and markers will be used to indicate key links to
the downtown and other local attractions.
Such a signage program would need to be mounted by the City as a city-wide initiative,
with the waterfront as one district within the larger urban context. Frequently, such an
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Salem Harbor Plan
effort is contracted out to a private consultant with specific expertise in identity and
informational graphic design.
A consistent approach to streetscape elements, including paving, lighting, trees and other
planting, benches, bicycle racks and trash and recycling receptacles, will also serve to
mark paths along the waterfront and its amenities. Such treatments will reinforce
connections throughout the waterfront, as well as with the downtown. These streetscape
improvements should extend outside the limits of the Harbor Planning Area to provide
continuity within adjacent neighborhoods. Liberty Street and Congress Street are seen as
the primary links to the downtown from the waterfront. The connections with Liberty
Street at Congress Street should be strengthened. The City of Salem would contract with a
private landscape consultant with particular expertise in streetscape design for the
development of a master plan for the streetscape design throughout the waterfront area. In
addition to these physical improvements, a pleasant and safe pedestrian environment,
particularly with increased foot traffic, requires frequent trash and recycling services, as
well as snow removal. The Harbor Plan calls for the adequate provision of these public
services.
Traffic Management Program
Inherent in any plan to attract more visitors to an area is the increase in vehicular and
pedestrian traffic. Many of the proposed recommendations would generate a significant
level of new traffic and parking demand in the harbor area. It is an important priority of
the Harbor Plan, nonetheless, that the quality of life for Salem’s residents not be eroded as
a result of any of these recommendations. Access for business should be preserved as
well. Increased traffic and greater difficulty finding parking spots, however, do just that.
The Harbor Plan recognizes that one of the key issues to be addressed in the
implementation of the Harbor Plan will be the effective management of increased traffic
and parking demand.
An important key to minimizing such impacts of these new uses is the development of a
comprehensive transportation management plan. This plan should include enhanced
public transit services, a traffic and parking management program, and a pedestrian
management program. Such a plan, however, cannot consider the waterfront in isolation;
any transportation management plan must treat the City in a comprehensive manner. This
transportation management plan will be critical in ensuring that Salem’s citizens do not
bear the burden of increased activity on Salem’s waterfront.
The City of Salem is presently well served by public transportation to and from the City,
but internal and regional connections are lacking. Commuter rail, express bus, local bus,
and water ferry services are all available to access the city. During the summer months, a
local trolley service is provided to connect a number of the harbor and downtown tourist
destinations. In addition, the Harbor Plan proposes to add water taxis to the public transit
services for local mobility. Key to the success of the Harbor Plan will be linking these
existing and proposed services to provide a seamless, convenient transportation system
that does not rely on the automobile. This local link can be provided by an expanded and
enhanced local shuttle system. Also, the existing public transit services should be
highlighted in promotional materials developed for the city.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Satellite Parking Program
Throughout the country, tourist areas like Salem manage seasonal traffic influxes by
developing a program of remote parking facilities. These facilities are linked to the local
tourist destinations by shuttle buses. Motorists are directed to these remote parking
facilities by signage and then shuttled to the tourist district(s). This action keeps tourist-
generated vehicle trips on the perimeter of the area, reducing traffic impacts within the
downtown. The City presently employs such a program during the month of October for
the Haunted Happenings event. In seasonally attractive areas like Salem, these remote
parking facilities can include publicly-owned properties such as schools. The demands of
the school (which are generally weekdays from September to June) alternate well with the
demands of the tourist trade (which are generally daily in July and August and late spring
and early fall weekends). In the general area, locations such as Salem High School, the
Bentley School, and Salem State College could be designated as remote facilities. The
development of additional remote parking should also be considered. There may also be
opportunities to utilize the MBTA commuter rail parking on weekends. Having shuttle
buses that operate via the MBTA commuter rail station would also encourage more people
to use the available public transit system.
To implement an effective satellite parking program, a well defined shuttle or trolley
system must be developed. The existing seasonal system offers a base from which a more
comprehensive service plan can be developed. This plan should include an efficient
system of trolley routes that keep delays at a minimum and strategically placed stops to
capture a high volume of passengers. The trolley system must be attractive, easy to use,
offer frequent service, and be well advertised to be effective. Links should be provided to
all the public transit services, the water taxi, and the tourist districts. One potential route
worthy of future assessment is illustrated in Figure 3, which follows. Any consideration of
off-site parking for attractions within the waterfront must be part of a citywide strategy.
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 30
Salem Harbor Plan
Other Considerations
Another critical element in a transportation management plan for the City of Salem is
consideration of access to waterside activities, in particular the harbor’s mooring fields,
ferry and water taxi landings. The Harbor Plan recommends that the citywide
transportation management plan include a strategy to link moorings, water taxi landings
and ferry facilities to parking facilities citywide; one means of mitigating traffic impacts
on the City’s residential neighborhoods could be a shuttle system.
Pedestrian management is a concern in an area like the Salem Harbor waterfront.
Adequate sidewalks and walking paths must be provided for the safe movement of
pedestrians. The streetscape enhancements, new public parks, the Liberty Street path, and
the Harbor Walk are the primary pedestrian components of the overall plan, and each
component contributes toward an improved experience of Salem on foot. The Harbor
Walk will help to divert some pedestrian traffic from area streets reducing sidewalk
congestion.
The City recognizes that the continued economic viability of the area is dependent on
improvements being made in both the sanitary sewer and the water systems, as any future
developments will rely on Salem’s capacity to support this growth.
The City has been working to address existing deficiencies in the sanitary sewer system.
An initial step directed towards the issue of sewer system overflow during major storm
events has been the upgrade of the South Essex Sewer District (SESD) Wastewater
Treatment Facility. In addition to the upgraded treatment facility, city officials have
identified the need for a controlled and marginally treated sanitary system overflow to the
Harbor. This type of facility will help to reduce the volume of untreated material that is
run into the Harbor during overflow conditions. Another element of a long-term
improvement program identified by the City is the continued reduction in inflow and
infiltration to the system. The discontinuation of roof leader and sump pump discharges
into the sanitary system is an inexpensive and necessary element in the SESD service area
which will allow for the further reduction of overflow conditions in and around downtown
Salem. This will also reduce excess flow payments to SESD and reduce the size of the
overflow treatment facility.
Water system deficiencies in all harbor planning sub-areas are caused by excessive
tuberculation of cast iron pipes, and faulty valves and fire hydrants. The South
Commercial Waterfront district is less affected because of its proximity to the cleaned and
relined Lafayette Street twenty-inch main. Service to the North Commercial Waterfront,
Community Waterfront and Industrial Port districts was improved by the relining of a 16-
inch main in Fort Avenue. However, none of the Fort Avenue feeder mains have been
rehabilitated, so fire flows in this area are still inadequate. To upgrade service to the entire
harbor district, twelve-inch and sixteen-inch mains in Derby Street, Essex Street, Webb
Street and Bridge Street need to be cleaned and relined with concurrent valve and hydrant
reconstruction/replacement. The work will eliminate most of the major problems with fire
flow currently encountered in the study area as well as in surrounding areas. Some or all
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Salem Harbor Plan
of the work may be fully or partly funded by private interests if greater fire flow
requirements are realized in the Industrial Port District due to a change in use.
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Salem Harbor Plan
South Commercial Waterfront
For the most part, the uses within the South Commercial Waterfront do not take advantage
of their waterfront location. With the exception of the boat slips near the Congress Street
Bridge, the uses along the Shetland Mills waterfront are non-water related. Along the
South River, only one use has taken advantage of its waterside location by providing boat
slips and outdoor dining. At present the water depth of the river and clearance beneath the
Congress Street Bridge is quite limiting for boating use—only 5 and a half feet at MHW.
Aesthetic quality is an issue at the South Commercial Waterfront as well. The
Massachusetts Electric Company transformer substation, with its large parking lot, has
been cited as an eyesore on the South River by residents and business owners in the
vicinity. The prevalence of derelict, vacant lots and non-water related uses, including the
substation and the numerous automobile-related businesses, serve to cut off the nearby
residential Point Neighborhood from the rest of the waterfront and the downtown.
Because of its adjacent land uses, the South River thus serves as an effective barrier
between the neighborhood and the rest of the City. In contrast, the area on the Pickering
Wharf side of the Congress Street Bridge has the character of a lively waterside area, with
boating facilities, waterside restaurants, a waterfront boardwalk and open space, as well as
a variety of water-dependent and marine-related businesses.
The Harbor Plan recommends an incremental approach to improvements in the South
Commercial Waterfront rather that any single, large-scale redevelopment approach. The
ultimate goal is to bring increased activity on the waterside, as well as to create new
opportunities for the community to enjoy the water’s edge, transforming the South River
from an unappealing barrier into a pleasant transition area (see Figure 4). Implementation
of all landside and waterside improvements in this planning area will be in compliance
with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the regulations of the Massachusetts
Architectural Access Board (521 CMR).
The strategy calls for a variety of streetscape and other public infrastructure
improvements aimed at enhancing the quality of life for residents and businesses alike,
establishing connections with the downtown and the rest of the waterfront, and promoting
visual and physical access to the water. The Salem Harbor Walk, a range of streetscape
improvements, new neighborhood parks and improved parking form the core of the
proposal for this area. Also, dredging the South River will open up new opportunities for
recreation on the water. The plan anticipates that the public involvement brought by these
amenities will be a critical factor in encouraging private sector investment in the future. It
is hoped that any new development would be oriented to both the water and surrounding
streets, and would contribute to a mixed-use environment. It is important to note that
some of these objectives along the South Commercial Waterfront will be realized through
Chapter 91 licensing, and are subject to state guidelines, which will be discussed in a later
section (see Figures 13 and 14).
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 33
Salem Harbor Plan
Recommendations for Navigation and Waterside Use
• Promote activity on the water at the South River through a number of improvements
including necessary repairs to the sea wall and bulkhead, and the provision of
additional floats and slips.
• Add a dinghy dock for local recreational boaters.
• Encourage uses that will animate the area along Pickering Wharf in the vicinity of
Central Wharf, such as transient boat dockage for visiting recreational boaters or
berthing for excursion boats, in the place of the private boats now docked there.
• Conduct dredging of the South River to increase opportunities for small boating.
In support of increasing opportunities for public enjoyment on the water, the Harbor Plan
calls for adding 5 finger floats accommodating 10 boats and a linear float for 17 boats on
the north side of the South River. There would also be a linear float accommodating 26
boats on the opposite side. The intention of these additions is to encourage boaters in the
harbor to tie up at the South River to enjoy the area’s open space and restaurants, or to
visit downtown attractions, easily accessible on foot from the South River.
A dinghy dock is recommended to provide waterside access for boaters to mooring fields
in the vicinity, including the moorings at Palmer Cove. The dinghy dock would be located
at the southwestern corner of the Congress Street Bridge, with relatively close access to
parking.
The Harbor Plan also recommends encouraging development of berthing facilities for
transient boaters along Pickering Wharf across from Central Wharf. Additional excursion
boats such as harbor tours would bring a lively flow of visitors. This would also provide
an opportunity for transient boaters to dock in convenient proximity to the National
Historic Site and other attractions in the Tourist Historic Harbor, as well as the restaurants
and shops at Pickering Wharf and on Derby Street.
Dredging of the South River is required to provide suitable water depths for navigation of
small vessels. Typically, a dredge grade of approximately 6 to 7 feet below mean low
water is sufficient for smaller vessels up to 30 feet in length (see Figure 5). Dredging
operations would be kept back from the existing bulkheads, as their condition and
capacity is questionable. The resulting “no-cut” zone lends itself well to a marginal or
perimeter harbor walk, with floats and water access gangways attached to this walkway.
Once funding is in place, dredging could begin. All public agency requirements for
dredging and disposal, such as those regarding sediment control, would be followed.
The Harbor Plan recognizes that an area near the south end of the Shetland Mill site may
prove to be an appropriate location for temporary or long term ferry service. Should the
viability of this location be established through separate studies and negotiations, the
Harbor Plan would support such a use of the waterfront at this location.
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 34
Salem Harbor Plan
Recommendations for Landside Use
• Establish the image of a “gateway" to the waterfront at the corner of Derby and
Lafayette Streets as a symbol of welcoming and to reinforce the identity of the area.
• Reinforce through streetscape improvements a series of connections, including
Liberty Street, Central Street and Peabody Street.
• Promote connections between the downtown and the waterfront through streetscape
improvements.
• Promote access to the water's edge and orientation out to the river as an integral
element of any new development on the South River.
• Construct the Salem Harbor Walk along the South River to the maximum extent
feasible, indicating alternative paths on existing sidewalks wherever links in the
system are missing.
• Make waterfront access improvements in the vicinity of the Congress Street Bridge.
• Establish a clear waterfront pedestrian connection between Congress Street and
Pickering Wharf.
• Encourage uses that promote enjoyment of the water, such as small restaurants,
small boat rental shops and other related retail uses, along both sides of the South
River.
The design of a conceptual “gateway” at the corner of Derby and Lafayette Streets will
indicate arrival in the waterfront district. Such a design should not be a literal gateway,
but rather a visual element signifying entrance. A sense of welcoming might be conveyed
with some type of appropriate landmark or landscaping, as shown previously on Figure 4.
Connections between the waterfront and the downtown will be strengthened by signage
and streetscape improvements on Liberty Street, Central Street and Congress Street (to
Hawthorne Boulevard). The Liberty Street connection will be coordinated with the
streetscape design of the Peabody Essex Museum. Streetscape improvements along
Peabody Street are intended to strengthen the connection between the residential Point
Neighborhood and the waterfront district.
In support of the long-term goal of continuous public access along the waterfront, the
Harbor Plan recommends that wherever the opportunity currently exists, segments of the
Harbor Walk are to be constructed along the South River. The Harbor Walk will run at a
width of 20 feet whenever possible, but never less than 10 feet. As illustrated in Figure 5,
the Harbor Walk may run on land along the river, through a passageway created in an
existing building or, as a last resort, cantilevered off of the bulkhead along the South
River. During the period prior to the creation of the harbor walk, where links are missing,
alternative routes should be indicated on existing sidewalks using pavers, signs and other
means.
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Salem Harbor Plan
The Harbor Plan calls for a number of improvements to the Congress Street Bridge. Steps
will be introduced to provide pedestrian access to the Harbor Walk at all three potential
connections, as well as to the floats, slips and a dinghy dock at water level. As the
Pickering Wharf site is redeveloped, the Harbor Plan calls for a waterfront link to the
Congress Street Bridge.
In support of reinforcing and enhancing the waterfront character of the South Commercial
area, specifically along the South River, the Harbor Plan encourages water-dependent and
water-enhanced uses whenever feasible, as discussed above. Such ancillary uses as small
boat rental shops and small restaurants would provide support to the additional floats and
slips to attract boaters to the South River and enliven the waterside. While water-
dependent uses would be preferred, the plan would clearly allow for other active uses that
would contribute to public access and enjoyment of the waterfront.
All future development along the South Commercial waterfront would be required to
provide, as appropriate, a minimum Harbor Walk, 20 feet in width. Public access
amenities should occupy up to 10 feet of this width. Certain extensions of street corridors
would be created as paths and open space. The three alternatives in Figure 5 illustrate
options for achieving the goal of waterfront access within difficult site constraints.
For properties on the south side of the South River, the intent is that at least 50% of the
land will be reserved for open space, i.e., free of buildings or structures. On the north side
of the river, all new development would need to complete the “street wall” of adjacent
structures to restore the historical character of this maritime community. These
redevelopment guidelines are illustrated in Figure 6.
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Salem Harbor Plan
• Create "pocket parks" on several publicly-owned, vacant parcels along the South
River and on Peabody Street.
• Balance the provision of community amenities, such as parks, with the need for
parking in the Point Neighborhood by creating additional parking for residents
whenever possible. One potential location is the eastern end of the Wendy's site.
Green space should also be integrated in the existing parking space on the
Massachusetts Electric site at Congress and Peabody Streets.
• Encourage the removal of the existing "prison-like" fencing at the Massachusetts
Electric Company and its replacement with a more pleasant landscaped buffer. The
plan also recommends that the operation be moved to the building's interior, to the
extent feasible.
• Promote programs that will serve to reinforce and celebrate the identity of the
community in the South Commercial Area. Annual waterside events, such as a
parade of floats, or celebrations linked to the annual Hispanic festival, might serve
this purpose.
• Express the rich cultural heritage of the community in design efforts, such as
murals, paving and other public art projects that involve the collaboration of
residents, artists and designers.
• Support the plans for the redevelopment of Pickering Wharf to increase facilities of
public accommodation and public access.
The Harbor Plan calls for the transformation of several derelict vacant lots currently
owned by the City of Salem, and a linear parcel within the Massachusetts Electric site,
into landscaped open spaces. The Harbor Plan further recommends that the City commit
to open space as the dedicated future use for most of its holdings in this area. Two of the
City-owned parcels and the Massachusetts Electric parcel are on the South River. The
other remaining City-owned parcel is on the opposite side of Peabody Street. Use of these
parcels as pocket parks will open up access to the water for residents and provide them
with much-needed open space. This investment in the quality of the public realm should
also serve as an incentive to the private sector to make improvements in the area.
There are many ways in which the cultural heritage and history of the community can be
expressed in design elements in the parks. At the same time, an additional level of
meaning can be achieved by actually involving community groups, school children and
other residents in collaborative design and public art projects targeted for these parks.
This might include the production of murals featuring local scenes or community
members, the design of tiles or other pavers, community planting projects, a timeline of
important neighborhood historical events inlaid in the pavement, or any number of other
projects. Programs located in these parks or on the South River can also play a meaningful
role in celebrating the heritage of the community. This area has the particular advantage
of being able to accommodate events that actually occur waterside, such as a parade of
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Salem Harbor Plan
floats. Events such the annual Hispanic Festival, which occur on an annual basis, can also
reinforce the identity of the neighborhood.
The Harbor Plan calls for the ambitious treatment of the Massachusetts Electric site to
mitigate its current deleterious effects on its context. The barbed wire fencing should be
removed and replaced with a landscape buffer more appropriate to the character of a
residential neighborhood. The plan calls for encouraging the reconfiguration of the facility
to accommodate its operations indoors to the maximum extent feasible.
The Harbor Plan also calls for the provision of increased parking to meet the needs of the
neighborhood. The Harbor Plan recommends that the City consider purchasing the parcel
immediately adjacent to the Wendy’s parking lot to provide an opportunity for public
parking. This would add thirty public parking spaces to the supply in the neighborhood.
This proposed parking lot is indicated on the plan.
Recommendations for Infrastructure Requirements
• Improve vehicular and pedestrian access as well as parking for neighborhood
residents and businesses through intersection redesign and streetscape
improvements.
• Implement a program of signage and streetscape improvements along Derby Street,
Liberty Street, Congress Street, Peabody Street and the South River.
• Support the City’s efforts in implementing programs to address stormwater drainage
problems in this area.
The types of improvements necessary to improve traffic flow would include traffic signal
timing and intersection striping adjustments, minor roadway widening, and new traffic
control devices. Intersection improvements would also improve pedestrian safety by
providing large well defined crosswalks and exclusive pedestrian signal phases. Parking
for neighborhood residents would be improved with the construction of adequate visitor
parking facilities, as well as the new proposed surface parking lot. Restricted residential
parking locations would be identified and enforced.
Increases in traffic and increases in the supply of parking can have an impact on nearby
intersections. These intersections may require improvements such as signal timing and
intersection striping adjustments, as well as new traffic control devices.
The potential advantage of reversing the flow of traffic on both Ward and Peabody Streets
to form a conventional one way couplet, can only be determined with additional study.
The impact of this proposal would need to be carefully evaluated in the context of the
overall cross street system. Daily traffic volume data would need to be assessed to
determine the adequacy of Leavitt Street to absorb the traffic displaced from Peabody
Street.
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Salem Harbor Plan
A coordinated system of signage and streetscape improvements is recommended for the
entire planning area, and in this sub-area, such a network could serve to link Derby,
Liberty, Congress and Peabody Streets to the South River. A consistent approach to these
design elements, such as signage, lighting, trees, paving, benches, trash and recycling
receptacles and bike racks, will serve to establish the identity of the area as a distinct
district with a unique character, and to reinforce connections with other areas.
Parts of this district, especially low lying areas including Lafayette Street, Derby Street
and Congress Street, as well as basements, are subject to stormwater and sanitary sewage
overflows during severe storms. This situation is not uncommon in older cities and towns
such as Salem. To address this condition, both the inflow/infiltration and overflow
treatment facility programs need to continue to be implemented. Improvements to the
water system include main line cleaning, relining of existing pipes, and valve and hydrant
replacements.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Long-term Recommendations for the South Commercial Area
• Increase public access around Shetland Mills, connecting the planning area with
Palmer Cove.
• Improve and enhance public access to Palmer Cove along with improvements to the
beach and park.
• Construct landside support for a water taxi service at Pioneer Village, and conduct
necessary dredging to facilitate the provision of this service.
• Dredge and expand the docking capacity at Palmer Cove to promote waterside
access and activities.
• Promote private development along the South River, including the redevelopment of
the substation site, with public open space and buildings consistent with
neighborhood character.
In addition to the incremental, near-term improvements proposed for the South
Commercial Waterfront, the Harbor Plan also recommends a vision for the long-term
transformation of the area (see Figure 6). As such, the Harbor Plan proposes that the
following long-term recommendations be used to guide future policy related decisions.
The long-term vision for this area calls for continuous public access along the harbor’s
edge from the South River to Palmer Cove. The most significant impediment to the
realization of this vision is the area along the privately-owned Shetland Mills property,
which effectively blocks access to the harbor’s edge. In the long-term, means such as
changes in ownership, changes in land use, or the Chapter 91 re-licensing process might
be used to overcome this obstacle.
Palmer Cove lies at the southern most end of the South Commercial Waterfront. At that
point, the Palmer Playground provides the southern-most access to the waterfront. The
playground contains ball fields and a play area for smaller children. An asphalt walkway
runs alongside the water’s edge at the playground.
Public access to Palmer Cove will be enhanced by creating a pedestrian path, using the
same vocabulary of streetscape treatments as the rest of the Harbor Walk, from the end of
Congress Street to the Palmer Cove beach. The existing asphalt walkway would be
refurbished in a similar manner.
Improvements to the beach would include replenishing the area with fresh sand, as well as
providing other amenities such as benches and trash receptacles. The landscaping at the
playground playing fields would be refurbished, and amenities such as drinking fountains
and restrooms would be added to service this area.
The plan encourages the extension of water taxi service to Pioneer Village from other
points in the harbor. Landside support facilities would include the provision of a float to
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Salem Harbor Plan
serve as a taxi landing, as well as a small kiosk for the sale of tickets and distribution of
service schedules.
Presently, water access to Pioneer Village is restricted by tidal shorelines without any
access structures. There is an existing navigation channel and marina near the north end of
the site, which would be the closest navigable water. Dredging in conjunction with an
access pier and float near the existing channel would be required for water taxi access.
The practicality of dredging and final site selection will require a subsoil survey due to the
observed presence of rock and ledge in the area. As rock excavation is substantially more
costly than sediment dredging, the siting of the proposed dredging, as well as the
orientation and length of an access pier, will have a major impact on the overall cost of
the project. Once sited, further design and permitting of land and water infrastructure and
site amenities will need to be undertaken by the City.
Palmer Cove Yacht Club and the City should review prior dredge projects at the entrance
channel and mooring site and investigate the need for additional dredging. Following
determination of project requirements, the applicant should provide necessary engineering
and permitting for the proposed work. Pending sediment quality findings, disposal of dredged
material which cannot meet unconfined offshore disposal requirements, may be disposed at
the proposed City DMMP disposal site.
In addition to providing the community with increased amenities, the program of public
investment in open space and other infrastructure is anticipated to attract private
development to the area. Numerous opportunities exist, particularly along the South
River, for water-dependent and water-enhanced development to occur over time,
replacing uses which might easily and more appropriately be located elsewhere.
Discussions should be initiated with Mass Electric Company regarding the
reconfiguration and/or relocation of the substation in the context of appropriate DEP
licensing. As currently configured it has a significant negative impact on the appearance
of the area. The relocation of the facility would enable the redevelopment of the sizable
parcel for uses more appropriate to this waterfront location. All new development and
renovations should be consistent in scale and in character with the surrounding waterfront
neighborhoods.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Tourist Historic Harbor
The section of the waterfront referred to as the Tourist Historic Harbor lies at the center of
the Harbor Planning area and is comprised largely of the National Historic Site (NHS) and
the historic Derby Street residential neighborhood. The National Historic Site was
established in 1938 to showcase the period between 1760 and 1830. At that time, the site
was cleared of all but remnants from that period of historic significance. In the mid-
1980’s, as a result of significant local pressure, Congress appropriated funding for the
physical redevelopment of the site, and enlarged the mission area beyond the site to
include all of Salem, and eventually Essex County. The amenities existing on the site
now, such as the Visitor Center, as well as those improvements discussed herein, are all
part of this ongoing effort to maximize the public benefit of such invaluable historic
resources by taking full advantage of their educational and interpretive potential. Recent
improvements include a $5.5 million rehabilitation of Derby and Central Wharves. This
included dredging to a depth sufficient to allow historic and traditional sailing ships, such
as the recently berthed Friendship, to tie up at the wharves.
The House of the Seven Gables, made famous in the writings of Nathaniel Hawthorne, is
located on the second largest parcel along the Tourist Historic Harbor waterfront. Plans
for the House of the Seven Gables exist to recreate Turner Wharf to provide docking
facilities for smaller historic vessels and to provide water transportation access to the site.
The Harbor Plan calls for enriching a visitor's experience in Salem through the continued
support for NPS plans, while at the same time enhancing the quality of life for residents of
this unique waterfront neighborhood. Improvements focus on enhancing the historic
character of the area and providing more pleasant public access to the water’s edge. This
approach also calls for strengthening coordination citywide among relevant tourism and
cultural organizations (see Figure 7). ). Implementation of all landside and waterside
improvements in this planning area will be in compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) and the regulations of the Massachusetts Architectural Access
Board (521 CMR).
Recommendations for Navigation and Waterside Use
• Add floats to the ends of Hardy and Turner Streets to promote increased boating
activity and recall the history of the site.
• Construct a landing for a water taxi service at the House of the Seven Gables.
• Promote a water taxi service, harbor tours and other boating activities in this area.
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 42
Low Wate
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SALEM HARBOR PLAN
The Cecil Group, Inc.Bryne McKinney & Associates Nucci Vine Associates Vanasse Hangen Brustlin
Figure 7: TOURIST HISTORIC HARBOR
1000
50 200
300 Feet
Derby Street
Turner StreetHardy StreetDaniels StreetKosciusko StreetRecommendations
· Future extension of a Harbor Walk as a
combination of walkways along the water’s
edge and connections to Derby Street where
practical
· (1) Streetscape improvements/Harbor Walk
today
· (2) Park-like outlooks
· (3) Support for current and ongoing NPS
plans
· (4) Support for berthing facility for Central
Wharf and rehabilitation and restoration
of historic buildings
· Neighborhood events and programs
· (5) Dinghy dock
· (6)Water taxi and harbor tour services
Key Benefits
· Enhanced historic character
· Increased waterside activities
· Landscaped streets
5
6
1
24
2
2
3
Streetscape
improvements
Primary pedestrian
connection
Existing harbor
walk Salem Harbor
Salem Neck
Cat Cove
Palmer Cove
Collins Cove
Salem Harbor Plan
Floats are proposed at the end of Hardy Street and Turner Street to provide dockage for
transient recreational boaters while visiting the Salem Harbor area.
The Harbor Plan calls for increased use of water transportation options whenever feasible,
and recommends the requisite landside supports to accommodate such use. A water taxi
landing is proposed at the end of Turner Street as part of a water taxi service which could
operate from various points along the harbor. The Harbor Plan also supports harbor tours
operating from Pickering Wharf as another waterside activity which heightens public
enjoyment of the waterfront.
Recommendations for Landside Use
• Implement streetscape improvements on Derby Street as well as on side streets
including Kosciusko Street, Daniels Street, Daniels Street Court, Hardy Street and
Turner Street.
• Create small, park-like outlooks at the ends of streets extending south from Derby
Street.
• Implement walkway improvements consistent with the idea of the Salem Harbor
Walk, wherever feasible, at the water's edge along public rights-of-way from the
House of the Seven Gables to the Congress Street Bridge. In the short term, the plan
illustrates a walkway system that provides pedestrians with a distinct course along
city streets connecting the waterfront outlooks, and also provides a clear route from
this area to the New Salem Wharf.
• In the long-term, provide for additional public access to the waterfront in this and
other areas through Chapter 91 licensing, easements, acquisition of properties, or
through construction along public areas.
The overall approach to streetscape improvements and providing pedestrian access to the
waterfront applies in the Tourist Historic Harbor as well. Streetscape improvements as
described previously will be continued along Derby Street, as well as along Kosciusko
Street, Daniels Street, Daniels Street Court, Hardy Street and Turner Street. It would also
be consistent with the intent of the Harbor Plan to extend streetscape improvements into
the adjacent neighborhoods, including the north side of Derby Street, over time, perhaps
initiating partnerships with the private sector as necessary. Wherever public rights-of-way
currently exist along the water’s edge, as illustrated in the following diagram, walkway
improvements will be made. The long-term vision for Salem Harbor provides for
additional public access to the waterfront through the a number of potential means, such
as the Chapter 91 licensing process, easements, and the acquisition of property.
As referenced earlier, the MCZM has produced a handbook that provides communities
with the tools to identify and reclaim historic rights of way to the sea. The publication
walks the reader through all of the steps in such a process, and presents a local case study
as well as useful grant program information. In response to citizen queries regarding the
location of the historic right of way to the sea within the Tourist Historic Harbor, the
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Salem Harbor Plan
Harbor Plan recommends that the reclamation process might be undertaken either under
the auspices of the City or an interested community group.
In the short-term, the Harbor Plan recommends that the Salem Harbor Walk be clearly
delineated along existing city streets leading pedestrians to several waterfront lookouts, as
well as to New Salem Wharf. The Harbor Plan recognizes the potential to provide
pleasant and useful public access at the street ends and along the public right-of-way that
extends to the water’s edge. A small, park-like lookout, with seating and planting, is
proposed for Daniels Street Court at the water’s edge side of the existing parking area.
Additional lookouts with planting and seating are located at the end of Hardy Street, along
with a water taxi landing, and the end of Turner Street.
• Support the implementation of current and ongoing National Park Service (NPS)
programs and improvements. NPS plans include the rehabilitation of several
wharves, the construction of interpretive exhibits for visitors, accommodations for
visiting historic and recreational vessels, the rehabilitation and restoration of a
number of historic buildings and gardens, the re-grading of Derby Beach, and the
reconstruction of the sailing ship, Friendship of 1797.
• Support NPS plans to construct a multipurpose mooring and berthing facility for
Central Wharf to accommodate multiple users, including the visiting vessel program
and harbor tours.
The National Park Service (NPS) is in the midst of implementing a comprehensive
restoration and improvement program in support of the overall mission of the National
Historic Site. Projects include the rehabilitation of the exterior of the Custom House,
Derby House and Narbonne House; several historic landscape restorations; the renovation
of St. Joseph’s Hall; the rehabilitation and restoration of the West India Goods Store; and
new exhibits in the back ell of the Derby House, in the Public Stores and several outdoor
“wayside” exhibits on the wharves throughout the NHS. Most significantly, the East India
Ship, Friendship of 1797, has recently been berthed at Derby Wharf.
Derby Wharf will be the focus of a number of improvements, including the installation of
a variety of pedestrian amenities and details, such as stone seating, historic foundation
markers and a compass rose.
The NPS also has plans to make a number of improvements on Derby Street, including the
removal of overhead utility wiring; the installation of “period” lighting; and repaving and
other streetscape detailing which links the site’s attractions on the north side of Derby
Street with the wharves. All streetscape improvements will be consistent with design
elements of the Harbor Plan.
The National Park Service, as part of its interpretive program, plans to build a multi-
purpose berthing facility at Central Wharf for visiting historic vessels and other boats
consistent with the mission of the National Historic Site.
• Construct a dinghy dock to provide boaters with access to moorings.
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Salem Harbor Plan
• Construct landside support facilities for a water taxi service.
This portion of the central waterfront will host a range of new opportunities for enjoying
activities actually on the water, as well as for taking advantage of new water
transportation options. These waterside improvements are discussed below. There will be
landside improvements necessary to support these new waterside uses. These include the
construction of a dinghy dock of approximately 600 square feet at the end of Hardy Street.
which would enable boaters to access their boats in the mooring field. At the end of
Turner Street, facilities are proposed to support a water taxi service, including a float that
meets ADA accessibility requirements.
• Promote increased coordination among relevant organizations citywide to provide
maximum support to tourism activities that will enhance the quality of the visitor
experience.
Within the City of Salem there exists an abundance of potential attractions for visitors,
ranging from waterside activities to the world-class Peabody Essex Museum, the House of
the Seven Gables, and numerous other historic attractions such as the National Historic
Site. Heightened coordination among these tourism-related organizations could reinforce
the promotion and marketing of the City. The Harbor Plan’s recommended approach is
discussed in greater detail in the Implementation section of this report.
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Salem Harbor Plan
• Promote events, programs and design elements that celebrate the maritime cultural
heritage of residents, encourage community participation and strengthen
neighborhood identity and pride.
• Expand and promote the City’s facade improvement programs aimed at providing
loans to small business owners and homeowners.
The Harbor Plan seeks to balance the various visitor-related priorities outlined above with
the goal of enhancing the quality of life for residents of this unique, historic waterfront
neighborhood. Clearly, many of the proposed recommendations benefit both residents and
visitors.
To complement efforts to improve the public realm, the Harbor Plan also recommends
expanding and promoting a number of existing building improvement loan programs, or
using them as models for the development of new programs. This would enhance the
overall architectural character of the neighborhoods, and would also improve the building
condition of these historic properties. Such loan or grant programs should be structured
with detailed design guidelines to improve the quality as well as the economic value of
these properties.
Existing programs which should be expanded when feasible to apply throughout the
planning area, or which should serve as models for new programs, include:
• The Small Business Loan Program For Businesses on Salem’s Entrance Corridors
- This is a loan program aimed at improving the appearance of commercial
property on Salem’s entrance corridors including Derby Street. The current design
guidelines should be defined in greater detail and in agreement with guidelines for
the entire planning area. If feasible, the program should be expanded to include
residential properties.
• The Facade Improvement Program (FILP) - This is a program that offers low
interest loans on a 50% matching basis for the historically appropriate exterior
improvement of commercial properties in National Register Districts within the
jurisdiction of the Salem Redevelopment Authority (SRA). This program should
be extended if possible to include commercial as well as residential properties
within the planning area.
• SHIP - Salem Home Improvement Program Loans for Owner-Occupants - This is
a loan program with which owner-occupants meeting certain income requirements
can access funds to make property improvements. This program might be
supplemented with detailed exterior design guidelines for properties within the
planning area.
• HOME Program: One to Four-Family Rehabilitation for Owner-Occupants - This
is a no-interest deferred loan program aimed at residential improvements. This
program might be augmented with exterior design guidelines.
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Salem Harbor Plan
• SHIP - Salem Home Improvement Program Loans for Investor-Owners of 1 to 8
Unit Dwellings - This is a low interest loan program for owners of properties
housing low income tenants. Again, design guidelines should be introduced within
the planning area.
As in the South Commercial Waterfront, the Harbor Plan calls for expressing the history
and identity of the community in proposed programs and urban design features. There are
numerous opportunities to involve the community in commemorating events of local
historic or cultural significance. This includes festivals as well as public art and design
projects. For example, components of the streetscape system, (e.g. lighting or benches)
might be adapted to express the identity and heritage of the neighborhood.
It is particularly important in this area to ensure that the identity of this district as a
residential community is not lost among efforts to promote tourism. Moreover, it is widely
acknowledged that these goals are not mutually exclusive; tourists like to visit
destinations that are real, pleasant places to live. Consequently, priority will be given to
events and programs that celebrate the cultural heritage of residents, encourage
community participation and strengthen neighborhood identity and pride. A negative
factor associated with some neighborhood improvement initiatives is that many longtime
residents are displaced by newcomers as property values rise and the character of the
neighborhood changes. It is the intent of the Harbor Plan to use means, such as the
programs described above, to work proactively against such trends.
Recommendations for Infrastructure Requirements
Consider the transportation conditions in the Tourist Historic Harbor in the context
of the citywide transportation management plan.
• Support the City’s efforts in implementing programs to address stormwater drainage
problems in this area.
In the Tourist Historic Harbor district, the Harbor Plan proposes small-scale landside
development activities, and a location for water taxi service. These proposed uses are
ancillary or secondary uses that do not generate new vehicular traffic. Rather, they draw
people from tourist population already in the area for other activities. Traffic associated
with the water taxi service will be drop-off or walk-up activity. The landside development
is primarily specialty retail that again draws from pass-by foot traffic. An adequate area
for the drop-off of both supplies and people will be created adjacent to the landing at the
end of Hardy Street.
As is the case in other parts of the waterfront, areas within the Tourist Historic Harbor,
especially low lying areas, are subject to stormwater and sanitary sewage overflows
during severe storms. As at the South Commercial Waterfront, both the Inflow and
Infiltration and overflow treatment facility programs need to continue to be implemented.
Improvements to the water system include main line cleaning, relining of existing pipes,
and valve and hydrant replacements.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Additional waterfront activity, the waterfront walkway, and the extension of streetscape
improvements will also require additional lighting and the extension of power services to
locations currently unserviced.
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Salem Harbor Plan
North Commercial Waterfront
The North Commercial Waterfront is the site of the most significant changes proposed
within the project area. As the current site of the Salem Ferry Landing, it would be
transformed into the site of the New Salem Wharf. This single move would have the
greatest impact on reclaiming Salem's identity as a "vibrant seaport." This new public or
public/private wharf would accommodate, in a pleasant park setting, a range of waterfront
uses, specifically dockage and services for commercial fishermen, excursion boats, cruise
ships, water taxis and other forms of water-based transportation. Residents of nearby
neighborhoods would form the ranks of perennial visitors, drawn on a regular basis to
enjoy the waterside open space and views. At the same time, the presence of transient
boaters, whale watchers, lobstermen, fishermen, ferry commuters and cruise ship
passengers would all contribute to bringing life to the area, as their various vessels would
contribute to the view (see Figure 8). Implementation of all landside and waterside
improvements in this planning area will be in compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) and the regulations of the Massachusetts Architectural Access
Board (521 CMR).
Recommendations for Navigation and Waterside Use
• Construct a New Salem Wharf to flexibly accommodate the specific set of waterside
uses described in the Harbor Plan.
• Provide berthing for excursion boats, headboats, whale watching, ferries, water
taxis and other commercial boating activities, with the exception of casino boats.
• Build berthing facilities for the servicing and maintenance of transient vessels.
• Provide berthing for local lobstermen and fishermen.
• Maximize berthing potential for both large and small boats.
• Provide berthing and other support services to accommodate cruise ships and other
commercial passenger vessels.
• Provide fuel dock to meet the re-fueling needs of local and visiting boaters.
• Conduct dredging at Hawthorne Cove necessary to accommodate the construction
and operation of New Salem Wharf.
The Harbor Plan specifies a variety of new waterside uses, which will be made possible as
the result of the construction of the New Salem Wharf. Berthing and utility connections
will be available to accommodate cruise ships and other large vessels ranging from 200 to
800 feet in length. Other support facilities will be also introduced to support these large
ships. Dockage will also be available to accommodate a range of other boating uses
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Salem Harbor Plan
including: three whale watch or other excursion boats of 90 to 120 feet in length; two 60
to 80 foot headboats; twelve 30 to 40 foot lobster boats; a 120 foot ferry and water taxi;
and transient boat dockage of approximately 500 feet. A new fuel dock represents an
important benefit, which could be made possible with the construction of the New Salem
Wharf. A summary of the program elements follows.
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SUMMARY
Program Element Quantity Units Space Allocation
(Dockage lf)
Approximate
Parking Needs
by Use
Whale Watch/Excursion Boats (90-120 feet) 3 each 420 120
Headboat (60-80 feet) 2 each 160 30
Lobster boat (30-40 feet) 12 each 420 16
Ferry (120 feet) 1 each 120 100
Cruise Ship (200-800 feet) 1 each 800 0
Servicing Berths for Transient Vessels 510 lf 510 0
Water Taxi 1 each 40 0
Fuel Dock 1 each 60 0
Retail Uses (water-dependent
and nonwater-dependent)
19,400 sf 31
The Harbor Plan recognizes that siting recommendations for the program elements of the
New Salem Wharf project would place new uses on several parcels of privately held land.
The Plan further recognizes that alternative sites may need to be identified for the
program elements that require public participation in funding, should acquisition of the
property or development of a public private partnership not be practical.
The construction of New Salem Wharf will result in a mix of waterside uses, potential for
a ferry service and cruise ship dockage. Dredging will provide the draft needed for the
new waterside uses, as well as extend the turning basin for fuel vessels for the power plant
and cruise ships. Coordination with the DMMP will be necessary in order to
accommodate material generated by this project, which is determined to be unsuitable for
offshore dumping. Other infrastructure requirements include bulk-heading to stabilize
shorelines, pier structures, and fendering to accommodate berthing of larger vessels and
floats with utilities to service mixed use vessels using the site. Fuel docking facilities will
provide Salem with a needed service for boats using the Harbor. The design, permitting
and phasing of the project must be undertaken in coordination with the requirements of
the federal, state, and local regulatory agencies.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Recommendations for Landside Use
Support water-dependent uses that are appropriate to the site in scale and character,
and which do not exceed the capacity of limited parking resources.
Support development of non-water dependent uses as appropriate that contribute
financial support to New Salem Wharf and are compatible with other water
transportation., excursion and fishing-related uses programmed for the Wharf.
• Promote businesses aimed at providing services to boaters consistent with the
highest environmental standards. Such services might include pump-out facilities,
boat repair and sales, a chandlery, etc.
• Locate a re-fueling station at the end of the pier to provide a much-needed service to
local and visiting boaters.
• Extend streetscape improvements along Derby Street.
• Enhance pedestrian connections from Blaney Street to the New Salem Wharf to
provide a clear and pleasant route for both residents and visitors.
• Create a series of pleasant pedestrian walkways and open spaces at the New Salem
Wharf site.
• Celebrate and incorporate into physical improvements and proposed events aspects
that reinforce neighborhood identity, local history and cultural identity.
• Support new construction that is consistent with the character of the neighborhood
and respectful of existing views to the water.
The Harbor Plan calls for a development program for New Salem Wharf that focuses on
waterside transportation, excursion businesses and other types of commercial dockage,
including a cruise ship facility and additional supporting landside development. The
recommended program represents a mix of water-dependent industrial and accessory uses,
and supporting and compatible non-water dependent uses.
The Harbor Plan anticipates the construction over time of approximately 19,000 square
feet of retail development. This would include businesses which provide services to
boaters as well as other retail uses serving boaters and other visitors to the area, which
would be compatible in design and scale with the intended character of the waterfront.
One important retail service will be the provision of fuel and associated amenities, such as
ice, water, toilet facilities and showers for local and visiting boaters. Pavilions, ticket
booths and waiting areas would be provided to serve the needs of passengers on the
various types of commercial boating enterprises. These proposed retail, office and
restaurant uses would be considered as contributing uses to the DPA due to demonstrated
subsidization of the financing and operational costs of the facility’s water-dependent uses.
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Salem Harbor Plan
As described in discussions about other planning sub-areas, the public realm in the North
Commercial Waterfront will be improved with streetscape and other neighborhood
amenities consistent with the overall design approach throughout the study area. As in
other areas on the harbor, opportunities will be taken to express the heritage and history of
the neighborhood in design elements and programming of community events, and new
design will be encouraged that is responsive to the character of this unique waterfront
context.
The proposed New Salem Wharf is conceived as a publicly-developed multi-use
maritime facility. The current conceptual design is the result of significant public
input, and change in response to this input. For example, the design addresses traffic,
parking, public access, off-season use by the neighborhood of parking areas and
dockage for local fishermen, in addition to providing significant new water
transportation opportunities and services. The inclusion of this project in a state-
approved Municipal Harbor Plan (MHP) is an essential step in securing the necessary
funding through the Governor’s Seaport Council to bring this significant waterfront
development to fruition.
It is, however, no guarantee. Several important pieces must come together through a
concerted effort on the part of the Mayor, the City Council, current property owners and
citizens of Salem, in partnership with state and federal regulatory agencies, to successfully
create the proposed New Salem Wharf. These include, but are not limited to:
• negotiation of land agreements or property transfer of the Blaney Street property, in a
fashion which is determined to be consistent with state law and policies governing
expenditure of Seaport Bond funds.
• negotiation of land agreements or property transfer to accommodate the required
parking on what is now the PG & E property
• local approval of changes to traffic patterns to allow access via Webb Street
• final design, engineering and local, state and federal permitting
• local approval of an appropriate management structure to develop and operate the site
(see Implementation Section for options to be considered)
• most importantly, the financial feasibility and benefit of the New Salem Wharf must
be demonstrated, through detailed economic evaluation, including development of a
business plan, prior to the City of Salem committing to or contributing project
construction funds.
If the City of Salem is unable to accomplish any of the key pre-development tasks, the
New Salem Wharf as proposed will not be developed.
In that case, as well as in the interim period prior to the City taking control of the site, the
Harbor Plan supports, in general, the development of the types of water-dependent
industrial uses envisioned for the New Salem Wharf, on the Blaney Street property,
consistent with the restriction in the Harbor Plan on gambling cruises. Furthermore, both
in the case of the New Salem Wharf or any privately developed interim or substitute
development, issues of parking, traffic, environmental and neighborhood impacts must be
addressed to the satisfaction of local, state and federal authorities through the appropriate
public permitting processes. No change is proposed in any of those processes. Substitute
provisions to the Chapter 91 regulatory process apply only to a publicly developed New
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Salem Harbor Plan
Salem Wharf. Any other development will be subject to all standard Chapter 91 regulatory
provisions on a case by case basis.
Recommendations for Infrastructure Requirements
• Develop a plan to effectively manage increased traffic and meet current and
increased demand for parking in the area. This would include defining Webb Street
as the primary access route to the New Salem Wharf.
• Build new parking facilities to meet the needs of users of the New Salem Wharf and
surrounding areas. Such parking might be made available for neighborhood use, in
the off-season. Provisions should be made to reserve the opportunity in the future to
add a deck of parking over the proposed parking lot.
• Provide a landscape buffer between the parking lot and the adjacent street and
neighborhood.
• Make necessary improvements to ensure adequate and safe vehicular and
pedestrian access, as well as adequate parking to meet new demand.
• Support the City’s efforts in implementing programs to address stormwater drainage
problems in this area.
One important component of the recommended citywide Transportation Management
Plan would address the increased traffic and parking demand resulting from the proposed
new uses associated with the development of the New Salem Wharf. The magnitude of the
projected traffic volumes associated with the New Salem Wharf development is likely to
necessitate improvements to the local roadway system (see Figure 9). The types of
improvements necessary could include traffic signal timing and intersection striping
adjustments, minor roadway widening, new traffic control devices, and the development
of satellite parking facilities. Intersection and roadway improvements are likely to be
necessary at several locations along Derby Street, Essex Street and Webb Street since
these will be the primary access routes to the new development. Some of these
improvements may require action by state agencies which would in turn, subject the
transportation element of the project to review under the Executive Office of
Environmental Affairs, MEPA Unit.
The Harbor Plan calls for the construction of a new parking facility at New Salem Wharf
to meet the needs of users of the Wharf. Such parking might be made available for
neighborhood use in the off season, particularly in the winter, which would make a
significant contribution to alleviating congestion on the local narrow streets. Provisions
should be made to reserve the opportunity in the future to add a deck of parking over the
proposed parking lot. This facility, located immediately adjacent to New Salem Wharf,
would have a single point of access/egress located at the intersection of Derby Street and
Webb Street. A landscape buffer should be planted between the parking lot and the
adjacent street and neighborhood to provide a visual screen from the facility. Visitor
signage would be provided to direct motorists to use Bridge Street and Webb Street to
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Salem Harbor Plan
access the site. All exiting traffic would have to use Webb Street as Derby Street is one
way eastbound between Orange Street and Webb Street. Pedestrian (but no vehicle)
connections would be made to Derby Street through Blaney Street.
It is anticipated that relatively few arriving vehicles will use Derby Street as an access
path. It is not the most convenient route for many local users of the Wharf, and all visitors
will be directed to use the Webb Street route. In general, any increase in traffic volumes
will be concentrated during early morning hours.
One potential access route for emergency vehicles would be Blaney Street. The New
Salem Wharf and all associated development would be constructed in accordance with all
relevant National Fire Protection Association codes and requirements.
As in other sub-areas, portions of the North Commercial Waterfront are subject to
stormwater and sanitary sewage overflows during severe storms. To address this
condition, both the Inflow and Infiltration and the overflow treatment facility programs
need to continue to be implemented. Improvements to the water system include main line
cleaning, relining of existing pipes, and valve and hydrant replacements.
The gas utility infrastructure can be upgraded to supply the demands generated by new
developments since there is a high pressure main in Fort Avenue.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Industrial Port
The Industrial Port covers an area of approximately 78 acres. All but about five acres of
the landside portion of the Designated Port Area (DPA) are located on one parcel within
this area. The facilities that comprise the landside portion of the DPA include the Pacific
Gas and Electric power plant, the former Northeast Petroleum oil terminal and tank farm,
and a berthing facility for the DPA. The South Essex Sewage District Treatment Plant is
not part of the DPA. The entire land area of the Industrial Port sub-area is intensely used
for water-dependent industrial uses, and the plan recommends that it continue to be used
in this manner (see Figure 10).
Recommendations for Navigation and Waterside Use
• Support continued and future marine industrial uses.
• Support federal channel maintenance dredging to provide deep-water access to the
harbor and the turning and berthing basin necessary for the industrial uses within
the DPA.
• Implement Derby Street and Fort Avenue streetscape improvements as a link in the
Salem Harbor Walk.
• Make landscape improvements along the Pacific Gas & Electric site at Hawthorne
Cove to provide a visual buffer when the site is viewed from the North Commercial
Waterfront area.
• Promote the undertaking of a graphic program to paint the oil tanks and other
energy plant elements as a means of making the view more visually pleasing.
• Support environmental impact improvements at the site.
The predominant uses at the Industrial Port are the energy facility and the sewage
treatment plant. The plan anticipates the continued agreement between the Designated
Port Area status and the activities within this planning sub-area. The Harbor Plan supports
continued water-dependent industrial uses at the Industrial Port. The most significant
recommendations include the dredging program, the streetscape improvements along Fort
Avenue and the potential for parking on a portion of the Pacific Gas & Electric site to
support the proposed New Salem Wharf.
The Pacific Gas & Electric property occupies a prime site on the Salem waterfront, and is
a key feature, both on the harbor and in the city’s overall economy. This Harbor Plan,
which must be revisited in five years, proposes no change in existing use of the facility,
other than negotiated use of a portion of the parcel for parking to support activities at the
proposed New Salem Wharf. The Plan also strongly supports the on-going environmental
improvements at the site.
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Salem Harbor Plan
The Industrial Port and berthing facilities are used primarily to off-load bulk fuel (oil and
coal) for fueling the electric power generating facilities at the site. The Plan supports the
continued use of this marine facility for its current purpose. It is not the intent of this
Harbor Plan to expand the existing industrial site, but to see its use limited to the current
maritime operation. Specifically, the Plan does not support the expansion of oil
distribution terminal operations at the site.
The long-term future of the Pacific Gas and Electric facility, while one of the most
important issues in the City’s future, is outside the time-frame (5-years), and beyond the
structure and scope, of this Harbor Plan. Any changes, expansion or increase of use shall
be evaluated on a case by case basis, by the city administration and the City Council to
determine its desirability. In addition, because of the role of this site as a Designated Port
Area, the Harbor Plan proposes the establishment of a mechanism to ensure on-going
discussion between the City and the facility’s owners regarding activities at the plant. The
Mayor, City Council and Pacific Gas & Electric should work collaboratively to organize a
Salem Power Plant Working Group. This group should meet on a regular schedule and
report to the Mayor and City Council.
The Harbor Plan supports the long-term commitment to marine industrial uses consistent
with the site’s status as a Designated Port Area (DPA) and the program for the New Salem
Wharf as outlined in the Plan. At the same time, the plan recognizes the proximity of the
site to adjacent residential neighborhoods and its location between two non-industrial
waterfront areas within the overall study area, namely the North Commercial Waterfront
and the Community Waterfront. Consequently, streetscape improvements are called for
along Derby Street and Fort Avenue to serve as an important link in the Harbor Walk for
pedestrians and cyclists between the New Salem Wharf and Winter Island Park.
Additionally, landscaping is recommended for the area adjacent to Hawthorne Cove to
serve as a visual buffer from the industrial uses on the Pacific Gas & Electric Company
site. The Harbor Plan also recommends that steps be taken to improve the aesthetic
appearance of the site such as some sort of graphic treatment to the oil tanks and other
industrial elements.
The Harbor Plan supports improvements to the Pacific Gas & Electric Company site to
maintain its economic vitality and to continue to reduce its environmental impact.
Improvements may include mitigation of solid waste disposal impacts, reduction of
treated wastewater discharge to the harbor, improvements in combustion technology and
consideration of alternative fuels such as partial or total use of natural gas, biomass, or
other special fuels which may offer an improvement in air emissions.
Any land which would be freed up as a result of such a shift in fuel source should be
developed for other maritime uses which utilize the deep water port. Any proposed
industrial use would have to meet the highest environmental standards.
The shoaling of the Federal Channel and limited draft and turning basin size limits the
maneuverability of the larger vessels providing fuel to the power plant. Working with the
DMMP and the New Salem Wharf projects, the turning basin will be enlarged so that
large vessels may be maneuvered in a safer manner.
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SALEM HARBOR PLAN
Figure 10: INDUSTRIAL PORT
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Recommendations
· Street improvements on Derby Street and Fort Avenue
· (1) Parking to support new uses on the waterfront
· (2) Current uses maintained
· (3) Landscaping along Pacific Gas & Electric Co. at
Hawthorne Cove to provide a visual buffer
· (4) Graphic program for Pacific Gas & Electric Co. tanks
· Support environmental impact improvements at the site
· Support continued and future marine industrial uses
· (5) Support federal channel, turning and berthing basin
dredging
Key Benefits
· Additional parking for new waterfront activities
· Enhanced public realm
· Improved navigability
5
Streetscape Improvements
Streetscape improvements
Salem Harbor Plan
Recommendations for Infrastructure Requirements
• Construct additional parking facilities to support new uses in the North Commercial
Waterfront and surroundings.
To support the new landside and waterside uses for the New Salem Wharf, the
construction of a parking lot in the Industrial Port is proposed. This facility, located
immediately adjacent to New Salem Wharf on Pacific Gas & Electric Company property,
would have a single point of access/egress located at the intersection of Derby Street and
Webb Street. Visitor signing would be necessary, directing motorists to use Bridge Street
and Webb Street to access the site.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Community Waterfront
The Community Waterfront sub-area is comprised of three parcels with frontage on Salem
Harbor, Cat Cove and Smith Pool, covering about 65.75 acres. The landside boundary is
formed by Fort Road and by Winter Island Road, where it runs along the upper end of
Smith Pool and continues eastward along a straight line to Salem Harbor.
The uses within the sub-area are water-dependent and water-enhanced. The major uses are
the Northeastern Massachusetts Aquaculture Center at Cat Cove, operated by Salem State
College, and the City-owned Winter Island Park. The other use is the Plummer Home for
Boys, which is situated along the Salem Sound side of Winter Island.
Located within the property of the Northeastern Massachusetts Aquaculture Center is
Smith Pool, which was created by damming the upper end of Cat Cove, and now provides
a research environment for the study of marine life in a simulated ocean environment. A
program is currently under way to upgrade the physical research facilities since
acquisition of the site a year and a half ago. With completion of the facility, the College
will be able to offer not only a college-level curriculum, but also a program for
elementary and high school teachers.
Winter Island Park occupies the southern end of Winter Island. While the southern and
eastern sides of Winter Island provide little or no shelter from the Atlantic Ocean, the
western side of Winter Island along Cat Cove provides shelter from heavier seas. The
Salem Harbormaster’s office is located at the end of the drive that accesses the
southeastern point of Winter Island. Much of the shoreline is rocky with the main
exception being the crescent of beach known locally as Waikiki Beach.
The City is particularly concerned that Winter Island be protected and enhanced as a
resource for public enjoyment. As such, a National Maritime Heritage Grant is being
sought to help to restore at least the outward portions of the earthworks at Fort Pickering.
Fort Pickering Light, which was restored through broad-based community support, has
not received any maintenance for the past six years. Consequently the City is currently
initiating a fund raising effort to ensure its future continued maintenance. A boat ramp
was recently built by the Massachusetts Public Access Board in the vicinity of the existing
pier and the old seaplane hangar. In the area of the hangar, the pier and the boat ramp is a
large parking area that provides immediate vistas out to sea and down the length of Salem
Harbor. Winter Island’s fifty-seven camp sites draw 2300 visitors annually from across
the nation for stays that range from two days to two weeks. Increasingly, Winter Island is
being sought as a location for private and corporate events ranging in size from fifty to
five hundred participants.
Winter Island is a unique resource along the New England seacoast, with thirty acres of
public waterfront parkland, magnificent views across Salem Harbor and a rich historic
heritage. All improvements proposed for Winter Island in the Harbor Plan are intended to
preserve and enhance this special place. The Winter Island Park envisioned in the Harbor
Plan would be designed for primarily passive enjoyment --- strolling, picnicking, taking in
the views -- by residents and visitors alike. The plan would seek to reinforce the park's
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Pier
Ramp
CAT COVE
SALEM HARBOR
WINTER
ISLAND
PARK
SALEM HARBOR PLAN
The Cecil Group, Inc.Byrne McKinney & Associates Nucci Vine Associates Vanasse Hangen Brustlin
Figure 11: COMMUNITY WATERFRONT
1000 400 feet
20050
Salem Harbor
Salem Neck
Cat Cove
Palmer Cove
Collins Cove
Cat Cove
Smith Pool
Marblehead pressure sewer pipeline
Salem Harbor Walk
Streetscape Improvements
Bikeway
Water taxi and harbor tours
Recreate the
moat of the
Fort
Exclusion
fences
Safety fences
Light House
Landscape Buffer
RV Parking
Bikeway path
Harbor Walk on Public Land
Recommendations
· Streetscape improvements on Fort Avenue
· Salem Harbor Walk
· Landscaping and streetscape improvements parkwide
· (1) Water taxi and harbor tours
· (2) Public boating activities
· (3) Additional floats off existing pier
· (4) RV parking lot
· (5) Electrical service to the trellis area
· (6) Beach improvements and reconstruction of the path
between the Fort and the beach
· (7) Re-use of the former Coast Guard hangar
· (8) Restoration of the former barracks building
· (9) New covered stage and backdrop
· (10) Recreation of the original moat around Fort Pickering
· (11) Rehabilitation of the entrance to the ammunitions
bunker
· (12) Stabilized erosion and other life safety improvements
at Fort Pickering
· (13) Exclusion fences to direct public access and protect
the land
· Restoration of the light house
Key Benefits
· Increased opportunities for passive and active
recreation
· Protected historic resources
· Improved and enhanced parklands
· Increased waterside activities
Additional floats
4
1
3
2
11
5
6
8
9
7
12
13
10
Salem Harbor Plan
passive character in the nature and design of the landscape improvements and
programming proposed. Priority would be given uses that accommodate the community's
year-round enjoyment of the park. ). Implementation of all landside and waterside
improvements in this planning area will be in compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) and the regulations of the Massachusetts Architectural Access
Board (521 CMR).
A variety of measures would be taken to tap into the rich historic heritage of Winter
Island. This heritage includes the important role that Winter Island played in the Civil
War as evidenced in the presence of Fort Pickering. A program of restoration
improvements would be made to Fort Pickering to stabilize its condition, ensure safety
and enhance appreciation of the Fort's historic value.
While the primary focus of the Harbor Plan in this planning sub-area is Winter Island, the
Harbor Plan recommendations also call for supporting the activities and expansion plans
of the Northeast Massachusetts Aquaculture Center as developed by Salem State College.
Figure 11 shows all recommendations for this area.
Recommendations for Navigation and Waterside Use
• Promote a water taxi service and harbor tours as alternative means to access the
park.
• Add floats to the existing pier to increase opportunities for public boating.
• Promote public boating activities, such as kayak rentals, sailing programs, etc. to
increase opportunities for public waterside enjoyment.
Among the waterside improvements proposed in the Harbor Plan is the provision for
water taxi service to various points throughout the waterfront, including Forest River
Park, Pickering Wharf, Tourist Historic Harbor, and the South Commercial Waterfront.
This would afford a visitor to Salem the opportunity to visit Winter Island Park without
driving. The Harbor Plan encourages an overall increase in public boating activities, such
as kayak rentals, windsurfing lessons and sailing programs.
Recommendations for Landside Use
• Continue streetscape improvements along Fort Avenue.
• Construct a safe and pleasant walkway, as part of the Salem Harbor Walk, and
bikeway, which would wind adjacent to, but buffered from, the existing access road.
• Implement a program of landscaping improvements throughout the park, including
site furniture at appropriate locations, (such as the picnic area) and improved
lighting, park-wide.
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• Extend electrical service to the trellis area to broaden the types of activities able to
be accommodated there.
• Confine recreational vehicle (RV) camping and tenting to well-defined locations.
RV parking would not be allowed along the waterside edge of the parking lot so as
not to obstruct the views for park visitors.
• Use landscaping to buffer the RV and tenting area from other portions of the park,
as well as to provide a visual buffer from the power plant.
• Construct landside support facilities for a water taxi service and harbor tours to
increase opportunities for waterside transport to and from the park.
• Make improvements, such as the outdoor showers, to promote the continued
enjoyment of swimming at Winter Island.
Streetscape improvements along Fort Avenue would be consistent with those throughout
the waterfront area. An entrance to Winter Island for pedestrians and bicyclists would
follow alongside the existing Winter Island Park entrance roadway. Such a walkway for
pedestrians would be approximately six feet in width, with an additional twelve-foot path
running parallel to safely accommodate cyclists.
The Harbor Plan calls for a comprehensive program of landscape improvements to
enhance the experience of visiting the park at Winter Island. The first step in such a
process would be to retain a consultant to develop a landscape design, circulation and
parking layout and planting plan for the park. Such an effort would address the issue of
restricting the recreational vehicle (RV) camping and tenting to well-defined locations,
screened by new landscape buffers from general view. Confining these activities to
designated areas and using landscaping as visual buffers would not only afford campers
more privacy, but would enhance the appearance of the park for other visitors. The
parking layout will be developed to be consistent with the August 11, 1992/February 28,
1996 Land Management Agreement between the City of Salem and the Public Access
Board. This agreement designates a specific number and location for car-trailer parking to
accommodate users of the boat ramp.
Specific landscape improvements would likely include replacing topsoil and re-seeding
lawns; planting other types of ground cover where appropriate; planting shrubs and trees;
establishing a system of gravel-covered pathways; improved aesthetically-pleasing
lighting, perhaps such as bollard lights, throughout the park; and installing site furniture at
appropriate locations park-wide. The system of pathways would link attractions around
Winter Island, and would include directional and interpretive signage. Site furniture
would include tables and benches in the picnic area, seating, trash and recycling
receptacles park-wide. Grills, as well as additional shade trees should also be provided in
the picnic area.
Lighting should be introduced to allow the safe exit from the amphitheater area and other
points in the park. Electrical service and lighting should also be extended to the trellised
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area to allow for flexibility in the use of this area. This amenity would facilitate the
staging of small-scale musical events (e.g. by accommodating amplifiers) and catered
events for parties interested in renting the area for small functions.
Water taxi service and harbor tours would use the existing pier for docking. Support
facilities for these uses should be constructed in this area. A small kiosk is proposed to
provide tickets and scheduling information. The Harbor Plan also recommends that
restroom facilities and a small bathhouse, including outdoor showers be considered in the
vicinity of Waikiki Beach.
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• Issue a request for proposals for the re-use of the former Coast Guard hangar
building.
• Should the building be demolished, accommodate uses currently housed in the
hangar in new park structures consistent in design with the overall character of the
park. These uses include the park office, storage and a gift shop.
• Construct a new covered stage and backdrop taking advantage of the natural
amphitheater near the site of the hangar.
• Restore the former barracks building for a public, non-commercial use.
Several architectural improvements are recommended for the area. There is significant
interest in restoring and re-using the former Coast Guard hanger. The Harbor Plan
recommends that the City of Salem issue a request for proposals (RFP) for evaluating
possible options for rehabilitating, financing and programming the re-use of this
structure. The criteria for selection would include consistency with the Harbor Plan’s
vision for the Winter Island Park as well as the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
between the City of Salem and the Board of Trustees of the Plummer Home for Boys
dated August 27, 1980, regarding permitted uses at the site.
If this process does not yield an acceptable approach for the long-term preservation of the
hangar, the building might be demolished. Its historical significance should be expressed,
however, in some way at the site. One possibility would be to retain an architectural
element, such as one of the towers, or a portion of the facade as a reminder of the
building’s significant past.
In either the case of complete renovation of the building or its demolition, replacement
space would need to be provided for use currently located in the hangar building, in new
structures or within the hangar building. These uses include the park management offices,
park equipment and materials storage, and a gift shop. A new covered stage and backdrop
would be built for outdoor performances. The natural amphitheater in the vicinity of the
hangar building should be incorporated into the design of this amenity. If the hangar is
razed, its current site should be landscaped to provide open space and additional parking
spaces to support new waterside activities.
The three-story barracks building might be rehabilitated to accommodate a small-scale
public, non-commercial use. Rehabilitation of the building would require its complete
interior demolition as well as the installation of a new elevator to meet ADA compliance
and the complete reconstruction of the interior of the building. The Harbor Plan also calls
for exterior aesthetic improvements to the existing restaurant.
A parking management plan would be enforced to ensure that long-term parking would be
restricted and that non-boating users would continue to have access to the convenient
parking and view that can be enjoyed from the southern end of the island.
• Stabilize the transition between the ramparts of Fort Pickering and the shore.
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• Erect a safety fence at the top of the earthworks and at the perimeter of the Fort to
protect the public from the thirty-foot drop to the shore.
• Erect an exclusion fence to prevent uncontrolled access from damaging the fragile
fort structures and landscape.
• Reconstruct the path between the Fort and the beach.
• Recreate the original moat around Fort Pickering, which was filled during the
1930's, including a replica of the original timber bridge that crossed the moat.
• Create a sharper definition of the earthworks at the Fort.
• Rehabilitate the entrance to the ammunitions bunker and add lighting to the
underground portions of the bunker to make this historic site accessible to visitors.
• Restore and repair the lighthouse.
The Harbor Plan calls for a number of improvements that serve to further enhance the
significance of the valuable historic resources at Winter Island, particularly Fort
Pickering. One set of such improvements focuses on ensuring public safety at the Fort and
protecting fort structures and landscape. Such improvements would involve stabilizing the
eroding area between the ramparts and the shore, as well as erecting fencing to protect the
public as well as the landscape. A designated path between the Fort and the shore would
be delineated. The entire earthworks at the Fort would be more sharply delineated and
stabilized through the planting of grass or other appropriate ground cover.
The ammunitions bunker would be restored and lighting would be introduced to make the
site accessible to visitors. At appropriate points in the area of the Fort, interpretive plaques
or markers would be placed to enhance the visitor experience.
Fort Pickering’s original moat should be re-excavated and relined with stone, if the
original stone was removed when the moat was filled in the 1930’s. This improvement
will restore the Fort to its Civil War era appearance. A replica of the original timber
bridge should be reconstructed across the moat. The bridge should be capable of
supporting small maintenance vehicles.
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Recommendations for Infrastructure Requirements
• Provide adequate sewer improvements to accommodate new uses at Winter Island.
The activities proposed are intended to increase park use, and would need to be evaluated
for on-site infrastructure improvements. The estimated costs of replacing or adding a
second sanitary sewer to the site is between $10,000 and $80,000 depending on the
distances to be covered and the level of repair or replacement. This type of cost is
typically borne by the property owner rather than the public utility company.
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IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN
Responsibilities
Economic Development
Phasing Strategy
Resources
Implementation -
Summary of Proposed Actions
Salem Harbor Plan
V. IMPLEMENTATION
Within this chapter, the Harbor Plan outlines the coordination needed among Salem
departments and offices of government and private nonprofit organizations. This
coordination is necessary to accomplish an enhanced cultural and tourism experience and
to develop the waterfront, specifically New Salem Wharf, as well as to reinvigorate
Winter Island. An Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs is described within the
Coordination section and five management options are described along with advantages
and disadvantages of each in the next section, Economic Development. A Phasing
Strategy is then outlined, followed by Resources, with an estimate of proposed costs and
potential funding sources. The chapter concludes with a section on Implementation- A
Summary of Proposed Actions.
Responsibilities
Management
• Provide required management structures that will ensure resources and staff
support for maintaining implementation of the Harbor Plan, as well as for
consistent updating of the Harbor Plan every five years.
• Ensure increased coordination among relevant local management entities.
In order to ensure compliance with the Plan in years to come, it is important to have a
management structure in place that will direct the allocation of responsibilities for the
harbor, its edges, and links to the downtown and the neighborhoods. The organizations
that will guide each facet of the Harbor Plan must be able to focus on their own particular
function and project. They must have the ability to coordinate, negotiate, and work with
both public and private organizations on the City, state and federal levels. They will have
to be able to attract a staff that has the capability to create a plan, the credibility to obtain
funding, and the skills to develop projects, manage the process and maintain results. The
organizations will need all the necessary powers and tools to carry out projects, and they
must have the support of a broad-based constituency.
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Salem Harbor Plan
Coordination
• Enhance strategic maritime, historic, arts, cultural, tourist and business
cooperation to improve the visitor experience and maximize the potential public
benefits associated with tourism in an efficient and productive manner.
• Create a strategic marketing approach to promote Salem as a high quality visitor
destination.
• Develop funding mechanisms for the operations of tourist business alliances to
ensure their effectiveness in the long-term.
Several organizations will play a part in the successful implementation of the Harbor Plan.
The Harbor Plan recommends that the Salem Planning Department continue to guide the
planning functions of the City as they relate to the Harbor Master Plan, along with
overseeing those projects that tie together the different areas of the City, as noted in the
Plan, such as streetscape and signage. A Harbor Plan Implementation Committee will be
established to assist in this role. The Plan recommends that the recently coalesced Salem
Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs (OTCA) continue to focus on its goal as a strategic
marketing partnership. The Plan also recommends that the OTCA take an active role in
helping to implement those sections of the Plan that affect the successful promotion of
Salem through signage, landscaping, public amenities, recreational activities and
community events.
Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs
The Mayor, the Salem Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the Salem Chamber of
Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding in August, 1998, to continue the
work on initiatives developed by the former City Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs.
This new organization has formed a strategic marketing partnership whose projects are
funded by the members of the OTCA, which includes the City and the Chamber.
In implementing this partnership, there are a number of issues for groups in Salem to
consider:
• Define the groups that should become part of the strategic alliance. Not all groups
may want to participate. Those organizations to which it is important should begin
to market together, and their successes will encourage others. Successful strategic
alliances are not made up of all one kind of group, but rather of those whose
missions support each other. For example, US Airways builds alliances with car
rental firms, airlines, hotels, and services such as florists. In Salem, there has been
discussion about the difference between historic and cultural attractions, as
opposed to tourist or recreational attractions. Since many families are composed of
adults who might enjoy one type of attraction and youngsters who might like
another, a cultural attraction and a destination for children could form a useful
alliance.
• Define how to be known. One of OTCA’s first meetings should be a facilitated
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working session where the positioning of the group takes place and the mission is
set. From the positioning statement, a brief and inclusive tag line should be
created. Some tag line examples are: Salem- Everyone Loves It; or Salem- A Place
for Everyone; or Salem- 200 Years of History; or Salem- Everyone Loves History;
or Salem Connections- History, Culture, Fun. OTCA could also hire a firm to
develop the theme, once a positioning statement is reached.
• Agree on a common mission. Parts of the Harbor Planning background studies
discussed what travelers to Salem were interested in doing (learning, shopping,
outdoor recreation), and what they were not doing in Salem (staying more than
one day). OTCA should develop a mission that addresses meeting the customer
desire, as well as overcoming Salem’s weaknesses in fulfilling them.
• Agree on objectives, such as who needs to be reached and what is being marketed.
“The tourist” is many people. The broader the customer base for the whole City, in
terms of both geography and demographics, the more successful the alliance may
be in reaching it. Each attraction or partner may have a particular niche, but the
alliance can reach out to a broader audience, and that audience or customer will
sustain supporting activities, such as restaurants and hotels.
• Build a team that agrees on the program. The groups will need to develop the
partnership direction as a team. It is more difficult to create a program on one level
and then try to implement it, than to develop the partnership from the ground up
together. In that regard, all the team players have to work together towards a
unified mission, so it is better to begin with a smaller group that agrees on
objectives than try to spend time organizing all the players that formerly existed on
the Mayor’s Tourism and Cultural Affairs Advisory Committee.
• Measure and track results. Partners all need to monitor and understand signs of
success n order to be more successful in the future. New alliances will be made, as
other groups see progress. People will see joint efforts and will start thinking of
ways to join the partnership.
Specifically, OTCA would be responsible for the recommendations summarized below,
which are also listed in the Summary of Proposed Actions chart that follows this section.
• In the South Commercial Waterfront, involve residents, artists and designers in
community design efforts of murals, paving and other public art projects, and
promote programs to celebrate community identity, such as a parade of floats
linked to annual Hispanic festival.
• In the Tourist Historic Harbor, promote increased coordination among relevant
organizations citywide to provide support tourism activities and enhance the
quality of the visitor experience.
• In the Tourist Historic Harbor, promote events, programs and design elements
that celebrate the maritime cultural heritage of residents, encourage community
participation and strengthen neighborhood identity and pride.
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• In the Tourist Historic Harbor, support implementation of NPS programs and
promote water taxi service, harbor tours and other boating activities.
• In the Community Waterfront, make people aware of the resources at Winter
Island, including promotion of public boating activities.
Salem Department of Planning
City funds, recycling of loans from urban renewal projects for present urban renewal
designations, and CDBG funds support the Planning Department. The Department may
receive other public funds from the federal and state governments for projects. The
Department has the appropriate powers and funding sources to undertake area-wide
activities and coordinate the physical design aspects of the Harbor Plan. In particular, the
Department would be responsible for the following efforts:
• Establish and construct a Salem Harbor Walk;
• Support dredging of the channels;
• Promote measures to improve the environmental quality of the Harbor;
• Work with property owners to address Chapter 91 compliance issues;
• Undertake streetscape improvements and small park-like lookouts throughout the
Harbor, establish gateways, implement a signage program, and reinforce
connections between the downtown and the waterfront;
• Create an acceptable parking plan for the South Commercial Waterfront;
• Negotiate with Massachusetts Electric to replace the existing fencing with
landscaping;
• Promote a facade improvement program for first time homebuyers;
• Ensure continued communication between the City Pacific Gas & Electric
Company by staffing the Salem Power Working Group. Ensure continued focus on
waterfront opportunities and projects, by establishing and staffing a Harbor Plan
Implementation Committee.
• Negotiate with the Pacific Gas & Electric Company to implement streetscape and
landscape improvements;
• Clarify the jurisdiction of Winter Island in any implementation planning and
establishing management consistent with this plan.
Harbor Plan Implementation Committee
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The Harbor Plan recommends the creation of a standing citizen’s Harbor Plan
Implementation Committee. This committee would work directly with the Planning
Department to assist in the implementation of the Harbor Plan. The Committee would
meet periodically and review the status of the Plan, prepare advisory recommendations
concerning proposed projects or programs, and advise the City in regards to evolving
issues. In addition, this Harbor Plan Implementation Committee could serve as the
Planning Committee for extensions of the Plan or for its revision. The membership of the
Committee should allow for broad representation of the interests of citizens,
neighborhood representatives, elected officials, institutions and businesses along the
waterfront. The Harbor Plan Implementation Committee would be charged with preparing
an annual report to the Mayor and to the City Council concerning the Plan, its
implementation, and key issues for the future.
Other City Departments or Entities and Recommended Roles
The following entities have significant roles to play in the fulfillment of the Master Plan:
Mayor’s Office of Business Development and Tourism: This newly formed Department
broadens the former Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. Funded by the City, its
mandate is the promotion of cultural tourism through Salem’s architecture and history. It
should be closely involved with the Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs in coordinating
the many groups that can promote the City.
Mayor’s Tourism and Cultural Affairs Advisory Committee: This Committee is comprised
of the museums, hotels, and organizations interested in promotion, and harbor businesses.
It does not have a charter, management, or development function.
Its membership should coincide with that of the Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs.
Salem Parks and Recreation Department: While this Department is publicly funded, it
also oversees a number of revenue-generating activities. Of particular interest to this study
is Winter Island’s $100,000 budget which is front-ended by the City Council and must be
reimbursed to the general fund. Sixty-five per cent of the fees collected are derived from
camping on the Island. Whichever management option is chosen (as described later) to be
responsible for the development and renovations on Winter Island, the Parks and
Recreation staff responsible for the Island might become part of that entity in order to
promote closer coordination and more effective management.
Salem Harbormaster: The Harbormaster is a member of the Police Department. He is
given space on Winter Island, and serves in a regulatory capacity for the waterfront, being
responsible for inspections and for setting fees for boats and ships using the piers, docks,
moorings, ramps and waterfront. This role would not change.
Conservation Commission: Waterfront developments on would continue to be regulated
by the Conservation Commission for impacts to wetland resource areas.
Planning Board: Any projects recommended in the Harbor would be subject to Planning
Board review for site plan approval, subdivision approval and special permits, as
applicable.
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Private Nonprofit Organizations
Chamber of Commerce: The Chamber is a private, nonprofit organization of 546 members
committed to improving Salem’s business climate. Its projects include equalizing the tax
rate; supporting public policies such as brownfields legislation that would help recycle
presently unusable land; adopting schools; encouraging women in business; working
closely with downtown merchants to support their issues; creating an enterprise fund for
water and sewer fees; and networking among members. Providing information services to
its membership and distributing a monthly newsletter is an important role. The Chamber
should take the lead with the Mayor’s Office in organizing the Office of Tourism &
Cultural Affairs.
Salem Partnership: A private, nonprofit project-focused organization, the Partnership is
committed to projects that will enhance Salem’s reputation as a livable City and a tourist
destination. Among its major thrusts have been teaming up with the National Park Service
to promote the Essex County National Heritage Area, raising money to bring the
Friendship to Salem, promoting tourism along the Salem Waterfront, and developing a
new Port plan. The Partnership receives funds from private businesses, and state
development funds through the City. The Partnership has created two nonprofit affiliates,
the Seaport Partnership and the Salem Port Development Corporation. The Seaport
Partnership is comprised of marine oriented businesses for purposes of promotion through
advertising, brochures, and participation in boat shows. The Salem Port Development
Corporation concentrates on development of the New Salem Wharf. Along with these
affiliates, the Partnership would work with the public sector and its representatives on
development projects involving the private sector for the waterfront.
Salem Harbor Community Development Corporation (CDC): The CDC represents the
interests of low and moderate income Salem residents, targeting their activities in the
Point neighborhood. It offers social services and programs to residents in the
neighborhood and has been responsible for developing, owning and managing housing for
the area. It is funded through CDBG, the State, United Way, and management and
development fees. The CDC should be involved in those projects affecting the
neighborhoods it represents.
Salem State College: Although its primary mission is as an educational institution, Salem
State College is involved in all those sections of the waterfront under study. The college is
developing an aquaculture center in Cat Cove; its athletics department runs a sailing
program for Salem youth on Winter Island; its Dean of the Business School is President of
the CDC board; its Executive Assistant to the President is Chair of the Chamber Board; it
is a member of the Mayor’s Tourism and Cultural Affairs Advisory Committee and of the
Salem Partnership; and it is setting up an enterprise center to work with the Peabody
Essex Museum on joint programming. The College should have representation on both the
Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs and on any boards set up to oversee the
development and management of relevant projects on the waterfront.
Salem Sound 2000: A nonprofit environmental group working in 6 cities and towns, this
organization should continue to be a resource to municipalities for technical information
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Salem Harbor Plan
regarding environmental regulations and the ecological health of Salem Sound.
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Economic Development
The economic development envisioned in the Harbor Master Plan holds promise for the
City of Salem. Thoughtful and sound city planning will be required for the well
coordinated efforts of public and private sector activities. The continuing process of
achieving the Harbor Master Plan’s promises should remain open and responsive to the
people of Salem through their access to the citizen oversight committees and boards such
as the Planning Board, the administrative offices of their government and through their
elected representatives to the City council. To undertake direct implementation of
projects, The Plan outlines below five options for their development and management.
While the use of contracted services or authorities may be appropriate, the central
coordinating focus for city planning remains the Salem Planning Department.
• Create a development and management entity within the Salem Planning Office or
through the establishment of a public-private authority for the effective development
and management of the New Salem Wharf that could support the facility and be a
revenue generating operation.
• Create a development and management entity for the redevelopment and operation of
Winter Island.
The use of a specially created development mechanism is a very important ingredient to
crafting a successful approach to redevelopment of the Salem Wharf Project, the
redevelopment of Winter Island and other initiatives along the waterfront. In particular,
the New Salem Wharf will require substantial public improvements in order to make its
operation feasible and to provide the public benefits envisioned in this Harbor Plan. A
development mechanism must provide the ability to combine public investment and
private investment on the same site in a way that will be both accountable to the public
sector and business-like for the private sector. The development mechanism must be able
to acquire land and leases within a framework of public purpose. The mechanism must be
flexible and streamlined to operate like a private corporation in terms of management and
contracting, but have the benefit of public oversight to ensure that public goals and
commitments are met.
Many cities use development authorities or Economic Development Industrial
Corporations because of the special capacities that are granted to them by the laws of the
Commonwealth. Important successful precedents have been set in many other
Massachusetts communities for such entities. In Watertown, for example, the Watertown
Arsenal Development Corporation was created to fulfill the vision of the City, its
Manager and the City Council in the Phase 2 redevelopment of the Watertown Arsenal.
This entity was created because it was important to have a public/private corporation that
could work directly with private companies and that could contract directly with
developers and managers. The Corporation has the ability to set standards of use, provide
key infrastructure investments and financing, and generally oversee the public interests in
the redevelopment of this important part of Watertown.
Other examples of development mechanisms include the EDIC established in Gloucester
under the Commonwealth’s enabling legislation specifically to develop the industrial
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project known as the Blackburn Industrial Park. This EDIC installed the infrastructure
improvements to create a modern facility, followed by sale of land to individual users.
The sale of land will be used to pay off the bonds issued for infrastructure costs. The City
of Boston based its EDIC on the State enabling acts, but wrote its own home rule petition
to extend and change its powers. Boston’s EDIC is the owner and developer of the highly
successful Boston Marine Industrial Park in South Boston. The EDIC makes good use of
its capacity to lease land and facilities directly to tenants, and has been able to attract
major users. The ground lease income is used to pay for the operation of the industrial
park and the EDIC entity.
Management Options
There are a number of management structures that could be appropriate in developing the
waterfront, specifically for such projects as the construction and operation of the New
Salem Wharf and redevelopment of Winter Island. The success of each depends upon the
funding and authority accorded to them, the goals of the City in establishing them, and the
credibility each presents to the private sector who would support the business
opportunities resulting from them. The Salem Harbor Plan proposes five management
possibilities; two within the Planning Department, two quasi-public corporations or
authorities and a public-private partnership to undertake the development and construction
of projects recommended along the waterfront. Regardless of the managerial approach
chosen, there are four components fundamental to the success of a development option:
• A structure that allows decisions to be made in a timely fashion and that can also
attract professional marketing and development staff.
• The authority to obtain control of the land within the designated development.
• The ability to establish a financial package that includes pre-development costs,
construction costs, operations and maintenance. Based on the economic research for
this study, the Plan assumes that income from business operations on and surrounding
the pier must be used to pay for operations and maintenance, as well as to contribute
to paying off the costs of capital construction.
• Responsibility for the project and accountability to the public.
Advantages and disadvantages of each option follow each description.
Option 1: The Salem Planning Department
In this option, the Planning Department would hire appropriate staff and coordinate
development activities through the various City Departments.
• Structure: The City’s Planning Department would hire a project-specific staff
including a full-time project manager, a part-time financing specialist, and a full-time
marketing manager. Staff for construction and development projects are in short
supply in this robust economy, so it is recommended that the project manager be hired
as a consultant whose salary would not be in conflict with the internal pay scale. The
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project manager would work with other City departments to coordinate the project’s
planning, design, budgeting, permitting and approval process, and construction.
During the project’s development, the marketing manager would begin to lease
landside space for commercial development and dockage for waterside businesses. At
project completion, the consulting project manager role would end to be replaced by
an operations manager. The financing specialist’s role would be concluded with the
receipt of funds and establishing of the budget and accounts for the operations
manager.
• Authority, including Land Acquisition and Disposition: Approval processes would
follow the traditional City processes for contracting, buying, selling, and leasing land.
Use of Redevelopment Authority’s powers for eminent domain proceedings, if
necessary, would be used, for which the City must make a declaration of public
necessity. Amendments or creation of an urban renewal plan may be required.
• Financing: The project may need to have a special fund established within the City
Treasury. After the development phase, the fund would be used to contain income
from the wharf for operations and maintenance of the Pier, as well as to pay capital
expenses.
• Accountability: Given the different missions of public agencies, the project manager
would coordinate existing City agencies, each with their individual missions. With
individual agencies being coordinated to perform various tasks within the project, the
project will be highly accountable at each step to City officials and the community
they represent.
Advantages and Disadvantages: The key advantage for the City is that it will have
control over the staff and details of the project.
Key disadvantages are that the Planning Department is not a development agency, and
although professional development and project management talents and services may be
purchased, the mission of the Department is broader than one or two projects, no matter
how important. Attention may be diluted; decisions may be put off; and delays in the
project could extend its timetable and therefore increase costs. Few city governments on
the East Coast undertake their own development projects because, in a competitive
environment, the private sector will most often choose projects where internal consensus
has been gained at the beginning, so decision making is timely; budget parameters have
been set; schedules have been agreed upon; the financing mechanism is known; and each
piece of the project is clear. In the structure above, a public hearing could be required on
every decision in the project development and construction phase, causing considerable
changes and delays.
Option 2: The Salem Planning Department with a Project Management Firm
In this option, the Planning Department would contract with a project management firm
that could provide project delivery services for the Waterfront’s major projects.
• Structure: The City’s Planning Department would issue an RFP for a project
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management firm that would coordinate the architects, engineers, and work crews;
insure that the project meet budget and schedule; outline and prepare materials for
permits; and report to a project manager in the Planning Department. The Planning
Department would still need a full-time project manager, who could be a project-
specific consultant, and would be responsible for continuing to gain support for the
project; for representing the City in gaining approvals and permits from City and State
Departments based on the work of the project management firm; and for establishing
the financing package. The marketing manager could be hired as a position within the
City or could be a consultant with the project management firm. Project management
firms usually do not have this type of individual on staff, but would be in a position to
add a consultant to their own proposal.
• Authority, including Land Acquisition and Disposition: Contracting would remain
within City agencies. Use of the Redevelopment Authority’s powers could be used
here for which the City must make a declaration of public necessity.
• Financing: Same as above.
• Accountability: Parameters for the project, its plans, its budget, and its schedule will
have been laid out in the Request for Proposal for the project management firm. These
parameters will become the scope of work and part of a binding contract with the firm.
Advantages and Disadvantages: Hiring a project management firm will offer a wide
variety of needed professional skills and construction experience that will ultimately save
the City time and money.
The City will still be the ultimate decision-maker, which the private sector considers a
disadvantage in terms of time and the money during the development process and could
cause hesitancy of business people to lease space during the operations phase.
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Option 3: Single Purpose Development Corporation or Authority
A single purpose authority with a narrow focus and limited life span would be set up for
each project. It would be empowered through the State and approved by the City Council.
• Structure: The mission of the authority would be to implement development plans
that have been vetted through the public process. Staffing would be similar to Option
2, with an authority director who can guide the process using a project management
firm. The authority would also hire a marketing manager who will undertake the year-
long process to lease the site and will then be responsible for ongoing lease turnover
and tenant management. The authority would have a Board of Directors appointed by
the Mayor and approved by the City Council and would have five to seven members
representing banking, finance, real estate, the City and the neighborhood.
• Authority, including Land Acquisition and Disposition: Within parameters set by the
City Council and agreed to through public hearings, the Authority would have the
power to acquire, buy, and lease land. The Authority could have eminent domain
powers or could request the Redevelopment Authority to use their powers as in the
two options above. The power of eminent domain may only be used after holding
public hearings and must fulfill guidelines established by the State.
• Financing: The Authority would have the ability to accept government loans and
grants, receive funds from nonprofit foundations and private banking institutions.
• Accountability: The Authority may only work on the plan in the designated areas as
recommended by the Mayor and approved by the Council through a public process.
The plan must be consistent with local objectives, respect appropriate land uses;
indicate boundaries of the areas to be developed; indicate contemplated
improvements; and state proposed land uses, maximum densities and building
requirements. Approval for the plan may lapse after a set number of years. Decisions
regarding the plan are made in public meetings. Executive sessions are held for
negotiations in terms of leasing, sales, and for personnel discussions. Spending is
limited to the annual budget approved by the Board in a meeting held publicly.
Advantages and Disadvantages: Timely decision-making is the most important advantage
to this option because it is so significant to the private business community that will
ultimately make this project a success. Once the project has been vetted publicly and
approved by the City Council, the Board of Directors, meeting as often as it needs to,
may make decisions about the myriad of details involved in a development.
The key disadvantage would be a potential public perception that public control would be
less direct than in other options.
Option 4: An Economic Development and Industrial Corporation
Generically, an Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (EDIC) has broad
powers to undertake development for prescribed uses in delineated areas. The Salem
EDIC, enacted by the State Legislature in 1992 has not been established on the City level;
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but it does have broader powers than the State-empowered EDICs in that it is allowed to
undertake or manage projects in any areas zoned for general business, manufacturing and
general or waterfront uses, as well as park and recreational areas. In comparison, The
Massachusetts EDICs are allowed to function mainly in industrial areas.
• Structure: The EDIC option is similar to Option 3, the single purpose authority, in
terms of its structure; its powers, however, are broader in terms of geographic areas
(both the State and the Salem EDICs) and land uses (the Salem EDIC).
• Authority, including Land Acquisition and Disposition: Like the single purpose
authority, within parameters set by the city Council and agreed to through public
hearings, the both State and Salem EDICs have the power to acquire, buy, and lease
land in specified areas. They have eminent domain powers that may only be used after
holding public hearings and with a two-thirds vote of the City Council.
• Financing: As in Option 3, the Corporation would have the ability to accept
government loans and grants, receive funds from nonprofit foundations and private
banking institutions. Both State and Salem EDICs have the authority to issue bonds,
although usually this method of financing cannot be employed until the EDIC has
amassed enough collateral to offset the risk of the bond issues.
• Accountability: Accountability would be as in Option 3 above.
Advantages and Disadvantages: The key advantage, as in Option 3 above, is the ability to
make decisions in a timely fashion, to be focused on development, and to be responsive to
the business community, while following the parameters as set forth in public meetings
and through the public process.
The key disadvantage is the broad scope of the EDIC and the breadth of its powers which
may distance it from more direct community control.
Option 5: A Public/Private Management Structure
In this option, the City of Salem and Goldeneye Corporation would jointly develop the
New Salem Wharf project.
Structure: The Public / Private Management Structure would be developed between
the City and Goldeneye Corporation, to be consistent with Commonwealth policy for
expenditure of Seaport Bond funds. The management entity established will either
employ existing resources to plan, execute, operate and maintain a project of this
scope, or will have the ability to contract outside professionals. Such an approach
would maximize private sector involvement in development of the New Salem Wharf.
Authority: The City of Salem will designate its representative team to act within
preexisting city authority and operating procedures (Mayor, City Council, Planning
Department, etc.) to participate in development of the management structure and the
assignment of roles. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts will participate through the
Seaport Advisory Council and other appropriate agencies. Private sector partners will
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designate their respective representatives who can act with authority to commit
resources and assume future responsibility.
Financing: The New Salem Wharf and associated dredging will be completed with
public bond funding and supported with revenue generated by business operating
agreements. These operating agreements will be used to finance non-bond-funded
portions of the projects such as local match, and may also be used to create operating
reserves.
Accountability: As project partners both the City of Salem and the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts will ensure public accountability and an ongoing public purpose
benefit. Private sector partners will be held to well-established federal, state and local
permit standards as well as financial accountability to financing entities for
development purposes. The Public / Private Management Structure may also elect to
establish a review board to both maintain the project’s operating standards and
advance future objectives.
Advantages and Disadvantages: The key advantage of this alternative is that it utilizes the
existing fundamental strengths of both the public and private sector partners. Timely
decision-making and market driven business development will come from strong private
sector involvement. Community accountability and a committed public purpose will
follow from an involved community team. The City should realize a net gain from annual
tax revenues.
The key disadvantage of this approach is that no structure for such a Public / Private
Management Entity currently exists in the Commonwealth, and development of such a
structure will require a change in current policy governing the expenditure of Seaport
Bond Funds.
Below is a summary of proposed actions that the Planning Department would coordinate,
along with the entities chosen from the five options:
• Providing for public access to the waterfront through Chapter 91 licensing,
easements, acquisition of properties, or through construction along public areas;
• Promoting private development along the South Commercial Waterfront, and
undertaking waterfront improvements, including repairs to sea wall and bulkhead,
provision of additional floats, slips and a dinghy dock;
• Providing for public access to the waterfront for the Tourist Historic Harbor,
installing bike racks, constructing a dinghy dock and landside facilities for a water
taxi service;
• Adding floats, and constructing a dinghy dock and landing for a water taxi for the
Tourist Historic Harbor;
• Celebrating neighborhood identity in physical improvements and proposed events
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for the North Commercial Waterfront;
• Supporting new construction consistent with character of the neighborhood for the
North Commercial Waterfront, including non-water dependent uses to contribute
financial support to New Salem Wharf, a refueling station, new parking facilities,
and a landscape buffer;
• Promoting businesses aimed at providing services to boaters;
• Constructing New Salem Wharf, building berthing facilities, providing fuel dock;
• Negotiating with the Pacific Gas & Electric Company for the acquisition of the
property necessary to the development of landside support and ancillary parking
for the New Salem Wharf;
• Supporting environmental improvements at the Industrial Port;
• Undertaking landside and waterfront improvements for the Community
Waterfront, particularly at Winter Island;
• Issuing an RFP for the re-use of the former Coast Guard hangar building and
undertaking a feasibility study for renovating the former barracks building;
• Involving the community and neighborhood groups in the long-term maintenance
and management plans for Winter Island Park;
• Implementing necessary land agreements between the Board of Trustees of the
Plummer Home for Boys and the City of Salem to ensure minimal disruption to
the implementation of improvements proposed in the plan, (specifically the
pedestrian and bike paths on Plummer Home property adjacent to the access road);
• Instituting effective long-term management and maintenance provisions for Winter
Island;
• Seeking both construction and operational subsidies as required to fully meet the
public goals for Winter Island.
Implications for Harbor Management
Although the options described above will need to be created with public funding,
development fees and revenues should ultimately support their staffing and overhead,
making them self-sustaining. Because the overall fiduciary and development decisions
will take place in public meetings, public participation will continue through all the
developments in each of the options described above.
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Phasing Strategy
Phasing and implementation will depend on a number of variables, including agreement
on priorities, availability of public funding and private financing, receptivity of the
marketplace, coordination of existing organizations and groups, and establishment of new
entities that will guide and manage the projects described in the Harbor Plan.
The Harbor Plan includes general categories for the phasing as set forth in the Summary
of Proposed Actions section that follows. The work completed in 1998 has been primarily
concerned with clarifying, coordinating, and prioritizing. In general, the Plan recommends
that this year, 1999, begin with designing and permitting; 2000 begin with dredging and
construction processes; and 2001 begin with those projects reliant on completion of other
parts of the plan.
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2000
• Clarify, coordinate and communicate roles and responsibilities for the Harbor Plan;
• Support existing projects that fit into the Harbor Plan, such as the NPS berthing facility;
• Support policies that will advance the plan, such as environmental quality of the
harbor and celebrating neighborhood identity.
2000-2001
• Design for projects such as the Harbor Walk, streetscape, signage and parking, and
begin construction;
• Investigate conditions for dredging; obtain dredging permits;
• Prepare City capital plans to induce Harbor Plan projects;
• Seek alternative sources of funding for projects;
• Develop business and financial plans for projects and programs;
• Form promotion and management entities;
• Develop Waterfront Overlay District consistent with the Harbor Plan
• Develop marketing and promotion plans;
• Negotiate with Utilities.
2001 - 2005
• Begin dredging (if DMMP establishes disposal site);
• Begin construction of public open spaces in the South Commercial Waterfront;
• Construct facilities for water taxi in the Tourist Historic Harbor and bike racks
along the waterfront;
• Develop New Salem Wharf;
• Construct landside support facilities for the Community Waterfront;
• Issue RFP for new projects on Community Waterfront.
• Undertake improvements to the South Commercial Waterfront;
• Begin new construction in the North Commercial Waterfront.
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Resources
Estimate of Proposed Costs
The following estimate of costs refers to public costs associated with many of the
recommendations contained in this Plan. Dredging costs are being estimated as part of the
separate DMMP planning process. The figures represent total project costs in 1998
dollars. Most costs were estimated based on given unit cost assumptions, to a concept
level of detail. The costs may vary considerably, however, depending on final design
directions and technical issues encountered during design and construction.
Plan Element Total Cost
Area-Wide Recommendations
Signage Program $250,000
-$500,000
South Commercial Waterfront
Landside Uses
Streetscape Improvements $2,200,000
Public Parks and Open Space $1,500,000
Harbor walkway around South River. $260,000
Waterside Uses
Boat floats and access $130,000
Tourist Waterfront
Landside Uses
Streetscape Improvements $1,200,000
Extend Streetscape Improvements to Adjacent Residential
Area
$500,000
Dinghy Dock $50,000
Landside Support Facilities for Water Taxi Activities $250,000
Waterfront Outlooks $220,000
North Commercial Waterfront
Landside Uses
Improve Derby Street streetscape. $190,000
New Salem Wharf Development (includes cost of leasable
buildings)
$4,300,000
Waterside Use
New Salem Wharf Development $19,900,000
Industrial Waterfront
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Landside Uses
Improve Derby Street and Fort Avenue streetscape. $1,050,000
Community Waterfront
Landside Uses
Improve Fort Avenue streetscape. $420,000
Winter Island improvements
Demolition, renovation, stabilization, landscape and park
improvements
$920,000
Office and tourist information center $160,000
Add surface parking facilities on the old hanger site. $140,000
Build new stage and backdrop. $130,000
Waterside Uses
Expand floats and construct support facilities for water taxi
and harbor tour activities.
$60,000
In addition to the costs associated with the recommendations within the harbor planning
area, the Harbor Plan supports funding of necessary improvements and repairs to the
waterside facilities at the Willows, consistent with the funding of the other needs specified
here.
Potential Funding Sources
A variety of both debt and equity (grant) sources may be appropriate to the
implementation of the Salem Harbor Plan. The full range of state and federal sources will
be explored as part of an implementation strategy for the Harbor Plan. The following
summary represents a first step in this process, but is not intended to foreclose other
options which may arise as the project moves forward. It is also likely that there might be
significant private interest in projects proposed by the Harbor Plan as indicated by the
positive rates of return on investment.
One significant potential resource worthy of particular note is the Seaport Bond Bill, “An
Act Relative to the Revitalization and Development of the Commonwealth’s Seaports.”
This bill provides for funds to be available to develop and revitalize the Commonwealth’s
seaports, for a variety of purposes related to infrastructure, facilities, dredging and related
improvements. Among the specific authorizations in this bond bill is not less than
eighteen million dollars for the dredging, improvements, expansion and development of
the Salem Port, the dredging of an additional deep water basin, and the construction of a
public port facility. Beyond that specific authorization, Salem would be eligible for
general funds authorized for improvements to coastal facilities in designated and non-
designated port areas. This may include construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation,
expansion, replacement and improvement of public facilities, piers, wharves, boardwalks,
berths, bulkheads, and other harbor and waterfront facilities. Funds may also become
available for the removal of unsafe and hazardous wharves and piers, and for research,
planning, and public infrastructure investments in fish hatcheries and aquaculture.
A brief description of a number of public funding programs of potential relevance to the
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implementation of the Salem Harbor Plan follows.
Source: MA Community Development Action Grant
Amounts: $1 million cap; requires match by the City.
Uses: Community and Development funds for economic development; no restriction on
spending but must be spent on publicly-owned facilities, therefore not good source
for facade improvement programs.
Timing: State-appropriated and bonded every four years (bonding occurs this year, so there
is no funding yet).
Note: Match can come from City’s CDBG funds.
Source: Federal Transportation Bond Discretionary Funds; Ferries and Terminals
Amounts: Discretionary. Three projects in MA received amounts from $1 million to $3
million in early 1990’s.
Uses: Piers, terminals, parking lots, acquisition, etc.
Timing: Program was funded in ISTEA, the transportation bond bill which authorized
spending for 1991-96. The Administration did not include this program in the next
generation, TEA-21; however, research is being conducted to determine flexibility
in funding options in this regard.
Source: Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA - 21)
Amounts: $217 billion authorized for highway and transit programs.
Uses: A variety of programs including CMAQ, STP and infrastructure safety programs
Timing: FY 2000 - 2003
Note: TEA-21 continues and expands many of the provisions and programs initiated
under ISTEA.
Source: TEA-21: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program
Amounts: $8.1 billion authorized.
Uses: Reduction of congestion and improvement of air quality in non-attainment areas.
Timing: FY 2000 - 2003
Source: TEA-21: Surface Transportation Program (STP)
Amounts: $33.3 billion authorized.
Uses: Safety improvements, sidewalk modifications to meet ADA, and transportation
enhancements.
Timing: FY 2000 - 2003
Notes STP is the broadest and most flexible component of TEA-21.
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Source: Seaport Bond Bill
Amounts: $18 million.
Uses: Dredging, improvements, expansion and development of the Salem Port, as noted
in the schedule.
Timing: NA
Source: Seaport Bond Bill
Amounts: Discretionary Funds.
Uses: Funds are available for a variety of projects, as described in the text above.
Timing: NA
Source: Public Works Economic Development Funds
Amounts: Up to $1 million spent every two years; $15,000,000 unspent this year.
Uses: Public works infrastructure improvements that result in economic enhancement,
possibly including streetscape improvements in line with the economic potential of
the improvements.
Timing: Every two years.
Source: MA Ready Resource Fund
Amounts: Up to $400,000 per year.
Uses: Public facilities, parking lots and infrastructure.
Timing NA
Source: Chapter 90 Funding
Amounts: NA
Uses: Roadway paving and raising curbing, streetscape improvements for state roads.
Timing: Possibly some funds available this year, but more in future years.
Source:
Community Development Block Grants
Amounts: NA
Uses Streetscape and Main Street improvements if area is shown to meet criteria of ‘slum
and blight.” CDBG funds may be matched to dollars obtained from other sources.
Timing: Yearly.
Note: Salem is an Entitlement Community, which means that they receive a fixed amount
of CDBG funding and are thus precluded from competing for additional funds.
Source: MA Preservation Project Fund - MHC/MACD
Amounts: $10 million in grants.
Uses: Grants are given to municipalities and nonprofit organizations for preservation of
historic properties.
Timing: Yearly.
Note: IRS offers 20% tax credit for rehabilitation of historic properties; for commercial
and rental property only - no public incentives for individual homeowners; grantee
must provide 50% match.
Source: MA Department of Environmental Management - Historic Landscapes
Program
Amounts: $50,000 maximum.
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Uses: Grants are given to municipalities for historic parks, commons, public buildings.
Timing: Annual.
Source: Historic Homeowners Tax Credit
Amounts: 20% of qualified rehabilitation expenditures can be credited against a homeowners
federal income tax liability to a limit of $50,000 for each principal residence.
Uses: Rehabilitation of single-family and multi-family residences, condominiums, and
cooperatives listed individually on the National Register, state or local registers as
well as buildings in national, state and local historic districts.
Timing: Act is awaiting passage. Future is uncertain.
Source: City of Salem - The Small Business Loan Program for Businesses on Salem’s
Entrance Corridors
Amounts: $5.000 - $7,000
Uses: Exterior improvements of commercial properties on Salem’s “entrance corrodes,”
including Derby Street and Lafayette Street.
Timing: NA
Source: City of Salem - The Facade Improvement Program (FILP)
Amounts: Loans of up to $5,000
Uses: Historically appropriate exterior improvements of commercial properties within
SRA National Register Districts.
Timing: NA
Source: City of Salem - SHIP - Salem Home Improvement Program Loans for Owner-
Occupants
Amounts: Loans at 0 to 3%
Uses: Property improvements for owner-occupants meeting certain income requirements.
Timing: NA
Source: City of Salem - HOME Program: One to Four-Family Rehabilitation for
Owner-Occupants
Amounts: Loans at 0%.
Uses: Residential improvements.
Timing: NA
Source: City of Salem - SHIP - Salem Home Improvement Program Loans for
Investor-Owners of 1 to 8 Unit Dwellings
Amounts: 3% interest loans up to $30,000 plus 50% of project amount over $30,000.
Uses: Residential improvements of properties housing low income tenants.
Timing: NA
Other funding options to assist in the implementation of streetscape, facade improvements
and other related public improvements might include Investment Tax Credits, which are
administered at the federal level through the National Park Service; and community
partnerships with local banks. Salem’s solid track record with past redevelopment efforts
was cited by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development as
a potential asset in pursuing such an option with private banks in the future.
The likelihood of acquiring funding under any of these or other sources depends on a
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variety of factors, including timing, eligibility and competing applications. At the same
time, a project’s inclusion in a Master Plan would undoubtedly strengthen its position in
any competitive review process.
Waterfront Enterprise Fund
• Create a Waterfront Enterprise fund to support marine uses and public access.
An additional funding-related recommendation of the Harbor Plan is the establishment of
a Waterfront Enterprise fund as authorized in M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 53 F1/2.
Enterprise funds allow communities to separately account for the revenues and expenses
of providing a particular service. Examples might include mooring fees, a certain
percentage of boat excise tax revenues, and other revenue generated by waterside
activities. An enterprise fund may be established for services such as utilities, health care,
recreation and transportation. The Harbor Plan recommends establishing such a fund for
the waterfront area, which might include all user fees and charges associated with
waterside activities, as well as Chapter 91 mitigation funds. The purpose of such a fund
would be to direct the proceeds of mitigation funds, revenue generated by user fees and
other donations to the enhancement of the public’s access and use and enjoyment of the
shoreline and waters of Salem Harbor. This would include, but not be limited to,
maintenance and improvements of public landings and other public properties for water-
dependent use.
All exclusion fees collected as a condition of Chapter 91 licensing would be deposited in
this Waterfront Enterprise Fund along with any other funds from grants, gifts, and other
sources. These funds are to be used for purposes consistent with the Harbor Plan. The City
Planning office should manage this fund, with expenditures approved on an annual basis
through the normal City budgeting process.
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Implementation -Summary of Proposed Actions Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame Overall Recommendations 1. Evaluate and determine method or entities to develop and manage New Salem Wharf and Winter Island. • Analyze development and management options and choose appropriate option for each project. Salem Planning Department Mayor City Council 2000 2. Establish Harbor Plan Implementation Committee • Determine Committee structure and membership • Appoint Committee members Salem Planning Department Mayor City Council 2000 3. Develop Waterfront Overlay District • Determine waterfront uses, consistent with the Harbor Plan and for each sub-area, which should be allowed and encouraged through the Overlay District. • Develop structure for District. • Hold Public Hearings Salem Planning Department City Council 2001 4. Establish Salem Power Plant Working Group • Determine Working Group Membership; appoint members • Establish agenda and procedures Salem Planning Department Mayor City Council Pacific Gas & Electric Co. 2001 2. Establish a “Salem Harbor Walk,” implement a streetscape program, and establish an informational signage system. • Hire a firm that includes a designer with expertise in identity and informational graphic design and a landscape architect with expertise in streetscape design. • Hold meetings with business and neighborhood groups to roll out, gain support, and publicize program. Salem Planning Department Salem Public Works Department Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Salem Chamber of Commerce 2001+ Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 88
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame 3. Develop overall parking and circulation strategy including public transit links by land and by sea. • Retain civil engineering firm specializing in transportation impact assessment. • Hold meetings with public agencies and local business to develop and gain support for the strategy. Salem Planning Department Public Works Department Mass Highway Department MBTA City Council Salem Chamber of Commerce 2000+ 4. Support dredging of the Federal Channel, the Federal South Channel, the South River, all public and private facilities, and the Dredge Material Management Program. • Concurrent with DMMP disposal site approval, provide permitting for dredging of projects. • Design and permit other project infrastructure. Salem Planning Department (for DMMP disposal site) Applicants for other projects 2000+ 5. Promote measures to improve and enhance the environmental quality of the Harbor. • Support groups such as Salem 2000 that are currently studying environmental quality issues Salem Planning Department Development and Management Option 2000+ 6. Clarify, coordinate, and communicate roles of the public, nonprofit and private sectors. • Begin conversations between City and various groups currently involved in planning and marketing the waterfront. • Adopts recommendations of the Master Harbor Plan (Harbor Master Plan Committee). • Hold well-publicized public hearings regarding recommendations, including responsibilities and resources and long term management entities. • Adopt Master Plan and recommendations (City Council). Salem Harbor Master Plan Committee Salem Planning Department Mayor’s Office of Business Development and Tourism Development and Management Option Salem Planning Board Salem Partnership and its affiliate, Salem Port Development Corporation Salem Chamber of Commerce BID Salem Harbor CDC Salem State College Salem City Council Harbor Plan Implementation Committee 2000 Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 89
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame South Commercial Waterfront 1. Long Term (South Commercial Waterfront): • Increased public access around Shetland Mills, connecting planning area to Palmer Cove. • Incorporate Plan recommendations into special permit, variance, and Chapter 91 licensing process. Salem Planning Board MCZM 2002+ • Improvements to beach and park at Palmer Cove. • Include funding in Capital Plan. Salem Planning Board MCZM 2002+ • Landside support for water taxi at Pioneer Village, with necessary dredging. • Investigate subsurface conditions and sediment quality for dredging most appropriate channel. • Design and permit dredging and pier infrastructure. • Funding for taxi float and kiosk. Salem Planning Board MCZM 2003+ • Promote private development. • Energize development and management options to guide and manage development activities. • Establish Waterfront Overlay District Salem Harbor CDC Development and Management Option Salem Planning Department The Partnership Salem Chamber of Commerce Private property owners 2000+ 2. Landside (South Commercial Waterfront): • Streetscape improvements: establish gateway; implement signage program; reinforce connections between downtown and the waterfront • Include in overall Salem Harbor Walk design for implementing consistent signage and streetscape program Salem Planning Department Salem Public Works Dept. Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Salem Chamber of Commerce 2001 Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 90
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame • Promote access to water’s edge as integral to any new development. • Incorporate Plan recommendations into special permit, variance, and Chapter 91. Salem Planning Board MCZM 2000+ • Construct Harbor Walk. • Incorporate funding into City Capital Plan; seek alternative sources of funding. Salem Planning Department Salem Public Works Dept. 2001 • Make waterfront accessible, street furniture, building improvements. • Incorporate funding into City Capital Plan; seek alternative sources of funding. Salem Planning Department Salem Public Works Dept. 2001+ • Create pocket parks. • Incorporate funding into City Capital Plan; seek alternative sources of funding. Salem Planning Department Salem Public Works Dept. 2001+ • Involve residents, artists and designers in community design efforts of murals, paving and other public art projects. • Form Alliance; develop agenda, priorities, and program. Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Salem Planning Department Salem Public Works Dept. Salem Harbor CDC Salem Chamber of Commerce 2000+ • Encourage uses that promote enjoyment of the water, such as restaurants, boat rental shops. • Develop retail marketing plan and begin outreach. Development and Management Option Salem Planning Department Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs 2000++ • Address neighborhood need for parking. • Create parking plan. • Acquire property or right to use privately-owned parcels currently proposed for parking. • Negotiate with Mass Electric and owners of Wendy’s site. Salem Planning Department Salem Public Works Dept. Salem Harbor CDC 2000+ Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 91
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame • Encourage removal of existing fencing at Massachusetts Electric site and replace with a pleasant landscape buffer. • Negotiate with Mass Electric. Salem Planning Department 2000+ • Promote programs to celebrate community identity, such as parade of floats linked to annual Hispanic festival. • Form Alliance; develop agenda, priorities, and program. Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Salem Harbor CDC Destination Salem 2000+ 3. Waterside Improvements (South Commercial Waterfront): • Undertake waterfront improvements, including repairs to sea wall and bulkhead, provision of additional floats, slips, and a dinghy dock, and encouraging uses to animate the area such as transient boat dockage. • Seek funding sources and undertake engineering and design studies. • Create promotional program and marketing plan for families visiting recreational boaters, excursion boats. Development and Management Option Salem Planning Department Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs 2002 4. Infrastructure Requirements (South Commercial Waterfront): • Improve vehicular and pedestrian access. • Include in overall circulation and parking strategy. Salem Planning Department Public Works Dept Development and Management Option MCZM 2000+ • Conduct dredging of the South River. • Acquire funding. • Locate disposal sites. • Conduct necessary engineering studies and engineering works. Salem Planning Department Development and Management Option MCZM 2000+ • Support studies and implementation of stormwater drainage solutions. • Implement I/I, overflow treatment facility improvement programs. Salem Planning Department Public Works Department 2000+ Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 92
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame Tourist Historic Harbor 1. Landside Improvements (Tourist Historic Harbor): • Promote increased coordination among relevant organizations citywide to provide tourism activities and enhance the quality of the visitor experience. • Develop a strategic historic, arts, cultural, and tourist business alliance and create a strategic marketing partnership. Chamber of Commerce Mayor’s Tourism and Cultural Advisory Committee, which includes the museums and hotels, Mayor’s Office of Business Development and Tourism Salem Partnership and its affiliate, Seaport Partnership, NPS, BID, Salem Harbor CDC, North Shore Convention Council 2000+ • Implement streetscape improvements, walkway improvements, and small park-like outlooks. • Hire a firm that includes a designer with expertise in identity and informational graphic design and a landscape architect with expertise in streetscape design; Hold meetings with business groups to roll out, gain support, and publicize program. Salem Planning Department Salem Public Works Department Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Development and Management Option 2001 • Promote events, programs and designed elements that celebrate the maritime cultural heritage of residents, encourage community participation and strengthen neighborhood identity and pride • Develop a strategic historic, arts, cultural, tourist business alliance Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Salem Harbor CDC 2000+ • Provide for public access to the waterfront through Chapter 91 licensing, easements, acquisition of properties, or through construction along public areas. • Gain acceptance of waterfront land use plan; Incorporate Plan recommendations into special permit, variance, and similar reviews; Establish memorandum of understanding for specific implementation of Chapter 91 recommendations if required. Salem Planning Department Development and Management Option Salem City Council Salem Planning Board DEP 2000++ Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 93
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame • Promote property improvement programs. • Determine availability of funding from the HUD, banks and other sources. • Expand various guidelines to include residential and commercial properties within the planning area. Salem Planning Department 2000+ • Support implementation of NPS programs. • Incorporate NPS agenda into strategic marketing partnership plan of the Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs. Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs 2000 • Install bike racks along the waterfront. • Incorporate funding into City Capital Plan. • Seek alternative sources of funding. Salem Planning Department Development and Management Option 2001 • Construct a dinghy dock and landside facilities for a water taxi service. • Incorporate funding into City Capital Plan. • Seek alternative sources of funding. Salem Department of Planning Development and Management Option 2002+ 2. Waterside Improvements (Tourist Historic Harbor): • Support NPS plans to construct a mooring and berthing facility. • Incorporate into recommendations and public hearings for Harbor Master Plan. Harbor Planning Committee 2000+ • Promote water taxi service, harbor tours and other boating activities. Incorporate waterfront activities agenda into strategic marketing partnership plan of the Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs 2000 Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 94
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame North Commercial Waterfront 1. Landside Uses (North Commercial Waterfront): • Extend streetscape improvements, enhance pedestrian connections, and create pedestrian walkways. • Hire a firm that includes a designer with expertise in identity and informational graphic design and a landscape architect with expertise in streetscape design; Hold meetings with business groups to roll out, gain support, and publicize program. Salem Planning Department Salem Public Works Department Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs 2004 • Manage traffic and increased parking. • Implement circulation and parking program. Development and Management Option Salem Public Works Department 2000++ • Celebrate neighborhood identity in physical improvements and proposed events. • Coordinate projects with appropriate representatives and groups. Development and Management Option Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Salem Harbor CDC 2000+ • Support new construction consistent with character of the neighborhood and respectful of existing views, including non-water dependent uses to contribute financial support to New Salem Wharf; a refueling station, new parking facilities; a landscape buffer. • Resolve future ownership and management issues. • Create ownership and management entities; develop lease mechanism for publicly-owned land for potential private development; develop financing mechanism to support new entities • Insure private financing. Development and Management Option Private Developers The Salem Partnership 2001+ • Promote businesses aimed at providing services to boaters. • Develop retail marketing plan and begin outreach. Development and Management Option Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Salem Chamber of Commerce 2001+ Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 95
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame 2. Waterside Improvements (North Commercial Waterfront): • Construct New Salem Wharf, build berthing facilities, provide fuel dock • Create ownership and management entities; develop lease mechanism for publicly-owned land for potential private development; develop financing mechanism to support new entities. • Insure funding from Seaport Bond Bill. Development and Management Option 2002-2005 3. Infrastructure Requirements (North Commercial Waterfront): • Conduct dredging at Hawthorne Cove. • Provide design and permitting for dredging and associated infrastructure for project. Development and Management Option Salem Planning Department MCZM 2001-2003 Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 96
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame Industrial Port 1. Landside Improvements (Industrial Port): • Implement streetscape and landscape improvements; undertake graphics program for energy plant elements. • Hire a firm that includes a designer with expertise in identity and informational graphic design and a landscape architect with expertise in streetscape design; Hold meetings with Pacific Gas & Electric to agree on those improvements to be undertaken by City and those by the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Salem Planning Department Salem Public Works Department Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Salem Chamber of Commerce Development and Management Option Pacific Gas & Electric 2002-2004 • Construct additional parking facilities to support new uses. • Negotiate with the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. • Acquire access to site. • Salem Planning Department Pacific Gas & Electric 2003 • Support environmental impact improvements at the site. • Monitor and discuss potential for environmental impact improvements. Salem Planning Department Development and Management Option U.S. Generating Company 2004 3. Infrastructure Improvements: (Industrial Port) • Support federal channel maintenance dredging. Salem Planning Department U.S. Generating Company Pacific Gas & Electric, MCZM 2000++ Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 97
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame Community Waterfront 1. Landside Improvements (Community Waterfront): • Streetscape improvements, Landscaping, extension of electrical service, landscape buffers, walkway as part of the Harbor Walk, bikeway, pedestrian walks, confine RVs. • Participate in the City’s streetscape and signage project, but insure that a landscape designer familiar with park design is also included in the process. Development and Management Option Salem Parks and Recreation Salem Public Works Conservation Commission 2002+ • Construct landside support facilities for a water taxi service, improvements such as outdoor showers, new covered stage, stabilize eroded transition between ramparts of Fort Picketing and the shore, erect and exclusion fences, reconstruct paths, recreate original moat, create a sharper definition of the earth works, rehabilitate the entrance to the ammunitions bunker and add lighting, restore and repair the lighthouse. • Develop financial management program to enhance fee income from Winter Island activities and direct revenues back into maintenance, management and new construction at the Park. • Create public funding plan for activities and new projects not covered through fees • . • Create a new structure to manage public and private development. • Set priorities among projects. • Sign MOA between The Plummer Home and City to ensure public access to pathway adjacent to access road. Development and Management Option Salem Parks and Recreation Salem Public Works Conservation Commission Salem Planning Department The Trustees of The Plummer Home 2002++ -2001 • Issue RFP for re-use of former Coast Guard hangar building, • Undertake financial feasibility study of various uses for building renovation or for new building. • Complete Park amenities Development and Management Option Conservation Commission 2001 2004 • Restore former barracks building. • Undertake financial feasibility study of various uses for building renovation. Development and Management Option Conservation Commission 2001+ • Make public more aware of resources • Undertake public outreach program, support generation and marketing program. Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Parks and Recreation Department 2000+ Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 98
Categories and Recommendations Required Actions Responsibilities Primary responsibility in bold Time Frame 2. Waterside Improvements (Community Waterfront): • Promote water taxi service and harbor tours. • Construct adequate landing facilities. • Market services. Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs Parks and Recreation Department Salem Chamber of Commerce 2000 • Add floats to existing pier. • Purchase and install floats. Parks and Recreation Department 2001 • Promote public boating activities • Include promotional plan with activities of the Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs • Insure that all necessary waterside improvements have been completed Salem Planning Department Parks and Recreation Department 2000+ Salem Harbor Plan The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 99
REGULATORY
ENVIRONMENT
Overview: Chapter 91
Activities Subject to Chapter 91
Designated Port Area
Authority of the Salem Harbor
Plan and DPA Master Plan
Compliance with Waterways
Regulations (Chapter 91)
Consistency Requirements
Guidance to DEP
Other Local and Federal
Regulations and Permits
VI. REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
• Use existing regulatory mechanisms, such as zoning, site plan review and Chapter
91 as means for realizing the vision of continuous public access to and along the
waterfront, improved visual access, and increased activity on the South River over
time.
• Employ Chapter 91 provisions for Supporting Designated Port Area (DPA) Uses
associated with the New Salem Wharf development.
• Ensure that all proposed improvements are in compliance with the standards for
the approval of a Municipal Harbor Plan/DPA Master Plan.
• Develop new local Waterfront Overlay District to facilitate and support desired
redevelopment of each planning sub-area.
Overview: Chapter 91
Salem’s waterfront and harbor are subject to the regulatory authorities of the local, state,
and federal governments. Among the state’s authorities, M.G.L. Chapter 91 (Public
Waterfront Act) and the waterways regulations (310 CMR 9.00) adopted to implement
the law, seek to ensure that the Commonwealth's tidelands are utilized only for water-
dependent uses or otherwise “serve a proper public purpose which provides greater
benefit than detriment to the rights of the public in said lands.” The Chapter 91 licensing
program is administered by the Waterways Regulation Program of the Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection.
Chapter 91 applies in tidelands, great ponds, and along certain rivers and streams.
Tidelands refer to all land presently or formerly beneath the waters of the ocean. On the
landside, tidelands extend to the historic high tide line, i.e., the farthest landward tide line
which existed “prior to human alteration” by filling, dredging, impoundment or other
means. Generally, DEP jurisdiction applies to all filled as well as flowed tidelands, with
the exception of “landlocked” tidelands. These are filled areas which are outside of
Designated Port Areas, are located more than 250’ from existing MHW, and are
separated from the shoreline by a public way (see Figure 12 for an approximate location
of the historic high tide line in Salem Harbor).
Activities Subject to Chapter 91
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The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 100
Chapter 91 authorization is generally required for the placement of fill, building of
structures, and dredging in tidelands. Types of structures include: piers, wharves, floats,
retaining walls, revetments, pilings, bridges, dams, and waterfront buildings (if on filled
lands or over the water). A new license also may be required if there has been a structural
change or change in use of a previously licensed structure. The placement of temporary
rafts, floats or moorings in the waterway do not require a Chapter 91 license, if they
receive an annual permit from the Harbormaster, as noted elsewhere in this report.
Water-Dependent Uses
In general, uses licensed under the waterways program must either be water-dependent or
“serve a proper public purpose, which provides greater benefit than detriment to the
rights of the public in said lands.”
Water-dependent use is defined in section 9.12(2) of the Chapter 91 regulations. In
general, a water-dependent use is one that requires direct access to or location in tidal or
inland waters, and therefore cannot be located away from said waters. A full definition of
water-dependent uses can be found in the regulations. Among the uses defined as water-
dependent that are likely to apply to Salem are:
• Marinas, boat basins, channels, storage areas, and other commercial or
recreational boating facilities;
• Facilities for fishing, swimming, diving, and other water-based recreational
activities;
• Parks, esplanades, boardwalks, and other pedestrian facilities that promote use
and enjoyment of the water by the general public and are located at or near the
water’s edge, including but not limited to any park adjacent to a waterway and
created by a public agency;
• Aquariums and other education, research, or training facilities dedicated
primarily to marine purposes;
• Aquaculture facilities;
• Waterborne passenger transportation facilities such as those serving ferries,
cruise ships, commuter and excursion boats, and water shuttles and taxis;
• Dredging for navigation channels, boat basins, and other water-dependent
purposes and subaqueous disposal of the dredged materials below the low water
mark;
• Navigation aids, marine police and fire stations, and other facilities which
promote public safety and law enforcement on the waterways;
• Shore protection structures, such as seawalls, bulkheads, revetments, dikes,
breakwaters, and any associated fill which are necessary either to protect an
existing structure from natural erosion or accretion, or to protect, construct, or
expand a water-dependent use;
• Flood, water level, or tidal control facilities;
• Discharge pipes, outfalls, tunnels, and diffuser systems for conveyance of
stormwater, wastewater, or other effluents to a receiving waterway.
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The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 101
Designated Port Area
Within the DPA it is the intent of state policy and programs to encourage water-
dependent industrial use. In general, water-dependent industrial uses are those industrial
and infrastructure facilities that are dependent on marine transportation or require large
volumes of water to be withdrawn from or discharged to a waterway for cooling, process,
or treatment purposes.
Water-dependent industrial uses include:
• Marine terminals and related facilities for transfer and storage of goods
transported by marine vessels;
• Facilities associated with commercial passenger vessel operations;
• Manufacturing facilities relying on goods shipped by waterborne
transportation;
• Commercial fishing and fish processing facilities;
• Boatyards, dry docks, and other facilities related to the construction,
servicing, maintenance, repair, or storage of vessels;
• Facilities for vessels engaged in port operations or marine construction;
• Other industrial uses or infrastructure facilities which cannot reasonably be
located at an inland site as determined in accordance with 310 cmr 9.12(2)(c) or
(d).
• Uses determined to be associated with the operation of a Designated Port
Area.
A segment of the Salem waterfront has been identified by the Commonwealth as a
Designated Port Area (DPA) (see Figure 12). The DPA consists of the land, piers, and
water area southeast of Derby Street and Fort Avenue, extending from the Pacific Gas &
Electric’s site to (and including) the northernmost wharf of the Hawthorne Cove Marina.
Major water-dependent industrial uses within the DPA include the former Northeast
Petroleum tank farm and oil terminal and the Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s coal and
oil fired electrical generation plant. The DPA includes the federal channel and anchorage
leading to the Salem Terminal Wharf and the nearshore waters between the terminal
facilities and the anchorage. The regulations describe the water area of a DPA to include
the side slopes of channels and all water area lying between a channel and any land or
water areas of the DPA.
Other uses, including certain general industrial, commercial, and transportation activities,
and compatible public access can be accommodated under prescribed circumstances and
conditions. To enhance flexibility and the economic viability of DPAs, most nonwater-
dependent industrial uses and commercial uses are eligible for licensing as Supporting
DPA Uses if they are compatible with nearby maritime industry and provide direct
economic or operational support to water-dependent industrial use in the DPA.
Nonwater-dependent industrial uses and commercial (water-dependent and nonwater-
dependent) uses qualifying as Supporting DPA uses may occupy an area of a DPA
property equal to 25 percent of all filled tidelands and piers on the project site. Larger
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The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 102
amounts of the site may be developed for supporting use if authorized by an approved
DPA Master Plan.
Salem Harbor Plan
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 103
Authority of the Salem Harbor Plan and DPA Master Plan
The City of Salem’s Harbor Plan and DPA Master Plan sets forth the City’s objectives,
standards, and policies for guiding public and private use of the land and water areas of
its harbor, and an implementation program to achieve the desired plan.
The plan (upon approval by the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA))
serves to guide EOEA agency actions including the regulatory decisions of the
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under Chapter 91. When an approved
harbor plan/DPA Master Plan exists, any project seeking Chapter 91 approval from DEP
must be in conformance with that plan. In essence, once the harbor plan is approved, the
City of Salem utilizes the state regulatory authority to help implement the goals and
objectives articulated in the plan.
Through a locally-prepared plan, a municipality has the ability to "substitute" local
standards for certain Chapter 91 dimensional requirements such as building height limits
and setbacks. Standards that can be substituted for by an approved Municipal Harbor
Plan apply only to nonwater-dependent uses and are subject to specific conditions for
each standard as contained in the Harbor Plan approval standards in 301 CMR 23.05.
Some of the minimum standards that can be substituted by an approved Municipal
Harbor Plan are:
• no new extensions of pile-supported structures for nonwater-dependent use
except where no further seaward extension is proposed and the open water lost is
replaced on a 1:1 basis;
• no nonwater-dependent Facilities of Private Tenancy on any pile-supported
structures on flowed tidelands, nor on the ground level of any filled tidelands
within 100 feet of the project shoreline;
• no new or expanded nonwater-dependent buildings nor parking facilities at or
above grade for any use within a water-dependent use zone;
• at least one square foot of tideland area within the combined footprints of
nonwater-dependent buildings (renovation or reuse of existing buildings shall
provide open space to the maximum reasonable extent);
• new or expanded buildings for nonwater-dependent use shall not exceed 55
feet in height if located over the water or within 100 feet of the high water mark;
for every foot beyond 100 feet from the high water mark, the height of the
building can increase by 0.5 feet.
Recognizing that special circumstances frequently arise, the purpose of allowing
substitutions is to tailor the Waterways regulations to permit alternative ways of achieve
the same purposes, which may be more compatible with the community’s zoning
regulations. Substitute provisions can be less restrictive than the Waterways
requirements, “provided that the plan includes other requirements which, considering the
balance of effects on an area-wide basis, will mitigate, compensate or otherwise offset
adverse effects on water-related public interests.”
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The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 104
The provisions of a Municipal Harbor Plan also can provide guidance for DEP by
“amplifying” or elaborating upon the numerous discretionary requirements of the
Chapter 91 regulations to projects under review. One form of guidance could be to
restrict the list of uses allowed by DEP on tidelands or in the DPA to those the
community wishes to promote. For example, in the DPA, the master plan could present a
list of eligible “supporting DPA uses” to guide DEP in its future licensing.
The DPA Master Plan provides the City with some potentially important flexibility in
calculating the amount of Supporting DPA Uses that may be allowed and in siting these
uses within the DPA. Through the Master Plan, the area that can be devoted to supporting
commercial uses can equal 25% of the total DPA land area and supporting industrial uses
may occupy an even greater area. This is in contrast to the regulatory limit of 25% of the
land and pier area on each project site for all Supporting DPA Uses. The plan can specify
where in the DPA these uses could or should be sited and contain provisions to ensure
that the DPA is managed/regulated in conformance with the plan.
Guidance to DEP: Substitute Provisions
The Salem Harbor Plan proposes substitutions of certain minimum dimensional
requirements of the Waterways Regulations for nonwater-dependent uses. The following
discussion identifies the applicable provision of the Waterways Regulations, the
alternative standards of the plan, and the justification for proposed substitutions. The plan
further recognizes that there may be limited cases where strict compliance with other
numerical standards of the regulations would create a substantial hardship for the
continuation of an existing use or structure. In such situations, the variance procedure set
forth at 310 CMR 9.21 is considered by this plan to be an adequate means to address the
hardship issue.
A. The specified width(s) of the water-dependent use zone within which new or expanded
buildings for nonwater-dependent uses and all new parking facilities are prohibited. Sec.
9.51(3)(c).
The plan proposes substitutions for the minimum width of the water dependent use
zone for new or expanded buildings along portions of the South River and the North
Commercial Waterfront.
South River
Along the edges of the South River lying to the west of the Congress Street Bridge,
the water-dependent use zone stipulated by the Waterways regulations generally
ranges between 35 and 60 feet. The plan, in keeping with the Waterways Regulations,
allows for existing structures of non water-dependent use to continue to occupy the
water-dependent use zone. For new or expanded buildings which are consistent with
the recommendations for the South Commercial Waterfront, the plan requires a
setback of at least 20 feet from the existing shoreline. The specific uses to which this
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substitution applies will be further defined through the development of the Waterfront
Overlay District, which is a high priority of the Implementation Plan.
This alternative standards will not compromise the Waterways regulations’ objective
for the water-dependent use zone, which is to ensure that “...sufficient space along the
water’s edge will be devoted exclusively to water-dependent activity and public
access associated herewith.” It is the conclusion of this plan that the recommended
water-dependent uses and public access can be accommodated within the 20 foot
passage along the shoreline of the properties. This conclusion is based on:
(1) the limited capacity of the river to support vessel activity. The navigability
and utility of the South River is limited by its shallow depth, narrow
width, and low clearance (3 feet at MHW) of the Congress Street Bridge.
Even the new dredging for the South River will provide a depth of only -
6.0 feet MLW to accommodate relatively shallow-draft vessels.
(2) the level and type of water-dependent use established by the plan for the
South River. Dredging of the South River will provide the basis for new
opportunities in support of small-scale recreational boating only (generally
limited to vessels under 30 feet). In addition, the Salem Harbor Plan
encourages new development and uses along the waterfront to take
advantage of potential new water-dependent opportunities presented by
the river as well as to attract and accommodate public use and enjoyment
of the waterfront. New development in this area will include water-
dependent uses, such as facilities in support of small-boat recreational or
commercial activities.
Activation of the waterfront with small-boat tie-up or berthing facilities, dinghy
docks, or other needed support facilities (e.g., lockers, storage) for recreational
boaters or fishermen should be included as part of new development of properties
in suitable locations. These facilities will occupy the water’s edge in a manner
compatible with the Salem Harbor Walk. This arrangement is consistent with the
Chapter 91 regulations as well as the City’s objectives of creating an active
transition area between the South Commercial Waterfront neighborhood and
downtown.
In addition to satisfying the Waterways standards, this has the added advantage of
creating an active and interesting urban space and walkway system that achieves
an urban design goal of a well-defined area activated by facilities of public
accommodation consistent with the historic urban setting. This same intention has
been incorporated into the planning for the edges of New Salem Wharf that will
serve to encourage public access along a lively, intensely-used area
accommodating both water-dependent and Supporting DPA uses. This activation
of the water’s edge is in keeping with the historical image of the community as a
New England port with mixed uses stretched along an active, maritime dominated
water edge.
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The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 106
As an offset to having a narrow water-dependent use zone in this area of the
South River, the plan calls for the creation of five unobstructed corridors [no-
build zones] connecting the walkway along the South River to the adjacent streets
on designated properties, and for the creation of new public open space from
Peabody, Derby, and Congress Streets to the waterfront on designated properties
identified in this plan. Specific parcel information relevant to this substitution is
provided below.
The water-dependent use zone is reduced, but the width is not considered as
important as the openings connecting the waterfront with the flow of urban
activity from the surrounding area. An adequately-sized 20 foot accessway along
the waterfront together with five “no-build” corridors (see Figure 13) are
considered to be more appropriate for the area because it complements a
revitalized commercial district in both size and design, featuring waterfront
access and water-dependent uses on the north and much-needed physical and
visual connections between the residential area and the waterway on the south.
These corridors are all substantially wider than the 10 foot minimum width
normally required for connecting walkways between the waterfront and nearby
public ways. As shown in the table below, the combined area of the 5 no-build
zones (3 parcels dedicated as open space and 2 connecting walkways) together
with the total area of lateral Harborwalk exceeds the combined setback area that
would have been provided on a site-by-site basis.
Estimates of Total Area of Setback Space, Including Lateral and Connecting
Walkways, Achievable Using Substitute Provisions Compared to Total Area of
Setback Space Achievable Using Site-By-Site Approach.
Site-by-site approach using existing
Chapter 91 standards
Salem Harbor Plan substitute standard
approach
Total area of water-dependent
use zone obtainable under complete
redevelopment 77,715 SF
Total area of connecting
walkways
5,500 SF
Total area of three no-build
Parcels 54,250 SF
Total area of Harborwalk
19,550 SF
TOTAL 77,715 SF
TOTAL 79,300 SF
North Commercial Waterfront
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The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 107
In the North Commercial Waterfront area, at the site of the New Salem Wharf, the
water-dependent use zone is as much as 100 feet in depth along the easterly edge
of the cove and approximately 35 feet along the northwesterly shoreline. At the
head of Hawthorne Cove, the plan observes the water-dependent use zone which
ranges between 35 and 45 feet. For one segment of the New Salem Wharf site
where the required water-dependent use zone is 100 feet, the plan substitutes a
water-dependent use zone of 35 feet. This is the location of proposed commercial
development at the northeast corner of the head of the cove (see Figure 14). This
depth is adequate to accommodate the landside activities associated with the
particular vessel types, e.g., fishing boats and excursion boats, to which the New
Salem Wharf project is dedicated. It also allows the buildings to be occupied by
Supporting DPA Uses to be within a reasonable distance of the water-dependent
industrial use proposed for the New Salem Wharf. This substitution is proposed
only for the location where it is necessary, i.e., where Supporting DPA Uses are
proposed. The total area that Supporting DPA Uses will occupy is approximately
4,270 square feet (as indicated by the hatched shading in Figure 14). A reduced
water-dependent use zone is not needed elsewhere because all other uses are
entirely water-dependent industrial uses or accessory to water-dependent uses.
To compensate for the small reduction of the water-dependent use zone in the
above described area on the New Salem Wharf, the plan commits to restricting
uses on the remainder of New Salem Wharf to only water-dependent industrial
uses and accessory uses thereto. All substitute provisions in the North
Commercial Waterfront apply only to a publicly developed New Salem Wharf.
B. The provision for open space on a one-to-one basis for every square foot of tideland
area within the combined footprint of buildings containing nonwater-dependent use on
the project site. Sec. 9.51(3)(d)
For projects along the South River to the west of the Congress Street bridge, the
plan proposes a substitution for this provision that limits site coverage of all
nonwater-dependent buildings to 50 percent of the total area bounded by
Peabody, Lafayette, Derby and Congress streets.
The plan takes advantage of the flexibility provided for in section 9.51(3)(d) of the
Waterways Regulations. For projects along the South River in the area bounded by
Peabody, Lafayette, Derby and Congress streets, the Plan proposes that the
maximum 50 percent requirement be applied on an aggregate basis, i.e., the total
area of all the lots along this section of the South River, rather than limit nonwater-
dependent building site coverage to approximately 50 percent on a parcel-by parcel
basis. The needed balance between building coverage and open space is better
achieved area-wide. Specific parcels have been earmarked for open space and
street-to-waterfront access corridors to offset, in part, the reduction of open space
on other parcels (see Figure 13).
Salem Harbor Plan
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 108
This substitution will not compromise the Waterways objectives to ensure that “...in
general, buildings for nonwater-dependent use will be relatively condensed in
footprint, in order that an amount of open space commensurate with that occupied
by such buildings will be available to accommodate water-dependent activity and
public access associated therewith. . .”. In fact, the net result will essentially be
equivalent in terms of the amount of open space that will remain available for
recreation and water-dependent activity. This can be enforced entirely through the
Chapter 91 permitting process because all lots are within jurisdiction of the
Waterways Regulation Program (according to the historical shoreline information
provided by DEP).
To ensure proper implementation of this substitution, DEP requires and will rely
on the City of Salem to keep a record of the aggregate build-out percentage for
the area as each project in the district is submitted for review. In all of its Section
18 recommendations on Waterways license applications for this area, the City’s
Planning Board will include a certification that the maximum allowable aggregate
building coverage (existing and new) will not be exceeded upon completion of the
proposed project.
This substitution provides flexibility for the City to consider denser build-out on
the north side of the South River while providing less dense build-out and more
generous view corridors and accessways on the south side, where it is more
appropriate. Such rearrangement of open space is appropriate because it would
create consolidated areas of desirable and useable open space on the south side of
the river adjacent to and providing a physical and visual connection between a
relatively dense residential area with the waterway. In addition, the amount of
open space to be created on the north side of the river has been programmed by
the plan to complement a revitalized commercial district featuring pedestrian and
small boat access. The proposed substitute standard assists in achieving the urban
design goal for Derby Street, which is to restore the historical character of this
maritime community. This design scheme calls for the restoration of a consistent
street wall for the edges of buildings along Derby Street, punctuated by access
points to the waterfront.
Data obtained from the City of Salem assessor’s maps indicates that the aggregate
amount of open space required in this area shall not be less than 185,000 square
feet.
Salem Harbor Plan
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 109
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SALEM HARBOR PLAN
Bryne McKinney & AssociatesThe Cecil Group, Inc.Nucci Vine Associates Urban Harbors Institute
Figure 14: WATER-DEPENDENT USE ZONES:
Substitution and Compensation
1000
500 feet20050
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Guidance To DEP: Non-substitute Provisions
This section provides specific guidelines for Waterways licensing on matters involving
the application of discretionary requirements. The guidance of the Plan is intended to
apply to all existing and new development that will be licensed under the waterways
regulations.
South Commercial Waterfront
The Harbor Plan’s vision for the future of the South Commercial waterfront features
increased open space, continuous pedestrian access in the form of the Salem Harbor
Walk along the entire shoreline including both sides of the South River, and increased
levels of water-dependent activity along the waterfront. Some of these objectives along
the South Commercial Waterfront will be realized through Chapter 91 licensing. Based
on historic map information presented by DEP, the plan assumes that all parcels bounded
by Peabody, Lafayette, Derby, and Congress streets are subject to Chapter 91.
It is anticipated that there is existing development along the South Commercial
Waterfront where a structure or use occupies filled tidelands without complete and proper
authorization. While the long-term the goals of this plan are achievable through
individual or joint redevelopment of properties, activating the waterfront, increasing
public access to the water, and improving the conditions of accessible property is
possible in the short-term through the licensing process. In cases where existing
development will require licensing under the waterways regulations, the plan specifies
the ways in which such development can comply with the public benefits requirements of
the regulations.
Salem Harbor Walk
Improving public access to and along the shoreline is one of the fundamental objectives
of the Chapter 91 program and the plan’s recommendations are fully consistent with and
promote the state policies for the tidelands. The plan’s public access goals will be
achieved through the Chapter 91 licensing process as property owners redevelop or
improve their properties.
The Waterways regulations contain several core provisions that are essential to the open
space and waterfront access goals of the Plan. These are:
• The project shall preserve any rights held by the Commonwealth in trust for
the public to use tidelands...for lawful purposes...[Specifically], the project shall
not interfere with public rights of navigation...public rights of free passage over
and through the water...public rights associated with a common landing, public
easement, or other historical legal form of public access from the land to the water
that may exist on or adjacent to the project site...public rights of fishing, fowling,
and the natural derivatives thereof...(§9.35)
Salem Harbor Plan
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 110
• A nonwater-dependent use project that includes fill or structures on any
tidelands shall not unreasonably diminish the capacity of such lands to
accommodate water-dependent use...[taking] into account any relevant
information concerning the utility or adaptability of the site for present or future
water-dependent purposes...(§9.51)
• A nonwater-dependent use project that includes fill or structures on any
tidelands shall devote a reasonable portion of such lands to water-dependent use,
including public access in the exercise of public rights in such lands...[taking] into
account the capacity of the project site to serve such water-dependent
purposes...(§9.52)
Associated with each of these core provisions are a number of discretionary
requirements, several of which are of primary relevance to Salem and are thus amplified
upon by the recommendations of this Plan. The specific discretionary requirements on
which the Plan provides guidance for DEP application are listed below.
§9.35(5)(c) Management of Areas Accessible to the Public. “No gates, fences, or
other structures may be placed on any areas open to public access in a manner
that would impede or discourage the free flow of pedestrian movement...”
§9.52(1)(a) Utilization of Shoreline for Water-Dependent Purposes. “In the event
that the project site includes a water-dependent use zone, the project shall
include...facilities that generate water-dependent activity...”
§9.52(1)(b) Utilization of Shoreline for Water-Dependent Purposes.
(1) “In the event that the project site includes a water-dependent use zone, the
project shall include...walkways and related facilities along the entire length of
the water-dependent use zone...no less than ten feet in width...”
(2) “In the event that the project site includes a water-dependent use zone, the
project shall include...appropriate connecting walkways that allow pedestrians to
approach the shoreline walkways from public ways or other public access
facilities to which any tidelands on the project site are adjacent.
The Plan establishes a 20-foot public access way along the entire shoreline of the
South River east of the Congress Street Bridge. A minimum of 10 feet of this
walkway must be an unobstructed pathway. The remaining 10 feet can be used, as
appropriate, for access amenities such as benches, trash receptacles, and lighting.
This harbor walkway is essential to improving access along the waters edge, and a
critical aspect of this plan. New development or redevelopment of existing
structures must comply with this 20 foot standard. In cases of properties requiring
licensing of existing development, where the existing building is within 20 feet of
the shoreline, the passageway shall consist of the entire area between the building
and shoreline, but not less than 10 feet (minimum standard). If necessary, this
minimum 10 foot passageway is to be created either by a) removing structures
Salem Harbor Plan
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 111
along the water’s edge, b) creating a passageway through the building or, as a last
resort, if these alternatives are infeasible, 3) building new pedestrian structures
over the water, as illustrated in Figure 5. An inland route connecting with the
waterfront walkway on either side is considered a final alternative, but only when
the above are not possible (due to insurmountable obstacles) and where it would
be a benefit to encourage movement between Peabody and Derby Streets and
activities on the waterfront.
§9.55 Standards for Nonwater-Dependent Infrastructure Facilities.
(1) “[Infrastructure facilities] shall include mitigation and/or compensation
measures as deemed appropriate by the Department to ensure that all feasible
measures are taken to avoid or minimize detriments to the water-related interests
of the public.”
(2) “[Infrastructure facilities] shall take reasonable measures to provide open
spaces for passive recreation at or near the water’s edge, wherever appropriate.”
Discussions should be initiated with Mass Electric Company regarding the
reconfiguration and/or relocation of the substation in the context of
appropriate DEP licensing. As currently configured, the substation has a
significant negative impact on the appearance of the area. In accordance
with section 9.05(3)(c) of the Waterways Regulations, DEP should require
an application for license or license amendment on the basis that the
existing use may be significantly harming an overriding water-related
public interest. This provision would assist in establishing the South River
waterfront as a locus of water dependent use and public enjoyment. The
relocation of the facility would enable the redevelopment of the sizable
parcel for uses more appropriate to this waterfront location. In particular,
the southeast corner of this parcel is recommended to serve as a no-build
zone in order to create a corridor to the waterfront and a lateral walkway
along the water’s edge. All new development and renovations should be
consistent in scale and in character with the surrounding waterfront
neighborhoods.
Prohibition on Gambling Cruises
The Salem waterfront is a very limited and highly valued resource of the City. The plan
has established priorities for water-dependent uses based on their ability to provide direct
and indirect economic and quality-of-life benefits to Salem. Typically, gambling boat
operations do not tend to bring benefits of this type to their host community, but do
contribute to traffic congestion and exacerbate the shortage of parking needed for the
uses encouraged by the plan. Therefore, the plan supports the licensing of the principal
water-dependent uses listed in Section 9.12(2) of the Waterways Regulations, with the
Salem Harbor Plan
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 112
one exception that dockage for and facilities in support of gambling cruises2 are
specifically prohibited.
This Municipal Harbor Plan finds that the detriments of such gambling boat operations
far exceed the benefits to the community to an extent that justifies their exclusion in
accordance with Section 9.31(3)(b) of the Waterways Regulations. In the licensing of any
structure associated with passenger vessels, the plan requires a condition specifically
prohibiting its use in support of gambling cruises.
Designated Port Area
The following paragraphs amplify upon the provisions in Section 9.32(1)(b) and the
definitions in 9.02 of the Waterways Regulations governing uses eligible for licensing in
a DPA.
The entire land area of the industrial port has long been and is currently used for water-
dependent industrial use. The recommendations for the industrial port support
maintaining the current levels of water-dependent industrial uses. The vast majority
(approximately 68 percent) of the land area of the Designated Port Area is within Chapter
91 jurisdiction. In the unlikely event that the current uses of the Pacific Gas and Electric
site are discontinued within the next five years (i.e., prior to the date of required renewal
of plan approval by the Secretary of Environmental Affairs), only the following uses will
be eligible for licensing: water-dependent industrial use, Marine Industrial Parks, and
temporary uses as defined in the Waterways Regulations.
There are no uses and/or structures categorically restricted by the Waterways regulations
that are not similarly prohibited by the Salem Harbor Plan. In particular, the plan for the
new Salem Wharf includes fill and structures for water-dependent industrial uses,
specifically, passenger vessel operations, and includes berths and facilities for cruise
ships, commercial fishermen, water taxis and ferries. These activities and uses are
consistent with the Chapter 91 regulations for DPAs. The plan for the New Salem Wharf
proposes to use fill rather than pile-supported or floating structures. In response to the
provision of section 9.32(1)(b)2 of the Waterways Regulations, these latter structures are
not considered reasonable alternatives for the following reasons:
• Filling is compatible with the DMMP.
• The sediment in the proposed fill area is contaminated. Filling would cap the
contaminated material, reduce the total area requiring dredging, and, as a result,
reduce the overall volume and cost of contaminated dredge spoils requiring
special disposal.
• Fill and bulkheading along the existing shoreline creates usable edge and
allows for the dredging necessary to create deepwater vessel berths. Water-
2 This plan defines a gambling cruise as any excursion vessel outfitted essentially for gambling, excluding
cruise ships, ferries, and other vessels dedicated primarily for marine transportation.
Salem Harbor Plan
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 113
dependent uses include shore protection structures such as bulkheads and
associated fill which are necessary to construct the water-dependent industrial use
(sec. 9.12(a)11).
• Buildings on the proposed fill area are to be developed for water-dependent
industrial uses only. Envisioned in the Harbor Plan for this area of fill are uses
such as a support structures for ticket sales to commercial operations and ferries,
support buildings for commercial fishing enterprises, and the like.
The area adjacent to Derby Street on the landside of the DPA, not currently occupied by
industrial use, is recommended for use as parking. Additional parking is needed for
existing and proposed new water-dependent industrial uses; therefore, the parking is
considered to be predominantly an accessory use to the water-dependent industrial uses.
Creation of the parking area in this location is consistent with the regulations for DPAs,
as the land is underutilized and does not have attributes that are of primary importance to
attracting maritime development to the DPA. Parking in this location has the added
advantage of serving as a buffer between the industrial uses and adjoining residential and
commercial uses. Buffering will be further enhanced with proposed landscaping.
In accordance with the authorization in the regulations for Review and Approval of
Municipal Harbor Plans (301 CMR 23.00), and as consistent with the definition in 310
CMR 9.02, the plan endorses the following industrial and commercial uses allowable
under the Salem zoning code as Supporting DPA Uses: business offices (adaptive reuse
of existing buildings), general storage and warehousing, retail and service, restaurants,
and off-street parking. These uses shall be confined to the segment of the northeasterly
segment of New Salem Wharf as delineated on Figure 14.
Other Local and Federal Regulations and Permits
Wetlands Regulations
The Wetlands Protection Act (Chapter 131, Section 40) through the Wetlands Protection
Program requires local conservation commissions to examine and regulate development
activities which may alter wetlands, and to issue or deny permits based on whether the
proposed activity is consistent with the requirements of the Wetlands Protection Act and
DEP regulations (state Wetlands Regulations at 310 CMR 10.00 provide clarification of
the provisions of the Act). DEP issues superseding orders and variances, and offers
compliance, enforcement and technical assistance.
Under the Wetlands Act, the Conservation Commission has authority over projects in or
affecting five categories of resource areas: bank, beach, dune, flat, marsh, swamp,
freshwater or coastal wetlands which border on the ocean or any estuary, creek, river,
stream, pond or lake. The Commission also has jurisdiction for land under water bodies,
land subject to tidal action, land subject to coastal storm flows, and land subject to
flooding. Activities within these resource areas subject to jurisdiction include activities
that would remove, fill, dredge or alter the resource. The Commission also has the right
Salem Harbor Plan
The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 114
of review for activities within a 100-foot buffer zone around wetlands bordering
waterbodies, banks, beaches, and dunes.
The Conservation Commission also has responsibilities to plan for, acquire, and manage
open space as well as to promote conservation restrictions.
The Clean Water Act
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act establishes a permit program to regulate discharges
of dredged or fill material into wetlands and other waters of the US. In tidal areas,
“waters of the US” extend to the (spring) high tide line. The Section 404 permit program
is implemented by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The National Marine Fisheries
Service and Fish and Wildlife Service have advisory review role. In addition, Section
404(c) gives the US Environmental Protection Agency veto authority over the Corps’
decision to issue a permit.
The Corps of Engineers cannot issue a Section 404 permit unless it determines that:
1) The proposed project is not contrary to the public interest. The general criteria for
the public interest review are in 33 CFR section 320. The factors involving the
public interest include economics, environmental concerns, historical values, fish
and wildlife, aesthetics, flood damage prevention, land use classifications,
navigation, recreation, water supply, water quality, energy needs, food production
and the general welfare of the public.
2) The proposed project complies with the Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines. Section
404(b)(1) Guidelines are federal regulations (40 CFR section 230) that provide
the environmental criteria to be satisfied before a Section 404 permit involving
discharge of dredged or fill material can be issued.
The 404(b)(1) Guidelines prohibit discharging of dredged or fill material if there is a
practicable alternative. An alternative is practicable if it is available and capable of being
accomplished considering cost, existing technology and logistics, and overall project
purpose. The Guidelines also require that the discharger undertake all appropriate and
practicable mitigation measures to minimize any potential harm to the aquatic ecosystem.
The Corps’ evaluation of a project under this standard progresses through the following
stages: avoidance of impacts where practicable through the evaluation of alternative sites;
minimization of impacts; and appropriate and practicable compensation of unavoidable
impacts through wetlands creation or restoration.
Section 401 of the Clean Water Act requires a water quality certification from the state in
which a discharge under a 404 permit will originate. The certification is that the
discharge complies with the state water quality criteria.
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The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 authorizes the US Army Corps of
Engineers to regulate structures and work in navigable waters of the U.S. Jurisdiction
extends shoreward to the mean high water line. Regulated activities include construction
of piers and wharves, permanent mooring structures such as pilings, intake and outfall
pipes, boat ramps, and dredging or disposal of dredged material, excavation, and filling.
The New Salem Wharf and associated proposed fill will need to be reviewed for
environmental suitability and approved under Section 404 and Section 10.
General Permitting Requirements For Dredged Material
Regulatory permitting for projects having dredging requires approvals from many agencies.
The following is a listing of regulatory agency approvals:
1. Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act (MEPA) has thresholds for projects of
over 10,000 cubic yards of dredging to submit an Environmental Notification Form
(ENF), which is reviewed by many agencies. The MEPA process also involves a
thirty day public review process. The public notification is accomplished by the
publication of the first page of the ENF in the Environmental Monitor. The review
identifies project elements that need to be considered in the design and permitting for
the project, and determines whether the project requires the filing of an
Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The process concludes with the issuance of a
Certification from the Secretary of Environmental Affairs, whether the ENF satisfied
the MEPA requirements or that the submission of an EIR is required. Other State
agencies cannot issue their approvals, or funds, until the MEPA process is
completed.
2. The Corps of Engineers reviews the project concerning navigation, flooding impact,
resources, and the filling, transportation and disposal of sediment in navigable
waters. A Corps review involves other Federal agencies including the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), National Marine Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and the State Historic Commission. The filing of a Corps of Engineers
application initiates their review process which includes suitability determination for
the disposal of dredged material, historic resource issues, addresses navigation and
abutter issues, and a initiates a public notification process that concludes with a
permit describing necessary dredging operational procedures.
3. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Wetlands and Waterways have three
departmental agency approvals including a) Water Quality Certification for the
dredging, handling and disposal of dredged material; b) Waterways Regulatory
Program granting a Chapter 91 permit to provide the proposed dredging and
development activities and c) Wetlands which oversees with the local Conservation
Commission’s review of impact from the project on wetland resources of the area.
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4. A consistency review by the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management (MCZM)
will be required for the Corps Permit on a Federal level, and MCZM policy must be
satisfied on a State level. Policies include defined requirements regarding Water
Quality, Habitat, Protected Areas, Coastal Hazards, Port and Harbor Infrastructure,
Public Access, Energy, Ocean Resources, and Growth Management.
5. The Applicant for a dredging project must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to the
local Conservation Commission toward receipt of Orders of Conditions, which
outline the procedures and mitigation measures to minimize impact on wetland
resources. Bathymetric survey, identification of resources, sediment sampling and
testing are required to describe the project for NOI submittal. The Conservation
Commission review process includes a public hearing where the applicant presents
the project and how it conforms to the requirements of the Massachusetts Wetlands
Protection Act. Comments from proponent, opponents, and abutters are heard during
the hearing.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) performed a Flood Insurance
Study of the City of Salem in 1977. The study utilized hydrologic and hydraulic analyses
to establish Flood Insurance Zones and flood plain management measures for the area.
The investigation considered historic flood elevations, estimates of shoreline levels
considering stillwater and wave runup for various storm frequencies.
The study provides a plan of the various Flood Insurance Zones along the harbor as
established by this study. The following summary describes the Harbor area zone
designations in detail.
Zone A: Special Flood Hazard Areas inundated by types of 100-year
shallow flooding, determined by the approximate methods; no
flood elevations shown or flood hazard factors determined.
Zone AO: Areas of 100-year, shallow flooding where depths are between
one (1) and three (3) feet; base flood elevations are shown, but no
flood hazard factors are determined.
Zone A2 & A4: Special Flood Hazard Areas inundated by the 100-year flood,
base flood elevations shown, and zones subdivided accordingly.
Zone V2 - V4: Areas of 100-year coastal flooding with velocity (wave action);
base flood elevations and flood hazard factors determined.
Zone B: Areas between the limits of the 100-year flood and 500-year
flood; or certain areas subject to 100-year flooding with average
depths less than one (1) foot or where the contributing drainage
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The Cecil Group, Inc. May 2000 • Page 117
area is less than one square mile; or area protected by levees from
the base flood.
Zone C: Areas of minimal flooding.
A majority of the project area dredge sites are located in velocity zone designation V3,
with the exception of the Winter Island area which has been designated as a Zone V2
velocity zone. South River and Cat Cove are not located in velocity zones, but are still
subject to flood hazards associated with the 100-year storm event. South River is
designated as special Flood Hazard Zone A2 at its intersection with Lafayette Street to
just beyond Pickering Wharf Marina and then becomes a Zone A4 area at the area
surrounding Central Wharf. Cat Cove is designated as a Zone A4 flood hazard zone.
Smith Pool (north of Cat Cove) has an A2 flood hazard designation.
FEMA flooding studies should be considered in the design of all coastal structures.
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FUTURE PLANNING
VII. FUTURE PLANNING
The Harbor Plan recommends that the City of Salem and the Harbor Planning Committee
commit to extending current planning efforts to take into consideration all of the City’s
waterfront over the course of the next three years. It is recommended that the City seek to
secure funds through state or federal grant programs to facilitate this effort. The plan
recommends that the Harbor Planning Committee be re-constituted to take on this
expanded initiative with the addition of representatives of interested parties, from
affected residential neighborhoods, commercial districts and organizations.
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APPENDIX:
COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT
Overview of the Community
Involvement Effort
Public Outreach
Public Input
APPENDIX: COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Overview of the Community Involvement Effort
When initially designed, the public participation strategy for developing the Harbor Plan
was aimed at achieving three objectives: informing the public of the progress of the
Harbor Planning effort; soliciting relevant and timely reactions and input regarding the
plan from the community; and meeting the requirements regarding public participation of
both a Municipal Harbor Plan (310 CMR 23.00) and Salem's municipal approval
processes.
In actual practice, the meaningful and effective involvement of the community was an
integral and critical component of the process of developing the plan for Salem Harbor.
The public was involved in each step of the process, through public meetings, workshops
and focused discussion groups.
To a significant extent, the Harbor Plan reflects the considerable and thoughtful input of
Salem’s citizens. This is true with regard to the Harbor Plan’s overall intent that Salem
reclaim its identity as a vibrant seaport, as well as the plan’s particular concerns such as
balancing the economic benefits of tourism with quality of life for Salem’s residents.
Community input is also reflected in specific recommendations found throughout the
Harbor Plan. In the South Commercial Waterfront, new parks, waterfront walkways and
neighborhood parking reflect community concern that the South River be a transition and
not a barrier. The character and location of the Harbor Walk in the Tourist Historic
Harbor is clear outcome of neighborhood input and discussion. Within the North
Commercial Waterfront, the scale and nature of development at the proposed New Salem
Wharf has been shaped by neighborhood concerns and priorities. Local concern that
environmentally appropriate energy options be encouraged at the Industrial Port is
expressed clearly in the plan. Finally, the community’s preference that Winter Island
remain a resource for the passive enjoyment of local residents underlies the Harbor
Plan’s entire approach to that area.
Public Outreach
The public outreach component of the planning process focused on informing the general
public through the strategic dissemination of information on the Harbor Planning project
at appropriate points in the planning process, as well as a comprehensive direct mail
campaign.
Members of The Salem Evening News were briefed at critical points in the development
of the plan with the intent of encouraging press coverage aimed at heightening public
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awareness and potential public support for the Harbor Plan. Media advisories were also
distributed prior to each public meeting to promote participation in these events.
Early in the planning process, the Harbor Planning Committee issued two issues of The
Salem Harbor Newsletter, in Spanish and English, for broad dissemination. The
newsletter served as a project fact sheet, to describe the project and the Harbor planning
process, to outline the overall project schedule, and to inform the public as to how they
might become involved.
Throughout the planning process, the City Planner directly thanked in writing each
attendee at the public meetings for their participation, and at appropriate times invited
them to attend upcoming meetings. Direct mail lists were maintained, and participants
received notices of all public meetings and workshops.
Public Input
The effort to solicit meaningful input from members of the community had several
elements. The first was the active involvement of the Harbor Planning Committee; the
second was a series of focused working sessions with representatives of relevant agencies
and stakeholders; the third was a series of “planning area based” workshops; and the
fourth type of program involved large-scale public meetings.
Harbor Planning Committee
At the center of this community-based planning effort was the commitment and active
involvement of the Harbor Planning Committee as representatives of its constituent
organizations, as well as the community at large. The Harbor Planning Committee met
with the planning team on a monthly basis to provide input on the team’s progress and
played an active outreach role in the community. Members of the Harbor Planning
Committee reviewed and commented on each of the Reports produced in developing the
Harbor Plan, and participated visibly in several of the public open house events.
Working Groups
Three working groups were formed, drawing participants from membership of the Harbor
Planning Committee, as well as representative interests in the City. These groups focused
on Maritime Issues, Tourism, and Neighborhood concerns. The Maritime Working Group
was comprised of representatives of various types of marine-related businesses and
interests. The Tourism Working Group included representatives of tourism-related
businesses and institutions. Finally, the Neighborhoods Working Group encompassed
representatives of residential constituencies in close proximity to the waterfront.
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Each group met twice during the early stages of the project to provide valuable
information on current conditions, key issues and likely potential opportunities. The
second meeting of the Neighborhood Concerns group was held in the form of an open
house, closer in scale to a public meeting. This meeting served as an important
opportunity for the public to comment on the alternatives under consideration.
Area-Based Workshops
Three planning area-based meetings were also held to offer an opportunity to comment to
individuals and institutions with specific interests in a particular planning area. The focus
of each of these workshops was the discussion of each of the alternatives under
consideration for the particular planning area. Each workshop provided invaluable
feedback and new ideas to the planning team.
Public Meetings
A series of four public meetings have been held in the course of developing the Salem
Harbor Plan.
The Harbor Today: The first of these public meetings focused on The Harbor Today.
This meeting served as a forum for presenting to the public the evaluations of existing
conditions that were developed as well as the team’s assessment of the key issues at
hand. The meeting followed a workshop format, beginning with brief presentations of the
findings by the consultant team. This was followed by breaking into smaller groups to
discuss in detail the planning area’s opportunities and constraints.
The Harbor Tomorrow: The second major public meeting focused on The Harbor
Tomorrow, and looked at economic trends for tourism, marine and other uses. Again, the
attendees broke into smaller groups to review and discuss draft Goals and Objectives, and
to consider planning priorities.
The Choices Ahead: The third public meeting, Feasibility Assessment of Alternatives
examined the alternatives and qualitative evaluations of the costs and benefits of each.
A Plan for the Harbor: The fourth public meeting was divided into two elements: a
formal presentation of the draft Harbor Plan and an open house. The formal presentation
concluded with a question and answer discussion period. This was followed by an open
house, at which members of the planning team and Harbor Planning Committee were
available for smaller discussions about particular aspects of the plan.
Initial Submittal of the Plan
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The Salem Harbor Plan was first submitted to the Secretary of Environmental Affairs in
May of 1999. After the Public Hearing held by MCZM, subsequent hearings by the City
Council Committee on Community and Economic Development, and significant
discussion regarding the proposal by MCZM to consider a regional Dredged Material
Disposal Site in Salem Harbor, it was determined that more time was needed for detailed
discussion and revision of the Plan and its implications for the City of Salem. As a result,
the Mayor retracted the Harbor Plan from state review in October of 1999.
Additional Public Outreach and Response to Comment
The Harbor Planning Committee initiated a new round of Public forums in December
1999. These included three general discussion sessions in which the Plan was presented,
comments received to date were discussed and proposed responses to those comments
were summarized in chart form as either recommended changes to the Plan or
clarifications. The “Response to Comments Chart” was refined throughout this new
public process.
Based on comments and questions emphasized during the public discussions of the Plan,
the Committee held two topic-specific workshops: one on the Economics of the New
Salem Wharf and another on the Chapter 91 Licensing Program and the Implications of a
State-Approved Harbor Plan.
During this period, the text of the Harbor Plan was made available electronically on the
City Council’s website.
The revised Salem Harbor Plan was endorsed by the Salem City Council on May 25th,
2000 and resubmitted to the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs by the Mayor to
initiate the state approval process.
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