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Massachusetts
City Council Approves Smart-Growth District Designation for Downtown Haverhill
Championed by Mayor James Fiorentini for two years, the designation of 40 acres in historic downtown Haverhill as a smart-growth district under the state's Chapter 40R, which offers municipalities cash for dense mixed-use redevelopment near transit, was at last approved by the City Council in a 7-2 vote, with Councilor John Courtin opposed because of the potential impact on schools, and Councilor William Macek because of uncertainty about Democratic Governor-elect Deval Patrick's support for 40R funding.
In the audience, reports North Andover Eagle-Tribune writer Jason Tait, former Councilor Louis Fossarelli restated his earlier concerns about the state's earlier Chapter 40B, which lets developers sidestep some local zoning to build affordable units, saying, ''40R is nothing but 40B with a check and a smiley face.''
Under the program, the writer notes, the city should receive $600,000 upfront and $3,000 for each of the new housing units, 20 percent of which must be affordable to lower-income residents.
With about 300 condos and apartments already in the pipeline, and another few hundred likely, the council's majority and other officials expressed confidence in the smart-growth district prospects, pointing out that the city, some 30 miles north of Boston, needs additional affordable housing.
City Planning Director William Pillsbury believes that most of new downtown buyers and renters to be young professionals who won't overburden schools. Mayor Fiorentini expects the smart growth district to put the city at the state's ''forefront'' in downtown redevelopment.
Among those interested in the higher density district zoning, the writer adds, are a Boston Archdiocese affiliate, who plans a 57-unit project, and Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises, which envisions construction of 300 rentals. -- Eagle-Tribune 12/20/2006
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