Lynn waterfront zoning OK’d

LYNN – The City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance Tuesday that sets height restrictions for the Waterfront Master Plan.The amendment details the minimum and maximum for the four designated waterfront districts, off street parking, and several other guidelines for the overall plan.Zone 1, which encompasses the southern portion of the site along with the area closest to downtown will have a maximum height of 20 stories and a minimum of three stories.Zone 1A, located along the northern edge of Lynn Harbor and the Nahant Rotary, will have a maximum height of eight stories and will not allow research and development or transit facilities.Zone 2, situated along the northern edge of Lynn Harbor and the Nahant Rotary will have a maximum height of four stories, while Zone 3, which is located between Blossom Street and the extension of Carolyn Road will have a max of 20 stories.The Washington Street corridor, also known as the lower portion of the Sagamore Hill area behind Zone 1A will include a max of six stories to match the rest of the neighborhood.Local activist Calvin Anderson requested that Gateway Park, a piece of land that was cleaned up and transformed into a neighborhood gathering place, remain in the same spot and not be relocated due to the massive waterfront development plan.”It is a tangible piece of land that has been dedicated to victims of the 9-11 attacks and I would like to see it maintained for the foreseeable future,” he said. “It really is akin to Arlington National Cemetery, and no one would ever think of moving that.”Norm Cole of the Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development (LHAND) addressed Anderson’s concerns and reassured him that it would remain a part of the city.”It really isn’t feasible to start out and build around a park, but who knows, maybe it won’t be moved too far away from its site,” he said. “But there will definitely be a gateway park somewhere in that area.”Councilor At-Large Judith Flanagan Kennedy proposed that the park remain in its space as long as it is consistent with development plans.Cole also requested that the City Council amend the proposed lot size from 40,000 square feet to 10,000 to 12,000 square feet instead.Ward 5 City Councilor Paula Mackin proposed to lessen the large lot size that she said could impede development in the Washington Street Corridor overlay, but City Council President Tim Phelan said it would be better to pass the zoning amendment as is and modify it if need be in the future.”We can meet with the development people later on to determine the exact lot size, and this can always be changed,” Phelan said.Harold McGaughey, director of the Office of Economic and Community Development, who has been working on the waterfront master plan for the past 18 months, said special permits could be requested in the future for development plans or plot sizes.”I recommend leaving the 40,000 square feet in place because that is what the consultants had put in place,” he said. “So I say to pass it as it is, we’ve come too far.”A request from Don Collins, an academic/vocational integration teacher at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute, asked the City Council to keep the school in mind as it is located with a stones’ throw from the large scale development.”The kids could create a wood boat shop or a marine science program, something that would make the plan accessible to the kids,” he said.