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Harbor Development Committee

Meeting Minutes

Committees: Harbor Development Committee

Pedestrian Bridge Crossing Notice:

December 2012 - The Harbor Development Committee has made an application to the Community Preservation Committee for funding for a pedestrian bridge to Whitney Wharf under the Community Preservation Act. This pedestrian bridge will increase public access to Hingham Harbor and will provide for safer access to Whitney Wharf. Please see below two artist renderings of the proposed bridge. The HDC encourages public input on this application to the CPC and we would welcome any feedback.

Overview at Whitney Wharf and Town Pier (PDF)

Drawing: Hingham Harbor Proposed Pedestrian Bridge Crossing (PDF)

Please provide feedback via letter to the Harbor Development Committee, 210 Central Street, Hingham or via attendance at our monthly meetings.

Event Calendar

Important Documents and Links:

• Harbor Master Plan Report (4.3 MB, PDF)
• Harbor Master Plan Handout  (124k, PDF)
• Harbor Plan Renderings (623k, PDF)
• Harbor Master Plan Image (299k, PDF)

2011 Annual Report

Waterfront access and promoting Hingham Harbor related issues continued to be the focus of the Harbor Development Committee (HDC) in 2011.

The HDC focused on the following topics/issues during the past year:
• Met with the Harbormasters of Scituate and Hull to discuss their experiences with establishing an Enterprise Fund in their communities in order to analyze the potential benefits for doing so in Hingham.

• Met with Access Board Director Jack Shephard concerning the process for obtaining State funds for the reconstruction and improvement of the Town boat ramp. It was determined that a beach management plan would be a prerequisite of obtaining these funds and Harbormaster Ken Corson has begun to work with the HDC in developing one.

• Met with Community Preservation Committee member Bill Reardon to discuss what type of projects along the Harbor would be eligible for funding in accordance with CPA guidelines. Our committee subsequently submitted an application to the CPC in October for the funds to design, permit and construct a pedestrian bridge between the rear of 3 Otis Street and Whitney Wharf modeled after the one recently constructed for the Trustees in World's End to improve pedestrian accessibility and increase use of Whitney Wharf. The application is under review with CPC and if it is recommended for funding, would go to the Annual Town Meeting in 2012 for funding approval.

• Worked in cooperation with the Harbor Planning Task Force and the Trustees of the Bathing Beach to promote a concept that was conceived in the HDC's 2007 Harbor Master Plan and became a permitted use under the 2010 Town Meeting Harbor rezoning, an accessory snack shop at the Hingham Beach Bath-house. The 2011 Special Town Meeting authorized the Trustees to obtain MA legislative approval to pursue this concept under a public/private RFP process. Hingham resident and architect Al Kearney generously volunteered his services to further conceptualize this concept and the HDC solicited the Boston Architectural Center for an intern, Michael LaFonant, who helped develop a modified floor plan for the building and several conceptual elevations.
• Worked with the Selectmen, Harbor Planning Task Force, Town Planner Katy Lacy, Harbormaster Ken Corson and Coastline Engineering (CLE) in developing a "blue plan" for the inner harbor area which looked at all repairs, maintenance and improvements envisioned over the next 10 years including, the boat ramp, the bath house/snack shop, beach stabilization, raising the elevation of select wharves, the harbor boardwalk and Whitney Wharf pedestrian bridge, the Town Pier (including a marina concept), renovations to the North Street/3A intersection to improve pedestrian access from Downtown to the waterfront and physical improvements to Barnes and Steamboat Wharfs. This plan was developed to provide a blueprint for funding consideration from the Seaport Bond Council which oversees funding for waterfront improvements in coastal communities.

Committee Members:

Alan Perrault, Chairman
Chris Daly, Secretary
Robert Mosher
David Fenton
John Thomas
Eric Kachel
Paul Losordo
Kenneth Corson III (Harbormaster) ex-officio