By Times Staff
A citizens group that's seeking to advance Gloucester Harbor development within the current confines of the state Designated Port Area regulations — and submitted a report outlining options to Mayor Carolyn Kirk's office earlier this fall — is preparing to host its own public forum at City Hall.
The group, Citizens for Gloucester Harbor, is sponsoring a community forum — titled "Fresh Ideas for our Harbor" — two weeks from tonight, on Monday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
The event is set to include presentation of "Saving Gloucester Harbor," a 30-minute film by Gordon Baird and Marcia Hart; an update on the fishing industry by Vito Giacalone, a longtime fisherman, fishermen's activist and waterfront property owners; presentations by activists Valerie Nelson and Peter Anastas about the working harbor and its future.
The citizens' group opposes Kirk's efforts to place a hotel on the waterfront, and supports keeping the Designated Port Area development limits in place — but has tried to put the focus on growing existing businesses and harbor uses that are already allowed under the DPA. Kirk and other city officials have pushed for a rezoning of the Fort neighborhood with any eye toward a hotel on the former Birdseye site along Commercial Street, and the state has indicated it is open to making some changes to the DPA — not just for Gloucester, but for New Bedford and other Massachusetts ports as well.
The citizens group, invited by Kirk to submit a proposal for harbor use and development in September, did so last month, and Kirk said aspects of the group's work would be incorporated into a proposal to sent to the state. But Steve Parkes — a founder of the Pigeon Cove Trading Co. and a member of Citizens for Gloucester Harbor who's one of the forum's organizers — said the group has not heard any more from City Hall.
Parkes said Saturday he hopes the forum can once again be "constructive" in generating dialogue about the harborfront, The forum is free and open to the public.
"We see this as just kind of an educational opportunity — and show that there are other points of view," Parkes said. "We can do other things — we can make things happen."
The citizens' group — which includes at least 15 members and represents a coalition of Fort residents, people from within the fishing community, business owners and preservation activists — also wants to emphasize that diverse development is allowed under the DPA, and is already taking place.
"There's been something like $3 million invested this year, and for a small area, that's a pretty significant amount," said Parkes — noting the expansion of Fort businesses such as Intershell and Neptune's Harvest.
"Everybody just wants more opportunity for Gloucester — and the mayor does, too," Parkes added. "But some people are thinking differently than others."
The Dec. 8 forum will open with the original, uncut version of "Saving Gloucester Harbor," the film by Baird and Hart that offers a panorama of present life and marine industrial activities on the waterfront. Baird will also serve as moderator for the forum. Anastas will deliver a presentation titled "The Lights are on in Gloucester Harbor," providing background about the working harbor and stressing that, despite stringent fishing regulations, Gloucester Harbor is not only alive, but thriving, forum organizers said. Giacalone will speak on the current state of the fisheries and on the status of the DPA regulations. Nelson, a former Gloucester city councilor who holds a doctorate in economics, will talk about the varied possibilities for Gloucester Harbor that would be allowable under the existing DPA — including marine biotechnology, value added food research, wastewater treatment, marine biology and ocean research and services for offshore wind farms.
These presentations will be followed by a question and answer period, during which audience participation will be encouraged.
Anyone seeking more information on the forum may contact citizensforgloucesterharbor@yahoo.com.
