Vision for Haverhill Comprehensive Plan Concept & Framework

1. Critical information needed to
determine needs/gaps, solutions
and spending priorities for
Haverhill
John Michitson
President
Haverhill City Council
August 19, 2014
“Vision for Haverhill”
Comprehensive Plan
“A Modern City with
a Small-Town Flavor”

2.  Economic & Cultural
 Growth & Sustainability
 Educational
 Public Safety
 Public Services
 Physical/Infrastructure
 Financial
 A flexible road map for the Mayor and City Council to plan
infrastructure expenditures, school priorities, zoning revisions and
new city ordinances
 Also a road map for developers and business to be able to accurately
target their investments and now be able to predict how the city will
grow around them
KEY TOPICS TO ADDRESS
IN LONG RANGE PLAN
INFO NEEDED TO ADDRESS TOPICS

3.  Pieces of a Comprehensive Plan have already
emerged in various settings
◦ But the whole picture needs to be pulled together
into a statement that gives more guidance to all our
institutions and sectors
 Mayor has led several effective re-zoning
initiatives
 The Water/Wastewater Departments generally
provide sufficient planning information to
make sound decisions
◦ A good model for other departments

4.  Economic & Cultural
 Growth & Sustainability
 Educational
 Public Safety
 Public Services
 Physical/Infrastructure
 Financial
 In general, insufficient information provided to determine:
 Priorities (especially inter-departmental)
 Cost tradeoffs of alternatives
 Alignment with community’s vision and view of needs
 Actions in queue, postponed or dropped
 Evaluation of provided services and infrastructure improvements
Generally Insufficient
Information
KEY TOPICS TO ADDRESS
IN LONG RANGE PLAN
INFO NEEDED TO ADDRESS TOPICS

5. Haverhill Community
Long Term
Vision,
Mission
Short Term
Action Plan
(2 Year)
Delivery &
Evaluation
Service &
Physical Needs
Services &
Physical
Projects
Perf. Data &
Results
Budget
Loan
Orders/
Transfers/
Ordinance
Actions
Postponed
or
Dropped
Actions in
Queue
: already in place
Needs/Gaps Strategies/
Solutions

6. Long Term
Vision, Mission
Financial
Plan & Outlook
Land Use, Urban
Design &
Transportation
Quality of Life
Services
Physical,
Facilities &
Infrastructure
Growth &
Sustainability
Housing
Needs/Gaps,
following areas:
Zoning Code
Overhaul
Quality-of-Life Strategies & Solutions:
a. Public Education programs
b. Public Safety initiatives
c. Small business assistance
d. New Business recruitment
e. Cultural programs
f. Open Space and Recreation Plan
f. Civic engagement program
Projections/
Outlook
Financial Plan
(10 Year)

7.  Mesh economy, culture & physical:
◦ Economy
 Planning for and encouraging the businesses and
institutions which drive Haverhill's economic metabolism
◦ Culture
 Identity - How we present ourselves to the outside world.
History. The arts, theater, museums, our creative
economy
◦ Physical
 Working with our geography and evolving infrastructure,
co-locate Economic and Cultural elements in way that
creates a Haverhill that resembles the vision and is self-
sustaining and growing

8.  Lowering crime rate
 Improving public education
 Proactive economic development and job creation
 Maintenance and capital improvements for
facilities, infrastructure & vehicles
 Combined sewer overflow mandate
 Storm water management
 Capping of old land fill mandate
 Zoning for medical marijuana facilities
 Growth and sustainability guidelines
 New finance committee : underway

9.  Leverage Harbor
Place development
and anchor tenant
UMASS/Lowell to:
◦ Create a city focal point
◦ Attract complementary
new employers to
downtown & business
parks
 Provide jobs
 Increase city revenue
◦ Enhance public
education
 How?

10.  What’s in it for us?
 Objective is to create 1000 new jobs and attract
$3M in new revenue to Haverhill’s industrial base
by 2020
Computer & Research
Drive:
• 2 Lots
• Each Lot is $250K
Recurring Revenue
Opportunity
Hilldale Business
Park:
• Several
undeveloped
Lots
• MVPC Priority
Area for
Development
Example
Opportunities in
Business Parks

11.  Government
◦ Mayor
◦ City Economic Development and Planning Director
◦ City Finance Director
◦ City Council
◦ Schools
◦ State and Federal Delegations
◦ Merrimack Valley Planning Commission
◦ Mass Development
◦ Massachusetts Technology Collaborative
 Academic
◦ NECC, UMASS/Lowell
 Grassroots groups
◦ Academic, small business, residents, cultural, etc.
 Local Interest Groups and Civic Organizations
◦ Chamber of Commerce, Greater Haverhill Foundation, Team
Haverhill, Creative Haverhill, Haverhill Historical Commission, etc.
Appointed by
Mayor

12.  Thanks to the “self-formed” team:
◦ Matthew Juros
◦ Michael Drossos
◦ Jeffrey Linehan
◦ James DiBurro
◦ Alice Mann
◦ Lisa Fitzpatrick
◦ John Michitson

13. Comprehensive Plan
Document
Who will provide
documents? (until CY15)
Who will provide documents?
(as of CY15)
Vision & Mission Mayor/Department
Heads/Superintendent
Vision for Haverhill Committee
 Seek Funding
 Preliminary Plan -$30K
 See backup slide- process
Needs/Gaps Mayor/Department
Heads/Superintendent
Vision for Haverhill Committee
Strategies/Solutions Mayor/Department
Heads/Superintendent
Vision for Haverhill Committee
Financial Plan/Outlook Finance Director Finance Director
2-Year Action Plan Mayor Mayor
Budget Review Mayor (City Council
Approval)
Mayor (City Council Approval)
Actions in Queue Mayor Mayor
Actions Delayed/
Dropped
Mayor Mayor
Evaluation/Performance Mayor/Department Heads Mayor/Department Heads

14. 
Send letter to Mayor requesting the following
information by the end of CY14:
◦ Identification of needs/gaps
 Supported by evaluation of performance data
◦ Strategies/Solutions – including alternatives
◦ 2-Year Action Plan
 Basis for FY16 Budget
◦ Update every 6 months
 Refer “Vision for Haverhill” Comprehensive Plan
to Administration & Finance Committee for
Action
◦ Invite Mayor and Superintendent of Schools