Humphrey Street
As Americans, we respect the privilege of property owners to make
profitable investments that contribute to the economic sustainability
of the Town. But just like when one seeks the privilege of a
driver’s license, there are “rules of the road” that need to be
followed. When it comes to Humphrey Street though, our biggest
challenge isn’t that property owners aren’t following the rules when
they make improvements to their land, it’s that we Swampscott residents
haven’t yet determined what the right rules are for building on our
town’s “Main Street.”
In the case of the Concordia development, I agree with most Swampscott
residents I’ve talked to who believe that the complex is out of scale
with other nearby buildings. I also believe that the loss of
ocean views we once had with Captain Jack’s should be a wake up call to
all of us! But now that the Concordia is here, I welcome its new
homeowners and invite them as neighbors to a full and open dialogue
about the future of the Humphrey Street Corridor. The work that
our Town Planner, Brian Szekely, and the current members of the
Planning Board have done on the proposed Humphrey Street Overlay
District is a huge step forward, and I’m thrilled to see the number of
residents who have participated in public forums on the topic.
Our work does not end there, though, as we all need to take a more
proactive role in defining the types of businesses we wish to see on
Humphrey Street. It’s also important to quickly identify any
additional institutional barriers our Town Bylaws may present to
“smart” development. I believe that our town center needs larger
sidewalks, more options for casual family dining, and small stores that
serve everyday household needs. But my opinions are only one of
many. As a member of the Planning Board, I pledge to help lead a
dialogue on the future of Humphrey Street in a way that engages all
stakeholders.