Harbor, Waterfront, & Navy Yard Planning

Navy Yard Master Plan Implementation Timeline

As Navy Yard stakeholders, the neighborhood of Charlestown, and the City of Boston continue the decades-long process of adapting this former military installation into a thriving neighborhood, it is important to review the master plan upon which this process is predicated.

Navy Yard Master Plan Implementation | Boston Planning & Development Agency (bostonplans.org)

 

 

The number and types of plans can be confusing but as a start, here are lists of agencies that have some involvement with the Navy Yard, and terminology used in development.

The BRA (now known as Boston Planning and Development Agency), as the official planning agency for the city, started planning when the Navy Yard was decommissioned by the federal government in 1975. Its earliest planning efforts were Design Guidelines issued in 1978 and Land Disposition Agreements (LDA) for developers and the City. (See list below.)

In the latest planning effort, in late 2016, the agency has a draft RFI (request for interest) ready to be issued to receive ideas for activities and uses in the near term. In addition, it also expects to issue an RFP to survey site conditions of the waterfront and some streets the Navy Yard.

Over the years, together with the Commonwealth, the City created Municipal Harbor Plans: they guide development under state coastal regulations. Here is a list of these plans and proposals:

2016 Downtown Waterfront Progress Report   Online news report, 11 Mar 2016

2007 Harbor (Waterfront activation) Plan  BRA’s completed plan (88 pp)

2007 Harbor Plan Approval  EOEA approval of plan by the City of Boston, 4 Apr 2008 (20 pp)

2007 Addresses  Officials who received FCNY comments, July 2007

2007 FCNY Letter  Comments on amended harbor plan, with photos, 10 Aug 2007  (8 pp)

2005 Consultant’s illustrated slide presentation, 20 Jan 2005:  Part 1 (44 pp)   Part 2 (12 pp)   Part 3  (12 pp)

2005 FCNY Presentation on the draft waterfront activation plan, 20 Jan 2005

2005 Report of Meetings about the plan, 29 Jan 2005

2005 FCNY Comments on the plan, 30 Mar 2005

2002 Amendment  Amended harbor plan, 24 Oct 2002  (31 pp)

2000 Review & Approval  From State Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA), 8 Jun 2000 (16 pp)

1997-2001 Process & Approval   City and state correspondence and approval  (28 pp)

1992 Pier Management Plan  Early plan under the Harbor Plan (22 pp)

1991 Harborpark Plan  State approval of plan, 22 May 1991  (44 pp)

1990 Part 1  Sections I-IV, Oct 1990  (55 pp)

1990 Part 2  Sections V-IX, Oct 1990  (45 pp)

 

For an economic view of the harbor, see the illustrated report published by Save the Harbor, Save the Bay in 2004.

 

Transportation & Parking

New interest has appeared in late 2016 for additional water transportation in Boston Harbor. See note on City Council hearing.

2008 Water Shuttle relocation:

FCNY letter to CZM (14 Jan 2008)

FCNY Comments (22 Apr 2008)

c. 2004 Traffic & Parking Study by FCNY

 

Land Disposition Agreements (LDA) for developers and the City.

Part 1  Identifies parcels, developers, land use, etc., 28 Sep 1990 (51 pp)

Part 2  Covers developers, financing, operations, maintenance, etc., 28 Sep 1990 (51 pp)

Exhibits, Appendices to LDA including plans, labor, standard practices, etc. (47 pp)

Boston Globe news article, 29 Sep 2004