Click image for Haverhill City Council agenda.
A permit request for, what is being called, the first annual “Haverhill Food Truck & Craft Beverage Festival” this fall at Haverhill’s Kimball Farm returns to the City Council Tuesday night.
The request by Anthony Pepe on behalf of Food Truck Festivals of America of Stoughton first came before councilors June 24, but action was delayed after councilors learned of outstanding issues with the Kimball property at 791 East Broadway. Council President Thomas J. Sullivan called on his colleagues at the earlier meeting to postpone the request without revealing any specifics.
“The reason simply being that there are some issues at the farm right now that are being investigated by the inspectional services and trying to be worked out,” Sullivan said.
Richard MacDonald, Haverhill’s director of health and inspectional services, told WHAV he cannot detail the issue because city lawyers are involved. Phu Mai, a spokesperson for the state Department of Agricultural Resources, told WHAV there have been previous unspecified cease and desist orders issued to property owner Tyler Kimball. Mai said inspectors also visited the property as late as June 27 “to provide technical assistance regarding the agricultural composting registration process.”
The proposed festival, which organizers estimated would attract 1,500 people, would take place Saturday, Oct. 25.
A request to rezone three parcels on Amesbury Road from “commercial highway” to “residential medium” is back on the agenda for the Tuesday’s Haverhill City Council meeting as one owner raises an objection.
Haverhill Planning Board members voted June 12 to recommend the rezoning as the parcels at 230, 240 and 250 Amesbury Road already have single family homes. Economic Development and Planning Director William Pillsbury Jr. also said he supports the zoning change. A group of neighbors calling themselves Keep Amesbury Road a Residential Neighborhood petitioned for the change.
However, in a July 1 letter to the City Council, the owner of 230 Amesbury Road argued the property will lose its value if zoning changes. Prescott White wrote he bought the property with the understanding it was zoned for commercial use and that he has advanced three different proposals, the most recent a plan to erect a 7,600-square-foot building to house a plumbing business.
Nick Santos is requesting a waiver of the maximum age of 32 to take the state Civil Service exam to become a Haverhill police officer. Santos is 37. In a letter to councilors, he said he is fit and prepared to be a police officer.
Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Katie Cook and board member Nomsa Ncube are scheduled to speak about the chamber’s upcoming golf tournament Monday, Sept. 8, and Matt Webel will speak to councilors about the Book Buddies program.
Ryan Walsh is requesting permission to locate two storage containers on his property at 558 Amesbury Road for more than six months.
The Haverhill City Council meets Tuesday night at 7 p.m., remotely and in-person at the Theodore A. Pelosi Jr. Council Chambers, Room 202, Haverhill City Hall, 4 Summer St. As a public service, 97.9 WHAV plans to carry the meeting live.