Haverhill Councilors Reject Residential Storage Units Ahead of Court CaseBy Caroline Louise Cole

Citing the appearance and character of the neighborhood, the Haverhill City Council rejected an application this for four permanent storage units on property at 10 Old Amesbury Line Road.

Gary Morris, with property at the corner of Amesbury Line Road and Old Amesbury Line Road, sought permission for the units to bring him in compliance with city regulations. However, after hearing from one neighbor and viewing pictures of the property, councilors voted unanimously to reject Morris’ application. Morris acknowledged his storage units were out of compliance and that city building inspectors notified him he needed to clean up his yard. However, he said, he disposed of much of the offending items and was assured by Haverhill Building Commissioner Thomas Bridgewater that once he received a permit for containers, he would be in compliance.

“Well, there was an issue with a bunch of stuff in the yard and the building inspector—he come by and they told me I had to get rid of a bunch of bicycles and different other things and I cleaned up the whole yard and everything and I went to them and said ‘Am I in compliance now?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, you’re great, you’re wonderful,’” Morris said.

His neighbor, Donna Therriault, 42 Old Amesbury Line Road, however, took issue with Morris’ characterization of the property. Therriault’s property is separated from Morris’ by the dirt parking lot of the Second Baptist Church.

“I’ve had concerns for quite some time about this property. It isn’t just the storage containers. I know that’s what is at issue tonight, but there is salvage materials scattered about the property,” Therriault said.

Morris’ countered, several other storage structures, including one made of fabric, were on the property prior to the city’s change in permit requirements for storage units and therefore was “grandfathered.”

Councilors Melissa J. Lewandowski and Timothy J. Jordan challenged Morris’ status with the city. Noting the property is located in her ward, Lewandowski showed pictures of the property and pointed out a complaint was lodged against Morris regarding the state of his property in Haverhill District Court. Jordan said he spoke with Bridgewater’s boss, Health and Inspectional Services Director Richard MacDonald, and advised the City Council should allow the court case to go forward.

At Large City Councilor John A. Michitson suggested Morris rent a commercial storage unit so that he could clear his property. When Morris said it would be too expensive, Council President Thomas J. Sullivan suggested Morris erect a fence.

In other business, the City Council passed a $277.1 spending plan for the coming year with virtually no cuts to Mayor Melinda E. Barrett’s original proposal. As reported by WHAV last month, the budget is expected to increase by $299 property taxes for the owner of the average single-family home valued at $532,126. The budget anticipates no layoffs among either city side or school employees. It adds $100,000 for the hiring of an assistant fire chief next January and $80,000 for a new police sergeant position. The Haverhill Public Library will also be able to hire another custodian.

The City Council also accepted without comment the memorandum of agreement with the city’s firefighter’s union and put it on file for 10 days. The board also accepted without comment a new contract with the water purification employees.

The City Council agreed to a five-year lease with Peace Love and Happiness LLC to rent the second floor of the Little Spouts building at 443 West Lowell St. for the Moody Preschool Extension. As previously reported by WHAV, the Haverhill School Department is planning to move the Moody Preschool Extension program to the new location so it can open a program in the Moody School for elementary school students who need more support than can be offered in a regular classroom similar to the Greenleaf Academy program for middle and high school students. Superintendent Margaret Marotta said with the addition of 25 spaces at the preschool, the program will be self-sustaining.

L’Arche Boston North was granted a permit to host its annual Longest Table fundraiser on Aug, 21, from 5 to 10 p.m. along Wingate Street, downtown.