Hingham Seeks Public Input on Future of Waterfront Property

Survey reveals strong interest in maritime activities, restaurant at 30 Summer Street site

HINGHAM, MA - October 22 - The Town of Hingham is actively seeking community feedback on potential uses for a recently acquired waterfront property at 30 Summer Street. A survey of over 700 residents revealed strong interest in maritime-related programming and a desire for a waterfront restaurant, though zoning challenges may limit options.

Marco Boer, chair of the Harbor Development Committee, presented the survey findings to the Select Board on Oct. 22. The property, purchased by the town to gain control over waterfront access, sits on a 0.2-acre lot with limited parking.

"The majority of residents really want to be able to enjoy the truly spectacular view from the back of this building," Boer said. "The majority of them want some kind of maritime related programming, recreation classes, yoga classes, senior center lunches, story hours for the library for little kids."

The survey, which garnered 748 responses, showed that 65% of respondents support leasing the property to recover the town's annual debt service. However, Boer expressed concerns about finding a suitable lessee for such a short-term arrangement.

"At market rates, you would have to charge close to $8,000 a month for a building that, you know, in theory would only be available for a couple of years until we figure out what we're truly going to do with it for the town," he explained.

Overwhelmingly, respondents expressed interest in a waterfront restaurant, with 54% favoring this option. However, Boer noted that permitting such a use would be challenging due to zoning restrictions.

"If the majority of residents want a waterfront restaurant, we ought to find a way to make it happen," Boer said. "It may not be a suitable location for a restaurant given the limited size, but the idea that the residents want a restaurant, to me, seems very encouraging."

Other popular suggestions included maritime programming (32%), marina rentals, and retail spaces. The survey also revealed that 53% of respondents opposed selling the property, even if the town could profit from the sale.

Select Board Chair Joe Fisher cautioned that the survey results might not be fully representative of the community, noting that a local maritime organization had encouraged responses.

"I view the results as interesting, but it's not necessarily representative," Fisher said. "There was a clear effort to make sure that a particular constituency responded to the survey."

The Harbor Development Committee recommended developing both short-term and long-term plans for the property. In the short term, they suggested finding a creative way to use the building immediately, possibly through a token lease agreement with a non-profit entity.

"I'm very concerned that we don't have this building sit empty while we're trying to formulate ideas on what we're going to do with it," Boer said.

For the long term, the committee advised formulating a comprehensive vision for the property, considering parking needs, building space requirements, and zoning issues.

Select Board members expressed support for moving quickly to determine the building's future use. Bill Ramsey emphasized the need for prompt action.

"I'm concerned about lagging like the bathhouse at the at the bathing beach. That cannot be the model.We need to make a decision on this thing and start moving on it," Ramsey said.

Town Administrator Tom Mayo reported that about $20,000 is available for immediate improvements to the property once a direction is determined.

The Select Board indicated they would work to make decisions about the property's future in the coming months, with Fisher stating, "This is not going to be on an agenda six months from now when we're going to be considering further options. We do need to move this forward."

As discussions continue, the town must also consider how the upcoming Route 3A renovation project and plans for a shared-use path might impact the property's potential uses.