Rye, NH town residents and elected officials made the case for not allowing new development by the state in Rye Harbor to the Pease Development Authority Board.
Presenters at the public hearing held Thursday August 8, at the PDA headquarters were told by PDA Board Chair Steve Duprey that the public comment period was a “rehearsal” for more public hearings to come.
Owners of the businesses in Rye Harbor are worried that their leases could be terminated, and they could be forced to move into an ARPA funded Rye Retail Platform or “strip mall” type building being proposed by the state. Many suggested that the state should fortify a seawall to protect the harbor rather than be forced to move into an elevated business deck.
The PDA voted in June to accept the design contract offered by the PDA’s on call Maritime Engineering Firm, Appledore Engineering.
Officially, the harbor is owned by the state and Mr. Duprey said the harbor is not self-sustaining. He said it loses $250,000 a year and is facing serious environmental issues with rising tides. He said the harbor should become more economically and environmentally sustainable.
The Rye Harbor property was developed in the 1960’s with material dredged from the harbor area which made the harbor available for recreational and commercial vessels to use the sea.
State Rep. Peggy Balboni, D-Rye urged the PDA to listen to the public. A letter from state Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham sent a letter to the Board that said there is a distinct lack of communication by the PDA with the Town of Rye, and she asked how the engineering vendor, Appledore Marine Engineering, was chosen. She urged the board to “pause” the “full steam ahead” approach the PDA is now taking.
Business owners in Rye Harbor asked if federal relief funds were to be used to benefit or destroy businesses, hoped the PDA would open up the process more because the engineering schematics are not a rationale for this solution, and PDA decisions harmed some by incurring legal fees to protect assets.
With thanks to InDepthNH for coverage of the meeting and resources for this report.