Residents Wage War on New Development

Sometimes you can fight City Hall and even win. This is what more than 40 South End residents discovered on Tuesday night when they successfully persuaded the city's Board of Adjustment to reject a proposed condominium project on Pleasant Street.

Now Clare Kittredge, a former journalist who once worked as a correspondent for the Boston Globe during her 25-year career, has launched the "Portsmouth Now!" blog to give her fellow city residents a place where they can get information about other proposed developments as well as a community sounding board.

On Wednesday, Kittredge said the 40 city residents who opposed the petition filed by Clyde and Kimberly Argereow for five variances to demolish the rear additions of a historic federalist style house on 428 Pleasant St. and create three condo units with parking inspired her and others to make their voices heard. The BOA voted, 5-2, against the developer's petition.

In her blog, Kittregde writes, "Portsmouth is under unprecedented development pressure. Everywhere you look, hulking new buildings have sprung up or are in the works. From Wright Avenue to Woodbury, new construction could soon dwarf Portsmouth’s traditional streetscapes. At the top of Islington Street, another new development looms over smaller neighbors."

On Wednesday, she said many developments that have been approved have changed the nature and character of the community. In her blog, she writes that some projects have blocked residents' view of the Piscataqua River, the North Church steeple, and other important landmarks.

"The fragile character of this quaint old city is literally under siege. The time to act is now. If we don’t, pretty Portsmouth will become little more than a memory," Kittredge writes in her blog.

In the last few years, some of the major developments downtown have included Portwalk located in the city's northern tier, a condominium development at 51 Islington St., the upper end of Bow Street and all along Lafayette Road.

In the pipeline are proposals to building more condominiums and retail developments at 80 Wright Avenue, 111 Maplewood Avenue, 275 Islington St. , and 175 Market St.

Kittredge and the other South End residents who opposed the proposed Pleasant Street condo development are not alone. Elsewhere in the city, there are other residents and business owners who have fought City Hall tooth and nail when proposed development have threatened their space.

For example, Scott Nelson, who co-owns the Portsmouth Health Foods store with his wife, Natalie, and several of his employees and customers stormed City Hall and urged the council to reject the Worth Lot parking garage plan on Dec. 3. To his surprise and amazement, Nelson said they discovered they could fight City Hall and win.

When City Councilor Anthony Coviello was able to get his fellow councilors to approve a motion, 5-4, in March to consider other potential development projects at the Worth Lot, Nelson said he would be open to that. But he added he remains leery of City Hall.

On Wednesday, Kittredge said she hopes her blog will put more pressure on the city's land use boards to make better decisions to preverve the character and integrity of the city.

She recalled that when she first moved to Portsmouth in 1980, there were other big development battles happening that changed many neighborhoods. A great deal of effort was made to restore historic buildings with original brick and other materials as much as possible. Now she is worried City Hall is leaning in the other direction where too many large scale developments are being approved too fast.