Decisions on Municipal Harbor Plans and Designated Port Areas

Find information on and links to these decisions, which are drafted by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM).

On behalf of the Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), CZM drafts the decisions on Municipal Harbor Plans (MHPs) and Designated Port Areas (DPAs), in accordance with the following state regulations: 301 CMR 23.00: Review and Approval of Municipal Harbor Plans, 301 CMR 25.00: Designation of Port Areas, and 310 CMR 9.00: The Massachusetts Waterways Regulation (Chapter 91). Links to copies of these decisions and related material are provided below.

For additional information, see:

• Municipal Harbor Plans for details on CZM’s responsibilities in state-approved MHPs and Designated Port Area Master Plans, along with links to Local Harbor Planning Efforts that Are Not State-Approved MHPs.
• Designated Port Areas for CZM's efforts in DPA planning and implementation and links to official boundary maps of the 10 DPAs in Massachusetts.
• CZM Port and Harbor Planning Publications for related publications developed by and for CZM, including a link to the Dredged Material Management Plan Technical Reports developed from 1998-2004.
• Technical Assistance for how to get CZM assistance with harbor planning activities.
• Overview and Index for a full list of all components of the CZM Port and Harbor Planning Program.

Decisions

Links to PDF copies of decisions on MHPs and DPAs (including any renewals, amendments, and clarifications to the plans) are listed below. Links to the MHPs and DPA Master Plans are provided under the decisions when available on the municipal websites. See DPA Boundary Maps for links to the official maps, descriptions, and related GIS data.

The links below are organized alphabetically by municipality/neighborhood and then listed in reverse date order.

Beverly

• Designation Decision for the Beverly Harbor Designated Port Area (PDF, 201 KB) - April 6, 2015
• Boundary Review of the Beverly Harbor Designated Port Area, Beverly MA (PDF, 1 MB) - January, 5, 2015

Boston

Downtown Waterfront

• Decision on the City of Boston’s Request for Approval of the Downtown Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 1 MB) - April 30, 2018

• Downtown Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan & Public Realm Activation Plan (PDF, 87 MB) - April 2018

East Boston

• Designation Decision for the East Boston Designated Port Area, Boston, MA - December 23, 2022 (PDF, 740 KB)
• Designation Decision for the Chelsea Creek Designated Port Area Boston, MA - September 6, 2022 (PDF, 1 MB)
• Boundary Review of the Chelsea Creek Designated Port Area, East Boston, MA (PDF, 2 MB) - May 23, 2022
• Boundary Review of the East Boston Designated Port Area, Boston, MA (PDF, 2 MB) - December 15, 2021
• Decision on the City of Boston's Request for Approval of the East Boston Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 - Part II: 102-148 Border Street and 125 Sumner Street (PDF, 279 KB) - March 4, 2009
• Decision on the City of Boston's Request for Approval of the East Boston Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 - Part I: 6-26 New Street (PDF, 338 KB) - December 17, 2008

• Amendment to the East Boston Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan - 6-26 New Street, Boston East and 125 Sumner Street (PDF, 13 MB) - May 15, 2008

• Designation Decision for the East Boston Designated Port Area (PDF, 873 KB) - April 23, 2003
• East Boston Designated Port Area (DPA) Boundary Review (PDF, 2 MB) - December 18, 2002
• Decision on the City of Boston's East Boston Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan (PDF, 590 KB) - July 15, 2002

• East Boston Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan (PDF, 22 MB) - March 2002

Fort Point Downtown

• Decision on the City of Boston's Request for Renewal of the Fort Point Downtown Waterfront Phase 1 Municipal Harbor Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 739 KB) - February 12, 2013
• Decision on the City of Boston’s Fort Point Downtown Waterfront Phase 2 Municipal Harbor Plan (PDF, 401 KB) - March 8, 2004

• Fort Point Downtown Waterfront Municipal Harbor Plan - Phase 2 Supplement (PDF, 4 MB) - January 2004
• Fort Point Downtown Waterfront Municipal Harbor Plan - Phase 2 (PDF, 92 MB) - September 2003

• Decision on the City of Boston's Fort Point Channel Phase I Municipal Harbor Plan (PDF, 1 MB) - October 10, 2002

Harborpark

• Compliance Review and Decision on the City of Boston's Charlestown Navy Yard Waterfront Activation Network Plan and Water-Dependent Use Management Plan (PDF, 110 KB) - April 4, 2008

• Waterfront Activation Network Plan for the Charlestown Navy Yard (PDF, 9 MB) - 2007
• Water-Dependent Use Management Plan: Charlestown Navy Yard (PDF, 7 MB) - May 2007

• Decision on the City of Boston Request for Approval of the Lovejoy Wharf Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 561 KB) - October 12, 2006
• Decision on the City of Boston’s North Station Amendment to the Boston Municipal Harbor Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 2 MB) - July 29, 1999

• City of Boston Proposed Municipal Harbor Plan: Limited Geographic Amendment North Station (PDF, 14 MB) - March 1999

• Decision on City of Boston Request for Approval of the Boston Harborpark Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 2 MB) - May 22, 1991

Mystic River

• Massachusetts Appeals Court Decision Reversing Portions of the March 2005 Superior Court Decision Regarding Modification of the Boundaries of the Mystic River Designated Port Area with an updated DPA Boundary Map (PDF, 189 KB) - June 4, 2007
• Designation Decision for the Mystic River Designated Port Area, Charlestown Shore (PDF, 2 MB) - December 16, 2002
• Boundary Review of Mystic River Designated Port Area, Charlestown Shore (PDF, 4 MB) - October 9, 2002

South Boston

• CZM Response to the Boston Request for Clarification of the 2009 Secretary's Decision on the South Boston Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment (PDF, 146 KB) - April 25, 2023
• Designation Decision for the South Boston Designated Port Area Boston, MA (PDF, 3 MB) - May 10, 2018
• Boundary Review of the South Boston Designated Port Area, Boston, MA (PDF, 2 MB) - February 7, 2018
• Decision on the City of Boston’s Request for Approval of the South Boston Waterfront Municipal Harbor Plan Renewal and Amendment Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 2 MB) - December 21, 2016

• South Boston Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan Renewal and Amendment (PDF, 24 MB) - June 2016
• 2016 South Boston Municipal Harbor Plan Renewal and Amendment Supplement (PDF, 8 MB) - November 15, 2016

• CZM Response to the Boston Request for Clarification of the 2009 Secretary's Decision on the South Boston Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment (PDF, 848 KB) - December 21, 2016
• Decision on the City of Boston's Request for Approval of the South Boston Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 590 KB) - October 22, 2009

• South Boston Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment (PDF, 44 MB) - May 2009

• Secretary's Decision on the City of Boston's South Boston Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment (PDF, 1 MB) - December 31, 2002
• Decision on the City of Boston’s South Boston Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan (PDF, 165 KB) and Figures from the Decision (PDF, 956 KB) - December 6, 2000

• South Boston Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan (PDF, 51 MB) - July 2000

Chatham

• Decision on the Renewal of the Town of Chatham's South Coastal Harbor Management Plan (PDF, 148 KB) - May 12, 2015

• South Coastal Harbor Management Plan - January 2005

Chelsea

• Decision on the City of Chelsea’s Request for Approval of the Chelsea Creek Municipal Harbor Plan and Designated Port Area Master Plan Pursuant To 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 2 MB) - April 1, 2022
• Designation Decision for the Chelsea Creek Designated Port Area, Chelsea, MA (PDF, 3 MB) - April 6, 2016
• Boundary Review of the Chelsea Creek Designated Port Area, Chelsea, MA (PDF, 4 MB) - November 23, 2015

Cohasset

• Decision on the Town of Cohasset’s Request for Approval of the Cohasset Municipal Harbor Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 618 KB) - November 25, 2020

Edgartown

• Secretary's Approved Renewal of 1997 Edgartown Municipal Harbor Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 550 KB) - April 30, 2003
• Decision on the Town of Edgartown Request for Approval of the Edgartown Municipal Harbor Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 722 KB) - October 28, 1997

Everett

• Decision on the City of Everett's Request for Approval of the Central Waterfront Municipal Harbor Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 1 MB) - February 10, 2014

Gloucester

• Decision on the City of Gloucester’s Request for Approval of the Gloucester Municipal Harbor Plan Renewal and Designated Port Area Master Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 2 MB) - December 19, 2014

• 2014 Gloucester Municipal Harbor Plan and DPA Master Plan (PDF, 4 MB) - July 30, 2014

• Designation Decision for the Gloucester Inner Harbor Designated Port Area (PDF, 1 MB) - April 23, 2014
• Boundary Review of the Gloucester Inner Harbor Designated Port Area, Gloucester MA (PDF, 2 MB) - February 3, 2014
• Decision on the City of Gloucester's Request for Approval of the Gloucester Municipal Harbor Plan Renewal and Designated Port Area Master Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 401 KB) - December 11, 2009

Hull

• Decision on the Town of Hull Request for Approval of the Hull Harbor Plan Pursuant to 310 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 1 MB) - February 14, 2000

• Harbor Management Plan for the Town of Hull (PDF, 5 MB) - December 1999

Lynn

• Designation Decision for the Lynn Designated Port Area Lynn, MA (PDF, 638 KB) - April 26, 2022
• Boundary Review of the Lynn Harbor Designated Port Area, Lynn MA (PDF, 638 KB) - January 7, 2022
• Decision on the City of Lynn’s Request for Approval of the Lynn Municipal Harbor Plan Renewal and Designated Port Area Master Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 624 KB) - November 25, 2020
• CZM Response to the Lynn Request for Clarification of the Secretary's June 28, 2010, Decision on the Lynn Municipal Harbor Plan and Designated Port Area Master Plan (PDF, 2 MB) - December 21, 2016
• Decision on the City of Lynn's Request for Approval of the Lynn Municipal Harbor Plan and Designated Port Area Master Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 751 KB) - June 28, 2010

• Lynn Municipal Harbor Plan (PDF, 60 MB) - September 2010

Nantucket

• Decision on the Town of Nantucket's Request for Approval of the Nantucket and Madaket Municipal Harbor Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 239 KB) - December 21, 2009

• Nantucket & Madaket Harbors Action Plan (PDF, 3 MB) - May 2009

New Bedford/Fairhaven

• Decision on the Request for Clarification of the New Bedford/Fairhaven Municipal Harbor Plan and Designated Port Area Master Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 346 KB) - August 6, 2020
• Decision on the Request for Approval of the New Bedford/Fairhaven Municipal Harbor Plan Renewal and Designated Port Area Master Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 3 MB) - June 14, 2010

• New Bedford/Fairhaven Municipal Harbor Plan 2010 - (PDF, 6 MB) - May 26, 2010

• Decision on the Joint Request for Approval of the New Bedford/Fairhaven Harbor Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 449 KB) - September 24, 2002

Provincetown

• Decision on the Town of Provincetown’s Request for Approval of the Provincetown Harbor Management Plan Renewal and Amendment 2019 Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 7 MB) - April 10, 2019

• Provincetown Harbor Management Plan Amendment 2018 (PDF, 9 MB) - July 2018

• Decision on Provincetown's Request for Approval of the Provincetown Harbor Plan Renewal Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 846 KB) - February 29, 2012

Salem

• Decision on the City of Salem’s Request for Approval of the Salem Municipal Harbor Plan Renewal and Designated Port Area Master Plan Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 711 KB) - May 17, 2023
• Decision on the City of Salem's Request for Approval of the Salem Municipal Harbor Plan Renewal Pursuant to 301 CMR 23.00 (PDF, 670 KB) - June 24, 2008

• Salem Harbor Plan (PDF, 11 MB) - January 2008