NEWBURYPORT - Eight Bay State companies that specialize in landscape design and engineering have submitted proposals to the Newburyport Redevelopment Authority to design the city's downtown waterfront.

The NRA owns the waterfront land on both sides of Market Landing Park, most commonly known as the "dirt lots." For decades city leaders have squabbled over how to develop the city's central waterfront. Proposals have included building hotels, condominiums and other development.

Recent debate is focused on how many parking spaces should be reserved compared with the increase in the size of Market Landing Park.

The eight plans are thick, extensive documents that outline each company's experience, past projects and philosophical approach to projects. One proposal, from Vollmer Associates in Boston, included a preliminary plan.

"I was quite surprised that we got eight of the them," said Erford Fowler, an NRA member and city councilor. "At first glance, they all look like they did a great job with them."

Fowler, who said he has an early favorite but did not want to disclose which plan it is until he can more thoroughly examine the documents, said the NRA will narrow the field to three finalists.

He said NRA members will fill out a score sheet for each proposal, which was expected to be done this weekend.

"This is going to be interesting," Fowler said.

The proposals, which are at the Planning Department, did not include specifics such as parking spaces, square footage of park land or other measurable characteristics.

In Vollmer Associates' blueprint-like preliminary plan, included in its proposal for "discussion," both dirt lots would be turned largely into park area. There would be an oval "event lawn" with sidewalks emerging along its circumference creating the appearance of a spider's web from above on the west side of the park.

The east side of the park would have a stage with a large "stage viewing lawn" that could serve as an outdoor performance space. The plan also calls for a new restroom building, park entry plaza and two buildings along Merrimac Street between the bathrooms and Davis Auto Electric to "reinforce street edge."

There is also space for parking throughout, including parallel parking and many traditional spaces.

The Request For Proposal document went out on Jan. 10, and the deadline for submission was Feb. 28. The NRA plans to award a contract by April 1.

Officials will discuss plans in two forums in early June and September. Final plans are expected to be submitted by Oct. 31.

Janet Marcus, the departing chairwoman of the NRA, said the response to the RFP shows that "they may see this as a very prestigious project."

"We are very happy with the response and the quality of the responders," she said.

She said the companies have worked on waterfront property in Boston, Quincy and other places, are familiar with Chapter 91 regulations, which guide development near waterways, and many are park planners with a "very green view."

Marcus added that many of the companies have worked in Newburyport before, including on the boardwalk, Market Landing Park and other public areas.

"They find that this property is an exciting opportunity," she said. "That's why we have the quality responses that we have."

Companies that submitted central waterfront design proposals

From Boston

* Stoss Landscape Urbanism

* Halvorson Design Partnership

* Copley Wolff Design Group

* The Cecil Group

* Vollmer Associates

From Quincy

* MKA Landscape Architects

From Ashfield

* Dodson Associates

From Scituate

* Coyle and Caron, LLC