North Street Neighborhood Association

Houston Chronicle: "Density hasn’t been kind to Cottage Grove..."

NorthAssocAdmin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:24:00 GMT

The Houston Chronicle published a cautionary tale about infill on June 28:

How urban can Houston become?

Density hasn’t been kind to Cottage Grove, a small neighborhood with narrow streets, few sidewalks, poor drainage and scarce parking for the owners of its many new homes and their guests.

Like many neighborhoods inside Loop 610, Cottage Grove in recent years has experienced a flurry of construction of large townhomes that loom over 80-year-old cottages next door. Two or three dwellings crowd sites where one house stood previously. Streets are cluttered with vehicles parked every which way. Water stands in the streets after heavy rains.

“It was shocking to see this jewel of a neighborhood in this condition,” said former Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy, a senior fellow with the nonprofit Urban Land Institute who toured Cottage Grove two years ago. “It was about the ugliest thing I’d ever seen, to be honest with you.”

[click for the full article]

See also:

Our Ad in the May 6 Gazette: "How to Avoid Classic Infill Design Mistakes"

Knoxville Infill Housing Design Guidelines: Lessons from Experience
As the Zoning Revisions Committee gears up to implement the vision of the Sustainable Northampton Plan, there are useful lessons to be drawn from other cities that have traveled the infill path...

"Following World War II, many single family neighborhoods were rezoned to permit apartments. This was done under an urban development theory that the highest density housing should be close to the central business district. The results have been mixed. In some instances the design of multi-unit buildings are completely out of context to older neighborhoods with apartment buildings looking like they should have been part of suburbia. In places where multi-unit housing is permitted (such as areas with R-2 or R-3 zoning), it is essential to neighborhood stability that new apartment buildings be designed in scale and context with the early architectural features of the neighborhood...

Portland: A Photo Tour of Spiraling Densification

Portland, Oregon Voters Sour on Densification Over Time
Today, most Portland-area neighborhoods of single-family homes can point to nearby four- and five-story apartment buildings that have sprung up in response to Metro's demands for higher densities. These developments contribute to congested streets, crowded schools, and overstressed water, sewer, and other urban services.

LA Weekly: "What's Smart About Smart Growth?"
Real estate developers have caught on, using the phrase shamelessly to gain public support for enormous developments, from a hillside subdivision near Santa Clarita to the Westside’s Playa Vista, the massive, 5,800-home development near Marina del Rey. In a city where growth was once a dirty word, smart growth is the spoonful of sugar that suddenly makes bigness palatable...

Halle-Neustadt: A Case Study in Compact, Transit-Oriented Development
I first became aware of Halle-Neustadt at a 1998 conference on sustainable transportation at which two planners from the University of Stockholm declared it to be one of the most sustainable (i.e., least "auto-dependent") cities in the developed world...

What the Swedish researchers failed to note in their 1998 presentation, but faithfully recorded in their full paper, was that Halle-Neustadt was only "sustainable" during the socialist period. When Germany reunified, many residents moved out, and those who stayed bought cars so that auto ownership "reached nearly the level of western Germany." Naturally, this created major congestion and parking problems: "The cars are parked everywhere -- on pavements, bike-ways, yards and lawn."

Scrape-Off Redevelopments Provoke Backlash in Denver Neighborhoods

Latest Kohl Condo Proposal for North Street: 20 Units as Duplexes
The density would still be too high relative to the amount of land suitable for building. The proposed units look like they are squashed into North Street's backyard space. This disrupts the character of the neighborhood and intrudes on neighbors' privacy. The units would not be in harmonious relation to their surroundings...

Northampton's Flood and Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan: Floyd Flood Damage Reported Behind View Avenue; Avoid Building on Filled Wetlands
The Background of the plan states (emphasis added):

...Northampton can experience flooding in any part of the City. One great misunderstanding is the belief that floods only happen in the floodplain. With sufficient rain, almost any area will experience at least pockets of surface flooding or overland flooding. Overland flooding in rural areas can result in erosion, washouts, road damage, loss of crops and septic system back-ups. Heavy rain in the more urbanized parts of the City with extensive paved and impervious surfaces can easily overwhelm stormwater facilities resulting in localized flooding and basement damage. Stormwater flooding also contributes to water pollution by carrying silt, oil, fertilizers, pesticides and waste into streams, rivers and lakes. As the intensity of development continues to increase, Northampton will see a corresponding increase in serious stormwater problems...

Analysis of Flood Hazards in Northampton (emphasis added)
...Flooding from stormwater runoff is a growing problem in every urbanized area and is caused by large amounts of impervious surfaces and by undersized or poorly maintained stormwater drainage infrastructure, including culverts and detention basins. Development not only creates more impervious surfaces, but it also changes natural drainage patterns by altering existing contours by grading and filling, sometimes creating unexpected stormwater flooding during heavy rains. Recently, the City of Northampton has seen flooding on Elm Street, along Church and Stoddard Streets, Bliss Street and Austin Circle due to undersized pipes and catch basins and lack of upstream detention that caused streams to jump their banks and flood roadways and properties.

Stormwater contributes to water pollution by carrying silt, oil, fertilizers, pesticides and waste into streams, rivers and lakes. Stormwater flooding also has the potential to cause considerable property damage because it occurs in areas of concentrated development... (p.19)

Additional Natural Hazard Identification and Analysis (emphasis added)

...In addition to flooding from hurricanes and northeasters, Northampton is also susceptible to flooding from severe rainstorms and thunderstorms. The occurrence of significant rain events in the City has been increasing over the past several years.

Vulnerable Areas and Populations
The greatest impact in the City is felt in neighborhoods along rivers and streams. In recent years, heavy rainstorms have caused significant problems in more urbanized areas as increased development inhibits proper drainage and existing or poorly maintained water systems cannot handle increased stormwater runoff.

The most recent example is the flooding following Tropical Storm Floyd, a 100-year storm that occurred in September of 1999 which created severe localized flooding conditions in the small flashy watersheds of the City, especially along the Mill River and the historic Mill River (both within and beyond the mapped Zone A), and along Barrett Street Brook and Elm Street Brook (both outside of Zone A). This storm caused approximately $900,000 in property damage.

EPA: Urban Heat Islands
Heat islands form as cities replace natural land cover with pavement, buildings, and other infrastructure.

Special Permit As Issued to Kohl Construction for North Street Condos

NorthAssocAdmin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:08:00 GMT

Here is the special permit issued by the Planning Board in June to Tofino Associates/Northern Avenue Homes/Kohl Construction to build 20 condo units off North Street. Kohl still needs approval from the Conservation Commission (July 23 hearing expected) as well as a resolution to a lawsuit in Land Court over matters of title and rights-of-way. You may download the special permit as a high-resolution PDF (110 KB).

See also:

Video and Slides: Planning Board Grants Special Permit to Kohl Condos on 6/25/09

Sunday Republican: "Condominium proposal moves ahead in 'Hamp" (6/28/09)

Latest Kohl Condo Proposal for North Street: 20 Units as Duplexes

Video: Conservation Commission Reviews Latest Kohl Condo Proposal on 5/14/09

Video: Conservation Commission Meeting of 3/12/09; Deadlock on Kohl Condo Proposal; Kohl Seeks to Withdraw Application

City Councilors Michael Bardsley and Marianne LaBarge Seek a Non-Binding Public Vote on the Fate of the Landfill

NorthAssocAdmin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:22:00 GMT

This press release appeared today on the Sustain Northampton Yahoo group:

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JULY 3, 2009

On Thursday, July 2, 2009, At Large City Councilor Michael Bardsley and Ward Six City Councilor Marianne LaBarge submitted an Order to be place[d] on the agenda of the meeting of the Nothampton City Council scheduled for Thursday, July 9, 2009. That order requested that the Northampton CIty Council place on the ballot for the November election a non-binding public opinion advisory question to determine whether voters of the City of Northampton approve of the proposed plan to expand the city's landfill over the Barnes Aquifer. Councilors Bardsley and LaBarge submitted this order at the request of several concerned citizens.

"I think it's only right that the voters of Northampton have a chance to clearly express their opinions on the landfill expansion," said Councilor LaBarge. "On the Proposition 2 1/2 Override and the Community Preservation Act, the people had their say. We want to give them the same opportunity on this critical and controversial decision."

"The Board of Public Works has held forums to inform the public about the landfill expansion," said Councilor Bardsley. "That educational effort has had a positive impact on those who were able to attend, or who watched them on the community television. Unfortunately, because of legal advice given by City Solicitor Janet Sheppard, the citizens of Northampton have been prohibited from discussing this critical issue with their city councilors."

Bardsley noted that a formal hearing process will be implemented by the city council once an application for a special permit is filed. "We should have learned by now that a formal hearing does not allow for a real community conversation," Bardsley said. "Though these required formal hearings are often useful, you cannot accurately gauge the opinion of the general public."

"A non-binding public opinion advisory question would let the voters speak on a decision which will affect our city for years, possibly for generations. It's in keeping with the spirit of the Best Practices Committe's recommendations by providing the opportunity for a broad dialogue. Advocates and opponents of the proposed landfill expansion will have a chance to make their case to the entire population, and the voters will be able to express their opinions and hopefully be heard by City Council."

If the Council approves this Order, the question will appear on the November 3 ballot. If the council defeats the Order, the group of citizens supporting this proposed ballot initiative can have it placed on the ballot by having 10% of the registered voters of Northampton sign a petition in support of that question.

The Order submitted by Councilors Labarge and Bardsley is as follows:

Ordered that,

The City Council of the City of Northampton orders that the question below be placed on the ballot for the election in November 2009, allowing the voters of the City of Northampton to give a non-binding public advisory opinion to determine if they would authorize the City of Northampton to expand the City of Northampton's landfill over the Barnes Aquifer.

"Shall the City of Northampton expand the Northampton landfill over the Barnes Aquifer?"

______Yes ______No

See also:

Video: Board of Public Works Discusses Scope of Waste Management Alternatives Study at 1/21/09 Special Meeting

Video and Slides: Public Forum on Innovative Approaches to Manage Northampton's Solid Waste, 11/19/08
City Engineer Jim Laurila gave a presentation on Northampton's current solid waste management program (PDF, 54KB). He was followed by Gary Liss of Gary Liss & Associates ("Zero Waste to Cool the Planet", PDF, 975KB) and Alan Cohen of HDR ("Innovative Approaches to Managing Northampton's Solid Waste", PDF, 5.9MB)...

Mayor Clare Higgins asserts that the region has a moral obligation to deal with its trash locally. The Valley Advocate quotes her as saying, "We are providing a regional public service... Western Massachusetts should deal with Western Massachusetts trash. And even leaving the region out of the equation, Northampton has to send its trash somewhere. What are the options? Will we feel good about ourselves if we ship our trash out of state to a poorer community?"

Gary Liss challenges this notion (1:55:10-1:56:30), saying, "I don't think you have to assume that you have to provide landfill capacity. You could provide transfer capacity. The assumption of having to provide local capacity was in the 80s, when there was a concern that there wasn't going to be disposal capacity available anywhere, and 'we're running out of landfill space'. That was the driver for a lot of the programs of the 80s and 90s. That doesn't compute anymore with the regional haul...

Department of Public Works: Proposed Phase 5 Expansion Information

Northampton Redoubt: "Mary Serreze interviews Northampton BPW Chair Dave Reckhow on the proposed landfill expansion" (11/15/08)
Reckhow: "If there are conflicts between waste reduction and the economics of operating the landfill, we'll want to examine that. We'll need to define our priorities. I believe that we should be reducing our waste stream. Whether that is compatible with the landfill expansion has yet to be determined."

Valley Advocate: "Trash is Good" (10/9/08)
In the landfill business, trash is good. Currently Northampton's Solid Waste Enterprise Fund relies on 45,000 to 50,000 tons per year in order to meet budget. If Pioneer Valley residents significantly reduce what they throw away, the city may move to expand the landfill's "wasteshed"--that is, to entice tonnage from other areas. If another regional facility offers haulers a cheaper alternative, this strategy may fail. Duseau Trucking has a permit to operate a transfer station in North Hatfield, with rail access. If, for instance, Duseau were able to ship our region's trash to another facility at a lower cost, it is possible that the Northampton municipal landfill would end up cash-starved...

Video: Department of Public Health Presents Landfill Study

Video and Slides: Planning Board Grants Special Permit to Kohl Condos on 6/25/09

NorthAssocAdmin — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:23:00 GMT

Here is a blip.tv video of the Tofino Associates/Northern Avenue Homes/Kohl Construction hearing on June 25 before Northampton's Planning Board. The board granted a special permit to Kohl to build 20 condo units off of North Street. Kohl has not yet secured approval from the Conservation Commission (hearing expected July 23). A Land Court lawsuit over title and rights-of-way is also outstanding (a hearing on a motion for partial summary judgment is planned for early August). Doug Kohl has pledged not to begin construction on the site until the lawsuit is resolved.

This video was recorded by Lachlan Ziegler and is 2 hours and 14 minutes long. The latter part of the hearing contains a discussion of the conditions attached to the special permit. We will obtain and publish the text of these conditions within a few days.

Below are selected graphics from Kohl's presentation. The proposed Northern Avenue duplex is shown followed by the View Avenue duplexes. Click here for high-resolution PDFs of the proposal and more views.

See also:

Sunday Republican: "Condominium proposal moves ahead in 'Hamp" (6/28/09)
Adam R. Cohen of the North Street Neighborhood Association said Kohl's is plan is better than when he started, but still raises some concerns. "I think (the parcel) would be at substantial risk from the next big tropical rain storm," Cohen said.

Tropical Storm Floyd Flood Damage Report (1999)
In the map below, the red flag behind View Avenue (the topmost flag) indicates a flood damage report from Tropical Storm Floyd (1999). This area is in the eastern portion of Kohl Construction's proposed condo site, one of the more elevated portions. We infer that much of Kohl's property may be at risk from heavy rainfall events.

Comparing the New Hazards Mitigation Plan to the Old One: Wetlands Protection Weakened
...it is forecasted that, Massachusetts, and the rest of New England, is long overdue for a major hurricane to make landfall. Based on past hurricane and tropical storm landfalls, the frequency of tropical systems to hit the Massachusetts coastline is an average of once out of every six years." (p.28, emphasis added)

Latest Kohl Condo Proposal for North Street: 20 Units as Duplexes

Units 5-12 would be in an area that Conservation Commissioner Paul Wetzel objects to building on because the ground is so wet (March 12 hearing)
Wetzel also expressed concerns about how the underground stormwater detention system by Unit 10 would interact with groundwater in and around the wetland
Unit 18 appears to be slated for the same place as a unit that Conservation Commissioner Downey Meyer objected to previously as too close to the wetland
The total amount of disturbance inside the 100-foot wetlands buffer zone would remain high; Meyer objected to this on the version of the proposal reviewed on March 12

Video: Conservation Commission Reviews Latest Kohl Condo Proposal on 5/14/09

Video: Conservation Commission Meeting of 3/12/09; Deadlock on Kohl Condo Proposal; Kohl Seeks to Withdraw Application

Video: Jesse Adams Campaign Kick-Off for City Council - Speeches with Text

NorthAssocAdmin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:17:00 GMT

Jesse Adams is running for a City Councilor At-Large position in Northampton. Here is a blip.tv video of the speeches from his campaign kick-off event at the Northampton Country Club on 6/24/09. Mr. Adams is introduced by Rick Gifford and Wendy Foxmyn. This video is 18 minutes long and was recorded by Adam Cohen. For a shorter blip.tv video with just Mr. Adams' speech by itself (10min 32sec), please click here.

(Please note: The North Street Neighborhood Association does not endorse candidates for political office. This material is presented to inform the public. That said, we applaud this passage from the speech below: "When we experience residential growth new projects must be appropriately sized; they must be organic and fit the character of the neighborhood and not be forced or unnatural. Infill is important, and we need it. But we can’t destroy our green space and call it infill because we can walk to it from downtown. We must seek a better path to growth.")

The text of Mr. Adams' speech:

Thank Wendy so much for that great introduction. I would like to point out that Rick is not my bodyguard--he is my campaign manager.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to speak to you briefly, and after I speak I want to hear from all of you, either directly or by the sheets that are on the table. Throughout the course of this campaign I’d love to sit down with each and every one of you.

I’m Jesse Adams. I hope to have the chance to represent you as City Councilor at Large for the great city of Northampton.

As many of you know, I’ve been a life-long valley resident. My family has run a business on Main Street for 30 years. My father Andy is here tonight; my mother Joya is in Virginia, visiting one of her four grandchildren, my first nephew Andrew Jr. My nieces are also here, Allie, Lindsay, and Sarah.

I live and work in Northampton, and love this city, as we all do here, and that’s why I decided to run two years ago as a Forbes Library Trustee and was elected. And I’d like to thank all of you who supported me in that effort. It is my pleasure to serve, and that office has given me the energy and desire to serve the city in other capacities.

Why do I love Northampton?

I love the vibrancy of it. I love the balance of ideas. I love the Arts and Music. I live on on Main Street and each day I look out on to the heart of our downtown, and when I open my window I hear the music of the street, and people in conversation. I see a city that is home to people who were born and raised here, and also to people who come here to seek a life. And we have a wonderful home. A home that’s bright, warm, and welcoming. We’ve struggled to become this city, and fought the good fight to become who we are. Northampton has some of the most creative minds anywhere: writers, doctors, artists, judges, teachers, business owners, therapists-lots and lots of therapists. They’ve chosen to dwell here because it feeds there minds, and their souls. And people aside from their professions want to raise their family, and be a part of the community.

I have a vision for the future of Northampton. It is one of unity. Our city is a diverse one, with diverse views. A united city has citizens who engage in spirited and respectful debates and know that we will struggle at times but when our goal is to find common ground the result is not acrimony, but unity.

A united Northampton values superior schools and our duty to future generations. We know that we have this responsibility which is why we have to make sacrifices to ensure that our schools are great now, and will be in the future.

My vision of Northampton is one of continued public safety where all people can walk at night without fear no matter who they are. It wasn’t long ago that we held candlelight vigils to protest acts of violence in our community. A united Northampton expects public safety and demands justice.

A united Northampton has an open government that makes decisions by the light of day and listens to the people because we have so many great people with smart voices and sound ideas.

My vision for Northampton is one with a robust local economy. Keeping our dollars close to us is in our best interest, and has helped us fair better than other regions during this recession.

There is a lot to love about Northampton. Even though we have such a great home here, we are in the midst of troubled times.

We are in a storm. Each year we our tax bills go up, and at the same time we face cuts to the services that we rely on. This year we faced an unprecedented budget deficit. And we managed to avoid the worst case scenario and stave off a lot of the pain with the passage of the override last week. But the override was the eye of a hurricane. We can’t rest now because the clouds will roll back in next year unless we start looking for solutions now.

We need to live within our means and watch every cent that we spend. We need the state to give us choices, like the local option meals tax as well as the option to increase in local room occupancy tax. Then we can have the discussion and decide whether we should levy these taxes. We need to seek other new revenues and look to expand the tax base instead of increasing the burden again and again on those who are already sacrificing so much. It’s unfortunate that we have to fix on the local level what has been broken on the state level. We must be open-minded and look for solutions to next year’s grim budget now.

To do this, we need a government that is democratic, open and informed. We need to make intelligent decisions with genuine deliberation. We have a best practices committee that worked hard to deliver a set of recommendations to create an open and informed process that is in clear view of the public. We have to begin adopting those recommendations today.

We need a permanent Best Practices Committee.

We need to utilize our ordinance that allows for a creation of a Citizens Advisory Committee.

We need a local public ethics ordinance that holds us to a higher standard than the minimum state requirements.

We need to review the City Council powers and responsibilities, as well the role of the Mayor in City Council and School Committee meetings. This discussion will enable us to ask ourselves if our charter and ordinances allow for a proper separation of powers and if they do not we must change them. We should review these functions no matter who the Mayor is, or who is on the City Council come next January.

It is through best practices and engagement of the people of Northampton that we can make informed decisions that will lead us as a united city to the safe shore of the future, and provide for our children.

We must honor our duty to the future generations of Northampton by being committed to waste reduction. We need to enforce the recycling ordinance which is already the law. We need to expand the items that can be recycled. We need to establish a re-use center where people can bring things that they no longer need that others can take for free. We must value waste reduction because a greener Northampton is a safer and smarter Northampton.

Northampton must grow. We should increase the tax base both residentially and commercially to spread the tax burden more evenly. When we experience residential growth new projects must be appropriately sized; they must be organic and fit the character of the neighborhood and not be forced or unnatural. Infill is important, and we need it. But we can’t destroy our green space and call it infill because we can walk to it from downtown. We must seek a better path to growth.

Commercial growth is vital as well. We want people to visit our city, and shop in our vibrant local businesses, and enjoy themselves, and we want people to come here from different places, to work and live here and join us, and contribute to our community, and make Northampton even better, but not at the expense of the people who were born and raised here.

We need Northampton to grow and develop in a way that is unified and inclusive.

I can lead us into the future as a councilor at large. I see myself as a city councilor who will walk with anyone, talk to everyone, and engage them. It is because the issues require genuine deliberation, and not alliances based on personalities.

I can be an independent voice with a fresh perspective. I am accessible. I am willing to listen with compassion and I am eager to serve. I’m open to new ideas. I love this city and I understand the people. Democracy won’t always give us what everyone wants, but I believe that Democracy is designed to give us what is fair. I quote Aeschylus, “Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.” And “God’s most lordly gift to human beings is decency of mind.” That’s what democracy is. It requires disagreement and means we have to listen to each other especially when we are at odds, not when it’s convenient because one of Northampton’s greatest qualities is diversity of mind. It’s decent to care about your neighbor. It’s fair to have to argue about how to achieve happiness and the right direction for our community.

We are not going to restore ourselves with cynicism; we can’t rejuvenate ourselves by being aloof. It’s only through unity, service, engagement, and participation that Democracy can serve the public. That’s why I’ve asked you to gather here tonight in support of my candidacy because it is a united Northampton that will navigate its course for the future. I am ready to be your city councilor at large. Yet, I cannot do this alone. I need your help. I need your support. I need you to tell your friends and neighbors that you support me and that they should too because I care for the future of our Northampton. And most importantly I need your vote on November 3rd.

Thank you so much for being here, and thank you for your support. God bless you. I love you.

See also:

Mary Serreze: "Photos from Adams Kickoff" (6/25/09)

Mary Serreze: "Jesse Adams Kicks Off Campaign" (6/24/09, with audio recording of Adams' speech)

Gazette: "Northampton council shuffle: Dostal won't run; Narkewicz steps into at-large race" (6/26/09)
After 55 years of either working for the city or serving as an elected official, City Councilor James M. Dostal announced Thursday he will not seek re-election to his at-large council seat in November.

Meanwhile, two-term Ward 4 Councilor David J. Narkewicz joined Dostal on the steps of City Hall to announce his intention to seek election to an at-large seat...

At-Large City Councilor Michael R. Bardsley is leaving his longtime council seat to challenge incumbent Mayor Clare Higgins for her office, opening the way for new faces in both at-large council seats.

In addition to Narkewicz, two other city residents, Kathleen Silva of 119 Riverside Drive and Jesse Adams of 187 Main St., Apt. 4, have announced their intention to run for an at-large seat, though more candidates may emerge.

Our Ad in the May 6 Gazette: "How to Avoid Classic Infill Design Mistakes"

Our Guest Article at Northampton Redoubt: "The Kohl condo proposal and the Struggle Over the Meaning of Infill"

Smart Growth vs. "Smart Growth"

Video: Presentation of Final Recommendations of the Best Practices Committee to City Council, 3/5/09

Planning Board Grants Special Permit to Kohl Condo Proposal; Conservation Commission, Land Court Hearings To Come

NorthAssocAdmin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:18:00 GMT

Last night the Planning Board granted Tofino Associates/Kohl Construction a special permit to build 20 condo units off North Street. Kohl still requires approval from the Conservation Commission, which is expected to hold a fresh hearing on the proposal in July. Kohl also has yet to resolve a dispute before Land Court involving matters of title and rights-of way. We will provide pictures and video from the Planning Board hearing within a few days.

The North Street Neighborhood Association believes most of Kohl's land is unsuitable for building (too wet, buggy and flood-prone) and that the best use of the land is to conserve it as an informal park. The state has offered to match funds raised by abutters for the purpose of conservation.

Today's Gazette reports that "Kohl said he would not begin construction until the Land Court issue is resolved."

See also:

Latest Kohl Condo Proposal for North Street: 20 Units as Duplexes

Units 5-12 would be in an area that Conservation Commissioner Paul Wetzel objects to building on because the ground is so wet (March 12 hearing)
Wetzel also expressed concerns about how the underground stormwater detention system by Unit 10 would interact with groundwater in and around the wetland
Unit 18 appears to be slated for the same place as a unit that Conservation Commissioner Downey Meyer objected to previously as too close to the wetland
The total amount of disturbance inside the 100-foot wetlands buffer zone would remain high; Meyer objected to this on the version of the proposal reviewed on March 12

Video: Conservation Commission Reviews Latest Kohl Condo Proposal on 5/14/09

Video: Conservation Commission Meeting of 3/12/09; Deadlock on Kohl Condo Proposal; Kohl Seeks to Withdraw Application

June 24: Community Forum on Meadows Agricultural Land behind South Street Neighborhood

NorthAssocAdmin — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:37:00 GMT

Ward 4 City Councilor David Narkewicz is circulating the following announcement today:

Community Forum on Meadows Agricultural Land behind South Street Neighborhood
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
6:30 PM
Media Education Foundation (MEF) Community Room
60 Masonic Street (behind Woodstar Cafe), Northampton

Through the generosity of Rita & Bruce Bleiman, and with the help of CPA funds, the City is acquiring [PDF] an 11-acre parcel of "Meadows" land behind the South Street neighborhood to be forever preserved and put to some wonderful agricultural uses benefiting the public. A Community Forum has been organized for this Wednesday night to 1) envision the possible agricultural uses of the land, and 2) form a working group to create a management structure for the land.

What do we want down there: more community garden plots? A walkable, organic CSA? Common pastureland to graze goats and sheep? An educational/seed-saving farm? These are a few ideas that have already been put forward, but the City is wide open to all possibilities. Please bring your ideas and volunteer energy to the forum!

For more information, please contact Lilly Lombard, jollypair@comcast.net, 584-0081.

Kollmorgen and the Bike Trail: Video Excerpt from the State Hospital CAC Meeting of 6/17/09

NorthAssocAdmin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:10:00 GMT

Here is a blip.tv video of the last eight minutes of the 6/17/09 meeting of the Northampton State Hospital Citizen Advisory Committee. Planning Director Wayne Feiden, Benjamin Spencer, Mayor Clare Higgins and others discuss the route of the bike trail that is to pass near the planned new facility for Kollmorgen Electro-Optical.

Here are additional comments provided to us by Benjamin Spencer (refer to the diagram below):

From the South Campus the views of the Pioneer Valley and the Holyoke and Mount Tom Ranges are stunning. The Manhan Rail Trail Extension to Village Hill Northampton could travel up the hill in a series of switchbacks to the crest and then travel west towards Laurel Street. From here it could connect to the network of bike path lanes planned for the North Campus of Village Hill. The path could also extend east and follow the ridge of the hill bringing users out by the main intersection at Village Hill Road. Here Route 66 can be crossed safely at the traffic signals that are currently being installed. This is a centrally located entrance that is equally convenient to everyone living in Village Hill. The Overlook Bike Path would provide a common place for residents, workers, families and cyclists to share and enjoy. It would offer a calm path for beginning cyclists and provide everyone with scenic views. On the Overlook the community would be able to meet each other and connect with the beautiful valley we all call home.

The Overlook Bike Path could also serve as a memorial to Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride and the former Northampton State Hospital. Dr. Kirkbride played a significant role in improving the quality and effectiveness of mental healthcare in America. The asylum buildings and their rural surroundings were central to Dr. Kirkbride's ideas of treatment for patients suffering from mental illness. He understood that fresh air, natural light, and beautiful views of a natural environment would make a patient's experience more comfortable and enhance their treatment. It is thanks to his vision that this beautiful location is available.

I ask Kollmorgen, MassDevelopment, the CAC and the City of Northampton to work together to see that this improvement to the site plan is thoroughly investigated and considered before any site work begins on the South Campus of Village Hill Northampton.

See also:

Video and Guest Column: Planning Board Approves Kollmorgen for Hospital Hill on 6/11/09

Gazette: "Kollmorgen HQ project at Village Hill approved" (6/12/09)
Although the board OK'd the site plans in a 5-1 vote, with Kenneth Jodrie the lone dissenter, disapproval of the redesigned bike path was a consistent theme among speakers. Rust Avenue resident Benjamin Spencer, who spoke a number of times at the meeting, said he thought changes to the bike path made it unsafe for children and that the company's claim that a bike path would cause a security problem was insincere.

Guest Column: Manhan Rail Trail Extension to Village Hill Northampton; June 11 Kollmorgen Hearing (6/10/09)

Video: Kollmorgen Hospital Hill Presentation of 5/20/09

Video: Manhan Rail Trail Hearing of 4/27/09

April 27: Public Hearing for the Manhan Rail Trail

Boston Globe: "How the city hurts your brain" (1/2/09)
...scientists have begun to examine how the city affects the brain, and the results are chastening. Just being in an urban environment, they have found, impairs our basic mental processes. After spending a few minutes on a crowded city street, the brain is less able to hold things in memory, and suffers from reduced self-control...

One of the main forces at work is a stark lack of nature, which is surprisingly beneficial for the brain. Studies have demonstrated, for instance, that hospital patients recover more quickly when they can see trees from their windows, and that women living in public housing are better able to focus when their apartment overlooks a grassy courtyard. Even these fleeting glimpses of nature improve brain performance, it seems, because they provide a mental break from the urban roil...

A city is so overstuffed with stimuli that we need to constantly redirect our attention so that we aren't distracted by irrelevant things, like a flashing neon sign...

Natural settings, in contrast, don't require the same amount of cognitive effort...

Natural settings are full of objects that automatically capture our attention, yet without triggering a negative emotional response -- unlike, say, a backfiring car. The mental machinery that directs attention can relax deeply, replenishing itself...

Latest Kohl Condo Proposal for North Street: 20 Units as Duplexes

NorthAssocAdmin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:53:00 GMT

This week Kohl Construction submitted a revised condo proposal to the Office of Planning and Development. Compared to the previous proposal shown to the Planning Board on May 14, the new proposal reduces total units from 23 to 20 and breaks up the larger masses into duplexes. Several members of the Planning Board had asked for a reduction of 3-5 units.

The new proposal will be taken up by the Planning Board at its Thursday, June 25 meeting (7pm, City Council Chambers, 212 Main Street). Concerned citizens are urged to attend.

The Conservation Commission hearing previously scheduled for June 25 has been canceled. The Commission desires to hire a hydrogeologist to evaluate how the proposed condos would impact the wetlands and buffer zone.

While the new condo proposal is a move in the right direction, many important issues remain:

Units 5-12 would be in an area that Conservation Commissioner Paul Wetzel objects to building on because the ground is so wet (March 12 hearing)
Wetzel also expressed concerns about how the underground stormwater detention system by Unit 10 would interact with groundwater in and around the wetland
Unit 18 appears to be slated for the same place as a unit that Conservation Commissioner Downey Meyer objected to previously as too close to the wetland
The total amount of disturbance inside the 100-foot wetlands buffer zone would remain high; Meyer objected to this on the version of the proposal reviewed on March 12
The two cul-de-sacs of the development would be awkward, with poor sight lines, and poorly integrated with the surrounding neighborhood. This would likely impair neighborhood cohesion and might lead to security issues. The Sustainable Northampton Plan disfavors cul-de-sacs
A 1999 Tropical Storm Floyd flood damage report for the end of View Avenue (near proposed Unit 1) suggests much of the site may be at risk of future flooding (View Avenue is at a relatively high elevation on the property)
The density would still be too high relative to the amount of land suitable for building. The proposed units look like they are squashed into North Street's backyard space. This disrupts the character of the neighborhood and intrudes on neighbors' privacy. The units would not be in harmonious relation to their surroundings, a condition of the special permit Kohl needs
Would the View Avenue duplexes have a monotonous repetition of design? That would contrast with the charm and variety of the existing neighborhood
We presume the condos would still be built on slab foundations. This is also out of character with the neighborhood and raises durability questions
This site is swarming with mosquitoes during the summer months. It would be hard to blame residents for spraying insecticides so they could use their outdoor spaces in safety and comfort. That could put them on a collision course with the health of the wetlands.

Here are the two units proposed for the end of Northern Avenue (download the PDFs below for the complete proposal in high resolution):

Here is the main body of 18 units proposed around View Avenue:

Here is the previous May 14 proposal by way of contrast:

The proposed design for the units at the end of Northern Avenue (unchanged since November 2008):

The proposed design for the duplexes around View Avenue:

Here is the complete Kohl filing of 6/17/09 with Office of Planning and Development:

Chart L1: Existing Conditions of the Land (PDF, 622KB)

Chart L2a: Layout and Planting Plan (View Avenue) (PDF, 1.1MB)
Chart L3a: Grading & Utility Plan (View Avenue) (PDF, 1.6MB)

Chart L2b: Layout and Planting Plan (Northern Avenue) (PDF, 1.2MB)
Chart L3b: Site Grading & Utility Plan (Northern Avenue) (PDF, 1.7MB)

Chart L4: Details (sidewalks, stormwater management) (PDF, 1.4MB)
Chart L5: Details (more stormwater management) (PDF, 896KB)

Northern Avenue Duplex (PDF, 68KB, unchanged since November 2008)
View Avenue Duplexes (PDF, 100KB, new)

Exterior Duplex Lighting Schedule (PDF, 251KB)

Here is a report on the proposal from Northampton Senior Land Use Planner Carolyn Misch:
Staff Report to Planning Board from Carolyn Misch, 6/18/09 (MS Word, 708KB)

See also:

Letter to Gazette: "Defending rights of North Street neighbors" (6/16/09)
...I live on South Street, which used to have a lovely little wooded area at the corner where it forks into Old South and New South. In my opinion, destroying that woods to allow "infill" was a very bad decision. And there's a lot of research to the effect that we human beings actually need natural views in our lives, even in a downtown.

Video: Conservation Commission Meeting of 6/11/09

Video: Planning Board Reviews the Latest Kohl Condo Proposal on 5/14/09

Video: Conservation Commission Reviews Latest Kohl Condo Proposal on 5/14/09

Gazette: "Early count too close to call on Kohl project" (5/19/09)

Gazette: "Wetlands, density bog down Northampton condo plans" (5/15/09)

Planning Board Debates Kohl Condo Density - Quotes from the March 26 Hearing

Video: Conservation Commission Meeting of 3/12/09; Deadlock on Kohl Condo Proposal

Our Ad in the May 6 Gazette: "How to Avoid Classic Infill Design Mistakes"
Portland notes that medium-density neighborhoods like ours have established patterns of backyards. These “create a much-valued ‘private realm’ of outdoor spaces that contrast functionally with the ‘public realm’ of street frontages. Infill development which intrudes significantly into the backyard realm can have substantial privacy and solar access impacts and is often a key concern of neighbors...”

With the guidelines from Knoxville, Portland and Toronto in mind, problems with the Kohl condo proposal are readily apparent:

The development would convert close to an acre of urban greenspace into impervious surface, with many mature trees cut down...

The condos’ slab foundations would put them in different relation to grade than the surrounding homes, most of which sit on basements or crawl spaces

Most condos would lack the setbacks, “green edges” and porches that characterize how nearby homes typically greet the streets in front of them

No consistent street wall would enclose and frame the condo access roads; no ‘urban room’ would be created. Several units would have front entrances that don’t face the roads. Contrast this with the cozy feel of nearby Northern Avenue, with its consistent street wall on both sides

The access roads would be an awkward cross between private driveways and regular streets. They wouldn’t resemble the surrounding city streets. The visual and physical links to the existing neighborhood would be poor. Most of the condo units would be hidden from North Street

Compounding the disconnection, the access roads would be dead-ends and uninviting to neighbors walking by

The condos would intrude on the backyard realm of the existing homes next to them...

“We will have to admit that it is beyond the scope of anyone’s imagination to create a community. We must learn to cherish the communities we have, they are hard to come by.” --Jane Jacobs, quoting Stanley Tankel, from Seeing Like a State

Portland Infill Design Strategies: Best Practices for Context-Sensitive Infill Design

Good Cul-De-Sacs and Bad Ones
...Northern Avenue has several aspects that likely improve its safety:

It is linear
The homes are well-integrated with good intervisibility
It is well-connected to a main road (North Street)
You can stand on North Street and see down to the end of Northern Avenue
Access to the rear of homes on Northern Avenue is relatively restricted
Homes line both sides of the street

By contrast, the cul-de-sacs in Kohl's latest condo proposal give reason for concern:

The roads would not be straight
The space would be visually broken up
The homes would be isolated from North Street
Many units would be difficult or impossible to see from North Street
Footpaths (shown in pink) and the woods would give easy secondary access to the units
Homes would only be present on one side of the street

Our Ad in the April 11 Gazette: Slab-on-Grade Foundations Raise Questions of Durability

Tree Loss and Slab-on-Grade Foundations: A Poor Fit with the Sustainable Northampton Plan
...Bruce Maki, editor of HammerZone.com, issues a Quasi-Rant on the matter of "Crawl Space vs. Slab Foundation":

...Quite frankly, you couldn't give me a house built on a slab foundation. With no easy access to any of the "environmental systems" (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) maintaining these structures is a nuisance at best, and a nightmare at worst...

Tasha Lucas...from Monster Constructors...adds:

Slab-on-grade foundations are constructed with reinforced concrete and are usually shallow, quickly built, and inexpensive. For a builder that doesn't have to live in the homes that he builds, slab foundations are a dream. Slab foundations are used with homes that do not have basements. A major disadvantage to slab-on-grade foundations is that they are not resistant to seasonal movement changes and moisture disbursement due to root growth. In other words, slab foundations are not a long-term option for homes in North Texas...

Our Guest Article at Northampton Redoubt: "The Kohl condo proposal and the Struggle Over the Meaning of Infill"

Smart Growth vs. "Smart Growth"

Valley Advocate: "Bogged Down - Doug Kohl runs into trouble with plans for his subdivision off North Street in Northampton" (3/17/09)

Watering-up: Studies of Groundwater Rising After Trees Cut

Topographical Map Shows How Kohl Condo Proposal Will Eat Into a Rare Stand of Mature Trees in Downtown

Boston Globe: "How the city hurts your brain" (1/2/09)

Letter to Gazette: "Defending rights of North Street neighbors"

NorthAssocAdmin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:23:00 GMT

North Street gets fresh support from across town in Virginia Schulman's letter published in today's Gazette:

Defending rights of North Street neighbors

...I live on South Street, which used to have a lovely little wooded area at the corner where it forks into Old South and New South. In my opinion, destroying that woods to allow "infill" was a very bad decision. And there's a lot of research to the effect that we human beings actually need natural views in our lives, even in a downtown.

In my view, "mixed development" and "future needs" do not require the city to allow the destruction of a traditional neighborhood, especially when that neighborhood already contains mixed development in the form of houses of varied ages and sizes, and when that neighborhood's residents are letting the city know in every way possible that they don't want their neighborhood destroyed.

See also:

Video: Planning Board Reviews the Latest Kohl Condo Proposal on 5/14/09
Proposed 21 units off North Street centered around View Avenue (download high-resolution JPEG)

Planning Board Debates Kohl Condo Density - Quotes from the March 26 Hearing
Any design multiplied 23 times would not be in harmony with the neighborhood, which is characterized by the diverse appearance of its homes.

Topographical Map Shows How Kohl Condo Proposal Will Eat Into a Rare Stand of Mature Trees in Downtown

Boston Globe: "How the city hurts your brain" (1/2/09)
City life can also lead to loss of emotional control. Kuo and her colleagues found less domestic violence in the apartments with views of greenery. These data build on earlier work that demonstrated how aspects of the urban environment, such as crowding and unpredictable noise, can also lead to increased levels of aggression. A tired brain, run down by the stimuli of city life, is more likely to lose its temper...

MA Secy of Energy and Environmental Affairs: Urban Parks Deserve Protection as do Habitat Reserves and Working Landscapes

CommonWealth Magazine: "Urban greenery can bring better health, more attractive neighborhoods, and even safer streets"

Greening Smart Growth: The Sustainable Sites Initiative

Photo Essay: 10 Reasons People Like Trees Around Them; Will the Sustainable Northampton Plan Put Urban Trees at Risk?
"Planning for Trees" by Henry Arnold, Planning Commissioners Journal, January/February 1992
A recent survey by the American Forestry Association of twenty American cities found that, on average, only one tree is planted for every four removed...

Our urban centers need to become more attractive to help counter the continuation of a sprawl pattern of development. If the appeal of low density, widely scattered development is derived from the need to be closer to nature, then making trees an integral part of the urban habitat will help make our town and city centers more desirable places to live and work. It is profoundly important to see this linkage between making cities and towns more "liveable" and stemming the continued spread of scattered development across the countryside.

Rutherford Platt, "Regreening the Metropolis: Pathways to More Ecological Cities"

North Street Gets Support from South Street: A Letter from Virginia Schulman (9/4/07)

Letter to Advocate: "Heartsick Over Noho" (8/30/07)

Our Ad in Today's Gazette: "How to Avoid Classic Infill Design Mistakes" (5/6/09)
Portland’s experience with Smart Growth traces back to the 1970s. Its Bureau of Planning recommends preserving the cohesion of neighborhoods through strengthening existing patterns of “street-oriented buildings, fine-grain ‘rhythms’ of development, and green street edges created by front yards and gardens.” Portland values preserving established building setback patterns and the relationship of buildings to grade level, and avoiding disruptive “monolithic massing”.

Portland Infill Design Strategies: Best Practices for Context-Sensitive Infill Design