Kohl Construction, doing business as Tofino Associates and Northern Avenue Homes, is scheduled to appear before the Conservation Commission and the Planning Board on March 26. These hearings may be short, as Kohl has indicated a desire to withdraw its current application for condos off North Street in the face of opposition from two members […]
Month: March 2009
Video: Planning Board Meeting of 3/12/09; Training Presentation for Planning Board Members
Here is a video of the 3/12/09 meeting of Northampton’s Planning Board. It is 1 hour and 38 minutes long. It was recorded by Lisa Maloney and is available on Vimeo. Here is the agenda of the meeting: Board Elections Sustainable Northampton Implementation (1:04:20-1:36:50 on the video. Discusses priority of various initiatives.) More training (0:00:00-0:38:20 on the […]
Video: Conservation Commission Meeting of 3/12/09; Deadlock on Kohl Condo Proposal
Here is a Google video of most of the Conservation Commission meeting of 3/12/09. Only the portion that followed the Kohl hearing was not recorded. This video is 3 hours and 59 minutes long, and was recorded by Adam Cohen. Thanks to Steve Hathaway for transcription assistance. The portion of the meeting devoted to the […]
Valley Advocate: “Bogged Down – Doug Kohl runs into trouble with plans for his subdivision off North Street in Northampton”
The Valley Advocate today published “Bogged Down – Doug Kohl runs into trouble with plans for his subdivision off North Street in Northampton”. Mike Kirby reports on the gestation of the new Wetlands Ordinance and the problems Kohl Construction is having with securing Conservation Commission approval for its proposed condo project. Some excerpts: …a cloud […]
Video: Public Forum on Planning and Sustainability, 3/11/09
Here is a complete Google video of a Public Forum on Planning and Sustainability that took place at Bridge Street School on March 11. This event was co-sponsored by the Northampton Design Forum and the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association, and included presentation of work by the Notre Dame Urban Design Studio. The video is 1 […]
Video: Zoning Revisions Committee Meeting of 3/10/09; Draft Sustainable Northampton Regulatory Implementation
Here is a complete Google video of the first meeting of Northampton’s Zoning Revisions Committee. The meeting took place on March 10 in City Council Chambers. This committee is charged with recommending zoning revisions to the Planning Board that implement the Sustainable Northampton Plan. The video is about two hours long and is also available […]
Gazette: “Condo Clampdown – Tougher mortgage rules hamper condominium market”
Today’s Gazette reports: Condo Clampdown – Tougher mortgage rules hamper condominium market Builders and bankers in Hampshire County fear that stricter lending rules rolled out this year by Fannie Mae, the government-sponsored mortgage giant, will further erode the sagging condo market locally… Private mortgage insurance companies are requiring banks to accept no less than 20 […]
Statement from City Councilor David Narkewicz Concerning the 2009 City Election
Ward 4 City Councilor David Narkewicz circulated the following announcement this morning: Dear Ward Four Friends and Neighbors,Today I am announcing that I will not seek re-election this fall to a third term on the Northampton City Council.Serving as your Ward Four City Councilor has been a great experience. I deeply appreciate the support you […]
Breaking News: Conservation Commission Balks at Approving Kohl Condo Proposal at March 12 Hearing; Kohl Interested in Withdrawing Application
In a session that ran over two hours last night, Northampton’s Conservation Commission found itself unable to advance a proposal by Kohl Construction to build 23 condo units off North Street. Four members were eligible to vote on the proposal: Chair Kevin Lake, Susan Carbin, Paul Wetzel and Downey Meyer. Lake and Carbin expressed that […]
Watering-up: Studies of Groundwater Rising After Trees Cut
At the February 26 Conservation Commission hearing regarding Kohl Construction’s North Street condo proposal, Jono Neiger of Regenerative Design Group noted that removing large numbers of mature trees, as Kohl proposes to do, may cause the already high water table to rise even further. In Kohl’s Stormwater Drainage Report (PDF, 2.8MB, submitted 3/6/09), seasonal high […]