Densification without design guidelines invites problems. Diana DeRubertis analyzes San Diego’s experience for Planetizen: Residential Infill, 70’s-StyleIn 1979, the City of San Diego launched a plan to steer new development into the craftsman-lined neighborhoods close to downtown. The idea was sound: scatter higher density housing throughout existing “smart growth” communities. Part of the city’s General Plan […]
Continue reading Lessons from San Diego: Why We Need Infill Design Guidelines
Northampton Conservation and Land Use Planner Bruce Young has issued the following staff report on Kohl Construction’s latest 20-unit condo proposal for North Street. Concerned citizens are urged to attend the hearing on August 27, 6pm in the City Hall Hearing Room (210 Main Street, 2nd floor, enter via the back door). Staff Report [partial]To: […]
Continue reading Conservation Planner Bruce Young’s Staff Report on Latest Kohl Condo Proposal
We’ve touched on the social benefits of car ownership before. Here are more thoughts on the subject from The Urbanophile: The Downside of Living Carless in a Small City…In a metro area that is nearly all auto oriented, much of the setting of civic life in that city is outside of the core downtown area […]
Continue reading The Urbanophile: “The Downside of Living Carless in a Small City”
Kohl Construction’s proposal to build 20 condo units off North Street goes back before the Conservation Commission on August 27, 6pm in the City Hall Hearing Room. We believe that several key concerns raised by commission members in March have been addressed little if at all in the current proposal. Concerned citizens are urged to […]
The Northampton Design Forum and the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association hosted an urban design tour of Market and Hawley Streets last Sunday morning, August 9. Native son Aaron Helfand, recently graduated from the Notre Dame School of Architecture, led the tour. Participants learned about the historical features of several homes and discussed what makes for […]
These two blip.tv videos (part 1, part 2) cover the complete 8/13/09 meeting of Northampton’s Planning Board. The recording was made by Ben Spencer. The first video is 1 hour 28 minutes long and addresses these agenda items: 7:00 P.M. Request by Marge Curello for Special Permit/Site Plan Amendment to change the house plans/elevations for the single […]
Continue reading Videos: Planning Board Meeting of 8/13/09; Special Permits for Heavy Public Uses
Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 8/10/09 meeting of Northampton’s Committee on Economic Development, Housing and Land Use. The video is 1 hour 55 minutes long and was recorded by Mimi Odgers of Water Not Waste. Video highlights:0:56:40-1:50:58 …Should the City Council retain special permit decision-making authority over landfill expansion (the landfill is a […]
Continue reading Video: Committee on Economic Development, Housing and Land Use, 8/10/09 Meeting
The Ward 3 Neighborhood Association invites you to attend an urban design tour of Market and Hawley Streets on the morning of Sunday, August 9. This is a good time to identify good and not-so-good urban design as the Zoning Revisions Committee ponders how to implement the Sustainable Northampton Plan.Here are the tour details: WHO: […]
Continue reading August 9: Urban Design Tour of Market and Hawley Streets
Here is a complete blip.tv video of the general session of Northampton Design Forum‘s public forum at the Florence Civic Center on 7/27/09. As publicized in NDF’s flyer, “The purpose of the forum is to facilitate public dialogue about the principles of sustainability and neighborhood design, including the concepts presented by the Notre Dame Urban […]
Continue reading Video: Northampton Design Forum – Leeds, Baystate and Florence, 7/27/09
Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 7/23/09 meeting of Northampton’s Planning Board. This video is 3 hours and 23 minutes long, and was recorded by Ben Spencer. Here is the official agenda: THE PLANNING BOARD AND CENTRAL BUSINESS ARCHITECTURE COMMITTEE will hold a joint public hearing in Council Chambers, Puchalski Municipal Building, 212 […]
Continue reading Video: Planning Board Meeting of 7/23/09; Hilton Garden Inn Garage Delay