All those interested in a Sustainable Northampton are urged to attend one or more of the following public meetings today:
Attend
the Ordinance Committee meeting on July 24, 6:00pm at 212 Main Street
in City Council Chambers. This meeting will discuss changes to
Northampton’s wetlands regulations
Councilor David Narkewicz says this is the “final and required stop for any proposed change to City ordinances prior to reaching the full City Council”. If you can only attend one meeting today, attend this one.NSNA supports the new ordinance’s call for protection for vernal pools. However, we are concerned that other proposed changes will encourage developers to build within 100 feet of wetlands, even approaching as close as 10 feet in some cases. This is ecologically unsound and can increase the risk of local flooding. Our petition (download and sign) calls for new development to respect the 100-foot buffer zone unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Attend
the Tree Committee meeting on July 24, 6:30pm at 125 Locust Street and
push for stronger protections for Northampton’s trees
Our petition (download and sign) calls on Northampton to adopt a “significant tree” ordinance similar to Springfield’s. Trees provide critical benefits to the city as a whole. They cool the air, absorb water, remove air pollutants, and make Northampton the beautiful “Tree City” that it is. We propose that trees that are 75+ years old or 3+ feet in diameter at chest height should not be cut down in whole or part without their owner providing a good reason to Northampton’s Tree Committee or other appropriate official body.Join the Northampton Historical Commission on a Site Visit to 8 View Avenue (July 24, 10:00am). This house, dating back to the 19th century, is slated to be demolished to provide access to Kohl Construction’s proposed condo development behind North Street.