Alex Ghiselin is a former City Councilor for Ward 5. The Gazette publishes his letter to the editor today: “Don’t let development encroach on our wetlands” To the editor: Northampton has a natural wetland system that protects us from flooding, nurtures biodiversity and filters our groundwater. Allowing development within 10 feet of this system in […]
Continue reading Alex Ghiselin, Letter to Gazette: “Don’t let development encroach on our wetlands”
Several public officials have asserted that the proposed Wetlands Ordinance, scheduled to return to the City Council’s agenda on 9/20, is a continuation of existing policy, or even a strengthening of it. We encourage you to judge for yourself. First we present the current policy, in effect since 10/23/03:While the Conservation Commission has granted limited exceptions […]
Beavers bore the brunt of the blame for rising waters in Barrett Street marsh in 2006, but some believe encroaching development played a role. Let’s revisit a Gazette article from March 17, 2006: Beaver trapping extended, Some still oppose bid to lower marsh in NorthamptonThe Health Department on Thursday granted a 10-day extension on the emergency […]
Continue reading Flooding Around Barrett Street Marsh: Development Eyed as Factor
Daryl LaFleur has just published an article on Northampton Redoubt reporting that Kohl Construction has adjusted its proposal for condos off North Street. Daryl has kindly allowed us to reproduce his article in its entirety: Doug Kohl reduces “footprint” of subdivision proposal due to the discovery of vernal pools in the North Street area wetlandsConcerned […]
Visitors to the home page of the Daily Hampshire Gazette, GazetteNet.com, will see our new animated banner ad starting today:In this ad, we are calling particular attention to detention ponds as people may not appreciate how the need for them may surge under the proposed wetlands ordinance. The ordinance is specifically aimed at encouraging infill […]
Some city officials have said that NSNA is late arriving on the scene. The new wetlands ordinance has been on the table for two years, they say, and we are disinclined to discuss it further. Many of our arguments are not new, however. They are articulated in Northampton’s Flood Mitigation Plan, approved by the City […]
Continue reading Nonotuck Land Fund Raised Wetlands Buffer Issue in May
From: Carol Hutter…Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007…To: Mayor of NorthamptonSubject: northassoc.org..Keep it green!Hello! My name is Carol Hutter, and I currently reside at…North Street. I am just writing to let you know that I am concerned about the prospect of building in the wooded area near my apartment. I feel that it is really important […]
Continue reading An Open Letter from Carol Hutter, North Street Resident, to the Mayor
Northampton’s Conservation Commission has scheduled a meeting at 6:30pm on Tuesday, September 18, to discuss the “proposed changes to the language of the vernal pool section of the proposed Wetlands Ordinance”. The meeting will take place in City Hall Room 11, 212 Main Street.For more information contact Bruce W. Young, Land Use and Conservation Planner, […]
Continue reading Conservation Commission Schedules 9/18 Meeting to Discuss Vernal Pools
The North Street Neighborhood Association today launches a new series of radio ads on WHMP-AM and a print ad on page A7 of the Daily Hampshire Gazette. We reproduce the text of these ads below, adding links to make it easy to research the issues further and take action.Script of WHMP Radio Spot (revised 9/12/07, […]
Continue reading NSNA Debuts New Radio Campaign, Newspaper Ad Today
It has been argued that the proposed wetlands ordinance merely codifies current practice with respect to buffer zones, so residents should not be unduly concerned. Ward 3 City Councilor Marilyn Richards goes further and maintains that the proposed ordinance is actually more restrictive than the current guidelines, but that some residents haven’t grasped this. “Because […]