At yesterday’s City Council meeting, Council President Michael Bardsley emphasized that for him, a primary motivation to move quickly on a new Wetlands Ordinance is to prevent the city from being sued. The concern is that if key standards are not spelled out in an ordinance, a disgruntled party might, to give one example, sue […]
Continue reading The Wetlands Policy Lawsuit that City Officials Are Afraid Of
The Northampton City Council voted unanimously tonight to table the proposed wetlands and vernal pool ordinances. The main reason for the delay is to give the Conservation Commission more time to develop a consensus around the terms of the vernal pools ordinance. Councilors said they would then feel more comfortable about voting on the two ordinances as […]
Continue reading Breaking News: City Council Votes to Table Wetlands and Vernal Pool Ordinances
The North Street Neighborhood Association will present 1,358 new petition signatures at today’s City Council meeting. Adding to the 859 signatures submitted on August 16, the new total is 2,217. This includes 1,470 signatures from residents of Northampton and 747 from non-residents. The population of Northampton is estimated to be 28,592, so over 5% of residents have signed in […]
Continue reading NSNA Petition Signature Total Reaches 2,217
Besides algae and mosquitoes, there is another risk to detention pools/retention ponds. They can be a drowning hazard for young children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention underscores the general risks from drowning: In 2004, of all children 1-4 years old who died, 26% died from drowning (CDC 2006). Although drowning rates have slowly […]
Some have criticized members of NSNA for intruding themselves in the wetlands debate at a late hour. Where have you been, they say. We’ve been discussing this for years.That’s true, although not a convincing rebuttal to our arguments. Sometimes the downsides to a concept that sounds good (infill) aren’t obvious until someone proposes a specific development. Moreover, we have […]
This 1997 report was prepared for the Washington State Department of Ecology. It underscores how wetlands on private land can benefit the larger community, and how infill can pressure wetlands in a way that increases flood risks. Highlights include (emphasis added): The Economic Value of Wetlands: Wetlands’ Role in Flood Protection in Western Washington…Episodic flooding along […]
Wetlands are important everywhere, but they are especially important in urban areas for their role in stormwater management and flood mitigation. This underscores the need for infill to tread lightly when urban greenspace is at stake. The Environmental Protection Agency states (emphasis added): Wetlands function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, […]
We received this open letter today from a fellow resident, sharing our concerns about infill projects that consume downtown greenspace: Statement from Virginia Schulman, living at 358 South Street, Northampton, since 1983We had a lovely small wooded area on one corner of the intersection of South Street with New South and Old South streets. The owner […]
Continue reading North Street Gets Support from South Street: A Letter from Virginia Schulman
Here for your reference is the text of the wetlands and vernal pools ordinances that will be taken up by the City Council on September 6. The Council is expected to follow the recommendation of the Ordinance Committee to defer voting on the vernal pools ordinance in favor of further discussion.Proposed Wetlands Ordinance (PDF)Proposed Vernal […]
AP reports today on the continuing weakness in the national housing market: Construction Spending Falls in July by Largest Amount Since JanuaryThe Commerce Department reported Tuesday that construction spending dropped 0.4 percent in July, compared with June, the weakest showing since a 0.6 percent fall in January.It was a bigger drop than economists had been […]
Continue reading AP: “Construction Spending Plunged in July”