Reuters reports today: From the housing market peak in the second quarter of 2006, home prices have plummeted 26.7 percent… Yale professor Robert Shiller says the declines are not finished. Tech Ticker paraphrased him yesterday as saying: Despite the 25 percent nationwide decline since the 2007 peak, U.S. house prices have still only fallen halfway […]
Continue reading U.S. home price drop at record pace in December
Kohl Construction has released its latest proposal (PDF, 1.2MB) for condos off North Street. Despite concerns about the number of units expressed by members of both the Conservation Commission and the Planning Board, Kohl has eliminated just two units relative to its previous proposal (from 25 to 23). Here is a comparison of the latest […]
Continue reading Kohl Releases Latest Condo Proposal for February 26 Conservation Commission Hearing
Councilor David Narkewicz is circulating the following announcement: Northampton Agricultural Commission Public Forum Tuesday February 24, 2009 7:00-9:00 PM Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School Library Main Building, 80 Locust Street, Northampton AGENDA 7:00-7:10 Introduction to the City of Northampton Agricultural Commission by John Omasta, Chair 7:10-7:30 […]
Continue reading February 24: Ag Forum to Address Illegal Dumping in Meadows
Here is a Vimeo video of the Best Practices Forum held on February 11. The forum took place in the JFK Middle School Community Room. This video is 2 hours 13 minutes long and was recorded by Ken Mitchell. It is complete except for a few seconds at the beginning and two brief interruptions (a […]
Here is an excerpt from the Conservation Commission meeting of February 12. This Vimeo video is 46 minutes long and was recorded by Javier Luengo. Topics covered in the video include: Discussion on Conservation Commission meeting protocol Video: 0:00:00-0:33:47 This discussion has a ‘best practices’ flavor–how to run meetings in a clear, consistent and efficient […]
This 1993 research paper (PDF, 156KB) underscores the value of the North Street woods for water management and pollution control around Millyard Brook. Kohl Construction proposes to cut down many mature trees near the Millyard Brook wetlands to make way for a condo project. Highlights from the paper: “A mature forest can absorb as much […]
Citizens are urged to attend a Planning Department workshop on proposed changes to the zero-lot line rules. Here are the details, also available as a PDF (271KB): See also: Video: Planning Board and Ordinance Committee Discuss Zero Lot Line Changes, Traffic Mitigation Payments Some issues that arose during and after the [1/8/09] discussion include: 1:42:15-1:45:55… […]
We’ve mentioned before how Kohl Construction’s plans to build condos near wetlands would place a large number of residents in an area that’s buzzing with mosquitoes during the warmer months. It would be hard to blame those residents from wanting to apply pesticide and other mosquito control measures to prevent disease and use their outdoor […]
Continue reading Mosquito Control Practices Near Wetlands: Methods, Risks and Limits
The herbicide glyphosate not only kills plants but may also be harmful to animals and people. Caroline Cox compiled a factsheet for Journal of Pesticide Reform (v.108, n.3, Fall 1998 rev. October 2000): Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide widely used to kill unwanted plants both in agriculture and in nonagricultural landscapes. Estimated use in the […]
As we wrote yesterday, Kohl Construction proposes to apply herbicide in an effort to eradicate two invasive species on its property: Japanese knotweed and multiflora rose. Here is a news release from Ohio State University Extension with cautions about the use of glyphosate, found in a number of popular herbicides. 06/17/2008 PDF / Photos / […]
Continue reading Herbicide Caution: Glyphosate Use May Damage Woody Plants