Two Articles on Wetlands in the Valley Advocate

This week’s Valley Advocate has two articles addressing wetlands. At the front of the paper, editor Tom Vannah pens “Between the Lines: No Time to Relax — The Wetlands Protection Act is under attack”: …West Brook is one of the most closely studied trout streams in the United States. I’ve run into many federal fish biologists […]

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Our Response to Jim Levey’s Letter to the Gazette

Today’s Gazette features a brief mention of our campaign to preserve wetlands buffer zones (“Group campaigns for wetlands”) and a letter from Jim Levey of Northampton, “Proposed wetlands measure deserves everyone’s support”. Mr. Levey believes our positions are “not based on fact”… I support the proposed wetlands ordinance, a culmination of over two years’ work […]

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Gazette: “City board swamped by minutes backlog”

Today’s Gazette reports on problems citizens are having obtaining recent minutes from Northampton’s Conservation Commission: The commission’s minutes from sessions this year still have not been made available to the public. Minutes from meetings last year are now being posted on the city’s Web site with the help of an intern…The Conservation Commission’s minutes have […]

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Northampton Redoubt: Doug Kohl reduces “footprint” of subdivision proposal due to the discovery of vernal pools in the North Street area wetlands

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 […]

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Gazette: “City Council delays action on vernal pools”

Today’s Gazette reports on the City Council’s decision to table the new wetlands and vernal pools ordinances until its September 20 meeting: After nearly two years of talks, proposed laws designed to protect wetlands and vernal pools are still a work in progress.…the council tabled the entire ordinance after several councilors said they would not […]

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Letter to Advocate: “Heartsick Over Noho”

The August 30 Valley Advocate publishes “Heartsick Over Noho”, a letter to the editor from Ann Foley of Berkeley, California: I’m heartsick over all the bad planning that’s been going on in Northampton. On my recent two-week visit, I noticed many changes to Northampton from just a year ago! Green Street is a silent, gaping […]

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Northamptonist: A New Blog Joins the Fray

A new blog, P. Mastrangelo’s Northamptonist, comments on infill and the Kohl Construction and Hilton Garden Inn controversies: …There’s a reason people leave the great cities in Europe, Latin America, and elsewhere, feeling inspired about life. Northamptonist wants people who live in and visit Northampton to be able to replicate those same feelings.The Kohl Development […]

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NSNA Members Engage Bill Dwight on WHMP

NSNA members Steve Hathaway and Adam Cohen visited with Bill Dwight today on WHMP radio, a response to Dwight’s previous discussion of infill and the merits of North Street concerns on July 26. Cohen and Hathaway emphasized that NSNA is not against all infill, but that it deserves a critical look when acres of green space […]

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The Republican: “Residents fight plan for condos”

Today’s Springfield Republican reports on the North Street Neighborhood Association and its opposition to Kohl Construction’s condo plans… Prompted by a proposal to develop the only patch of woods between Bridge Street and the Industrial Park, a group of residents on and around North Street have formed a neighborhood organization…Kohl, who owns the land, has […]

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Northampton Redoubt: “North Street area citizens join together”

Valley Advocate blogger Daryl LaFleur this week reports on NSNA’s July 21 barbecue with a long article on Northampton Redoubt. Some excerpts: More than sixty people attended the North Street Neighborhood Association Barbecue [Saturday], July 21 to learn about Douglas Kohl’s 31-unit condominium project proposed for their area… Situated close to a wetland area, the […]

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