In a session that ran over two hours last night, Northampton’s Conservation Commission found itself unable to advance a proposal by Kohl Construction to build 23 condo units off North Street. Four members were eligible to vote on the proposal: Chair Kevin Lake, Susan Carbin, Paul Wetzel and Downey Meyer. Lake and Carbin expressed that […]
Wetlands
Watering-up: Studies of Groundwater Rising After Trees Cut
At the February 26 Conservation Commission hearing regarding Kohl Construction’s North Street condo proposal, Jono Neiger of Regenerative Design Group noted that removing large numbers of mature trees, as Kohl proposes to do, may cause the already high water table to rise even further. In Kohl’s Stormwater Drainage Report (PDF, 2.8MB, submitted 3/6/09), seasonal high groundwater […]
Continue reading Watering-up: Studies of Groundwater Rising After Trees Cut
Kohl Files Narrative and Drainage Report with Revised Condo Proposal; Interpreting the Wetlands Ordinance
Kohl Construction, doing business as Tofino Associates and Northern Avenue Homes, submitted a stormwater drainage report today to the Conservation Commission along with its revised proposal for condos off North Street. The configuration of units is the same as presented to the Commission on February 26 (23 units plus roads and parking lots). As we’ve […]
Video: Kohl Presents Revised Proposal to Conservation Commission on February 26
Here is a Google video of most of the Conservation Commission meeting of February 26. Only a short portion at the end was not recorded. This video is 3 hours and 12 minutes long and was recorded by Adam Cohen. It is also available on Vimeo. Here are the agenda items covered in the video: […]
Continue reading Video: Kohl Presents Revised Proposal to Conservation Commission on February 26
“Degraded” Wetlands Can Get a Lot Worse
Over the past year or so, Kohl Construction and even some members of the Conservation Commission have noted that the wetlands and buffer zone off North Street are “degraded with masonry and other construction and road building debris, as well as invasive plant species”. While it’s true this area is not perfect, it’s still an […]
Kohl Releases Latest Condo Proposal for February 26 Conservation Commission Hearing
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
Video: Conservation Commission Meeting of 2/12/09; Meeting Protocol; Subcommittee for Northampton Wetlands Ordinance Revisions
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 […]
The Role and Function of Forest Buffers in the Chesapeake Bay Basin for Nonpoint Source Management
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 […]
Mosquito Control Practices Near Wetlands: Methods, Risks and Limits
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
Glyphosate Factsheet: Unwanted Impacts
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 […]