Densification without design guidelines invites problems. Diana DeRubertis analyzes San Diego’s experience for Planetizen: Residential Infill, 70’s-StyleIn 1979, the City of San Diego launched a plan to steer new development into the craftsman-lined neighborhoods close to downtown. The idea was sound: scatter higher density housing throughout existing “smart growth” communities. Part of the city’s General Plan […]
Conservation Planner Bruce Young’s Staff Report on Latest Kohl Condo Proposal
Northampton Conservation and Land Use Planner Bruce Young has issued the following staff report on Kohl Construction’s latest 20-unit condo proposal for North Street. Concerned citizens are urged to attend the hearing on August 27, 6pm in the City Hall Hearing Room (210 Main Street, 2nd floor, enter via the back door). Staff Report [partial]To: […]
The Urbanophile: “The Downside of Living Carless in a Small City”
We’ve touched on the social benefits of car ownership before. Here are more thoughts on the subject from The Urbanophile: The Downside of Living Carless in a Small City…In a metro area that is nearly all auto oriented, much of the setting of civic life in that city is outside of the core downtown area […]
September 1: Ward 3 Transportation Subcommittee First Open Meeting
We are circulating this announcement at the request of the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association:Ward 3 Transportation Subcommittee First Open MeetingThe first public meeting of the Ward 3 Transportation subcommittee will be Tuesday, September 1 at Northampton Coffee, 269 Pleasant Street, at 6:30 PM. We intend to discuss a variety of topics: the new bike path opening […]
Video: Michael Bardsley Speaks at His Campaign Headquarters Grand Opening
Michael Bardsley campaign headquarters hosted a grand opening yesterday at 131 Main Street in Florence. Mr. Bardsley is running for Mayor. Here is his 18-minute speech in a video made available by the campaign. Additional videos and pictures can be found at MichaelBardsley.com. Please note: The North Street Neighborhood Association does not endorse specific candidates […]
August 27: Conservation Commission Revisits Kohl Condo Proposal; Hydrological Review
Kohl Construction’s proposal to build 20 condo units off North Street goes back before the Conservation Commission on August 27, 6pm in the City Hall Hearing Room. We believe that several key concerns raised by commission members in March have been addressed little if at all in the current proposal. Concerned citizens are urged to […]
Video: Special Meeting of the Board of Public Works and the City Council, 8/21/09; Landfill Ballot Question No. 2
Here is a 1 hour 13 minute blip.tv video from the 8/21/09 special meeting of the Northampton Board of Public Works and members of City Council. This video was recorded by Lachlan Ziegler. The participants discussed the language of a City Council-sponsored nonbinding question for the November election ballot regarding the proposed expansion of the municipal […]
Video: City Council Meeting of 8/20/09; Local Option Meals and Hotel Taxes
Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 8/20/09 Northampton City Council meeting. This video is 1 hour 37 minutes long and was recorded by Benjamin Spencer. Here is the official agenda of the meeting:Pertaining to the “Heavy Public Use” ordinance cited above, here is the draft of the ordinance that was circulated with the […]
Video: Landfill Options – Public Information Meeting of 8/17/09
Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 8/17/09 public information meeting on landfill options. This video is 1 hour 48 minutes long and was recorded by Lachlan Ziegler.From the official description: “The Board of Public Works is hosting a public informational meeting relating to the recently completed Solid Waste Managment Alternatives Study. The first […]
Key Portions of the Solid Waste Management Alternatives Study
The recently issued Solid Waste Management Alternatives Study (PDF, 2.7MB) is 145 pages long, so if you can’t read the whole thing before tonight’s information session (7pm, JFK Middle School Community Room), be sure to read pages 2.10 and 6.82-6.86 as shown below, plus the summary on pages 10.130-10.138.Table 2-1 suggests that at 34%, Northampton’s […]