NSNA has five different 0:60 spots running this week on WHMP-AM 1400. The spots draw on material from our latest flyer to voice our objections to Kohl Construction’s condo proposal for North Street. Have a listen to these MP3 files (each file is less than 1MB in size): Spot 1: Quick summary of our objections […]
Video: A Close Look at the Presentation of the Wetlands Ordinance to City Council on 9/20/07
The intent of Northampton’s new Wetlands Ordinance has been a hot topic of conversation at the recent Conservation Commission hearings for Kohl Construction’s condo proposal for North Street. What kinds of disturbance are acceptable within 10, 35 and 50 feet of a wetland in our zoning district (URB)? What kinds of mitigation balance a given […]
Audio Recording of Zoning Revisions Committee Meeting of 5/6/09
Here is a complete audio recording of the meeting of Northampton’s Zoning Revisions Committee on May 6. It’s 2 hours and 6 minutes long (MP3 file, 57MB). Thanks to Owen Freeman-Daniels and Jim Nash for facilitating this recording. Here is the meeting agenda: Zoning Revisions Committee Meeting May 6 Agenda 1st Floor Memorial Hall (old […]
Wall Street Journal: Condo Market Unravels
From the 5/7/09 Wall Street Journal: Swig Takes Hit as Condo Market Unravels …Mr. Swig’s battles are a sample of what is happening nationwide in the condo-development sector as thousands of new units keep being delivered into a market in which demand has evaporated… Many condo projects throughout the country are going bust as developers […]
Our Ad in Today’s Gazette: “How to Avoid Classic Infill Design Mistakes”
Our ad in today’s Gazette (5/6/09) describes how Kohl Construction’s proposed condo development off North Street would commit a number of classic urban infill design mistakes. Download this ad as a high-resolution PDF (432 KB). Concerned citizens are urged to attend Conservation Commission and Planning Board hearings on this proposal on May 14 (see flyer, […]
Gazette: “Health, fiscal woes seed local vegetable gardens”; Freeman Dyson Sees Future Gold in Green
Today’s Gazette reports that vegetable gardens are even more popular than last year, a good reason not to infill away our urban greenspaces: An estimated 37 percent of all United States households, or about 43 million, plan to grow vegetables, fruit, berries or herbs in 2009, according to the Vermont-based National Gardening Association. That’s up […]
Video: Planning Board Approves North Campus Hospital Hill Subdivision, Denies Dog Kennel Permit on 4/23/09
Here is a blip.tv video from the Northampton Planning Board meeting of 4/23/09. This recording covers the first hour and 25 minutes of the meeting, and was filmed by Lachlan Ziegler. Here are the agenda items covered in the video: 7:00 P.M. Continuation (not previously opened) of a hearing on the request by Hospital Hill […]
USA Today: “Why home values may take decades to recover”
This 12/15/08 article from USA Today argues that today’s home prices are still unsustainably high: Why home values may take decades to recover …”We will never see these prices again in our lifetime, when you adjust for inflation,” says Peter Schiff, president of investment firm Euro Pacific Capital of Darien, Conn. “These were lifetime peaks.” […]
Video: Manhan Rail Trail Hearing of 4/27/09
Here is a complete blip.tv video of MassHighway’s April 27 public hearing on extending the Manhan Rail Trail. This video is 39 minutes long and was recorded by Lachlan Ziegler. The public comment period takes up the latter half of the hearing. From the meeting announcement: PURPOSE: The purpose of this hearing is to provide […]
May 6: Zoning Revisions Committee to Discuss Sustainability Plan, Community Involvement
We encourage citizens to attend this meeting on the implementation of the Sustainable Northampton Plan: Zoning Revisions Committee Meeting May 6 Agenda 1st Floor Memorial Hall (old COA space) (enter at side door facing Unitarian Society bldg) 7:00 PM 1. Public comment 2. Discussion with Chris Mason, Northampton energy officer, about green community initiatives3. Discuss […]