Please join our Tag Sale/Bake Sale on September 29, 9am-1pm, centered around North Street at Northern Avenue. Meet your neighbors. Buy what you need (or want!) at a great price. Learn more about the efforts of the North Street association to maintain the health, safety and beauty of our neighborhood. We need item donations, volunteers […]
Month: September 2007
House prices to drop much lower: Greenspan
Reuters reports Friday: Greenspan said in an interview with Austrian magazine Format…“It’s a difficult situation, there is an enormous overhang on the real estate market,” Greenspan was quoted as saying. “Many buildings which just have been finished can’t be sold …”“So far, prices have dropped only slightly. But it was enough to cause alarm around […]
Millions of Dollars of Property Outside the Official Floodplain Vulnerable to Localized Flooding
As reported in today’s Sunday Republican, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission invites the public to review a Local Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan for Northampton (PDF) as well as plans for other valley municipalities.We believe Northampton’s proposed wetlands ordinance, by inviting developers to encroach as close as 10 feet to wetlands in our more populous districts, goes against the goals of […]
NSNA on Conservation Commission Agenda for September 27
The North Street Neighborhood Association is on the Conservation Commission’s agenda for September 27. The meeting begins at 5:30pm. Our portion will begin around 7:00pm. We will make our case to the commission that urban residents need and deserve the same benefits from wetlands and their buffer zones–especially flood protection–as do more outlying residents.We invite […]
How to Amend the Wetlands Ordinance to Make It Less Harmful to Wards 1-4
It is unfortunate and unnecessary that some people seem to believe it’s acceptable to degrade the quality of life and increase the flooding risk of in-town residents in order to preserve open space in the outlying areas. The environment and safety of all parts of Northampton deserve respect.NSNA has called attention for some time now to […]
Breaking News: Council Approves New Wetlands Ordinance 7-2 on First Reading
After nearly two hours of debate between Northampton’s City Councilors, the Council voted 7-2 to approve the proposed new wetlands ordinance with some minor amendments. Councilor-At-Large Jim Dostal and Ward 7 Councilor Ray LaBarge voted against the ordinance.The ordinance must undergo a second reading, presumably at the next City Council meeting on October 4. The next fourteen […]
Hyla Ecological Services Analyzes the Proposed Wetlands Ordinance
We would like to present this analysis of the proposed wetlands ordinance as prepared by Hyla Ecological Services. The author is Dr. Bryan Windmiller (PDF of curriculum vitae). This analysis, available as a PDF, is being circulated today to members of Northampton’s City Council. Preface for CouncilorsTo: Northampton City CouncilorsFrom: Coalition to Save Northampton’s WetlandsDate: September […]
Carlon Drive: Compensatory Wetland Not Working
Former City Councilor Mike Kirby kindly provides this article to us, a study of a “compensatory wetland” on Carlon Drive. We are concerned that the proposed wetlands ordinance places too much reliance on schemes like these, in exchange for letting developers encroach to within 10 feet of wetlands in our built-up areas. Carlon Driveby Mike […]
A Call to Action from the Coalition to Save Northampton’s Wetlands
Please distribute far and wide! Calling all concerned Northampton residents! City Council meeting this Thursday, September 20, 7pm! Call your Councilors now! An unacceptably weak proposed Amended Wetlands Ordinance will come before City Council on September 20. Northampton citizens are building a broad coalition of individuals, neighborhood groups and conservation organizations to challenge the proposal […]
HUGE Northampton Tag Sale & Bake Sale on September 29
The North Street Neighborhood Association invites the public to a HUGE Neighborhood Tag Sale & Bake Sale on Saturday, September 29, 9am-1pm. This sale will raise funds for the association. Come to North Street between Market Street and Northern Avenue. Download a flyer for this event (PDF). (In case of rain, the date will change to […]