Wetlands are important everywhere, but they are especially important in urban areas for their role in stormwater management and flood mitigation. This underscores the need for infill to tread lightly when urban greenspace is at stake. The Environmental Protection Agency states (emphasis added): Wetlands function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, […]
Month: September 2007
North Street Gets Support from South Street: A Letter from Virginia Schulman
We received this open letter today from a fellow resident, sharing our concerns about infill projects that consume downtown greenspace: Statement from Virginia Schulman, living at 358 South Street, Northampton, since 1983We had a lovely small wooded area on one corner of the intersection of South Street with New South and Old South streets. The owner […]
Text of the Wetlands and Vernal Pool Ordinances to Be Taken Up by the City Council on September 6
Here for your reference is the text of the wetlands and vernal pools ordinances that will be taken up by the City Council on September 6. The Council is expected to follow the recommendation of the Ordinance Committee to defer voting on the vernal pools ordinance in favor of further discussion.Proposed Wetlands Ordinance (PDF)Proposed Vernal […]
AP: “Construction Spending Plunged in July”
AP reports today on the continuing weakness in the national housing market: Construction Spending Falls in July by Largest Amount Since JanuaryThe Commerce Department reported Tuesday that construction spending dropped 0.4 percent in July, compared with June, the weakest showing since a 0.6 percent fall in January.It was a bigger drop than economists had been […]
Ask the City Council to Stand Up for Wetlands on September 6
On September 6, an unacceptably weak wetlands ordinance will come before Northampton’s City Council. Developers will be encouraged to encroach as close as 10 feet to wetlands in downtown areas. Vernal pool protection has been put in limbo. This will facilitate such ill-conceived proposals as Kohl Construction’s 31-unit condo development slated for the woods behind […]
Photos Show: Man-Made Lakes and Stormwater Retention Systems Are No Substitute for Natural Wetlands
The Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina, has prepared an excellent flash slideshow comparing natural wetlands with man-made substitutes. The presentation is 4 minutes and 16 seconds long, and has no audio component. The pictures speak for themselves. Here are some of the highlights: 4 min 4 sec from the end of the presentation“Though […]
Chilmark Wetlands Protection Bylaws: Disturbed and Filled Wetlands Merit Protection
At the Conservation Commission meeting of August 23, it was briefly discussed how some of the wetlands on Kohl Construction’s proposed condo site off North Street have been disturbed or filled. We came away concerned that some members of the commission did not take this issue seriously. One said something to the effect of, ‘Much of Boston […]
Boxborough Wetlands Regulations: Plans that Require Replication Discouraged; Buffer Zone No-Nos
Wetlands regulations in Boxborough (PDF) discuss the replication issue and spell out which activities are prohibited within 100 feet of protected resources areas. Here is an excerpt, which certain passages emphasized: 2.3.3. Wetland Replication.The history of wetland replication is mixed. Scientific reviews [Brown, S&P Veneman, 1998] conclude that for the most part replications fail to […]
Stockbridge Wetlands Protection: 100-Foot Buffers
The Berkshire County town of Stockbridge empowers its Conservation Commision to protect its water bodies and wetlands, including the power to require “strips of continuous, undisturbed vegetative cover within the 200-foot or 100-foot area” around these resources. Here is an excerpt from the Stockbridge Wetlands Protection bylaw, with certain passages emphasized: Section 1. The purpose of this Article is […]
Massachusetts abandons plan to limit residents’ ability to appeal certain wetlands decisions
We are happy to relay this news from Clean Water Action… Victory!Massachusetts Wetlands and Citizens’ Rights Protected…Officials in the Patrick administration [announced] today that because of pressure from environmental groups they are abandoning their plan to limit residents’ ability to appeal certain wetlands decisions.This means that thanks to you, we’ve won.Our campaign to protect citizens’ […]