Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 11/30/09 Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) site visit to the Three County Fairgrounds. This video is 1 hour 38 minutes long and was recorded by Adam Cohen. It includes an indoor presentation followed by a walk through portions of the site. Stormwater management was a primary concern of the presenters and the attendees.
Here is the official notice of the site visit:
MEPA Site Visit and Public Consultation
EEA# 14509 – Three County Fairgrounds, Northampton
An Environmental Notification Form (ENF) has been submitted for the above project, which consists of redevelopment of the 51-acre fairground site. The project site is located within Bordering Land Subject to Flooding (BLSF) and will result in creation of approximately 7 acres of new impervious area for a total of 16.34 acres of impervious area. The ENF indicates that the redevelopment will impact approximately 2.1 million square feet of BLSF. The project involves demolition of structures that are listed on the Massachusetts Inventory of Historical and Archaeological Assets of the Commonwealth. The project requires an Order of Conditions from the Northampton Conservation Commission (and, on appeal only, a Superseding Order from MassDEP) and is subject to review by the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
Site visit date/time: Monday November 30, at 10am
Location: On-site at the Three County Fairgrounds, Fair Street Northampton. We will meet at the Fairground administration building prior to the site walk.
Comments Due: December 14, 2009
Decision Due: December 23, 2009
Project contact: Jeff Squires, The Berkshire Design Group jeff@berkshiredesign.com (413) 582-7000
MEPA Analyst: Aisling Eglington (617) 626-1024 aisling.eglington@state.ma.us
MEPA Web site: http://www.env.state.ma.us/mepa/
ENF (first few pages) http://www.env.state.ma.us/mepa/mepadocs/2009/112309em/nps/enf/14509.pdf
Aisling Eglington
MEPA Analyst
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114-2524
Phone: (617) 626-1024
Fax: (617) 626-1181
email: aisling.eglington@state.ma.us
See also:
Northampton Media: “EcDev Czar Anderson and Councilor Reckman: Limit Environmental Review of Fairgrounds Project” (11/23/09)
Video: Conservation Commission, 11/12/09: Three County Fairgrounds
The meeting included discussion of the impact of stormwater runoff on abutting properties, with comments by abutter and former Ward 3 City Councilor Maria Tymoczko.
Northampton Media: “ConsCom to Fairgrounds Developers: More Info Needed on Drainage Plan” (11/12/09)
Former Ward 3 City Councilor Maria Tymoczko, an abutter to project, said that the drainage swale designated for overflow stormwater output was on her property. “The City owns no right of discharge at that location,” she said. “The swale is on my land. I want no ‘improvement’ to my swale without my input. I don’t want my tree line ‘improved’ away. The city does not own that property.”
Three County Fairgrounds – Environmental Notification Form (PDF, 3.33MB)
Three County Fairgrounds – Existing Conditions (PDF, 1.96MB)
Three County Fairgrounds – Overall Site Plan (PDF, 2.50MB)
Video: Presentation of Three County Fairgrounds Master Plan (7/25/08)