Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 7/21/10 meeting of Northampton’s Zoning Revisions Committee. King Street was once again the main order of business, as the committee continued to discuss fine points as well as broader issues in a proposal from the Chamber of Commerce (PDF). A public forum on King Street rezoning is contemplated for September. This video is 2 hours 17 minutes long and was recorded by Adam Cohen.
These charts summarize the zoning changes the Chamber would like to see (download the charts as a high-resolution PDF):
See also:
Video: Zoning Revisions Committee Examines King Street Proposals, 6/30/10
Video: Chamber Presents “Rezoning King Street” to Planning Board (6/13/10)
Potential areas of controversy include:
- Allowing more uses without a Special Permit, including hotels. A recent proposal to build a Hilton Garden Inn downtown was extremely controversial. One way to address the public’s desire for good design would be robust infill design standards.
- Reducing the setbacks between commercial areas and residential neighborhoods
- Stormwater management problems caused by an increase in impervious surface
Download Envisioning Sustainable Northampton – Final Notre Dame Studio Presentation Book
Envisioning Sustainable Northampton: Notre Dame Urban Design Presentation – Video and Handout
Envisioning Sustainable Northampton: Notre Dame Urban Design Presentation – Slides