Here are complete blip.tv videos of the 10/28/10 meetings of Northampton’s Zoning Board of Appeals (1 hour 34 minutes) and Planning Board (2 hours 19 minutes). The ZBA authorized the Three County Fairgrounds’ proposal to reconstruct its horse barns and build riding rings to go forward. This constitutes Phase 1 of the redevelopment of the Fairgrounds. The Planning Board will hold at least one more hearing on the matter, as the Department of Public Works is still reviewing the Fairgrounds’ latest stormwater management proposals.
On the videos, Maria Tymoczko and her attorney Michael Pill express concern that redevelopment at Three County Fairgrounds will harm Tymoczko’s property, in particular that stormwater will be directed onto it. They also believe the Fairgrounds needs a special permit to proceed with Phase 1–since buildings will be entirely demolished and replaced with new ones–and not just a site plan review.
The latter portion of the Planning Board video shows Planning Director Wayne Feiden giving a brisk presentation of Northampton’s new Open Space, Recreation, and Multi-Use Trail Plan (see related documents), which the Planning Board then endorses.
These videos were recorded by Adam Cohen.
Here are the videos with the associated meeting agendas:
THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS will hold a public hearing in Council Chambers,
212 Main Street, Northampton:
5:30 P.M. Special Permit request by Andrew Payne & Loretta Kane to convert a detached studio to a detached accessory dwelling @ 470 Bridge Rd, Florence, Map Id 17B-6.
5:30 P.M. Continuation of a Finding request by Three County Fair to demolish existing barns and replace them with 54,000 sf in three new barns, 100,000 sf for three covered riding rings at 54 Fair St, Northampton, Map Id 25-44; 25c-251, 254.
5:45 P.M. Continuation of Teece. [Click for Loretta Gougeon’s statement on her dispute with David Teece on the buffer zone between his property and his abutters.]
THE PLANNING BOARD will hold a public hearing in City Council Chambers,
212 Main Street, Northampton:
7:00 P.M. CONTINUATION
Site Plan Major Project request by Three County Fair to construct 54,000 sf in three new replacement barns, 100,000 sf of riding rings with associated site development at 54 Fair St, Northampton, Map Id 25-44; 25c-251, 254.
Other:
Update on Charrette
Revisit zoning options for table changes
Here is a statement prepared by Maria Tymoczko outlining her concerns. She recently filed a legal complaint in Land Court. Additional related documents follow.
Letter from Maria Tymoczko to David Bloomberg, Chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals, 10/12/10
Letter from Maria Tymoczko to Stephen Gilson, Chair of the Planning Board, 10/12/10
Letter from Attorney Michael Pill to Planning Board, 10/28/10
See also:
Gazette: “Neighbor sues over fairgrounds project” (10/26/10)
The lawsuit draws particular attention to a July 14 email from Charles Bowles, a member of the board of directors of the Three County Fairgrounds Redevelopment Corp., to Suzanne Beck, the organization’s clerk and executive director of the Northampton Chamber of Commerce.
“As far as the Planning Board process is concerned, I talked with (Northampton lawyer) Ed Etheredge today about the appeal issue,” Bowles wrote. “His take on it was, if we go for site plan approval and it is appealed we can proceed at our own peril. But if we go for special permit and it is appealed we are dead in the water.”
Gazette: “Fairgrounds work raises a few concerns” (10/14/10)
Video: Three County Fairgrounds Update, October 13, 2010
Video: MEPA Visit to Three County Fairgrounds, 11/30/09
Video: Conservation Commission, 11/12/09: Three County Fairgrounds
Video: Presentation of Three County Fairgrounds Master Plan (7/25/08)
Downstreet.net: “West Center St. Warfare: Neighbors vs. Developer, Don’t Forget the Lawyers” (6/20/06)
The dispute dates back to Oct. 11, 2003, when loggers felled a stand of maples and other shade trees behind 52 Maple St, outraging homeowners along West Center Street, a short connector off Maple Street…