Video: November 5 Best Practices Meeting; Media Coverage Wanted; Marathon Session on Tap for November 12

Northampton’s Best Practices Committee met at the Board of Public Works conference room at 125 Locust Street on November 5. Here is a complete Vimeo video of the meeting as recorded by Jendi Reiter. It’s one hour and 36 minutes long. Selected highlights: 16min:30sec: Discussion of how to interest the Gazette in the work of […]

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Press Release: Best Practices Committee Begins Final Report

We are forwarding this press release from the city: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2008 BEST PRACTICES COMMITTEE BEGINS FINAL REPORT The Ad-Hoc Committee on Best Practices in Northampton Decision-Making (Best Practices Committee) is entering the final phase of its activities and beginning the preparation of a draft final report to the Northampton City Council. […]

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Ordinance to Simplify Zero Lot Line Developments to Come Before City Council on 11/6/08

[Update: The City Council agenda says this proposal is getting its first reading on November 6, but it’s actually at an earlier stage of the process. The proposal will likely be referred out to various committee meetings and hearings before coming back to the Council.] This November 6, Northampton’s City Council will get its first look at amending Ordinance […]

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New Hazards Mitigation Plan Reflects Weakened Protection for Wetlands

Northampton’s Office of Planning and Development has made the new Proposed Local Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (PDF) available for public review. The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on this plan on November 13, 7pm, in City Council Chambers, 212 Main Street. We compared the new Plan to the existing one, which the City Council signed […]

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Videos: Best Practices Working Group Meetings of 10/29; Get Your Suggestions in Now

Two working groups of the Best Practices Committee met on October 29. In the morning, David Narkewicz, Wendy Foxmyn and Lisa DePiano met as the Inreach Working Group. In the evening, Wendy Foxmyn and Alex Ghiselin met as members of the Report Writing Working Group. Here are complete Vimeo videos of both meetings, with the […]

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11/5: Meeting to Discuss Pleasant Street Petroleum Cleanup Project

We are pleased to pass along this update from the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association: Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:36 pm (PDT) To: Members of the Ward 3 Association From: Jerry Budgar Re: Update and Upcoming Meetings I have been asked to inform everyone about two upcoming meetings that will impact Ward 3. I hope folks […]

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David Goldberg, “Of Sprawl Schools and Small Schools”

David Goldberg’s “Of Sprawl Schools and Small Schools” (PDF) appeared in the Winter 2005 issue of On Common Ground, published by the National Association of Realtors. As the fate of Bridge Street School is weighed, these excerpts merit consideration: As recently as 1969 roughly half of all students walked or biked to school. In 2001 […]

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Video: October 23 Best Practices Meeting; Report Deadline Draws Near

Here is a complete Vimeo video of the October 23 meeting of Northampton’s Best Practices Committee. The meeting took place in the Board of Public Works Board Room at 125 Locust Street. The video is 92 minutes long, and was shot by Lachlan Ziegler.The City Council is expecting a report from the Best Practices Committee […]

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Charts from Cityschool 101 Session of October 20

As described by Mayor Clare Higgins, “cityschool is a 9-week in-depth introduction to how your city government works and is modeled on the successful Citizens Police Academy. We often receive phone calls in my office which begin with ‘I’m not sure what office to call, but…’, which made us think we can do a better […]

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Photo Essay: Our Woods in Fall

“Regardless of neighborhood economic status, our side streets are graced with impromptu patches of wildflowers, sunflowers, tomatoes, blackberries and ferns, overshadowed by iconic oaks, maples, sycamore, white pine, and spruce trees. Our expanding system of rail trails encourages off-street exploration by bike or foot, while promoting fitness and casual neighborly chit-chat.”From Rutherford Platt, “The Humane […]

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