China offers a vision of what can happen when water resources are not respected in a drive for growth. Today’s New York Times reports: Water pollution is so widespread that regulators say a major incident occurs every other day. Municipal and industrial dumping has left broad sections of many rivers “unfit for human contact…”A century or […]
Author: NorthAssocAdmin
Gazette: “City board swamped by minutes backlog”
Today’s Gazette reports on problems citizens are having obtaining recent minutes from Northampton’s Conservation Commission: The commission’s minutes from sessions this year still have not been made available to the public. Minutes from meetings last year are now being posted on the city’s Web site with the help of an intern…The Conservation Commission’s minutes have […]
Greenfield Conservation Commission Declines to Weigh in on City’s Bid to Ease Wetlands Restrictions
Wednesday’s Republican reports: The Conservation Commission last night voted not to take a position on the city’s bid to ease wetlands restrictions to facilitate development.“I don’t think we should get involved … We’re supposed to be neutral,” commission member Charles N. Koch said…The proposals come from the city Planning Department, and specifically from Marlene Marrocco, […]
Boston Urban Forest Coalition Aims to Plant 100,000 Trees
EarthWorks is a non-profit organization working to create a healthier and more sustainable environment in Greater Boston. Their August newsletter relates the following inspiring news. We note the critical importance of private citizens and organizations working together with government: Boston Urban Forest Coalition Aims to Plant 100,000 Canopy Trees…Throughout Boston, canopy trees help to shade […]
The 11th Hour
Seen this month in the window of Pleasant Street Theater…See also:Breaking News: Council Approves New Wetlands Ordinance 7-2 on First ReadingAfter nearly two hours of debate between Northampton’s City Councilors, the Council voted 7-2 to approve the proposed new wetlands ordinance with some minor amendments. Councilor-At-Large Jim Dostal and Ward 7 Councilor Ray LaBarge voted against the […]
Existing Home Sales Fall for 6th Month; Home Prices Post Biggest Drop in 16 Years
AP reports today: The National Association of Realtors said that sales of existing single-family homes dropped by 4.3 percent in August, compared to July. Sales at a seasonally adjusted annual rate dropped to 5.5 million units, the slowest pace since August 2002……many analysts believe that sales and prices will fall further as the housing market […]
Just Five Days Until the North Street Neighborhood Tag Sale/Bake Sale on September 29
Please join our Tag Sale/Bake Sale on September 29, 9am-1pm, centered around North Street at Northern Avenue. Meet your neighbors. Buy what you need (or want!) at a great price. Learn more about the efforts of the North Street association to maintain the health, safety and beauty of our neighborhood. We need item donations, volunteers […]
House prices to drop much lower: Greenspan
Reuters reports Friday: Greenspan said in an interview with Austrian magazine Format…“It’s a difficult situation, there is an enormous overhang on the real estate market,” Greenspan was quoted as saying. “Many buildings which just have been finished can’t be sold …”“So far, prices have dropped only slightly. But it was enough to cause alarm around […]
Millions of Dollars of Property Outside the Official Floodplain Vulnerable to Localized Flooding
As reported in today’s Sunday Republican, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission invites the public to review a Local Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan for Northampton (PDF) as well as plans for other valley municipalities.We believe Northampton’s proposed wetlands ordinance, by inviting developers to encroach as close as 10 feet to wetlands in our more populous districts, goes against the goals of […]
NSNA on Conservation Commission Agenda for September 27
The North Street Neighborhood Association is on the Conservation Commission’s agenda for September 27. The meeting begins at 5:30pm. Our portion will begin around 7:00pm. We will make our case to the commission that urban residents need and deserve the same benefits from wetlands and their buffer zones–especially flood protection–as do more outlying residents.We invite […]