Los Angeles shows what can happen when developers perceive profits in density, public officials egg them on, newspapers are quiescent, and citizens are asleep at the switch. LA Weekly reports: City Hall’s “Density Hawks” Are Changing L.A.’s DNA (2/27/08) …Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavksy…has been staging a one-man campaign to slow City Hall’s feverish […]
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Gazette: “‘Brownfields’ law altering landscape”
Today’s Gazette includes an AP report on the kind of smart growth we think is great: brownfields revitalization. Reusing buildings and paved areas, as opposed to knocking down urban trees and encroaching on wetlands, is infilling the right way. “‘Brownfields’ law altering landscape” …Back in the early 1990s, the state was faced with a backlog […]
City Council and Planning Board Proceed Cautiously on Rezoning Committee
At a special joint meeting on April 17, Northampton’s City Council and Planning Board discussed the composition and mandate of a new Rezoning Committee. This committee would suggest changes to Northampton zoning laws in accordance with the new Sustainable Northampton Plan. After about an hour’s discussion, the participants agreed that an ad hoc committee of […]
April 17, 6pm: Mayor, City Council, and Planning Board to Discuss Sustainable Rezoning Committee
An important public meeting concerning the Sustainable Northampton Plan is on tap for Thursday, 6pm in City Council Chambers (212 Main Street). The Planning Board will meet with the Mayor and City Council to discuss forming a Sustainable Rezoning Committee. This committee would suggest new zoning laws that could change Northampton neighborhoods considerably. In particular, […]
“Back to School for Planners”; “Why Johnny Can’t Walk to School”; “The Cost Effectiveness of Small Schools”
As the fate of Bridge Street School–the most “downtown” of all Northampton’s elementary schools–hangs in the balance, it’s a good time to review “Back to School for Planners”, an article from the Fall 2004 issue of Planning Commissioners Journal. The author is Tim Torma, a policy analyst in the EPA’s Smart Growth Program. From “Back […]
Polluted Runoff Helps Trash Two Ponds in South Hadley
As The Sustainable Sites Initiative reports, pollution from water runoff is no joke. “Contaminated stormwater runoff from developed land is the leading cause of water quality problems[23] and accounts for 70 percent of water pollution in urban areas.[29] Runoff from developed areas can contain oil, grease, excessive nutrients, pathogens (e.g., E. coli, hepatitis A), persistent […]
Closing Bridge Street School Contradicts Smart Growth Goals
Due to Northampton’s looming budget shortfall, it has been widely reported that Bridge Street Elementary School is at risk of closing. We appreciate that the closure could save $400,000, but it goes against some of the better goals of the Sustainable Northampton Plan, which include getting people out of their cars and encouraging them to […]
Final Sustainable Northampton Plan Now Ready to View
The Northampton Planning Department has released the final version of the Sustainable Northampton Plan. This version includes pictures. You may download it here (PDF, 1.75MB).While the pictures make the report look more handsome, we were disappointed that they don’t do more to clarify the text. The part of the Plan that would benefit most from […]
Northampton Redoubt: Videos and photographs of a walking tour of North Street Northampton’s Mill Yard Brook and vernal pools
Daryl LaFleur kindly granted us permission to reprint his article from today’s Northampton Redoubt. If you use Firefox and the videos don’t play, please try viewing this page with Internet Explorer.Sunday, March 09, 2008Videos and photographs of a walking tour of North Street Northampton’s Mill Yard Brook and vernal poolsDouglas Kohl granted me permission to […]
Photo Essay: 10 Reasons People Like Trees Around Them; Will the Sustainable Northampton Plan Put Urban Trees at Risk?
In Livable Streets, Donald Appleyard lists 10 reasons people like trees on their street (p.66). We’ve woven those reasons around some new pictures of the trees around North Street and the woods behind…1. They provide shade.2. They make the street more alive by their movement and richness.3. They are soothing to the eyes.4. They purify the […]