Here are two YouTube videos covering the complete 3/16/11 meeting of Northampton’s Zoning Revisions Committee. Segment 1 (1 hour 1 min) shows the committee drafting ordinances relating to urban agriculture, in particular the maintenance of 12 or fewer hens on residential lots. Segment 2 (1 hour 4 min) covers a variety of topics, including the future […]
Infill
Videos and Slides: Main and King Street Transportation Charrette, Final Presentation and Q&A
Here are two YouTube videos covering the complete final presentation (53 min) and Q&A session (41 min) from this week’s Main and King Street Transportation Charrette, featuring consultants from Nelson\Nygaard. These videos were recorded by Adam Cohen.Here are the slides from the final presentation: Main Street King Street Charrette Final Presentation Many of the ideas […]
Videos and Slides: Main and King Street Transportation Charrette, Introduction and Goal Setting
Here are YouTube videos from the first day (3/14/11) of the Nelson\Nygaard transportation charrette focused on Main Street and King Street in Northampton. These videos were recorded by Adam Cohen. The consultants’ overarching philosophy is informed by New Urbanism and makes a priority of building mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly urban environments. It is reminiscent of proposals made during the Notre […]
March 14-16: Main and King Street Transportation Charrette
Northampton’s Office of Planning and Development announces a Main and King Street Transportation Charrette. As you can see from the articles we include below the announcement, we’re concerned that increasing urban density beyond a certain point could result in unpleasant increases in total downtown Northampton traffic, even if vehicle miles per capita decrease somewhat. We have, of course, expressed other […]
Video: Zoning Revisions Committee Studies Feedback from Forums
Here is a blip.tv video of the 3/2/11 meeting of Northampton’s Zoning Revisions Committee. The committee reviewed public comments from their February 15 (video) and 16 (video) forums. This video is 1 hour 54 minutes long and is complete except for two brief gaps for camera changeover. The recording was made by Arnie Levinson. Here are […]
Feed Northampton: First Steps Toward a Local Food System
Here’s an alternative way to look at land use in Northampton’s “infill receiving areas“. Sustainability might not mean covering good soils in these areas with buildings and pavement, but preserving them for food production. The Northampton Food Security Group and the Conway School of Landscape Design issued this report last April: Open publication – Free publishing […]
Videos and Slides: Rezoning Northampton for a Sustainable Future, February 16, 2011 Forum
Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 2/16/11 public forum, “Rezoning Northampton for a Sustainable Future”, held at Bridge Street School. The Zoning Revisions Committee (ZRC) presented proposals and alternatives for comment. This video is 1 hour 56 minutes long and was recorded by Mary Likins. Here are short YouTube highlights from the forum […]
Video and Slides: Rezoning Northampton for a Sustainable Future; Citizens Debate Proposals at Forum
Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 2/15/11 public forum, “Rezoning Northampton for a Sustainable Future”. The Zoning Revisions Committee (ZRC) presented proposals and alternatives for comment. This video is 1 hour 49 minutes long and was recorded by Adam Cohen. A similar forum will be held at Bridge Street School tonight at 7pm (details). Several citizens […]
Ward 3 Neighborhood Association Survey on infill, zoning, and design
Please visit the website of the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association and take their new survey: “We have created this survey to help understand how residents feel about their neighborhoods and what kinds of changes they would like to see. Some of the questions we ask are about things that are already allowed by current zoning; […]
Letter to Gazette: “Northampton zoning change deserves closer look”
Today’s Gazette contains a letter to the editor from Barbara and Mark Dubeck of Northampton: Today and Wednesday, the city’s Zoning Revisions Committee will hold two public forums on “Rezoning Northampton for a Sustainable Future.” While the Planning Office has encouraged feedback on the proposed changes, we’ve been told the revisions won’t be ready for […]