Here is a blip.tv video of the first 1 hour and 40 minutes of the 6/16/10 meeting of Northampton’s Zoning Revisions Committee. This recording was made by Lachlan Ziegler. Much of the meeting is devoted to discussing “Rezoning King Street” (PDF), a proposal advanced by the Chamber of Commerce. Here is a 10-minute YouTube video […]
Ordinances and Regulations
Conservation Commission Considers Changing Rules on Lands Under Its Care; All Fires To Be Prohibited
Northampton’s Conservation Commission is considering the following changes to the regulations on lands under its care. The last changes were in 1996. The new changes were discussed at the Commission’s June 10 meeting (video). A public hearing is planned for this fall before the Commission votes on the changes.
July 1: City Council Public Hearing – Drinking Water Protection Ordinance
Water Not Waste has issued this press release. We urge concerned citizens to attend the July 1 hearing. Water Not Waste supports the Drinking Water Protection Ordinance sponsored by City Councilor at Large David Narkewicz, Ward 6 City Councilor Marianne LaBarge, Ward 7 City Councilor Gene Tacy, and Ward 4 City Councilor Pamela Schwartz. This ordinance […]
Video: Chamber Presents “Rezoning King Street” to Planning Board
Here is a blip.tv video of the 6/10/10 meeting of Northampton’s Planning Board. The Chamber of Commerce presented “Rezoning King Street” to the board. This video is 1 hour 58 minutes long and was recorded by Lachlan Ziegler. Below are excerpts from the Chamber’s “Findings & Recommendations” (PDF). The attention to parking issues and pedestrian comfort […]
Rezoning King Street: Recommendations from the Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce presented “Rezoning King Street: Findings & Recommendations” to the Planning Board last night. We’ll have that video for you within a few days. In the meantime, download this PDF published by the Chamber (1.3MB). See also: Gazette: “Builders decry slow road to permits” (5/31/10) A pair of King Street developers lay […]
Albuquerque Journal: “City Should Address Growing ‘Bad Infill’ Problem”
From the March 14, 2010 Albuquerque Journal: A new two-story house in an unassuming Santa Fe neighborhood is built six feet from the back lot line and looms over the windows of the neighboring one-story home. Across the street from one of old Santa Fe’s most notable Pueblo Revival-style historic homes, a row of faux-Territorial condominiums […]
Denver City Council Considers Form-Based Zoning; Stabilizing Neighborhoods
The Denver Daily News reported on May 24 (emphasis added): After five years of what at times has been an excruciating process to update the city’s more than five-decade-old zoning code, the City Council tonight will finally introduce the new code on first reading, paving the way for an extensive public comment period… The new […]
Videos: Charter Review Committee Debates Scope of Mission, How to Solicit Public Input
Here is a complete blip.tv video of last night’s organizational meeting of Northampton’s Charter Review Committee. The committee members include Councilor Jesse M. Adams, Councilor Marianne L. LaBarge, Councilor David A. Murphy, Colleen Currie, Alan Seewald, Margaret Striebel, and Samuel Welson (who was elected chair). The video is 2 hours 4 minutes long and was […]
Video: Zoning Revisions Discusses Making Core Urban Neighborhoods More “Conforming”, More Dense
Here is a 7-minute YouTube excerpt from last night’s meeting of the Zoning Revisions Committee, recorded by Adam Cohen. It is observed that in zoning district Urban Residential C (URC)–the dense neighborhoods surrounding downtown Northampton–perhaps 40% of the existing single-family homes are “non-conforming”, and the percentage for multi-family homes is even higher. These homes don’t meet today’s zoning requirements […]
Zoning Revisions Committee Releases Synthesis of Comments from March 17 Forum
Northampton’s Zoning Revisions Committee has released a synthsis of comments from its public forum on March 17. Download the full-size PDF. See the slides from the forum. See the video. The committee will next meet on April 7, 7-9pm in City Hall Room 10 (second floor, enter via the back door). See also: Video and Slides: Joel Russell […]