Wayne Feiden, Director of Northampton’s Office of Planning and Development, presented highlights from a draft of the 2011-2017 Open Space, Recreation & Multi-Use Trail Plan (PDF, 237 pages, 5MB) to the public at Northampton High School’s Little Theater last night. Here is a complete blip.tv video of the presentation and discussion (1 hour 20 minutes). The recording was […]
Trees
Boston Globe: “The growth of a thoughtful city”
The results of breakneck growth in China lead Carlo Rotella to appreciate how Boston values continuity: The growth of a thoughtful city …When I get back from China I no longer take it for granted that I can walk with my kids down our street past trees, yards, and lawns to a park with a […]
September 14: Public Information Session on Update to Open Space Plan
A message from Sarah I. LaValley, Conservation, Preservation and Land Use Planner in Northampton’s Office of Planning and Development: “A public information session on Northampton’s 2011-2017 Open Space, Recreation, and Multi-Use Trail Plan will be held September 14 at 7:00 PM in Northampton High School’s Little Theater. This Plan will be an update to the […]
TED Video: Ellen Dunham-Jones on Retrofitting Suburbia
As King Street goes under the microscope, architect Ellen Dunham-Jones talks in Atlanta about the successful reuse of empty buildings and parking lots, and enhancing the attractiveness of major thoroughfares. Infill doesn’t have to mean swallowing up our remaining in-town greenspace. From the TED Blog, 6/29/10: “Ellen Dunham-Jones fires the starting shot for the next 50 years’ big sustainable […]
Bay State Village Visioning Project: Survey Results
On June 22, the Visioning Committee of the Bay State Village Association presented the results (PDF, 6MB) of a recent survey of residents’ preferences for the future of their neighborhood. Below are selected slides from the presentation. Preserving open spaces and the natural environment emerge as clear priorities, as does a desire to maintain current lot sizes (not reduce them). […]
UMass Press Release: “New England Losing Forest Cover, Experts Call for Accelerated Conservation”
From the UMass Amherst Office of News & Media Relations: New England Losing Forest Cover, Experts Call for Accelerated Conservation May 19, 2010 Contact: Janet Lathrop 413/545-0444 AMHERST, Mass. – A group of 20 scholars from across New England including University of Massachusetts Amherst forester David Kittredge today released a new report, “Wildlands and Woodlands: […]
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 […]
April 21: Conservancy of Sheldon Field, Montview Farms and Meadows – Presentation
The Ward 3 Neighborhood Association makes the following announcement: Subject: Conservancy of Sheldon Field, Montview Farms and Meadows Date: Wednesday April 21, 2010 Time: 7PM to 9PM Place: Bridge Street School Cafeteria Robert A. Levite, Esq. from Natural Resources & Environmental Conservation at UMASS Extension will talk about forming a conservancy, holding a Conservation Restriction […]
New York Times: “As Sewers Fill, Waste Poisons Waterways”
It is common for Smart Growth proponents to claim that adding density to existing urban infrastructure is cheaper than building infrastructure in new areas. The reality, however, is more complicated. The 11/23/09 New York Times reports: As Sewers Fill, Waste Poisons Waterways In the last three years alone, more than 9,400 of the nation’s 25,000 […]
Northampton Media: “Angela Plassmann Issues Candidate Statement”
Northampton Media today posted a statement from Angela Plassmann, who is challenging incumbent Bob Reckman for the Ward 3 City Council seat. Here is the text of the statement. Dear Residents of Ward 3: I would like to take a moment to pause from the busy campaign schedule and share a few of my thoughts […]