To compensate for development in and around wetlands, developers are sometimes encouraged or required to create new ones. GOOD reports, however, that these restored wetlands are inferior: …ecologists have found that restored wetlands are not as ecologically valuable as the originals—a new analysis of 621 wetland sites shows that, on average, restored wetlands regained only […]
Videos: Charter Drafting Committee, 1/9/12-1/12/12
Here are videos of the January 9, 10, 11 and 12 meetings of Northampton’s Special Act Charter Drafting Committee (click for minutes, presentations and related material). These videos were recorded by Emily Odgers. The committee will have one final meeting on January 17 before presenting its recommendations to the city council on January 19.Notes from 1/9/12 […]
Video: Board of Public Works, 1/11/12 Meeting
Here is a YouTube video of the complete 1/11/12 meeting of Northampton’s Board of Public Works. This video is 52 minutes long and was recorded by Mimi Odgers. At 47:53 on the video, Ward 7 City Councilor Gene Tacy addresses the board, saying that more communication between the board and the city council is needed. In […]
Video: Conservation Commission Hears Comments about Montview Parcel in Meadows
Here is a YouTube video from the 1/12/12 meeting of Northampton’s Conservation Commission. Many members of the public attended to speak about the process for overseeing a three-acre parcel of land at Montview Avenue and Ventures Field Road. The commission expects to take up the subject again at its 1/26/12 meeting, 5pm in the City […]
Hot Topics at This Week’s Charter Meetings So Far
[Correction: Ward 3 City Councilor Owen Freeman-Daniels did not participate in the debate over preliminary elections on January 10.] Northampton’s Special Act Charter Drafting Committee is holding an intense series of meetings this week to prepare a proposal for City Council. See the city calendar for meeting times and places. We will post videos from […]
Video: Leaders Speak with Charter Drafting Committee
Here is a YouTube video plus highlights from the 12/14/11 meeting of Northampton’s Special Act Charter Drafting Committee. These videos were recorded by Emily Odgers.The 12/14 meeting featured a Leadership Round Table that included Clare Higgins, Pat Goggins, Mary Ford, Michael Vito, Jim Dostal, David Murphy, Paul Spector, Stephanie Pick and David Narkewicz. Topics of discussion […]
Video: Urban Forests = Cleaner, Cooler Air
This four-minute video from the American Society of Landscape Architects describes how trees benefit cities. “…a single large healthy tree can remove greater than 300 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year… Through their leaves, trees also provide evaporative cooling, which increases air humidity. Shaded surfaces may be 20-45 degrees cooler, and evapotranspiration […]
Video: Northampton Planning Board Rejects Cumberland Farms Proposal for Florence
Here is a YouTube video of the 12/8/11 meeting of Northampton’s Planning Board. This recording was made by Emily Odgers. As you can see from the news accounts below, the Planning Board denied a special permit for a proposed Cumberland Farms in downtown Florence. The hearing on the Cumberland Farms proposal begins at 0:49:18 on the video.Here […]
Video & Presentation: Charter Drafting Committee Public Forum II
Here is a YouTube video of the complete 12/6/11 public forum held by Northampton’s Special Act Charter Drafting Committee. This video is 2 hours 7 minutes long and was recorded by Emily Odgers. See the committee’s web page for meeting dates, agendas, minutes and related materials. Here is the presentation shown at the forum. City […]
Video: Special Act Charter Drafting Committee, 11/30/11
This is a video and agenda of the complete 11/30/11 meeting of Northampton’s Special Act Charter Drafting Committee. This recording was made by Adam Cohen. Among other things, the committee discusses whether low signature thresholds for petitions expose the City Council to the risk of being clogged by excessive petitions. The committee also discusses how […]