January 2011 Board Meeting Minutes

Ward 3 Neighborhood Association
Agenda for Board Meeting
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 7 PM
Bridge Street School Library
7:08 Meeting Begins
Board Members Present: Owen: Bob, Gloria, Marian, Maddy, Jerry; Member
of public: Joel
Absent: Joanne M, Tim P.
1. Approval of Minutes – Maddy
Maddy: email list for board does not include Angela or Frank, is that
correct? Yes However, they chair committees/give reports, so do they
weigh in on the minutes? No
2 Treasurer's Report – Fred
Previous Balance $1930.61
DUES: $0.0
NEW BALANCE: $1930.61
Note: $178.01 Allocated to Neighborhood Watch
LIST SERVE: for Ward 3ab = Previous 274; New = 274
Total Members = 271; New = 0
LIST SERVE MESSAGES: for this period = 1
2. President's Report – Jerry
a. Ward 3 House Breakins
Still having them, lock doors all the time, even during the day.
b. Contribution From Representative Neal; Commemorating one year
anniversary of the arson fires
There was a very nice, silent memorial held on Dec. 27th. Richard Neal
came, and he said that the $500.00 for the reward fund can be diverted
to the W3NA. (later corrected to $100.00)
-Board will add funds to general coffers
c. Proposed Pomeroy Terrace Historic District Meeting
Tomorrow night, a meeting will be held for abutting property owners. 6
pm at City Hall, weather permitting. If a majority of property owners
opt out, it won't happen. (A few years ago there was a proposal for
creating a federal historical district. Held up by lack of historic
narrative that cost $4000.00. Recently Wayne Feiden said CPA $ could
be used for this. People are having a meeting in January to revive the
process.)
Jim: What is the benefit to the greater ward of this designation? This
is important because it's a significant use of CPA $.
d. Neighborhood Associations Update
Neighborhood association presidents continue to meet each month. We
have finally gotten the beautification committee off the ground. We
should be meeting soon, to plan for working on the city's "gateways."
e. Monthly Meeting with the Mayor – Topics/People
Arnie: What about the senior center? How much money is going to it?
Are you satisfied? Mayor believes the senior center is well-attended,
but it is an open center that can receive input on programming or
services at any time.
Owen: How old are the city's optical scanning voting machine? Have
they been a success?
They are from Mary Ford's day. A committee chose them and I am happy
with them. Helpfully, they leave a paper trail, but are expensive to
maintain.
Group: Why don't the fairgrounds or the city fix the Williams Brook and pipe?
The best way to do this is to leverage other projects that impact it.
A huge area is covered by this pipe, a Storm water Survey is occurring
that will aid in beginning to address this.
Phil: Why didn't the soccer team reapply for a special permit? Maybe
they thought they were back to pre-Western, pre-conflict times and
thought they didn't have to.
Mayor: we will be looking for a new area for new train station and
will be having a meeting on this. Please consider where you think
would be a good site. Also, we will plow the bike path from Earl St.
to Moshi Moshi which will create a safe route for kids. A metal
channel is being put in for cyclists to forge the steps up and down to
the paths.
Jim: Considering the Probate, Honda lot or the old Depot. I'll be
following this. The city is piggybacking on an assessment by the
courts who are considering merging/relocating/building.
Jerry: Please keep us updated. All the potential locations are in our ward.
f. Fairgrounds Redevelopment Update
Jerry: In the amended plan, the committee was given permission to take
down old buildings, put in new buildings, add show rings, and do
landscaping. A group of citizens has appealed this decision.
Bob: As a result, we are asking to withdraw the amendment, and go back
to the original plan of just tearing down the decrepit horse
buildings, building 3 new horse barns, and repairing one ring.
Jerry: Is putting more water in the Brook part of the original plan or
the amendment?
Bob: Only the amendment.
Jerry: BTW, Pipe runs from Sheldon field to the Old Mill River. We had
a meeting on Sunday to begin a process of organizing to
renew/replace/repair that pipe. (Jerry is doing that as a private
citizen, not as W3NA president.)
7:42
g. Pleasant Street Corridor Planning Proposal
Lola gave an update on "Paddlegate" via email. Two people went to the
Parking Meeting.
h. CDBG
Grant applications are out if anyone is interested
Owen: We looked into it last year. It was too much organizational work.
i. Investment Group
Will be starting an informal investing group.
4. Nominating/Membership Committee Report – Owen NTA
5. Update from Bridge Street School Committee/School Committee News –
Deborah Christakos NTA
6. Update on creation of related organization to do conservancy in Ward 3 – Fred
-Since the public meeting we've had calls from the president of BBC
offering his congratulations. Also Kristen DeBoer, President of
Kestrel Trust, Harvey Allen of Valley Land Trust, and Bob LeVite of
Umass Extension have offered help.
-A future meeting is being planned to consolidate our directors
followed by a talk by Tim Silva of Kestrel about stewardship. If you
have any questions about stewardship I will be glad to forward them to
Tim before the mtg.
7. Sustainability Committee Update – Jim
-We have more open space than any other ward. In the future, looking
at how to better utilize and access these public spaces.
Owen: We need to have a good handle on the infrastructure of the city
too. Storm and sewer and parking in the master plan, we should look at
that in light of sustainable northampton.
-Update on efforts to collect Ward 3 input on rezoning topics for ZRC
We have put together a survey to get people's feedback. Rough draft
has been sent to the board. There will be a meeting February 15th in
Florence and 16th at BSS by the ZRC to discuss these issues. We want
to have the survey results ready. Feedback on the survey welcome.
Joel: We need more context to the survey so that people won't just say
"not in my back yard."
Marian: When I look at this survey, I wonder which lots you are
referring to- people with a lot of room or people who are already
encroaching?
Bob: We're looking at lots that are just barely too small to make
additions/build, but could have some smart infill development.
Joel: That is just the context we are looking for.
Marian: For me, this has real-life consequences. It depends on the neighbor.
8:04
Jerry: How close is close? I don't want people to build right on the lot line.
Jim: This is the dialogue we want to have. Fill out the survey with
these thoughts.
8. Traffic Calming Committee Update – NTA
9. Exit 19 of I-91 Committee Update – Frank Werbinski NTA
Jerry: Problem with February date on three options so they are trying
to reschedule for March.
10. Report of Transportation Committee - Owen NTA
11. Update on Neighborhood Watch – Arnie, Phil, Owen
Phil: Spoke with Arnie about the $100.00 in arson reward fund from Neal.
Jerry: Would be great to have you folks meet before our next meeting
vis a vis the break-ins.
8:17
12. Legislative Update from City Councillor – Angela (sent by email)
1. Weather Advisory - Just a reminder of winter storm parking
restrictions. During the storm on Christmas weekend, I received
several calls from Ward 3 residents whose vehicles had been towed.
Please try to take note of the on-street parking restrictions during
winter storms. If your vehicles has been towed in error, you can
submit a claim to the City for possible reimbursement. Please be
aware that the parking restrictions are strictly enforced when issued.
2. Neighborhood Safety - Home break-ins continue to be an issue in
Northampton and surrounding communities. Please remember to lock your
doors and windows (a large number of break-ins have been as a result
of unlocked doors). Please also lock your vehicles and remember to
leave outside lights on at night.
3. Proposed Ordinance - There is a proposed ordinance sponsored by
the Conservation Commission that Ward 3 residents should be aware of.
The purpose of the proposed ordinance is to recommend several
amendments to the Wetlands Protection Ordinance. According to Sarah
LaValley, "there have been recent permit applications that have come
before the Conservation Commission that the Ordinance (as currently
written) does not allow work of any kind within an established
"no-encroachment zone" regardless of whether the projects would
benefit wetlands resource areas. The proposed amendment will allow
the Commission to permit these types of activities, according to a set
of performance standards while maintaining the strict level of
protection that exists under the Ordinance as currently written."
However, one specific change, may allow developers to potentially
encroach on a wetland by conserving wetlands elsewhere. The proposed
language states:
[6] Alteration may be allowed notwithstanding the criteria [2] [3]
and [4] of this section
at a ratio in square feet of at least 2:1 when an applicant proposes
off-site restoration of resource areas, conservation restrictions
under M.G.L. c. 184, §§ 31 to 33 to preserve undisturbed resource
areas that could be otherwise altered ,the purchase of development
rights within resource areas, or similar activities undertaken
voluntarily by the applicant.
A resident in Ward 3 has raised concerns with me regarding this
language. I have discussed these concerns with the resident and will
be requesting a meeting with Sarah LaValley and the concerned resident
to go over the concerns. I am attaching a copy of the proposed
ordinance for your review.
Fred: I'd like a fresh copy of the amendment
Bob: I spoke with Kevin. In the past year the ConCom has had 4
requests to develop in degraded wetlands, which could be even paved
over. Because of the ordinance, they were denied, despite that the
development might improve/remediate the wetlands. A distinction
between wetlands and degraded wetlands is all this proposed ordinance
adds.
Owen: Criterion is the issue, no. 5.
Maddy: I'm concerned this will crack open arguments that wetlands are
degraded and allow development. This is not so much of an issue for
individuals, but large developers regularly challenge the authenticity
of the wetlands area with significant legal and scientific team.
Also concerned that replication is ineffective.
Bob: But the person will also have to go through a special permit
process. It is not carte blanche.
13. Vegetable Garden Tour – Joanne NTA
14. Social Committee Report – Owen
-Trying to have an event around the opening of "The Roost."
15. Report from Business Representative - Jim See above…
8:31
16. New Business
Joel: Democratic caucus is occurring on 2/12/11 11 -1:30 for
registered democrats.
Phil: Thursday at 4 pm in front of the PO, there will be a ceremony to
mail off the aid checks.
Adjourned at 8:35