UPDATE: Wednesday afternoon. So who needs the caterpillar-like mainstream media, as Mr. Wald reports on his blog that last night the Historical Commission he chairs heard tons of testimony--almost all of it against the plans of the People's Republic of Amherst to nuke the property--and continued the hearing until next week. Jim Wald reports
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So it will be interesting tonight to see if the Amherst Historical Commission treats the town of Amherst the same combative way it has private entities lately by enforcing a one year demolition delay of a quaint old New England farmhouse and this old barn, the "Hawthorne Property" recently purchased by Amherst for $500,000 in free money--otherwise knows as Community Preservation Funds.
The Historical Commission recently forced the town's largest landowner, Amherst College, to delay for one year the demolition of an 80-year-old fence around one of its many properties. Chairman James Wald declared it a matter of principal: "We're making a statement that preservation is important."
Our appointed history aficionados also forced the Cowles family to delay the destruction of a 100 year old barn in North Amherst that CEO Cinda Jones laments is in danger of collapse.
Perhaps the Historical Commission should keep its eye on the prize, as Town Meeting is potentially going to vote the formation of a Historical District in and around the Dickinson Homestead that would automatically limit new development and renovations to existing structures.
But, if impacted neighbors and homeowners get the impression our Commissioners are a tad too militant then they will fight the creation of Amherst's first Local Historic District which, in itself, would be somewhat "historic" and requires a two-thirds vote of Town Meeting.
Unfortunately, in the People's Republic of Amherst, the NIMBYs usually win.
Where is this located?
ReplyDelete235 E Pleasant Street almost at the top of the hill. Where the guy in green overalls once sold vegetables for many, many, years.
ReplyDeleteGreen-overalls-guy=Glenn Hawthorne
ReplyDeleteYou mean the fake farmer?
ReplyDeleteNo, the multi millionare! Sitting on very $$$ acreage in the center of town.
ReplyDeleteSorry, forgot the other "i".
ReplyDeleteAll I know is I have biked by there countless thousands of times over the past 30 years and he--the guy in the green jumpsuit--was there almost every day at any daylight hour between dawn and dusk during non winter periods.
ReplyDeleteisn't there something about creating more playing fields involved here or was it another spot? I didn't read what sport it was supposed to be for, but do we really need to maintain more fields? how about doing a better job on the ones we have?
ReplyDelete"the guy in the green jumpsuit--was there almost every day at any daylight hour between dawn and dusk during non winter period."
ReplyDeleteExactly. When does he farm? At midnight?
whether people want it or not, it will happen, regardless of opinions, wetlands, noise, flooding, cost...etc...because this is Amherst=no vote, no say. So glad we pay such high taxes!
ReplyDelete