One East Pleasant (most recent rendering)
After 30 years of attending countless public meetings, some of them somewhat heated, I can honestly say the Planning Board hearing of 10/22 was the most vitriolic in my long experience.
10/22 Planning Board hearing crowd, mostly NIMBYs
Although I did miss the "neighborhood meeting" a few years ago concerning the now dead solar farm installation on ye' old landfill.
The letter written by Steve Bloom of Lincoln Avenue was particularly biting. Interesting that he was not present to read it himself, which may have contributed to the overall nastiness.
That kind of rhetoric would never be allowed on the floor of Amherst Town Meeting (can't question the motives of individuals) so maybe Planning Board Chair David Webber will consider using his gavel when the hearing continues ...
David Webber (ctr) PB Chair at 10/22 meeting
51 comments:
A lot of the nimby's are old. Once their generation dies off we can get back to the business of growing the town!
Thomas Kuhn, "The structure of scientific revolutions".
Remind me again:
Just what do the phrases "private property" and "free society" mean in Amherst?
Here's another one: "limited government". You know, the thing that our nation's founders wanted to establish?
I guess that's why we need a town counsel.
The overwhelming emotion is sadness that we have sunk this low in public discourse.
I blame the parents.
Thank you Mr Bloom you expressed my sentiments exactly. I did not find it nasty only his honest assessment of this project and what is happening to OUR town.
And where were you sitting that night?
Shame on Steve Bloom and Paige Wilder for their comments. I feel badly for the planning board - if they let people talk, this is what they get; but if they don't let people talk, they are accused of making inside deals and ignoring the will of "the people."
Yes the personal attacks on Jonathon Tucker at Select Board meetings has that board rethinking "public comments".
What happened to the landfill solar project? I thought the neighbors lost their lawsuit?
Well you don't see any solar panels out there do ya?
I think the state passed legislation that blew out their lawsuit but the damage has been done.
Delay = death.
There have been a lot of personal attacks lately. What ever happened to civility and decency?
The town kiss ass to rich developer, and kick ass to small property owners.
Town will modify its zoning by law to attract deep pocket developer to build high density student housing anywhere in town, ignoring its private homeowners complains.
Big government in small town Amherst.
Any possibility Kendrick property building can be stopped?
What did Niels laCour have to say about it? I see him and S. front n' center. He's pretty open-minded. If he's poo-pooing it, though, then I'm out, as well.
Spoke strongly in favor of the project.
I'm in, then.
Sarah la Cour also spoke strongly in favor. As did Jane Wald.
I think that we have some people appearing in front of the cameras in public comment time, who are simply products of overindulgent parenting.
We are going to see more of this "won't take no for an answer" attitude next week in the Middle School Auditorium.
Rumor has it Helen Berg is in discussions with Landmark to put a helipad on the roof... for her spaceship.
I just listened to the recording of Ms. Wilder reading Mr. Bloom's letter to the Planning Board and am completely mystified by the outrage. Kyle Wilson and David Williams are deliberately misrepresenting to the PB and the citizens of Amherst, the clients for whom One East Pleasant is being built. As a parent, I've always taught my children that "deliberate misreprentation" of reality is the same as lying -- a far worse transgression than a concerned citizen composing a letter calling out said misrepresentations.
When Kyle Wilson and David Williams stand up before the Planning Board and state that Archipelago LLC (of which they are the principals) is building One East Pleasant for families, retirees, faculty and students, that is a misrepresentation of what is, in fact, being constructed. As per the architectural plans and layouts of the individual units at One East Pleasant (the plans that Wilson and Williams brought to the October 1st PB meeting), the 4 bedroom units are 1,150 square feet with a tiny common area and 4 tiny bedrooms of equal size. The 2 bedroom units are 800 square feet, also with a tiny common space and 2 tiny bedrooms of equal size. As Mr. Sloviter pointed out in his remarks before the PB on October 22nd, when have you ever seen an apartment (or house) designed for families without any obvious master bedroom?
The size and configuration of the units at One East Pleasant are nothing other than dormitory suites, and Mr. Bloom was simply calling this out. You do your town a great disservice when being "polite" is more important than preventing a developer from building a 5-story dormitory in the middle of downtown.
I really don't care if they are targeting one-legged retired polish farmers as a demographic.
If the market is there then it will be successful, and if not they will go bankrupt and you can buy it and do whatever the hell you want.
In America we have something called property rights. Get used to it.
anon@832: given those footages, it seems each bedroom (regardless of #) could be a spacious 12x12', it is hard for me to call that tiny. You may be right that the goal is to rent to students but don't ruin your argument by trying to falsely (lie?) represent the numbers. The 800 sq ft apartment could have spacious 2 bedrooms (just like the size in my home), a large bath (8x8) and open plan living area (13x32'). Similar dimensions would apply to the 4 bedroom.
Just become some folks in Amherst want McMansion size dimensions, there is no reason to force your inflated space needs/fantasy on everyone. Its funny- they same folks fighting this battle using the "size" argument are probably the same folks who think we should encourage smaller/energy efficient homes. hypocritical?
Students living downtown? You mean shopping, socializing and otherwise making it a vibrant place? Here! Here!
Mr. Kelly - are you going to practice what you preach? Why don't you bang your own gavel and delete the names posted by Anon 8:32 AM for impugning the character of individuals.
I'm actually a step down (or two) from a formal "Public Hearing."
And that's exactly why it's so hard for the Chair of a committee to use his/her gavel to shut someone up.
Because if I do it here, it's not censorship. The First Amendment only applies to government.
Thus if Mr. Webber had shut off Ms. Wilder as soon as she used the word "greed," that would, in a sense, be censorship because he is at that moment "the government."
Yet at the same time, he has a responsibility not to let folks libel/slander anyone in public.
It's a hard call.
"Well you don't see any solar panels out there do ya?"
I thought you were the reporter? I didn't see you report on it. Excuse me for asking, Mr. Sarcastic!
You get what you pay for.
Greed? By whose definition? How much is too much?
Exactly.
Do we really want NIMBYs deciding the definitions.
Check out Bob Abramms's column in the Amherst Bulletin this morning. It says it all.
Kelley, has there ever been a development that you've opposed or a modification that you've been in favor of? What's up with that? Need the ad revenues that bad? You're just another paid shill, hiding behind the flag. Free enterprise is fine by you, just not free speech. Pathetic.
Yeah, like the Bulletin doesn't "need the ad revenues that bad."
Yikes!
The pig is our Town Meeting system of government, as practiced in Amherst.
And the lipstick is all the rhapsodizing about the old traditional New England town meeting, and how wonderfully democratic it is.
Put the violin down and watch the meetings.
Could the developer make the exterior match the older buildings along the Common? That would tie both ends of town together. This version is office-parky.
Hmmm
Did you go to the retreat hearings ?
Perhaps we could take the property by eminent domain, and have a committee of Town Meeting members, who, after all, are the expert on such matters, supervise the design and the construction of the building.
We could then have Vince O'Connor serve as the concierge.
Now don't go giving them any ideas.
As a pig, I am deeply offended. The speaker is not a pig, and she clearly has no lipstick.
I am going to see if the town will pay for a pig-consultant to address my concerns.
In this town, consulting is a growth industry.
I love how townfolk like to portray this rustic, New Englang vibe of Amherst. Have you even looked at the Bank of America atrocity? Or the blaring Subway logo on the main corner. When I think of Amherst I do NOT think quaint, little town. It's already marred by bad decisions design-wise. What's one more?
In reality it seems like there are only about 20 people actively opposing this project. Nothing like the opposition to the Retreat. I think most everyone knows this is a good project in a good place. Not perfect - but good.
In reality only 20 people oppose this project? What reality are you in and where did you get this figure? Maybe Larry could run a poll here.
It's terrible, actually. How could it be any worse?
This project is too close to downtown.
That project is too far from downtown.
This project has apartments that are way too small.
That project has apartments that are so large that they will consume enormous amounts of energy.
This project has not enough parking.
That project has so much parking it will create a health hazard from the auto emissions and contribute to climate change.
This project is the wrong project in the wrong place.
That project is the wrong project in the wrong place.
We can peck anything to death in Amherst.
"That project has so much parking it will create a health hazard from the auto emissions and contribute to climate change."
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Laughing so hard my gut is hurting. SOOO funny.
This is not a case of NIMBYIsm. A downtown overrun with students, a downtown with no parking, a downtown which becomes a place to avoid is bad for the ENTIRE town, no matter what part of town you live in it. The administration of this town is a disgrace. Musante and Tucker, who are only empowered to implement policy, actively try to shape by it by only approving committee members who are in cahoots with business interests. They both should be replaced, the sooner the better.
A downtown overrun with students
God forbid! What next -- a downtown overrun with old people? Tourists? Black people? Lesbians? Square dancers? Cat lovers? This could get out of control real fast... and it will be bad for everyone. Real, real bad.
Anon 10:09 am
You are either an idiot or a hermit or both so I will spell it out for you. 500 drunken students downtown instead of on campus where they should be, instead of burdening already overburdened police and medical teams.
The price we pay, I guess, for choosing to live in this wild college town.
How and when did this 5 story zoning pass? Did this go through a Town Meeting process? Who are the people responsible for this? I want to remember their names when I look At these monstrosities.
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