Fabulous Fall Sunday

Puffer's Pond dam

The weather could not be much more perfect on this gorgeous Sunday in one of the best college towns in America. Get out and enjoy it!

 Amherst College overlook off South Pleasant Street

Danger Will Robinson, Danger!
 

Treetop bouquet 

Check out the Mill District, the hip new North Amherst magnet

Hike around Puffer's Pond to work up an appetite

South Amherst is also looking pretty

With the long holiday weekend many of our college aged youth have returned to their hometowns

Take a balloon ride

A Barn By Any Other Name ...

134 Montague Road, North Amherst aka The Mill District

Over the course of its 100+ year history almost everything made of wood -- which is to say the entire post & beam barn -- has been repaired and/or replaced on the big structure that's impossible to miss in North Amherst.

So is it still an original historic structure worth spending many times over new construction costs to preserve, protect and maintain the iconic view it provides to travelers passing by?

Over a year ago the Amherst Historical Commission thought so and ordered a one-year demolition delay, which expired back in mid-July.

But that is the extent of their power to preserve the barn at other people's expense -- in this case -- W.D. Cowls, Inc, the largest private landowner in the state.

Interestingly at the Historical Commission meeting last week discussing the last remaining carriage house contributing to the South Amherst Common Historic District, much was made out of the fact that over the years most if not all of the original structure had been replaced piecemeal.

The Commission decided not to even bother holding a Demolition Delay Hearing, thus the structure can be vaporized at any moment.

As could the historic old red barn at 134 Montague Road.  But that's not going to happen.  At least not before trying to come up with an economic reuse that justifies the high cost of maintaining the iconic image that so dominates the landscape.

Click photo to enlarge

 Barn (right)  is close but not attached to new Atkins North (note roof damage)

According to Cowls Vice President for Real Estate and Community Development Mollye Wolahan:

The demo delay has been over since mid July. We have no plans to remove the barn at this point. On the day of expiration we removed a dangerous window and a couple pieces of siding that we were prohibited from removing during the year-long demo delay. Barn is still being used as a commercial structure as it is warehousing company equipment and materials (though not on the leaky south third so much as before) as it has for many decades now. The barn is leaking profusely on the south third and an interior beam has fallen, a couple others are about to. The south third is structurally shakey. With the opening of Atkins, we have put a fence around the perimeter of the barn to keep the public at a safe distance from the structure.

Ms. Wolahan concludes optimistically:  "My hope is to start the public process this month — sharing information with the neighbors and starting the zoning process that can allow the barn to be reconstructed, retaining the same iconic image that is there today with an exciting new use to further support our neighborhood and the Mill District."

Barn currently hosts art project

Sudden Stop (Sign)

North Amherst center Pine/Meadow intersection (circled)

Local long time activist and North Amherst resident Vince O'Connor told the Public Works Committee last night that a stop sign was needed at the Sunderland/Montague Road junction just north of the main intersection in the North Amherst Village Center.  Now!

O'Connor is worried that students coming to the University of Massachusetts driving through the intersection for the first time will be confused by the 5-way intersect taking place within a small distance leading to public safety issues.

Public Works Committee Chair Christine Gray-Mullen did not want to hear about that particular micro-management issue since it was not on the agenda for committee discussion.  So any extended discussion now would be a violation of Open Meeting Law.

 Public Works Committee last night.  DPW Chief Guilford Mooring top center

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring stated many people were confused by the issue at the June 24 Public Forum and wanted to solve the entire 5-way intersection problem, when in fact there are two distinct separate intersections that need to be addressed individually.

The agenda for the PWC meeting sought to do just that. 

After O'Connor stormed out of the meeting, saying he would press his concerns with the Amherst Select Board, the Public Works Committee voted unanimously to separate Pine/Meadow/North Pleasant from Montague/Sunderland Road for redesign purposes.

 Mr. O'Connor wants a stop sign on Montague Road (circled)

Mooring reaffirmed his belief that the only solution for Pine/Meadow/North Pleasant was a simple traffic light tweak allowing guaranteed left turns, like the traffic control at University Drive and Amity Street.

And new traffic control lights could be up and flashing by next year.

The town will host another public forum on the North Amherst intersection in October.  The Amherst Select Board has final say over the design improvements.

Don't Stop

Intersection of Sunderland (left) & Montague Road in front of N. Amherst Library

One idea for the somewhat complicated intersection of Montague and Sunderland roads in North Amherst that has been completely ruled out by the DPW as an action plan is adding a stop sign to Sunderland Road for vehicles traveling north.

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring told the Public Works Committee on Thursday that it's a bad idea and would be strongly opposed by his department.

Mooring said the close intersection of five streets in the North Amherst Village Center really needs to be seen as two distinct intersections (Montague & Sunderland Road and Pine/Meadow/North Pleasant) and the overall rule is if you can't make a workable 5-way intersection then you need to push the two intersections farther apart.

Most of the plans presented at the town's most recent public forum last month do that, but would require a significant purchase of land behind the North Amherst Library.

The fix, according to Mooring, for Pine/Meadow/North Pleasant in the heart of North Amherst center is simple: Install new traffic control system and set the cycle to allow a left turn from Meadow Street onto North Pleasant.

Even better the town should purchase some property (from controversial student rental czar Jamie Cherewatti) to allow the installation of a left turn lane.

The town is planning yet another Public Forum in October for the tricky intersection(s).   Although town officials seem to want to focus on the upper intersection of Montague and Sunderland Roads, the plans presented will probably include tweaks to the main intersection just south of it in North Amherst Center.

North Amherst Center Reboot

Pine/Meadow/North Pleasant streets (middle). Sunderland & Montague Road slightly north

About 75 residents and town officials packed into the new Amherst Survival Center building directly opposite long-time anchor business Cowls Building Supply for a public hearing on what to do with the intersection of Montague and Sunderland road that meet directly in front of the North Amherst Library.

 North Amherst Center public forum was standing room only

The Cecil Group study completed four years ago identified the somewhat complicated meeting of five roads within the circumference of a rotary as a prime candidate for being "reconfigured and redesigned."

And since then the general area has only become busier with The Mill District coming on line, the Survival Center moved into their new building on Sunderland Road, and the PVTA  increased bus service to that location. 

Town officials presented four options, one better than "Let's Make A Deal:"

 Option #1

Door #1 would be only the slightest of changes, making the right onto Montague Road (going north) a little more than just a swoop where you can take it at warp speed, and making it a little more like a 90 degree intersection to slow you down.  

The next three options would all require taking/buying property immediately behind the North Amherst Library.   And since that property has a long history of association with automobiles, there are probably brownfield concerns.

Option #2 (green space indicates taking out concrete replacing with grass)

Option #3

Option #4

The Planning Board, Public Works Committee and Transportation Plan Task Force will all come up with "recommendations" but the Amherst Select Board, as "keepers of the public way," have final authority.

But obviously they will take into consideration the desires of those who live in the neighborhood and commuters who routinely travel through the area.

Downside of offering four choices, however, is that it's all but guaranteed the final choice will not please everyone.

Finally: More Housing

Presidential Apartments are located in the shadow of UMass/Amherst

The long permitted (1966) expansion of Presidential Apartments, an 85 unit complex built in the 1960s, is taking shape as 8 of the 9 new buildings are now up.

This expansion will add 54 units of badly needed housing, 12 one-bedroom and 42 two-bedroom.

In addition -- even more desperately needed -- six of those units will be "affordable," thus adding to the town's Subsidized Housing Index which currently stands at just over 11%.

If the town should fall below 10% it would then open up the possibility of a Chapter 40B housing development that bypasses local zoning ordinances as long as the project is 20% "affordable."

This will be the first project that results in affordable units built under the town's ten year old Inclusionary Zoning Article 15, which mandates 10% of units in a development requiring a Special Permit must be "affordable."

According to property manager Pat Kamins,  "All 54 units should be on line for move in on 9/1/15."

Click to enlarge

Can We Talk?

Sunderland and Montague Road branch off after intersection of Pine/Meadow/North Pleasant

The town is sponsoring an open forum on Wednesday night seeking input about redesigning the funky intersection of five roads all converging in the North Amherst Village Center.  And of course any improvement in infrastructure could lead to, gasp, increased development.

Thus the NIMBY/BANANA crowd will be out in force issuing the standard warning shot across the bow about "student housing".  As in, can't have any of that.

Form Based Zoning would have allowed denser developments in our Village Centers, exactly where the town's Master Plan said they should occur.   But it was defeated -- TWICE -- in Town Meeting, although both times garnering well over a majority vote.

Only a year later the nefarious impact was felt as the state turned down our $4 million MassWorks grant proposal to rebuild Pine Street, a main thoroughfare serving North Amherst.

 Pine Street connects North Amherst Village Center with "historic" Cushman Village

One of the main criteria for state grant funding is future "economic development." And without Form Based Zoning helping to stimulate that, the state decided North Amherst was not going to see a lot of development in the future, and therefor not worthy of their $4 million investment. 

Although at least one developer continues to swim against the tide.

Cinda Jones went ahead anyway with the 12,000 square foot Trolley Barn, the first new mixed-use building in North Amherst in a generation.   And the wider area know as The Mill District continues to attract high end operations like Atkins Country Market. 

Trolley Barn:  12,000 square foot, three-story mixed use (residential/commercial) building

But rather than subdividing a 4,000 square foot floor  into smaller more efficient living quarters for additional people, because of the current antiquated zoning she can only market them as two "luxury apartments".  (Or perhaps a bowling alley)

 Atkins North opening in August

Even more ominously those narrow zoning defeats occurred back in the Fall of 2011 and Spring of 2012.  Since then two "citizen zoning petitions" that would have effectively detonated a dirty bomb in downtown business district both garnered MORE THAN A MAJORITY of Town Meeting support this past Spring.

So whatever solutions the group discussion comes up with Wednesday evening for badly needed infrastructure improvements to North Amherst Village Center, "the dirty hands district", safe bet they go nowhere when it comes to execution.

Because our current form of government allows -- some would say "encourages" -- a minority of vociferous opponents to torpedo any meaningful development.

Cowls Building Supply celebrated 35 years in business yesterday.  One of the few brights spots for North Amherst commercial activity and founding business in the Mill District.   

NIMBY Secret Weapon?

130 Fearing Street

If the Lincoln Sunset Local Historic District had been approved by Town Meeting a couple years ago and was now functioning the way the Dickinson Local Historic District Commission does, this family owned house could never have seen the light of day.

Not so much that LHD's have the power to stop new construction, but they have an inordinate amount of power when it comes to demolishing old structures to make way for new development.

 Lincoln Sunset Local Historic District Study Committee meeting 6/2/15

In this case a barn that was claimed to be "historic" because a real estate agent once advertised that Robert Frost may have used it as a lonely writers garret. The Amherst Historical Commission was not convinced and rejected using their powers to enact a one-year demolition delay.

The next day owner You-Pan Tzeng demolished the structure and later flipped the vacant property to the current owners, who built the house that now fits snugly into the neighborhood.

At most the Amherst Historical Commission could only have delayed things one year.  But a Local Historic District Commission could have delayed demolition permanently.

And it can be hard to build a new house or five-story mixed use building if you can't clear an old building sitting on that spot.

For instance the Amherst Historical Commission hit North Amherst developer Cinda Jones with a one-year demo delay on her big red barn at the entryway to the Mill District.

Without a change in zoning or Special Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals the barn cannot be used for commercial activities related to the Mill District (like Atkins North) and is way too expensive to rehabilitate simply for storage.

 Currently the barn screens the Mill District from viewers on Montague Road

Atkins North is reusing a barn that was in commercial zone

Thus it will probably be demolished next month when the one-year delay expires.  But a North Amherst Local Historic District Commission (which is being talked about) could have simply said, "you can't tear down this barn.  Ever!" 

Which is easy to say when the preservation money is not coming out of your pocket.

Margin Of Safety

Pine Street, North Amherst

The Amherst Planning Board is unhappy with the final design for three crosswalks on Pine Street in North Amherst, citing the 8 foot width as too narrow and requesting the Select Board -- who has final say -- make them at least 12 feet wide.

Town Manager Musante dismissed the concerns telling the Select Board he's comfortable with the current 8 foot wide design and other assorted measures including a  high tech solar powered Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon at each crosswalk.

 Transportation Plan seems to prefer 12 feet wide but did call this a "sample"

The town currently has no crosswalks greater than 8 feet wide.  And some are only 6 feet. The Select Board decided not to change the crosswalk plans at this late date.

 Crosswalks in town center are 8 feet wide

Pine Street Safety Signage

RRFB units on South Maple Street, Hadley bike path

Last night in their tucked away meeting at Amherst Middle School just before Town Meeting commenced the Select Board unanimously approved DPW Chief Guilford Mooring's plan for installing crosswalk protection along the middle and eastern end of Pine Street.

 1 system located at 351 Pine, another near curve into Bridge Street

This signalized safety project goes hand in hand with new sidewalks being installed the length of Pine Street from the North Pleasant intersection in North Amherst center to Bridge Street.

 DPW Chief Guilford Mooring appears before Amherst Select Board (in charge of "public way")

The installation of a solar powered Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon at the intersection of East Pleasant (which currently lacks sidewalks) and Pine was put off however, and instead the third unit was relocated further east towards the dangerous curve where Pine Street become Bridge Street (at the gateway to Cushman Village Store).

The RRFB-XL units cost between $8,000 - $10,000 per set and are billed as being 80% more effective on higher speed roadways.  

Harris Street looking towards Pine Street

Last Man Standing ... Falls

Captain Video, North Amherst.  Last of a kind

Sad:

click to enlarge/read

Scenery vs Safety

This double pine will come down on Monday

After a thoughtful 45 minute discussion deliberating the fate of ten trees along both sides of Pine Street the Planning Board and Tree Warden came to the unanimous conclusion that 9 of them be removed immediately and more efforts will be forthcoming to save the remaining one.

Unfortunately the twin pine is not the one.

The trees are all in the later stages of their lifespan and most of them show their age.  The discussion among Planning Board members and neighborhood residents who attended the meeting centered on the safety issue.

Pine Street is in dire need of a sidewalk and the trees, unfortunately, are rooted firmly in the way.

The Amherst Shade Tree Committee had voted in March to "save as many of the trees as possible," but in the end only one of the ten earned what may be only a temporary reprieve.

Tree Warden Alan Snow was going to take extra measures to try to save a 30" Silver Maple, but did not seem confident it would last for long after the sidewalk is installed.

 30" Silver Maple not coming down ... yet

The hearing Wednesday evening was required by state law since Pine Street is a "scenic way".  And yes, even with the loss of all these trees will still be considered so.

In 2012 Amherst Town Meeting approved borrowing $612,000 for the purchase of 2,000 trees, an inventory that has not yet been depleted.  So replacements will go back in the ground over the next few months. 

A More Pleasurable Puffer's Pond

Puffer's Pond:  Amherst's most popular  recreation site

North Amherst is on a roll when it comes to infrastructure improvements with major thoroughfare Pine Street, finally, finishing up this construction season and the most loved recreational hide away -- Puffer's Pond -- getting badly needed modest tweaks even sooner. 

Having already received approval from the Conservation Commission (the higher hurdle) the modest revitalization plans go before the Planning Board next week and after their approval work can start immediately since the $37,000 budgeted is not FY16 money and will be mostly done in house by Conservation Department employees.

   Puffer's Pond Renovations

Conservation Director (and Assistant Town Manager) Dave Ziomek hopes to have everything completed by the start of the upcoming swimming season.

 North side rehab: striping parking lot, ADA walkway, new kiosk

North Beach: Cribbing along waters edge replaced to stabilize beach

The improvements span both sides of the pond, mainly where water meets lands edge.  The wooden "cribbing" on both beaches will be replaced and the North Beach (formerly called the "Dog Beach" until a leash law was enacted) will see more extensive work, including a new ADA Walkway and large kiosk.

 The lure of the cliffs will be mitigated by a new security fence

The plan to add more security fencing along the cliffs near the waterfall -- a popular diving spot -- will prove a lot less popular.  Over the years youthful daredevils have trampled the current chain link fence to where it is no longer functional.

The next step after these modest improvements is already in the works as town officials are getting serious about a major project: dredging the pond.

A Bridge Request Too Far

 Mill Street Bridge connects State Street and Summer Street

Last night the Public Works Committee voted unanimously to oppose the citizens petition article brought to upcoming Town Meeting by North Amherst resident Vince O'Connor to partially reopen the Mill Street bridge and allow two-way vehicular traffic via one lane using the center area of the closed bridge.

State inspectors deemed the bridge "dangerous"

In March of 2014 the Public Works Committee had also voted unanimously to support the same option eventually approved by the Amherst Select Board: to renovate the bridge for one lane vehicular traffic (yet to be decided which way) with a side order of bike/pedestrian path.

 Mill Street Bridge has been closed since summer of 2012, but still open to pedestrians and cyclists

That reconstruction project is scheduled to start in the 2017 construction season and will be paid for with state money.

Outer beams rusted and concrete foundation is washing away

Mr. O'Connor admitted the bridge is currently unsafe for two-way traffic and cannot support the weight of Amherst Fire Department emergency vehicle, but he pointed out it's the outermost steel beams on each side that are the problem, so the middle part of the bridge could support one car via one-way traffic.

 Vince O'Connor was unsuccessful with his pitch to the Public Works Committee last night

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring pointed out that you would need to place jersey barriers to keep cars from traveling on the unsafe areas thus taking up even more space making it tight for AFD vehicles or pedestrians and cyclists crossing at the same time with vehicles.

During the meeting Mooring texted Fire Chief Tim Nelson about the bridge who instantly responded, "I wouldn't even think about using it"

Long time Town Meeting member and North Amherst resident Hilda Greenbaum also complained to the Public Works Committee that more traffic is now funnelled through the main North Amherst village center intersection, which is a tad quirky.

Greenbaum threatened PWC Chair Christine Gray-Mullen  with  a lawsuit if she were injured or killed in a car accident in North Amherst center.

 N. Amherst intersection upper center: Montague & Sunderland Road split off

Committee members repeatedly suggested there was "nothing new" in the presentations coming before them now, considering the extensive public hearings they held over one year ago.  When they cut off discussion because of that, O'Connor stormed out of the meeting.

The Public Works Committee then voted unanimously (3-0 with 2 absent*) to strongly oppose the Town Meeting warrant article to reopen the bridge because it was "unsafe, costly to implement and still would not support the weight of an AFD emergency vehicle."

 * The PWC is currently looking for a new member.  With meetings like this, how can you go wrong?

 Bridge provides perfect perch to view Puffer's Pond waterfall