Is nine too many?

110 Logtown Road

The occupancy capacity of the little house at 110 Logtown Road,  a one family unit which is limited by a generation-old town zoning bylaw to no more than "four unrelated occupants," comes up for discussion at a Zoning Board of Appeals hearing Thursday night.

The landlord and tenants are appealing a Notice of Violation, "Cease & Desist" order issued by Amherst Building Inspector Jon Thompson in mid-July.  If the ZBA overrules the Building Inspector the proposal for a waiver of the 4 person limit will then proceed to the Planning Board as part of a Site Plan Approval.

At less than 1,250 square feet of finished space the house is kind of small for even four people, let alone the request for nine.

The main concern in a "college town" with increasing density per unit of housing is that it will result in "college aged youth" negatively impacting a residential neighborhood with loud noise, inappropriate activities children should not be exposed to, and general unsightliness with housekeeping bringing down property values.

But since these particular youth are involved with farming, the usual negative neighborhood fallout is probably not going to happen.

Still, that house is awful small for nine people.

Click to enlarge/read

It would help of course if the building owner, Onesta Properties, had a better reputation.

 

Party House of the Weekend

 

419 Old Farm Rd, Amherst.  (normally) a quiet neighborhood

Once again we have a "new" first time address for party citations but one that's owned by a "usual suspect," Onesta Properties LLC, aka Pipleline Properties, aka Chad O'Rourke and Daniel Feldman.

Although I'm starting to wonder if there's problems in paradise as far as the student rental market is concerned, since Onesta Properties LLC, aka Pipeline Properties, aka Chad O'Rourke and Daniel Feldman just flipped two rental properties (12 Sunset Court and 747 Main Street) for a cool $899,000 total.

Let's hope DNB Properties LLC is a tad more careful with tenant selection.

Amherst police responded to a neighbor's call for help to quiet a loud party around 1:00 AM early Sunday morning.  The throng of "college aged youth" was less than cooperative with police so on top of the $300 noise ticket, each resident of the house earned a bonus "nuisance" ticket, also for $300.

Yes, that's a total of $600 for each rowdy resident.

Arrested, hands cuffed behind their backs and taken to APD headquarters where they were locked up until paying a $40 processing fee to the Clerk of Courts:

Daniel J. DuBois, age 19, 44 Cogswell St, Haverhill, Robert S. O’Neil, age 20, 30 Holmes Lane, Milton, and Rui R. Pereira and Timothy J. Stoops both age 20, and both from 419 Old Farm Road 419 Old Farm Rd, Amherst.

All four of them, amazingly, UMass students.

When will they ever learn?

So you have to figure that maybe--just maybe--the denizens of this humble abode at 88 Pelham Road on the border of Amherst/Pelham will get the message: don't invite over 300 Facebook friends (on a Sunday night no less), allow them to consume copious amounts of alcohol and then get belligerent with responding officers of the law--especially in the town of Amherst.

And why might they now get the message? Yeah, maybe because cars parked illegally around the humble abode were ticketed and a few towed; or that one "guest" was arrested for "disorderly conduct".

But mainly because the three responsible "tenants" were each issued two $300 tickets--one for "noise violation" and the other for being a "nuisance house". $600 each, times three. Ouch!

Bet that is more than next month's rent. Although in Amherst, maybe not--especially since this particular choice piece of real estate, valued at $292,700, sold last year to Onesta Properties LLC c/o Pipeline Properties Inc for $320,000.

And the mortgage payment on a 300-K fixed rate loan these days is about $1,800 month. Then add on the whopping Amherst property tax rate.

Pipeline Properties Inc does show on their extensive list of Amherst rental property a location nearby (6 bedrooms, but only 1.5 baths) at 109 Pelham road for a measly $3,000 per month.

Interestingly enough, Pipeline does post on their website under General Rules the following warning: "You live in a community and have neighbors, please be respectful of them, there is a noise ordinance in the each town and you can be fined for violating this. You are responsible and liable for the actions of your guests."

Let's hope the $1,800 in fines will drive home the point.