Amherst Peace Accords

Hobart Lane: The street with no name 

The war against rowdy rental units disturbing the peace and quiet of residential neighborhoods dates back a generation.  In fact, some of today's violators could very well be offspring of students who attended the University way back when it carried the ignoble moniker "ZooMass." 

A recent major skirmish, relatively short by municipal standards, came to a (sort of) successful close this past Thursday. The Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals allowed prominent local landord Grandonico Properties, LLC to withdraw their appeal of Building Commissioner Rob Morra's $100/day fine for violating the town bylaw forbidding more than four unrelated tenants per single-family household.

But not before paying $2,400 in fines and -- most important -- agreeing to change their lease language to clearly demonstrate they will abide by the town's zoning ordinance.

One down, a few more to go...

Grandonicos legally binding agreement with town

An Eerie Reminder

Rolling Green Apartments 

The Amherst Fire Department responded to Rolling Green Apartments -- scene of a devastating fatal fire two weeks ago -- early Friday night (7:00 PM) for a phoned in report of beeping smoke alarms. 

Only to discover the detectors from the burned out unit had been thrown into a nearby dumpster with the batteries still in them, and they continued to do their job long after the need for alarm had subsided.

   AFD runs Super Bowl weekend by   Larry Kelley

The call was noted as a "Good Intent Call," also a timely reminder that citizens should not hesitate to dial 911 if anything raises suspicion. 

Also note, ETOH (drunk) calls are still too numerous.

Cold Sundown

Score 1 For Transparency

 

Stan Rosenberg on a visit to Pioneer Vally Chinese Immersion Charter School in 2009

So it's hard to believe it has been two years but I notice by today's Sunday Republican "How They Voted" that our state legislature finally got around to fixing their website so that roll call votes can now be posted online rather than only being available by hard copy in a remote State House office. 

Bravo!  (Of course now I have to wonder why it took two years.) 

Choppy Surface

Puffer's Pond, noon today 

A combination of unseasonably warm weather, high winds and then back to normal deep freeze has produced an interesting mosaic at Amherst's favorite conservation area.

Tipsy Transit Take Two

 Sober Shuttle 1:15 AM Amherst Town Center

So, like last weekend, the regular Sunderland bus arrived at 1:13 AM and picked up two dozen or more college aged passengers at the downtown bus stop in front of the Amherst Post Office.  As that bus was leaving, almost full, the first ever Sober Shuttle arrives 1:15 AM, almost empty (except for a police officer), and then left six or seven minutes later with less than a dozen passengers.

Most of this crowd boarded the regular Sunderland bus

Sunderland bus leaves town center with standing room only crowd 1:15 AM

The 2:00 AM Sober Shuttle also arrived a few minutes early, but picked up only one passenger at the town center Post Office stop.

The Republican reports

Back story in emails

ZBA Accepts Surrender

ZBA Chair Eric Beal, Thomas Ehrgood member, Rob Morra Building Commish, Attorney Larry Farber in hot seat

It took two hours and ZBA Chair Eric Beal seemed to want to let the public thrashing of a prominent local landlord go on for two more hours, but he finally relented and voted along with his two fellow board members to allow Grandonico Properties, LLC -- AKA Lincoln Realty -- to withdraw their appeal of the Building Commissioner's $100/day fine for violation of the town bylaw restricting one family units to four unrelated housemates.

 Town Attorney Joel Bard, Jeff Bagg town planner, Hilda Greenbaum ZBA member

Originally the Grandonicos appealed the Building Commissioner's decision, claiming they should not be fined because they were unaware of their tenants (overcrowding) actions and should therefor not be held accountable.

The tenants -- all UMass students -- contacted UMass legal services and their attorney, Carol Booth, put together overwhelming testimony showing the Grandonicos were well aware, and in fact encouraged, violation of the town zoning bylaw.

 Seven roommates!

After a potentially catastrophic fire that started in an illegal basement bedroom of #20 Gilreath Manor on September 13, the tenants were told by their landlord to hide evidence of bedrooms in the basements, which borders on obstruction of justice -- a criminal charge.  

After these documents became public due to the ZBA hearing (and this blog), the Grandonicos wished to turn off the spotlight by simply withdrawing their appeal.  Tonight they got their wish.

Click to enlarge/read

But the ZBA still strongly reaffirmed the right of the Building Commissioner to levy fines on the landlords for infractions that occur on their property.  A message that will not be lost on other landlords in town.

The Hobart Lane Cover Up

Front Row: Select Board Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe, Jonathan O'Keeffe Planning Board, Alisa Brewer, Select Board rear seat front