If You Do Not Build It ...

 UMass Southwest Towers: 6 were proposed, 5 built

The overwhelming influence of our local Juggernaut, the University of Massachusetts, comes shining through in the "Town of Amherst , Massachusetts Housing Production Plan" unveiled last night at the Housing & Sheltering Committee public forum.

Simply put, the oldest law in capitalism at work:  supply and demand.  UMass provides an overwhelming supply of college aged youth (now comprising 59.4% of Amherst's population), which drives up demand for too few housing units, which sends average prices through the roof. 

Population increased 2.75 times vs housing only 2.3 times

And anytime someone tries to build anything bigger than a dog house, the neighbors sharpen their pitchforks and fire up the torches.

Most impacted are what's left of the classic nuclear family:  According to the report, adults age 25 to 44 saw a staggering drop of 45% since 1990.

The housing picture could soon change, however, as the consultant's report illuminates how precariously close Amherst now is to the dreaded 10% threshhold for affordable housing (10.8%).

And with 204 units at Rolling Green Apartments threatening to come off the affordability list, that would bring overall percentage down to well under 10% (8.5%).

And then, via a Ch 40b comprehensive permit, BIG time developers get pretty much a blank building permit, as long as 25% of the units are affordable.  

Even just the eviction of low-income Section 8 tenants from 24 units at Echo Village Apartments by housing kingpin Jamie Cherewatti, AKA Eagle Crest Management, will reduce our affordable housing index by one-quarter of one percent.

The clock is ticking. 

DUI Dishonor Roll

DUI where the D could also stand for Deadly

On Saturday night around 10:30 PM Amherst Dispatch recieved a call from Granby PD to be on the lookout for a vehicle piloted by an "erratic operator" heading north into Amherst on RT 116.

In short order the vehicle was "located, stopped and the operator arrested for OUI Liquor." Again.

James Arnelle Hicks, 12 Longmeadow Dr #22, Amherst, MA, age 32 was arrested for OUI Liquor Second Offense, Marked Lanes Violation, Driving with Suspended License.

Later School Start

One of the more notorious quirks of the Amherst Elementary Schools -- half day on Wednesdays -- is about to go the way of dogs swimming at Puffer's Pond:  Abolished. 

In order to come into compliance with state law for "time on learning" but not disrupt the busy schedule of the average family, starting in September the elementary schools will start ten minutes later (8:50 AM) every day of the school week.   Dismissal will be  at the normal 3:10 PM, so the only major difference is no longer having the 1:20 PM release on Wednesdays.  

Or a net gain of one hour of school time.  Yeah.

This realignment/normalization of hours will probably also make Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury look a tad more favorably on the elementary school regionalization effort currently on a fast track. 

Blarney Blowout: Unintended Consequences

McMurphy's Uptown Tavern 9:45 AM

The Select Board last night, sort of, addressed the Public Relations nightmare caused by the "Barney Blowout," one of the more juvenile celebrations hosted in downtown Amherst.

In fact, it used to be called "Kegs 'n Eggs" but came under such criticism two years ago for boorish bad behavior that they simply changed the name rather than the behavior.

Call me a prude or a cranky old reformed drunk, but I have serious problems with a downtown public promotion that encourages heavy drinking before noon.

Especially when that production abuses Irish heritage.

Email back story

Back in Quarters

 AFD Engine 2

The Quint is back!  Out for repairs since just after the Rolling Green fatal fire five weeks ago, the quint returned to service late last week.    AFD is now back to full strength with aerial platform trucks, all two of them.

Both Ladder 1 and Engine 2 (the quint) are housed at North Station, the more modern of our two fire stations, circa 1975.  Central Station in town center was built in 1928 when firefighting equipment was a l-o-t smaller (and far less effective).

 AFD Ladder 1

Alcohol O.D. Continues

This past weekend the batting average for Amherst Fire Department was only .500 or 5-out-of-10 Emergency Medical Services calls to our #1 employer to the North for alcohol overdose, far better than the previous weekend's 9-of-11 calls.

Please note, however, one ETOH call was far more serious, as the alcohol contributed to a college aged male falling and hitting his head.  Something that sometimes is fatal. 

Of course all the exuberant youth thinks it only happens to someone else.  Until it happens to them. 

   AFD 1st Weekend March emergency runs by  

Party House of the Weekend

 62 Summer Street, North Amherst

This time we have a repeat offender, although the first offense was 18 months ago so the new regulations being promulgated by the Safe & Healthy Neighborhood Working Group would not kick in. 

The SHFNG will put forth a rental registration permit system so that a property attracting multiple noise or nuisance tickets over the course of a year could not only bring a $300 fine to the owner, but also the loss of their rental permit.

The current Noise/Nuisance by-law already has a provision for fining a landlord on the 3rd offense in a calender year and Chief Livingstone recently told the Amherst Zoning Board that it was sure to happen this Spring, as some of the usual suspects have two violation each.

But when the new rental registration/permit system goes into effect, the town will have f-a-r bigger and f-a-r sharper teeth to enforce the peace. 

#####

Amherst police responded to a call for "four to five gunshots in the area" of North Amherst just after midnight early Sunday morning.  Upon arriving at 62 Summer Street "Loud music and yelling heard."  The gunshots turned out to be fireworks. 

Although, tenants were -- for the most part -- cooperative, police did make one arrest:

Colin Murphy, 24 Eden Street, Charlestown, MA, age 19 for Disorderly Conduct,  and using a False Liquor ID card.