NIMBYs Never Say Die

Have land, will develop

North Amherst residents filed a petition article this morning just before deadline which places on the fall Town Meeting warrant another anti-development zoning proposal that would simply reverse the June 3rd passage of article #31 (by a whopping 119 to 56 vote) allowing 10 housing units per mixed use development "by right" before needing a "Special Permit".   The old standard was six units.

The problem with a "Special Permit" is that it requires a unanimous vote of the three-member Zoning Board, a rather high hurdle to clear.

This particular article is a bolt from a crossbow aimed directly at W.D. Cowls, Inc and its feisty President Cinda Jones.  Already under fire for selling 154 acre parcel in Northeast Amherst for a student housing development known as "The Retreat," Cowls is also anxious to develop their former saw mill that closed in 2009.

And mixed use buildings are the way to go.  But only with a decent density of housing units above the ground floor commercial space.

Amherst is in the midst of a severe housing crisis brought on by supply failing miserably to keep up with demand, mainly due to to NIMBY offensives directed at any project more ambitious than a tree house.

Since the NIMBY petition article is a zoning issue it will require a two-thirds vote to pass.  And since the make up of Town Meeting has not changed since June 3rd the likelihood of passage is, well, unlikely.  Very unlikely. 

   Nimby Zoning Petition by larry_kelley_1

Lost Weekend

Substance abuse comprises 17% of EMS calls to Amherst College so far this year

Let's hope Amherst College President Biddy Martin is a light sleeper, so the emergency flashing lights of the ambulance that came to that 175 South Pleasant street location (not the actual President's House) in the early Sunday morning hours for a young Amherst College ETOH student, awakened her.

   AFD Sept Busy Wknd by larry_kelley_1

Furthermore, let's hope she awakens to the problem of alcohol abuse that can lead to so many other serious problems, like sexual assault and suicide, something Amherst College should have been awakened to last year.

Better yet, let's hope all of our institutes of higher education start taking this problem more seriously.

 

Substance abuse comprises 23% EMS calls to UMass/Amherst

Substance abuse comprises 14% EMS calls to Hampshire College

On The Other Hand:

 

Substance abuse comprises 5% EMS calls for town of Amherst

Substance abuse comprises only 4% of EMS calls to the town of Hadley

EMS Reinforcements (Just In Time)

 

AFD Engine 1 Central Station:  Ready to Roll!

As if Amherst Fire Department -- the busiest in the state -- wasn't efficient enough already, a new state certification for Engine 1 allowing it to act similar to an ambulance will only make them more so.

And considering the way this semester has started, were going to need it!

 

EMS gear now on board Engine 1

Now in addition to five ambulances the front line fire engine will also be equipped to respond to medical emergencies in the event all our ambulances are tied up, such as the first September weekend dealing with ETOH (passed out drunk) students.

 

$30,000 Lifepack monitors heart and ventilation can also administer shock

Previously, with any serious call -- like a major car accident or structure fire -- an ambulance and Engine 1 would have responded anyway.

But now the engine has two shelves loaded with Emergency Life Support medical supplies, which would be immediately available to compliment the ambulance for multiple causalities, including the possibility of a fire fighter being injured during the call.

Now that the fire engine is certified by the state as an Emergency First Response vehicle it must stay within the confines of Amherst, so it will not transport patients to Cooley Dickinson or Baystate Hospitals.  

Over the next two months UMass will be financing the staffing of two extra ambulances, so the AFD weekend staffing will be at peak, 13.  Unfortunately minimum staffing the rest of the time remains at only seven, where it has been since the late 1970s.

And it's not like they are any less busy during the week:

Cick graph to enlarge/read. Graph by Tom Valle, Secretary Local 1764

State requires annual Emergency First Response inspection sticker ($200 cost each) per ambulance, although for Engine 1 the equipment is certified so it can be moved to another rig in an emergency

Were toward Eternity –

The original black wrought iron gate has returned 

After an almost two month absence, workers completed installation yesterday of the now completely refurbished 155-year-old wrought iron fence that encloses the burial plot of Emily Dickinson and her family in Amherst's historic West Cemetery.

The $52,300 project, using Community Preservation Act funds set aside for historic preservation, was overwhelmingly approved by Amherst Town Meeting -- like any project relating to Emily Dickinson.

Because my friends, as icons go, the "Belle of Amherst" is priceless.

Don't worry, it's a rubber mallet

 

The final glossy coat has a shine that would wake the dead

Took the "Dickinson kinsfolk" long enough ...

Trinkets adorn the top of Miss Emily's gravestone

 

Flowers and a new fence for Miss Emily (and Lavinia)

$omething To Moo About

The cash cow had its public unveiling yesterday at the Kendrick Park “A Night of Wonder: Carnival and Film Festival” and will soon be berthed in front of the Loose Goose Cafe just across the street.

All donations fed to the cow go toward helping finance "Craig's Doors" homeless shelter, located just on the outskirts of town center. 

Cow creators wisely decided to take up overnight sentry duty last night

The Cow Guard Night 1! pic.twitter.com/aXyxxynxxa
— TheCowIsComing (@TheCowIsComing) September 8, 2013

Mayhem on Meadow Street

 

Small number of police disperse large number of students 2:30 PM Townhouse quad

The crowd started to gather in the quad area of Townhouse Apartments -- scene of the infamous Blarney Blowout last March -- just after high noon and a constant stream of college aged youth carrying boxes of beer quickly brought the mob to full strength of perhaps 1,000.

North Amherst center 2:00 PM heading towards Townhouse Apartments

 

At times Meadow Street was a gridlock of cars and partiers

A small number of Amherst Police first moved in around 2:30 PM and pushed the unruly mob out of the quad area.

Many of the partygoers simply moved across the street to a party house on Meadow Street that had also been going strong since probably well before noon.

 Partiers start streaming from backyard towards Meadow Street.  UMPD officer on left

Crowd is pushed back toward Townhouse Apartments

Around 4:30 PM,  after reinforcements arrived, police again moved in to disperse the large crowd numbering in the hundreds packed into the backyard.

 Party hardy types left a bit of a mess in the backyard

The responsible tenants of 53 Meadow Street were given $300 tickets and at least one young lady was arrested for an alcohol related offense.

 Unhappy tenants holding their $300 tickets

Young lady arrested

And by 5:00 PM it was over.  The night, however, is still young ...

 

Yes, APD may see these two again, before the night is done

Well now... if you didn't know the students were back, you sure did today... esp. in N. Amherst! #zoomass #partyheartytheremarty
— Jorma Kansanen (@JKansanen) September 7, 2013

A 19-year-old UMass student was found dead in their Washington Tower dorm room early Saturday afternoon: http://t.co/mkF0j7zUZx
— Daily Collegian (@CollegianStaff) September 8, 2013

Frisky Friday (In a College Town)

APD makes alcohol related arrest after MV stop corner of Lincoln/Fearing last night 11:05 PM

Once again a major police presence and preemptive police footwork seemed to keep a lid on loud out of control parties last night as Amherst Police started the evening with courtesy calls ("community policing") to  some of the usual suspects on Alan Street, Phillips Street, and Nutting Avenue. 

Comfortable weather brings out the crowds, and it seems freshmen move in herds, but it also allows the APD bike patrol to operate at full efficiency.  They made a good number of "liquor law violation" arrests in and around the immediate neighboring streets to UMass starting at around 10:00 PM.

 APD bike patrol cruising down Fearing Street 11:45 PM

AFD was also kept busy with alcohol related runs.

A fight at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Fearing Street around 11:00 PM resulted in a head injury for a college aged male.   And almost two hours later AFD responded to the UMass campus for an ETOH male who had fallen and hit his head.  Liquor, naturally, was involved. 

Last weekend the boisterous activity peaked on Sunday night into early Monday morning due to the Labor Day long weekend.  Tonight's weather is going to be a tad warmer than yesterday.

Neighbors are now holding their breath.