The Retreat Surrenders

 And so they did

The Retreat, a controversial student housing development proposed for the 147 acre woodlands of northeast Amherst, is no more -- killed by protracted battles with organized neighborhood resistance and quite simply the high per unit cost of development.

 

Letter hand delivered to Town Clerk on Friday from Landmark Properties

The Planning Board did not seem overly enthusiastic about granting all the variances required as part of the Definitive Subdivision Plan for 123 lots, which would have housed 641 tenants -- all of them UMass students.

UMass is the #1 employer in town and #2 property owner but because they are an educational institute pay no property taxes. The town assessor had projected the private development would have paid almost $400,000 in property taxes annually if built. 

Landmark Properties had a Purchase & Sale agreement with W.D. Cowls for $6.5 million, but only put down $50,000 which is non refundable.  In addition they have done upwards of $1 million in due diligence site work leading up to the Planning Board hearings.  

Cinda Jones will now pursue other development opportunities with the improved property.

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.

 

What A Difference 1 Year Makes

AFD at Kennedy Dorm for ETOH female

The exciting thing about living in a "college town" is every year around this time we absorb a tidal wave of new exuberant youths making Amherst their home for 7.5 months out of the year over the next four years.

The not so exciting thing is the learning curve involved with them fitting in.

Last year (9/6/13) between 6 PM and 7 AM Friday-into-Saturday-morning Amherst Fire Department transported 7 "college aged youth" from UMass for "substance abuse".  This past Friday (9/5/14) into Saturday morning, one year later, AFD transported 13! 

And another 3 transports from just off-campus that in all likely hood were UMass students.


So why the dramatic difference? 

This year (9/5/14) the average temperature between the hours of 11 PM and 1:30 AM, when the majority of ETOH calls occurred, was 23 degrees higher than last year (75 vs 52 degrees).  Warmer weather brings out the herds to roam the streets in search of a party.

And beer does not help with hydration.

Even with four extra firefighters paid for by UMass to cover the peak weekend demand, we still had to rely on surrounding fire departments five times.

Like for instance the cyclist who crashed his bike on North Pleasant Street and sustained a serious head injury.  Northampton FD transported him to Baystate Critical Care unit in Springfield.

 Cyclist down North Pleasant Street (awaiting ambulance) 12:45 AM

How many more warm weekends can we look forward to before winter sets in?  How many more seriously injured citizens will have to wait for an out-of-town ambulance to arrive?

   AFD Weekend Run Summary 9/5/14

 Left column humidity, right column temperature

Hot Child In The City (Running Wild ... )

North Pleasant Street near UMass 12:43 AM

So yes, as with much of rowdy student behavior the weather -- sunny, hot and clear -- was a contributing factor in the mayhem unleashed in the Friday overnight.

But I have to assume that all the "college aged youth" transported to the hospital during the overnight had plenty of days in their own hometown like yesterday .. pretty much all summer long.

 AFD @ Washington Dorm (freshmen housing) 11:15 PM for intoxicated male

But mix in the first weekend or two of being away from parental supervision for the first time in their lives, and throw together many thousands in that same ark (without benefit of Noah) and you have a volatile reaction bordering on explosive.

Around 12:40 PM a cyclist was down in the center of the road on busy North Pleasant Street which cuts through the heart of campus, unconscious and barely breathing.

Original reports stated a car vs bicyclist, hit and run.  But upon investigation, although the cyclist may have been trying to avoid a car, he was not hit by a vehicle, only the center of the road.

With his head. And he was not wearing a helmet.

 AFD @ UMass Visiters Center parking lot for intoxicated male 12:04 AM

Now pay attention:  Due to call volume -- MOST of it alcohol related -- an ambulance had to be dispatched from Northampton Fire Department (2nd one within an hour), thus causing a delay for his transport to Baystate Critical Care unit in Springfield.

Yes, AFD Engines 1 and 2 were on the scene sooner (Engine 1 running at paramedic level and Engine 2 first on scene operating at "first responder level"), so he had good care from AFD ... but with a serious head injury you really need the level of care provided by a trauma unit ASAP.

AFD on scene Kennedy Dorm (freshmen housing) for intoxicated 17 year old female 12:12 AM

In all AFD had to rely on "mutual aid" ambulances five times during those bewitching hours before and after midnight.  All them dispatched to UMass, our flagship of higher education.

Meanwhile, Amherst taxpayers are left holding the bag:  In the short term, for an ambulance to arrive from a surrounding town for a family emergency; and in the l-o-n-g term for town officials to finally step up and properly staff our Public Safety Departments. 

 

APD on scene large Frat party North Pleasant Street 12:30 AM

FG360° SHOUT-OUT TO AMHERST FIRE + POLICE, DISPATCH + UMPD FOR AN OUTSTANDING JOB LAST NIGHT | FG360 ADMINS
— FIREGROUND360° (@FIREGROUND360) September 6, 2014

Hot Time @ UMass/Amherst

 Union activists marching around Whitemore Administration building

A couple hundred union employees took a loud march around the UMass campus today at noon starting from the usual rallying point, The Student Union, to the usual endpoint, Whitmore Administration Building, and then back to the Student Union.

 Protesters did not enter Whitmore Admin building (like in the good old days)

Apparently five campus unions are displeased over the summer-long negotiations with Amherst's #1 employer.

Branding Miss Emily

Dickinson Homestead built 1813.  Sign will be moved forward closer to sidewalk and enlarged

The Amherst Planning Board voted 6-1 earlier this week to waive restrictions due to "compelling reasons of public convenience, public safety, aesthetics, or site design" for the Emily Dickinson Homestead Museum and Evergreens estate next door (owned by Miss Emily's brother Austin) to allow additional signs that can be placed closer to a sidewalk than 30" and higher than the 48" regulations. 

Large new sign to left of fence pillar, westerly most end of property

The one dissenting voter, Rob Crowner, thought the signage change required a Special Permit from the Planning Board and therefor would mean the Museum has to refile an application.

Executive Director Jane Wald described the signage as a way for the Museum -- birthplace of our most famous resident -- to "refresh its branding and logo."  

Additionally the signage will more clearly delineate to visitors (15,000 annually) the distinction between the Dickinson Homestead and the Evergreens next door, that together occupy three acres just at the edge of town center.

 Large new sign between traffic light pole and fire hydrant easterly most end of property

Two large signs will act as bookends on the east and west ends of the properties with the other three smaller signs replacing those located along the fence that runs parallel to Main Street.

As part of Site Plan Review (which allowed the Planning Board to "waive" signage rules) the PB also approved drainage work and the addition of a "chiller unit" located out of public view behind the garage on the north end of the property.

The Dickinson Museum will benefit by the addition of a new Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning system and the installation of a fire suppression system, to significantly protect the building, which is so historic it's practically sacred.

The Evergreens, built 1856

The Evergreens too will see physical improvements in the form of exterior painting and woodwork repair, including new gutters, all of which were approved by the Dickinson Local Historic District Commission.

The total budget for these improvements comes to $1.5 million.  The Museum recently received a $380,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund as well as a $380K matching grant from Amherst College. 

The balance will be raised by private fundraising and additional support from Amherst College.

The Evergreens from above just west of Dickinson Homestead

If You Build It

Town of Amherst, born 1759.  UMass/Amherst born 1863

This afternoon's meeting of the Town Gown Steering Committee, the first after a preliminary presentation earlier this month from their $60,000 consultant, was by far the best attended meeting since the super-committee was formed almost one year ago, with the audience numbering around 50.

Besides the usual crowd of neighbors living near the University, housing developers, business folks and elected town officials this meeting, for the first time, also attracted many students, most of them fraternity members.

Considering "college aged youth" make up the majority demographic in town it was nice to see that ratio nearly matched at this meeting which greatly concerns the future of the town and our flagship institute of higher education.

 Town Gown Steering Committee

The critical component upon which much hope rests is the Public Private Partnership model.  A private company develops a mixed use (housing and commercial) "student village" that increases housing supply for students (our #1 demographic) and commercial space for goods and services to sell them.

But the key requirement as far as the town is concerned is that the project be on the tax rolls.  UMass is the #2 landowner in town, behind #1 Amherst College.  As a tax exempt educational institution UMass pays no direct property taxes to the town, which has the highest property tax in the area, mostly shouldered by homeowners.

Good crowd on hand, including students

When an audience member asked why businesses seem to do well in Hadley compared to Amherst Committee member David Webber, also Chair of the Planning Board, pointed out Amherst Town Meeting prioritizes open space over development, trying to maintain that small town feel.

And any pro development zoning change requires a two-thirds vote of that legislative body.  So until more progressive members are elected in larger numbers, economic development will continue to be an unrealized dream.

A couple of audience members suggested the University buy the run down tenements on Phillips Street and build a housing project for staff, faculty and grad students.

Back in 2006 UMass purchased 5 fraternity/sorority houses adjacent to Phillips Street, a slum area known as "Frat Row", and demolished them.  The property now sits as open space.

Rolf Karlstrom

Downtown businessman Nick Seamon, owner of the Black Sheep Deli, voiced concern over the idea of commercial projects being built on state property competing with the downtown and pointed out UMass food services is already "swallowing up" downtown food establishments.  He suggested the Town could help downtown business by building a "real garage."

Most of the students who spoke to the committee identified themselves as fraternity members and extolled the benefits of Greek life, pointing out they have more oversight than students who rent single family homes.

Maurianne Adams, a 40 year resident and long time neighborhood activist, told the Steering Committee this year long process was the first time she had witnessed the University and town really coming together to work for their own common good.  She closed enthusiastically:  "This has been a real morale boost for those of us who have lived here for many years."

Of course the elephant in the room was the March 8 Blarney Blowout incident, made even more palpable with the impending release of the  $160,000 Davis Report.

Recent editorials in our two local papers lament the lateness of the report, saying it should have been released before the students' return. 

Uncontrolled students -- as small a percentage as that may be -- feeds the ubiquitous  anti-development behavior of Amherst Town Meeting, and the Blarney Blowout was the ultimate day of debauchery.

The Town Gown Steering Committee should orchestrate a pubic meeting just like today's to discuss the Davis Report with all the stakeholders -- especially students.

Because until we solve the problem of rowdy student behavior, all of these development projects are but a pipe dream.

 Blarney Blowout busts