Just Say No

East Pleasant/Triangle intersection, gateway to UMass

The Amherst Select Board responded Monday to Town Meeting's in your face 95-77 passage of an "advisory article" undoing five years worth of work by DPW staff and hard-working volunteer committees:

Drop dead!  (Or something like that).

 Vince O'Connor led the charge on the advisory petition to sabotage roundabout

After an hour of discussion including DPW Director Guilford Mooring and Public Works Committee Chair Christine Gray-Mullen the Select Board unanimously decided to stay with the roundabout concept rather than take the advice of Town Meeting and simply tweak the current traffic signals.

Mr. Mooring pointed out in order to see any improvement in the traffic lights phasing a new electrical cabinet and poles would need to be installed at a cost of between $140,000 - $200,000.

Ms. Mullen added that a roundabout is far safer than a traditional lighted intersection reducing fatalities by 90% and collisions with pedestrians by 40%.

 Christine Gray-Mullen and Guilford Mooring present to Amherst Select Board

Since work has been ongoing since Spring and all the concrete for the roundabout ordered and paid for the completion of the roundabout itself will only be another $250,000-$300,000.  That will come out of Ch 90 money which does not require Town Meeting approval.

Last year Town Meeting overwhelmingly supported an easement from Bank of America to assist with the roundabout and the town already cut down five trees at the corner of Kendrick Park.

A state $1.5 million Massworks grant is paying for the undergrounding of utility lines and pole removal near this intersection and the DPW did much of the work in-house to save money that will be applied to the roundabout.

Eversource is expected to be done with pole removal by March and the DPW will work full-time through the spring and summer, but take a brief break during graduations.  The overall roundabout should be completely by September 1st.

 The north end of downtown is being revitalized

Black Lives Still Matter

For the second time this year the Black Lives Matter banner went up over South Pleasant Street, the gateway to the heart of downtown.

Although this time, unlike 7 months ago, there was no fanfare whatsoever.

Maybe that's a good thing.

A Million Here, A Million There

Intersection of Sunderland and Montague Roads just before North Amherst Library

Option D turns end Sunderland Road into green space

In addition to the four major building projects costing upwards of $100 million in town funds in our near and intermediate future, Amherst is also undertaking costly infrastructure improvements all over town.

Last night the Select Board unanimously approved a Town Meeting warrant article calling for $660,000 to purchase the gas station behind the North Amherst Library to coincide with intersection improvements to the North Amherst Center intersection known as Option D.

Last month the town applied for a $1.1 million MassWorks Grant to cover the actual cost of the construction but last year a grant request to improve traffic signals at that intersection was turned down.

As was (twice) a $4 million request to reconstruct Pine Street which the town later did on its own.

Assistant Town Manager Dave Ziomek told the Select Board last night the town will probably know by the November 14th start of Town Meeting if a $400,000 PARC grant for the Groff Park spray park is approved.

The spray park will replace the ancient wading pool

 

Town Meeting already approved $550,000 from Community Preservation Act funds and if the PARC grant doesn't materialized the other $400,000 will be requested during the upcoming CPA funding cycle to be voted on this spring by Town Meeting.

And still no word how the town will fund the much talked about and much protested roundabout at Triangle and East Pleasant Street, a main gateway to our beloved flagship of higher education UMass/AMHERST.

Work has been ongoing around this intersection since late Spring

The current construction project in the north downtown that seem to be taking forever is the result of a $1.5 million MassWorks grant for removing ugly utility poles by placing wires underground.  But that money can't be used for the roundabout itself, which is sure to cost over a million.

And then there's that $17 million backlog in road repairs town wide ...

Keeping The DPW In Check

Work has been ongoing near this intersection since late Spring

Everybody's favorite aging activist Vince O'Connor filed two citizens petition articles for the upcoming Fall Town Meeting, both of them directed at disrupting public works projects:  Blocking a new home for the DPW and the roundabout at Triangle/East Pleasant Street, a main gateway to our #1 employer UMass/AMHERST.

 Click to enlarge/read.  Each petition required certified 100 signatures 

 

And last night Mr. O'Connor was at the Select Board meeting to speak against their letter of support for the 130 unit Beacon Communities mixed-use affordable housing project in North Amherst, even though he admitted he had not yet read the letter because he doesn't use the internet. 

Yes if you are going to stand in the way of progress there's nothing better than using a quill pen to write by the light of a whale oil lamp and frequenting on foot ye old gathering places to acquire signatures to bring petitions before our archaic branch of government, Town Meeting.  

The ARA Is Back

The ARA crown jewel:  Boltwood Project circa 1970s

The Amherst Redevelopment Authority, a quasi-state agency with the power of eminent domain, met for the first time in five years on Wednesday and discussed future projects based on areas of town that are "underdeveloped and underutilized."

The four elected members were present -- Jim Turner, Peggy Roberts, Pam Rooney and Pat Holland -- as well as Planning Board director Chris Brestrupt and senior Planner Jonathan Tucker and the town's economic development director Geof Kravitz.  

The Governor's appointee position (the 5th member) is currently vacant but already Paige Wilder, who lost to Pam Rooney a few years back, has applied for the position.  

The ARA was intensely active a half-dozen years ago with the Gateway Project where UMass was willing to donate former Frat Row on North Pleasant Street for a mixed use signature project that would have provided badly needed student housing and a "gateway" to downtown Amherst.

The well organized NIMBYs assailed the project for all the usual reasons and UMass withdrew the offer. 

These are the four areas that are  now on the to do list of the ARA:

Kellogg Ave between N. Pleasant and Smith Street bordered by West Cemetery

The Depot district bordered by rr tracks Dickinson and Main Streets

College Street around Eversource brick building (currently occupied by Amherst Media)

 North Amherst center behind the Library

Construction Overview (Way Over)

UMass towers over the town

Can you tell Amherst is a "college town"?

Almost all the new growth happening now is from our institutes of higher education, and one of the reasons cited for the unusually high water consumption during July was construction projects using the public water supply to wet down work areas in order to keep the dust from flying.

But I still love the new Design Building, a signature structure along the gateway road (North Pleasant Street) into the heart of  UMass.

 Design Building (Note drone training area in center)

Physical Sciences Building (Also on North Pleasant Street)

Another Solar Canopy going over Lot 44

Roof of Fine Arts Center being prepped for solar panels

Isenberg School of Management expansion looks like it will nuke three majestic Pin Oak trees

Amherst Collge Greenway Dorms (left) look done but Science Center just started

Hitchcock Center Living Building on Hampshire College campus

Olympia Place a privately owned (tax paying) dorm near UMass is now open

Former First National Bank building being renovated for Workbar, which should stimulate town center

Marijuana Quota Met?

169 Meadow St RMD site for GTI

Last night the Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a Special Permit to establish and operate an Off-Site Medical Marijuana Dispensary at 169 Meadow Street, North Amherst by GTI Massachusetts NP Corporation, the second such permit issued over the past four weeks.

 Attorney Tom Reidy presents to ZBA last night

But, in all likelihood, the last such permit to be issued over the foreseeable future.

55 University Drive location received a Special Permit on June 30th

ZBA Chair Mark Parent made it perfectly clear that he considers two dispensaries in Amherst (and the one already operating in Northampton) more than enough to satisfy local demand over the next five years, saying "I don't see anything beyond two in Amherst.  I cannot image giving a 3rd permit for a dispensary given the numbers I've seen."

A Special Permit requires a unanimous vote off all three ZBA members.

Seated in the audience UMass community liaisons Tony Maroulis and Eric Beal seemed relieved to hear the ZBA Chair's candid remarks about maintaining a cap of only two dispensaries in Amherst, thus leaving out in the cold two remaining non-profits who have applied for locations on University Drive, the main gateway to UMass Amherst.

85 University Drive was the first to get Select Board approval but has not yet appeared before ZBA

Mr. Parent also made it perfectly clear the Special Permit was for medical use of marijuana, NOT recreational use. 

So if the recreational pot legalization ballot question passes on November 8th any dispensary in Amherst already issued a Special Permit would need to come back to the ZBA for a change in conditions.

Rafters,  a local landmark for 25 years, is a proposed site for Happy Valley Ventures, the 4th entity to get Select Board approval but has not yet appeared before ZBA

Letter from Select Board read into public record last night:

Click to enlarge/read

Pot vs Alcohol

Fratelli's will open in September at 30 Boltwood Walk

Acting as Liquor Commissioners the Amherst Select Board will hold a public hearing Monday night to decide the fate of two liquor licenses that are still valid until November 1st but currently not in use.

Click to enlarge/read

 55 University Drive former home of The Hangar, future medical marijuana shop

Since the Hanger moved across the street after absorbing the much larger Amherst Brewing Company, who also had a full liquor license, it kind of makes sense they would not need their previous license under the name Afterburner Inc.

 Hangar Pub & Grill bought out Amherst Brewing Company across the street

Although they could be pulling an Eric Suher style of business where you hold on to a license so that nobody else can buy it and compete with you. 

Fratelli's has indicated they will appear at the meeting so obviously they are not in favor of the Select Board revoking it for lack of use.  A worker on site this morning said they plan to open by September 1st in their strategically well placed location.

The former location of the Hanger at 55 University Drive was the second of four marijuana dispensaries to get Select Board approval to open and the first (and so far only) to get a ZBA Special Permit.

 85 University Drive

Local developer Rich Slobody (who formerly owned Charlie's Tavern in town center) is building a 2,000 square foot building at 85 University Drive for MassMedicum the first non profit to get Select Board approval for a pot dispensary.

 Rafters on the corner of University Drive and Amity Street

And one of the most highly revered bars in Amherst for the past 25 years, Rafters Restaurant & Sports Bar, is now threatened by a 4th pot dispensary who has a $2 million purchase and sale agreement for the property strategically located on the corner of University Drive and Amity Streets, at the gateway to UMass.

Although the Zoning Board of Appeals could decide at some point that the community needs have been met with less than four dispensaries.  Which may be Rafters only hope.  

Rafters: Up In Smoke?

Rafters Sports Bar & Restaurant

After 1.5 hours of sometimes agonizing deliberation the Amherst Select Board, keepers of the public way and front line pot dispensary czars, voted 4-0-1 to issue a "Letter of Support" to Happy Valley Ventures, the 4th such approval (out of 4 requests) in just the last five months.

But this one was different.  W-A-Y different.

The other three involved locations that are currently unoccupied, whereas Happy Valley is buying and tearing down a local institution, Rafters Sports Bar.

Although their lawyer pointed out that the $2 million Purchase & Sale agreement (almost three times assessed value) could be matched by Rafters as they have a "right of first refusal" in the current lease.

And their C.E.O. complained that by trying to force them to address the Rafters dilemma "changes the bar" and puts them at a competitive disadvantage compared to the other three companies which is probably a restraint of trade violation.

Insert:  CEO Edward Lauth (right) & his attorney, former state senator Andrea Nuciforo

Temporary Town Manager Pete Hechenbleikner advised the SB "Any redevelopment has impact on local business.  It's best to set aside this particular business and simply ask is this a good plan for this particular site.  If so, support it; if not don’t."

To which Chair Alisa Brewer responded, "It feels irresponsible."

But in the end (at 10:30 PM) they grudgingly took the vote and possibly sealed the fate of a local long-time,  responsible -- some would argue beloved --  small business.

Rafters sits on corner lot University Drive & Amity Street at  a main gateway to UMass

There They Go Again

North end of downtown, finally, getting infrastructure improvements

As usual the Town Meeting warrant article that made the most common sense for quick passage -- deemed a "no brainer" by one member --  created the longest discussion of the night, although it did easily attain more than a two thirds vote, 119 to 32. 

As "keepers of the public way" the Amherst Select Board has already unanimously approved a roundabout for the important East Pleasant/Triangle Street intersection, a main gateway to UMass.

 Bank of America ATM (red roof)

Land required in yellow

In order to make it safer for pedestrians via a sidewalk the town needs a sliver of land from Bank of America, who is willing to donate it in exchange for some help fixing a water pipe connection to their brightly colored ATM.

But naturally, fuddy-duddies in Town Meeting who prefer the old fashioned signalized intersection continue to engage in guerrilla warfare, trying to stop progress.

Fortunately a couple years from now they will figure it out -- after easily negotiating the roundabout on their horse and buggy.