We alert residents of South Hadley that there are two important meetings upcoming at which zoning issues affecting where you live and the entire town will be discussed.
On Monday, Aug. 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the Select Board meeting room, the Planning Board will discuss changes to the town’s zoning bylaws, among them “infill development” which allows residences to be built on undersized, nonconforming lots. This infill is not allowed under the town’s current zoning bylaws.
For example, building lots must have a minimum of 125 feet of frontage and 22,500 square feet of area in Residential Zone A-1 and 100 feet of frontage and 12,500 square feet of area in Residential Zone A-2. Infill could allow much smaller building lots in each of these two residential districts.
Please plan to attend this meeting to learn more about this proposed zoning bylaw amendment and to voice your opinion about this issue.
On Thursday, Aug. 31, at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium, the second public hearing will be held on the proposed Smart Growth Zoning District. This proposed “40R district” would include Dayton Street and sections of Lyman, Paper and Newton streets.
The Smart Growth Zoning Overlay District Act encourages communities to create dense residential or mixed-use smart growth zoning districts, including a high percentage of affordable housing units, to be located near transit stations, in areas of concentrated development such as existing city and town centers, and in other highly suitable locations.
The first public hearing was very well attended, but, because of the high attendance, many questions could not be asked. Please mark your calendar for this important zoning issue.
Martha Terry
and Linda Young
South Hadley
The writers were members of the former Master Plan Advisory Committee.