Jason West, a former mayor in New Paltz, New York is one of my heroes. He helped change the course of history by following his heart, by responding to people’s needs and acting in their best interest, doing what he thought was the “right thing to do” even when it meant breaking the law. He married two gay men, Jay Blotcher and Brook Garrett, and 24 other couples, in February 2004 when gay marriage was not legal in New York state.
I cited West in my plea to the Northampton Planning Board on March 10, asking them to look beyond current zoning laws and consider the people in front of them, neighbors and longtime residents desperately petitioning to stop the demolition of a small house, double garage/barn and large trees on 107 Williams St. — just a few doors from my house on Valley Street.
But, alas, the Planning Board is tasked to consider buildings and site plans, not people and their concerns. The attitude is backed up by longtime city planners Carolyn Misch and Wayne Feiden, speaking dispassionately about “what is allowed and what is not allowed,” reiterating the “need for more housing,” adamant in their support for infill projects and seemingly unmoved by input from city residents — constituents — already living in neighborhoods targeted for infill projects.
We spoke from our hearts, sharing information, observations and insights gained through our lived experiences — over a few years, over decades and for some, including the immediate abutters, for generations in this neighborhood. We spoke about the negative impact of unceasing and ever-increasing development on the quality of life in what is one of the oldest and already most densely populated areas in the city; one already suffering from antiquated and inadequate infrastructure — narrow crumbling streets and sidewalks and water drainage capacity — to support what is here now.
But all of this, and all of us, seemed irrelevant in the deliberations. We, the people who inhabit the houses on the streets around the building, are not their concern. Their concern is the project and how it will serve the people who will come to live in it. No one could tell us if or how existing, and potential new problems that might result from the infill project will be addressed. How, for instance, do you widen these old streets and sidewalks with houses built right on the curb? What will happen if their plan for on-site water retention fails?
We want to be a sustainable city, but the Planning Board didn’t express concern about the “throw-away” nature of projects in Ward 3B and in Bay State. We’re in a waste-management crisis, with mountains of trash from a throw-away culture, and no where to put it. The future lies in reuse, including of property. Why not conserve this building and finish the renovations, adding extra rooms if need be.
We’re facing record high levels of food insecurity; the future is in growing our own food, in local agriculture. The property as it is now has mature fruit trees and shrubs, a large 100-year-old pine tree and fertile garden areas. The renovated property won’t have room for growing food, or large trees and certainly no room for chickens or chicken coops.
We’re in desperate need of affordable housing. The former owner of the 900-square-foot home at 107 Williams St. estimates it might cost $50,000 to complete renovations. The property sold to two developers for $208,000. Their plan is for eight, 800 square-foot, half-condo units, to be sold at market value. So, we’re tearing down affordable properties and cutting down mature trees across the city to infill with high-end housing that’s often out-of-reach and out-of-character and a burden on the existing infrastructure.
We don’t have to keep going in this direction. Remember Jason West. People, the interests, well-being and concerns of city residents should be the primary concern in policy matters, including infill. I urge the Planning Board, and city planners, the mayor and City Council to make it their priority to change current infill policies and zoning regulations.
Claudia Lefko lives in Northampton.