EASTHAMPTON — The City Council will host a public hearing Wednesday to hear input regarding potential borrowing of $3 million toward the ongoing Ferry Street Development District at 11 Ferry St.
The public hearing will start at 6:15 p.m. at the start of the council’s meeting. The money borrowed would be used to demolish the existing structures at the site and the construction of infrastructure improvements including public utility services, public parking, emergency vehicle access and a multi-use path to connect Ferry Street to the northern section of the Manhan Rail Trail.
In July 2018, the City Council voted to create the “Ferry Street Development District” using an economic development tool called District Improvement Financing (DIF) under Massachusetts law. Earlier this year in July, former Mayor Nicole LaChapelle submitted a request to the council to create an Invested Revenue District (IRD) and Invested Revenue District Development Program (IRDDP), which are required in order for the city to invest in public improvements within the district.
If approved, the funding will be part of the multi-year project at the Ferry Street Development District that has sought to reconnect the district to the rest of the city. The project includes infrastructure improvements such as the construction of the rotary connecting Ferry, Lovefield and Pleasant Street and water line upgrades, while creating new residential and commercial space through private companies such as the One Ferry Project. Previous rounds of funding have been used to support the project through grants like Mass Works, Community Preservation Act funding and several loans.
At its Sept. 10 meeting, the council’s Finance Committee voted to recommend both the IRD and the $3 million borrowing request to the City Council.
The Council meeting Wednesday will provide the opportunity for the public to voice their thoughts on the two items.
Southampton’s hazard mitigation plan
The Southampton Select Board is close to approving an updated version to the town’s hazard mitigation plan, which includes many new actions to address natural hazards that pose threats to the town.
A public hearing was held at a Select Board meeting on Sept. 2, with a presentation about the plan by Mimi Kaplan, senior planner at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC). The updating process began in August last year when PVPC began reviewing the risk levels of different hazards in Southampton. Previous updates to the plan were made in 2008.
The plan identifies severe snow and ice storms as hazards that are considered high and medium risk to the town. Thunderstorms, hurricanes and wildfires are considered medium risk while the rest — flooding, tornadoes, earthquakes, dam failure, extreme temperatures and droughts — are considered medium to low risk.
There are 10 new action items on the plan that will be implemented in the next five years. The items include a combination of new infrastructure, future planning and education to address different hazards. Some listed include purchasing a generator and additional cooling at William E. Norris Elementary School, evaluate emergency communication technology for public safety departments and the potential creation of bylaws to reduce water sprinkler use in times of droughts.
PVPC helped facilitate the updates that are required and funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Kaplan is working on minor adjustments before sending the draft to FEMA and MEMA for final approval.
The draft of the plan can be found on the town website or here.
Clean energy fair on Sunday
NORTHAMPTON — The cities of Northampton and Easthampton will participate in a clean energy fair held by the Northampton Climate Emergency Coalition this Sunday, to celebrate advances in clean energy technology as part of Sun Day.
Sun Day, taking place this Sunday, Sept. 21, is a yearly day of global action celebrating the power of clean energy and advocating for its expansion. Communities around the world will host events showcasing actions being taken in pursuit of a clean energy future and to cultivate community.
The event will take place this Sunday from 1-4 p.m. at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School. The public will learn about ways Northampton, Easthampton and further communities across the Connecticut River Valley are contributing to a sustainable future.
Presentations from sustainability staff and state representatives aim to educate the public about ongoing neighborhood electrification efforts. Community members are welcome to attend the free event and enjoy food from local vendors, contribute to community art projects and explore electrification and transportation opportunities for homes.