NORTHAMPTON — As the Planning Board prepares to consider a proposal to build 39 cluster condominium units on Glendale Road at its Thursday meeting, nearby residents are raising concerns that increased traffic on the narrow, winding road could worsen already dangerous conditions.
Developer Sovereign Builders of Westfield, however, says the project would add to Northampton’s housing supply, preserve most of the 80-acre site as permanently protected open space, and include safety improvements along Glendale Road as part of the approval process.
The board is expected to consider Sovereign Builders’ application for a special permit with site plan when it meets at 7 p.m. in City Council chambers, 212 Main St.
The development, to be called “Hannum Meadows,” would be condensed to an inner ring of single-story houses built along a circular road, leaving about two-thirds of the site as open space to be donated to the city. The former gravel pit where the development is proposed is not far from Hannum Brook and is surrounded by forests and trails.
The owner-occupied condominiums would be overseen by a homeowners association and would not rely on the Department of Public Works. Streets, sidewalks and wastewater basins would all be maintained by the private community.
Neighbors speak out
Lynda Gauthier’s home is located about 130 feet from the potential entrance to Hannum Meadows. Over an hourlong interview on the street this week, Gauthier outlined the concerns that she and many of her neighbors have with the project.
Despite a posted speed limit of 25 mph, cars were speeding by on the S-curved road with a steep grade outside her home much faster than that. She also pointed out several instances where cars passed the double yellow lines on the road.
Unlike most streets with at least a 4-foot shoulder or bike lane, the street is only 22 feet wide and has no sidewalks. The winter, she said, carries its own dangers; without all-wheel drive, there is no getting up the Glendale Road hill in the snow. The roads also become even narrower as the snow banks pile up.
“I’m worried about more traffic on this road. It’s already heavy and people drive too fast,” said Andrea Wasserman, who lives down the street from Gauthier.
In 2016, an average of 6,900 vehicles used the road each day, according to MassDOT. The condo project would add 588 total daily trips on the road, according to a traffic report conducted by Bowman in September 2025.
Aside from the traffic, Gauthier also believes people will be unable to see when pulling out of the proposed development’s main driveway. She points out trees that block sightlines, an issue that only gets worse in the summer when bushes grow. The main access road is also only 20 feet wide, which she says does not leave enough room to look out onto the street before pulling out.
Other concerns for Gauthier include a sewage line being dug toward Easthampton and a water line toward Northampton, citing disruptions to neighbors and their yards.
Developer: ‘Improvements to come’
Todd Cellura of Sovereign Builders doesn’t disagree with the conditions on the street. However, he says the city has made it a requirement that he address these conditions.
“The city, if and when they approve this, will have a list of requirements,” he said. “One of the requirements has been that we do an additional traffic study, which is ongoing, that describes ways in which the traffic situation can become safer.
“And so the reality is, Glendale Road is a narrow street, and people travel at a much greater rate of speed than the posted speed limit. That makes it somewhat unsafe, but the city is asking me to address that as part of this project, which would be a benefit to the entire roadway.”
He also emphasized that the development fits in with the city’s desire to bolster housing while preserving open space.
“The bigger picture here is that you have a gravel pit, which is basically a scarred piece of land getting repurposed,” he said. “We’re reclaiming a piece of land, condensing the housing to a small portion of it and donating the majority of that land to be preserved forever and ever.”
Cellura also addressed what he said have been common misconceptions.
For one, he said people have claimed that cluster developments are not allowed in the city. But he clarified that “if permitted, would be permitted within the bounds of the city of Northampton zoning regulations.”
Councilor Stratton’s take
Ward 6 City Councilor Chris Stratton has been on the front lines of debates around the development. While most of the concerns center around traffic, at least one resident is concerned her foundation may crack from being so close to the proposed worksite.
Both Stratton and Gauthier also said that narrow roads, which have been preferred in Northampton, are not a safer way to encourage people to drive slower.
“The only people driving slow are the people driving on it for the first time,” said Stratton.
His main issue with the proposal is its location, saying that there would be 39 households on a street that requires a car to do errands.
“This is absolutely the most car-dependent corner of the city,” he said. “You can’t live here unless someone in your household drives. We’re nowhere near a bus route that’s going to happen. We’re three-and-a-half miles from the closest grocery store in Easthampton.”
Stratton also downplayed the significance of the added housing given that the homes will cost in the ballpark of $700,000 each. While Sovereign Builders would not propose specific sales prices, Stratton said houses at this price do not add to the diversity of housing options within Paradise City.
However, he said the silver lining is that conservation space in the area would be enlarged, and he complimented the design.
“One of the things that I can say about this housing is that it is single-story housing,” he said. “And as people get older, less mobile or have challenges to begin with, that’s nice.”
Both Gauthier and Stratton talked about the history of advocacy on Glendale, where the former city dump had been located. Even since its closure, it has released methane and other chemicals into the neighborhood.
“This is also the area that had the legacy of the landfill, which is closed, but is not without ongoing impact,” said Stratton.
