NORTHAMPTON_FY2011_CommonwealthCAP_OriginalFISCAL YEAR COMMONWEALTH CAPITAL APPLICATION - PDF Created On 8/4/2010
Original Application
Municipality: NORTHAMPTON Address: 210 Main Street, Room 11, Northampton, MA 01060 Date: 7/29/2010 4:32:00 PM
Name/Title: Wayne Feiden, FAICP Director of Planning and Development Email: wfeiden@northamptonma.gov Phone: 413-587-1265
Municipal applicants will need to provide evidence of having met or made a binding commitment to the following criteria. Note: If electronic files were
submitted to document compliance with the criteria last fiscal year (FY 10) these files should be referenced but need not be resubmitted with an
FY11 application.
PLAN FOR & PROMOTE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES & PLAN REGIONALLY (19)Existing Commit
1 Current Master Plan OR (6)(0)
Supporting File: 214 - Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan extract.pdf. This is the guiding comprehensive plan that we use to guide
many of our municipal activities and planning. Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2008 by the Planning Board in
accordance with MGL 41, Section 81D.
Executive Order 418 Community Development Plan; OR (4)(0)
Current housing plan AND current DCS-approved Open Space and Recreation Plan; OR (3)(0)
Current housing plan OR current DCS-approved Open Space and Recreation Plan (2)(0)
1a Commitment to complete a Master, 418, Housing, or Open Space & Recreation Plan by Dec. 31, 2011 (0)(2)
The City (through our Housing Partnership and using CPA funding) has hired Karen Sunnarborg to complete a Housing Plan. The plan is
underway and we expect it to be complete by the end of 2010.
1b Funding or regulatory actions implementing 2 specific Plan recommendations since July 1, 2008 (3)(1)
Among the funded and regulatory actions completed recommended by the Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan since July 1, 2008
are: 1. Energy, Environment and Climate Protection (p. 17-18): Adopt Stretch Energy Code as regulatory add-on to state building code to
implement recommendations for energy efficiency in private buildings, meeting the standards of Architecture 2030, and petitioning the state for
local building code energy options. 2. Open Space and Recreation (page 27): We have spent and encumbered over a million dollars in local
CPA funds since July 1, 2008 towards open space and recreation objective identified in the plan. 3. We have spent many thousands of dollars
towards traffic calming and pedestrian safety (acquisition for rail trail access ramp, design of pedestrian signal, traffic calming signs and
programs, etc).
2 Water resource plan: Source Water Protection, Water Conservation, Comprehensive Wastewater, or Integrated
Water Resource Management
(3)(1)
The Watersehed Resource Protection Plan submitted with Commonwealth Capital FY2010 remains in effect (and therefore no new document is
attached). This is the City's Source Water Protection Plan.
3 Execution of a compact or MOU, provision of funding, or regulatory change to attain a regional or
intergovernmental goal since July 1, 2008
(3)(1)
1. The City of Northampton signed a regional MOU to reduce energy use in the Pioneer Valley. As part of our committment to this plan, on April
8, 2010, City Council authorized a $6.5 million dollar bond for an ESCO approach to reducing our energy footprint. 2. As part of a
intergovenmental (Northampton and Easthampton) agreement to connect rail trails, Northampton is overseeing a $5 million dollar contract to
build a rail trail in both communities. Although about 40% of the project is in another community, Northampton is overseeing the project and
taking project management risks to ensure regional success. 3. As part of an intergovernmental agreement for cooperative land preservation
(Northampton and Westhampton), Northampton obtained appraisals for a critical parcel of land located in both communities, applied for grants
for both communities to purchase the land, and is serving as project manager (working with Westhampton's project manager for the project).
4 Adoption of the Community Preservation Act (4)(2)
Adopted by Northampton in 2005. No addition documentation required.
ZONE FOR & PERMIT CONCENTRATED DEVELOPMENT AND MIXED USE (26)Existing Commit
5 Zoning for by-right mixed-use in an applicable location (4)(2)
Files were submitted with the FY2010 Commonwealth Capital application. We have four mixed use business districts (every single one of our
commercial business districts) where housing (above the first floor) and commercial uses are allowed by right. Other districts, including our
Planned Village District (40R zoning) and Educational Use district also allow mixed use by right.
5a If by-right mixed-use zoning is a DHCD approved 40R District or for Transit Oriented Development (TOD)(2)(1)
By-right mixed-use zoning in our DHCD approved 40R district. No further documentation required.
5b Building permit issued for a mixed-use development since July 1, 2008 (2)(0)
1. 196 Pleasant Street (Map 32C-166) received a building permit in December 2009. The project, in an existing vacant deteriorating building,
includes multiple phases (some of which have begun and some have not), exterior facade, interior demolition, construction of first floor
commercial space, construction of second floor office space, and construction of third floor residential space. 2. 16 North Maple Street
(16C-227)received a building permit in July 2010 for a full rehabilitation for a building with a new storefront and multi-family affordable housing.
6 Zoning for accessory dwelling units (ADU)(3)(1)
Northampton allows accessory apartments of up to 900 square feet by right (table of use reguations, attachment 1), which were submitted with
the FY2010 Commonwealth Capital application.
6a Occupancy permit issued for at least one accessory dwelling unit since July 1, 2008 (2)(0)
244 West Farms Road received a building permit for an accessory apartment dwelling under Northampton's ADU zoning on 9/15/2008.
7 Zoning allowing by-right multi-family dwellings (not age restricted)(3)(1)
Zoning allows qualified multi-family dwelling in our Urban Residential C district (townhouses and multi-family up to three stories) and allows two
families in Urban Residential C AND Urban Residential B. See section 350-Table of Use Regulations Attachment.
7a If zoning allows by-right multi-family dwellings of 4 or more units (not age restricted)(3)(1)
Four unit multifamily (multistory apartments up to three story or townhouse type construction of any size) are allowed by right in Urban
Residential C (see section 350-Table of Use Regulations, Attachment)
8 Zoning for clustered development / Open Space Residential Development (OSRD)(3)(1)
Cluster/Open Space Residential Development is allowed by Special Permit, provided at least 50% of the land in a development is permanently
protected as open space (conservation, recreation, or farmland). See section 350-Table of Use Regulations Attachment and section 350-10.5
8a If cluster is mandated, by-right, or includes a density bonus (2)(1)
FISCAL YEAR COMMONWEALTH CAPITAL APPLICATION - PDF Created On 8/4/2010
Original Application
Municipality: NORTHAMPTON Address: 210 Main Street, Room 11, Northampton, MA 01060 Date: 7/29/2010 4:32:00 PM
Name/Title: Wayne Feiden, FAICP Director of Planning and Development Email: wfeiden@northamptonma.gov Phone: 413-587-1265
Municipal applicants will need to provide evidence of having met or made a binding commitment to the following criteria. Note: If electronic files were
submitted to document compliance with the criteria last fiscal year (FY 10) these files should be referenced but need not be resubmitted with an
FY11 application.
Cluster/ Open Space Residential Development provides for a bonus density for affordable housing. Bonus density of up to 15% is available with
the bonus density matching the percentage of the units in the project that are affordable. See section 350-10.5.
8b A cluster development has been permitted since July 1, 2008 (2)(0)
A four unit (two lots with a total of two duplexes) received a special permit as a cluster/open space residential development was approved
9/25/2008, with an associated site plan revised on 5/20/2009. The project had a total of four units at 1015 Ryan Road totaling approximately 1
acre and a total of approximatley 12 acres of open space which is now part of the city owned Saw Mill Hills Conservation Area.
EXPAND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES (20)Existing Commit
9 Zoning requiring the inclusion of affordable units (IZ)(3)(1)
The Residential Incentive Overlay District is an inclusionary housing overlay. Projects below thresholds (the threshold is the density allowed in
our restrictive rural residential district or 1.1 unit per acre) do not need to provide affordable units, but projects that want to build above this 1.1
units per acre threshold must provide 33% of the units as affordable units (affordable to residents earning no more than 80% of area median
income). See section 350-11, residential incentive overlay.
9a Building permits issued for affordable units under an inclusionary bylaw/ordinance since July 1, 2008 (2)(0)
No credit claimed.
10 Increased housing stock by 50-99% or more of state goal (3)(0)
No credit claimed.
100% or more of state goal (4)(0)
11 66 % or more of new units produced using a listed smart growth technique (4)(0)
In calendar 2009, we issued permits for 23 new housing units. Of these 18 (or 78%) were smart growth units. The smart growth units were
made up of 1 cluster unit, 3 mixed use units, and 14 multifamily units.
12 Attainment of Housing Production certification (.5% of housing units) OR (3)(0)
Attainment of a Chapter 40B threshold (4)(0)
Northampton has achieved the Chapter 40B threshold
13 Production of housing units on municipal land or with municipal funding since July 1, 2008 (3)(1)
98 King Street received a building permit on 7/27/2010 for 10 units, the majority of which would be affordable, in a mixed use building. The
project was partially funded by the City of Northampton using CPA funding.
MAKE EFFICIENT DECISIONS & INCREASE JOB AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES (11)Existing Commit
14 Redevelopment Strategy: (a) inventory, (b) remediation, revitalization, or reuse strategy, or (c) site planning (4)(2)
Supporting File: 214 - Roundhouse 21E site plan.pdf. Attached is our study of the reuse potential of a major brownfield site, the Roundhouse
Coal Gasification Plant. The site was studied in the attached plan, then Bay State Gas spent approximately 7 million dollards developing the
site. The site was RFPed to a private developer who tried and failed to develop the site as a hotel. It was just turned back to the city last
January after the city failed to get a state TOD grant for the site and the developer failed to get full performance guarantees. The city is working
on a new redevelopment proposal, looking at the site as one of many sites for a future courthouse and otherwise restarting the public process
that will eventually lead to a new RFP. The city owns the property, obtained brownfield grants (EPA site assessment, PRP search, and
Brownfields grant, and AG Brownfields grant), worked with Bay State on the cleanup, agreed to sell the site for $1 to get it back into active use,
and, as the property owner, will continue to move forward on this site.
15 Approved 43D Priority Development Site or provision of a (a) financial, or (b) regulatory redevelopment
incentive
(4)(2)
Northampton has a state approved 43D Priority Development Site. No further documentation is required.
16 Adoption of permitting best practices (3)(1)
The city has adopted the following staffing or organizational structure measures: 1. Single point of contact (city permits manager). 2. Clear
submital requirements (all planning, zoning, historic, conservation, demolition delay, subdivision, and architecture permits use a single list of
directions.) 3. Concurrent applications-- the city has a single on-line permit application for 17 different permits under zoning, subdivision,
wetlands, historic preservation, historic districts, and architecture review). 4. The city has a bi-weekly in house permit meeting for all permit
applications and an as-needed city/applicant technical review meeting (typically once a month) for major projects). 5. The city web site includes
every zoning, planning, subdivision, wetlands, historic district, demolition delay, and architecture permit every issued. 6. The city has a permit
tracking system for all signficant permits. See www.northamptonMA.gov/opd and click on permits to see on-line permit application instructions
or to see single application for all 17 permits mentioned above. At same landing page, click on Public File Cabinet to see searchable records of
every permit ever issued for the 17 primary permits issued by the city mentioned above. See www.NorthamptonMA.gov permit tracking system
for list of every active permit issued in past decade.
PROTECT LAND AND ECOSYSTEMS (21)Existing Commit
17 15-25% of town area protected [by a Chapter 184-type restriction or Article 97] OR (4)(0)
19% of Northampton (not including land under water) has been permanently preserved by a Chapter 184-type conseervation restriction or an
Article 97 holding. The number rises to 21% including permanently protected state, federal, and land trust holdings. No further documentation is
required since all records have been sent to MassGIS.
25% or more of town area protected (5)(0)
18 Land protected via a restriction or fee acquisition alone or with a land trust since July 1, 2008 (4)(0)
The City, acting through its Conservation Commission, purchased the 102 acre Beaver Brook/Broad Brook Conservation Area on Haydenville
Road. The conservation commission owns the property, subject to Article 97. The city brokered the deal in partnership with the Broad Brook
Coaltion, Inc (a local land trust/conservation organization) who contibuted $10,000 to the project. The city closed on 1/27/2010. The acquisition
was approved by City Council on 7/9/2009. The purchase price was $550,000, with 66% LAND grant funding, $10,000 from the BBC partner,
and the remainder with CPA funds.
FISCAL YEAR COMMONWEALTH CAPITAL APPLICATION - PDF Created On 8/4/2010
Original Application
Municipality: NORTHAMPTON Address: 210 Main Street, Room 11, Northampton, MA 01060 Date: 7/29/2010 4:32:00 PM
Name/Title: Wayne Feiden, FAICP Director of Planning and Development Email: wfeiden@northamptonma.gov Phone: 413-587-1265
Municipal applicants will need to provide evidence of having met or made a binding commitment to the following criteria. Note: If electronic files were
submitted to document compliance with the criteria last fiscal year (FY 10) these files should be referenced but need not be resubmitted with an
FY11 application.
19 Existence of an agricultural commission (3)(1)
The Agriculture Commission was formed on 12/15/2005 as part of a joint effort from several city councilors, area farmers and farm advocates,
and the Office of Planning and Development with support from the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture.
20 Adoption of a Right-to-Farm bylaw/ordinance (3)(1)
A right-to-farm ordinance was adopted on 12/15/2005 in a combined agriculture commission/right-to-farm ordinance. The ordinance makes
clear that nusiance complaints about farming will not be acted on both because farming was here first and because it is so critical to all of our
futures.
21 Stewardship plan for a municipal forest (3)(1)
Supporting File: 214 - Forest Stewardship Plan cover page.pdf. Northampton has two forest stewardship plans for city municipal forests
(Beaver Brook and Mineral Hills, both of which were completed in FY2010). These are not listed at the DCR website so a date stamped
excerpt/cover page of one of these plans that has been approved by DCR is attached.
22 Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) or other zoning for agricultural, forestry, or natural resource
conservation
(3)(1)
Section 350-Table of Use Regulations, 350-17 spell out the details of Northampton's transfer of developoment rights. This district allows the
transfer of develoment rights from our Farms Forests and Rivers District (our sending zoning) to our Planned Village District (our receiving
district).
USE NATURAL RESOURCES WISELY (7)Existing Commit
23 Adoption of a bylaw, ordinance, or regulation that encourages the use of Low Impact Development (LID) to
address stormwater
(4)(2)
Subdivision regulations encourage Low Impact Development by creating a strong financial incentive (i.e. use granite curbs at $60 per linear foot
of road or no granite curbs with LID). Stormwater and wetlands ordinances also encourage LID through the use of performance standards
which are easier met by LID. In the last few years, the new Northampton senior center and several private projects have used various elements
of LID (rain gardens, drainage swales etc.) as our message that LIDs are embraced by the city and an easier permit path than other
approaches. LIDs are not yet required.
24 Implementation of the 2006 Massachusetts Water Conservation Standards (3)(1)
The City is strongly encouraging water conservation: 1. A ban on watering lawns when the Mill River drops below a set amount of flow as
measured at a flow meter on the river. 2. DPW offers rain barrels and education on how to use them. 3. The city has 100% water metering of all
private users (but not for municipal buildings). 4. Our new senior center has rain gardens that rely on stormwater and not irrigation. 5. The city
is expanding recreation fields to allow fields to rest and avoid the need to irrigate most of our fields (the fields at the high school are irrigated but
not at our six recreation areas).
PROMOTE CLEAN ENERGY (11)Existing Commit
25 Implementation of energy efficiency measures (3)(1)
The city has implemented multiple energy efficiency measures. Most recently (April 2010) City Council approved over six million dollards in
bond funds for a city-wide energy performance contract (ESCO) that is currently being implemented. The contract was based on analysis of
every single city building and school and the lowest hanging 6.5 million dollars of energy savings opportunities are bing havested. In addition, in
2009 we converted one parking lot to LED lighting (outside of the ESCO) to pilot potential savings from this program.
26 Production or purchase of renewable energy (3)(1)
1. The city is currently generating electricity from methane from our landfill. 2. In FY2010, the City committed funds for a $646,400 photovoltaic
panel array at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School (90 kilowatts) and $110,375 for solar PV at Jackson Street Elementary School
(13-kilowatts) and for solar PV at the City-owed James House. 3. We installed geothermal heat and AC at our LEED Certified Silver Senior
Center (2007).
27 Clean energy regulations and incentives (3)(1)
Northampton was designated as a green community in FY2010. The City adopted the energy stretch code in FY2010.
28 Designation as a Green Community (2)(0)
Northmpton has been designated as a green community.
PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION CHOICE (9)Existing Commit
29 Regulations requiring or actions to facilitate bicycling and walking since July 1, 2008 (3)(1)
In FY2010, Northampton added a formula for traffic mitigation fees in lieu of developer funded traffic mitigation (section 350-11 zoning). The
fees are strongly tied to walkability, with no fees in village and urban centers, low fees for areas easilty walkable to those centers, medium fees
for areas further out but connected by sidewalks, and the highest fees for development not connected to sidewalks. In addition, the city has
overseen $13 million dollars and six seperate projects to build rail trails througout the city and add bicycle lanes to make the city truely bicyle
friendly.
30 Regulation requiring or completion of a context sensitive transportation project since July 1, 2008 (3)(1)
The zoning requirements (350-11) that create traffic mitigation fees create a strong incentive for developers to create context senstive
transportation projects to avoid those fees. Based on those regulations: 1. In 2009, Taco Bell provided a short bicycle ramp from their property
to a new city rail trail, with a bicyle rack at the intersection. 2. In 2009, Walgreen build a new rail trail through their property and provided a
permanent easement, with Walgreen permanently responsible for maintenance, for the public to use that rail trail. 3. In FY2010, Village Hill, the
redevelopment of the former Northampton State Hospital, built multi-use trails (bicycle paths) to connect their project part of the way to existing
city rail trail (with the remaining connection currently under design).
31 Regulations requiring or implementation of innovative transportation measures since July 1, 2008 (3)(1)
FISCAL YEAR COMMONWEALTH CAPITAL APPLICATION - PDF Created On 8/4/2010
Original Application
Municipality: NORTHAMPTON Address: 210 Main Street, Room 11, Northampton, MA 01060 Date: 7/29/2010 4:32:00 PM
Name/Title: Wayne Feiden, FAICP Director of Planning and Development Email: wfeiden@northamptonma.gov Phone: 413-587-1265
Municipal applicants will need to provide evidence of having met or made a binding commitment to the following criteria. Note: If electronic files were
submitted to document compliance with the criteria last fiscal year (FY 10) these files should be referenced but need not be resubmitted with an
FY11 application.
1. In 2010, the City collected the first $5,000 check from Smith College as a contribution to improvements for a new Park-and-Ride lot as part of
Smith College's Transportation Demand Management plan, required as a condition of site plan approval (zoning section 350-11) for a new
science center. 2. In FY2010, the city built, with federal stimulus money, a safe routes to school rail trail ramp, sidewak, and traffic calming to
make it safer for students walking to school. 3. In FY2010 the City broke ground for a $1.6 million dollar roundabout to create an innovative
transporation measure. 4. In FY2010, the city, with Smith College, broke ground for an agressive traffic calming program to slow the speed of
Route 9 down and make it safer for bicycles and pedestrians. 5. In FY2009 and FY2010 the City started a traffic calming program and
evaluated and rated 11 traffic calming needs, the first few of which are currently being implemented.
ADVANCE EQUITY (6)Existing Commit
32 Actions that promote fair housing since July 1, 2008 (3)(1)
In FY2010 the city funded a housing plan, the first draft of which (first draft completed in FY2010) includes an analysis of fair housing needs
which will be revised and included in the final plan. The City's Civil Rights Commission and Housing Partnership both focus on fair housing
needs.
33 Actions that promote environmental equity since July 1, 2008 (3)(1)
The city targets environmental justice populations in several ways: 1. We examine the MassGIS EJ layer for provision of any proposed public
facility to see whether the service will help or harm EJ populations. For example, a planned recreation field is located within walking distance of
several EJ clusters. For this purpose, EJ is defined by MassGIS based on income and minority status. 2. The city is a CDBG entitlement
community and uses a significant amount of the CDBG funds to serve EJ populations. For this purpose, EJ is defined as areas with a majority
low and moderate income persons. 3. Our Board of Health has organized outreach to EJ populations and identifying how to improve
environmental health for these populations.
PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VIA OTHER ACTIONS (10)Existing Commit
34 Existence of or commitment to additional local measures or actions 2, 4, 6, 8, OR 10 (10)(0)
Since July 1, 2005: 1. The city used CPA funds to preserve a building in the underground railway owned at the time by a prominent african
american. 2. Conservation Commission members attended the Mass. Association of Consevation Commissions trainings and annual meeting.
3. Although Northampton has over 10% affordable housing, the city has funded outreach workers and shelters for homeless and people at risk
of being homeless. 4. The city hosts the three-county continuum of care to coordinate the three county (except for Springfield) coordinated
effort to use HUD funds to address homelessness. 5. The City created a Tree Committee to engage the community in more aggressive shade
tree preservation and planting than from a typical staffed tree warden model. 6. The City Agriculture Commission formed a Farmers Market
Subcommittee to improve the coordination of the city's three farmers market and support the third and most recent market created a year and a
half ago. 7. The city provided an incentive for Taco Bell to become LEED Certified Gold by agreeing to waive part of their traffic mitigation fee if
they went LEED. 8. The city created a section on our website to highlight local sustainable businesses
http://www.northamptonma.gov/opd/Planning_links/ 9. The city has worked with smaller abutting communities to help with joint rail trail projects
(this is seperate from the projects cited in the intergovernmental section). We aquired a parcel of land in Williamsburg in FY2010 on the
Williamsburg side of the town line that abuts the Northamton rail trail to allow the rail trail to be extended into Williamsburg, because we could
move quickly as required, and have agreed to donate this land to Williamsburg. We agreed to do a similiar project in Hatfield for a future rail
trail and received city council approval (although we have not yet closed on that parcel). 10. The city has acted as a land trust, purchasing
parcels from willing sellers and then selling the land to the US Fish and Wildlife Service for the Conte Fish and Wildlife Refuge to preserve the
land and take advantage of our ability to move quickly. 11. The city created a joint task force of the Agriculture Commission, Recreation
Commission, Agriculture Commission, a City Coucilor, and representatives of the city Zoning Revisions Committee in order to build consensus
on the reuse of a sensitive 180 acre parcel (which we did successfully in FY2010). 12. The city designed (but has not yet built)a wetlands
replication in a traffic island to create an opportunity for improved stormwater treatment and provide an opportunity for project developers who
need to provide wetlands mitigation a place to provide that mitigation.
See explanation above (8)(0)
See explanation above (6)(0)
See explanation above (4)(0)
See explanation above (2)(0)
BONUS - 1 POINT FOR EVERY FISCAL YEAR COMMITMENT IMPLEMENTED: 0
No previous year's commitments found
TOTAL: EXISTING, COMMIT AND BONUS POINTS (MAXIMUM )
Total Requested Score: 135