Village Hill Proposal for Surplus State Hospital Lands by Hampshire County 1975P R O P O S A L
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U S E S O F S U R P L U S S T A T E H O S P I T A L L A N D S
B Y
H A M P S H I R E C O U N T Y
A P R I L, 1 9 7 5'
Prepared. for the
Hampshire County Commissioners
by the
TLampsh3_re County Planning Department
inasmuch as the, farming program of i;he Northampton State
Hospital has been terminated., arid. the State Ilosp i.tal Parmland.s
are no longer. Cultivated. by -the State Department of Mental Health,
and are to be declared. surplus land.s, the. County of Hampshire
respectfully submits the following proposal for allocations of
:part of that surplus land.
. 'The County of Hampshire is in d.i.re need of a new County Jail
and County House of Correction; (The difference: A jail is a place
for the detention of persons not convicted of a crime, usually
awaiting trial, usually to assure their presence at trial. A house
of correction is D. county fa.cili_ty for the retention of persons con-
victed of a crime and. sej.Atenced by a court. A range of security is
desirable, from ma,x.iiraum to minimum, varying U.rith the needs of the
administration in meeting the programs of the department.)
The land. which is to be declared. surplus contains farmland of
mixed qualities, Including some excellent bottomla.nd; some steep
:Land., most of which is forested; several_ streams, and. some builda-
Ings. The need for cropland near to urban markets anal.. the need. for
open space for outd.oor recreation exists here and. in all cities;
and the value of this :Loxid_ for its best purposes should not be lost.
The county feels this land Should. be kept in public ownership,
The Hampshire County Jail and. Rouse of Correction, to the ex-
tent possible, feeds itself. The farm program will be continued.,
program i:f adequate land
and the county plans to expand. the farm
is obtained., so that the cost of operating the facility will con-
tinue to be as lot,,, as possible, Tn add.i.tion, the county garden pro-
ject will be continued, but moved to county land.
The need. for a net. County Jail and House of Correction is d.ue
in part because the current edifice was built In 1853 on a lot of
land. which since has become Part of a. residential area.
Because of its age and. design, it does not meet minimum stand.-
ards for a correctional facility, and.. It, must be replaced (rather
than renovated.) because of serious d.eficiencies in heating,...plumbing,
wiring, and ventilating, as well as space and, construction.
The County Jail and House of Correction are administered by
County Sheriff Johra Boyle, who m,~.in.ta.ins the facility with the lowest
per capita cost in the Commonwealth of Massa.ch.usetts, and, despite the
in.ad.equacies of obsolete physical plant, maintains a very well-run
institution,
The intent of the County Commission is to assure that the minimum
st,:nda.rds will be met, nild that the facility will be as self-sufficient
<_amd. economical to operate ats .possible..
Both a H<7mia„h:l.r. e County Correctional Study Coalnni.ttee and. an ad hoc
citizens' committee unfler the State Council of Churches have, in l97L
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Ile portud. on the need for a new structure. These reports are appended I
'to this proposal... j
I''= d.eral Judge W,, Arthur Garrity has ordered the closing of the
Charles Street Ja:i.l in Boston, an cd.:ifice of the 19th centl)_ry, and
We expect that similar orders will come for the closing-of other
facilities which do not meet State Department of Corrections minimum
standards.
The, consequences of such a closing order are these
Because of. the high inmate census at the Hampden; Franklin, and.
Berkshire County Jells and Houses of Correction. the only nearby
facility capable of accepting the :persons kept at the Hampshire
County institution would be the Worcester County facility.
The per celpi't;.a, cost of keeping a Hra.mpshi.re County Prisoner here;,
per annum, is `ii>>rS8?.20. The cost to ].seep a ;prisoner in the Worcester
County Jail and House: of Correction is about three: times that.
Tn. human terms, monetary terms, and energy terms, the closing of
the, H,,uji_pshire County JeO.1 and House of Correction prior to the com-
pletion of Its replacem;:)-nt: wou.la. be extreme.
The Hampshire County Commissioners and. Sheriff ho-pe to have a.
new jail and house of correction coT.npleted p iioor. to any such order,
and. to 'this end., the County Correctional Study (:ommittee, formed in
1973, has worked. -to comtalete two reports of a three-phase study for
the subject.
Tn 'this session of the General Court, bills have been introduced
to allow Hampsh res County 'to expend. money for Preliminary architect-
ural planning and. site surveying. A building committee is to be
ap.po'Inted this year to replace the study committee, following issuance
of its third report,
The location of the planned new County Jail and. House of Correction,
and the style of 1-ts construction, have not yet been determined., but
several, fact ors influencing these choices are already in mind., along
these lines;
Adequete fetriii:l.and is necessary to pursue the farm program, The
existing fac:i.l'Ity ha.s a. szna.ll garden off Union Street, and. a small plot
in 'the meadows iihicti supports some livestock and some crops. The Kort.h-
ampton Sta.,te Hoslaitn.l Hospital. Iaxrmland.s would be excellent for the
pursuit of this farm program, Which has been found. to be rehabilitative
as We:l..l as econol.fl .cal. The low .pair ca.pitea cost of operation of the
facility is due in large measure to the successful farm program, which
is to be enlar^ge:d .
Also, the locrvtl on of the County Ja.:il and House of . Correction is
vital to some G~ ...-11~.~) arhfar corxtcct:ional programs, such as the work -
reloa.se and. study-rel.e.ase programs. To be, carried. on efficiently, the
structures must be looa,ted clear the job market In this Five College
community.
Those who have earned. eligibility for the work-release prograin
are released each dray to work and. then return to the House of . Correct-
Ion each evening for supper and sleep. This has been a most offectivf,-;
program in the process of restoring the retainee -to the role of a -pro-
ductive citizen. Separate quarters of a less secure nature are desir-
able for thoso engaged in the release programs.
Land on which retained. Persons may wciz].~ in forestry, conservation,
and. other outdoor tasks ks helps to keep persons from languishing in the
institution. Governor Michael Erakak1s, following a recent tour of
state pri-sons and i.c .x~.'tal hospitals, commented. strongly in favor of
keeping people active. The :philosophies of the Hampshire County Comm-
iss ion, the County Jail Study Committee, and the County sheriff are in
agreement*
The County House of Correction raises game birds each year for
release Into the wild. Forested sand and, f:l.eld.s would constitue
game: preserves, as no firearms would be allowed. on the property. The
Cooperative Extension Service of Ha,m,pshire County offers expertise in
regard to both the forest and. the farm lands and their management.
Other coi..-cec•1.ional programs are to be instituted In the future;,
following the recom.ine:nd.at:i.ons of 'the County Correctional Study Committee:
and the minimum standards of the State Department of Corrections, K,ti'th
Im lementati.on depencent u;l~on the availability of land. and buildings.
A draft copy of the-D minimum standards is appended to this proposal.
For e.. O.anPle, vocational
programs involving shop work, mechanical
arts, and raven fine arts can be undertaken when the new facilities are
ready. Academic Progra ns now in progress will be expanded in the futza.r(1,..
..The m_a.ndated. n.thl et.i c and recreational facilities, Including combin-
ation field, rurn-.ing tracts, gymnasium, -and paved courts for basketball
and. hand.ba"al., will require spacer on site and under the security of the
County Sheriff.
The cost- cjr r:e►zlacing the antiquated Hampshire County Jail and House
of Correction with a new multi-buil.d.ing facility having adequate' grounds
will depend on several_ factors;
The cost of the :rand, if acquired from the State Department of
Health, is expected to be nominal. The cost of the land, if acquired.
from a willing or If taken by right of eminent domrlin, would be
likely to exc cad :11> 1,000 an a.cre if such a block of privately owned ].and
could be found :in IVc,~x^fi.l~a1npi:one Location within 'the county seat is re-
garded. necessary *b( ,,cause. of a :recent U. S, Court of Appeals decision that
-the facility must be reasonably close to the County Court House, as well
as for reasons cited above,
Possible sites not part of the, Northampton State Hospital, but
located within the city, which have been examined. by the staff have been
found to be unacceptable on the grounds of slope;, ledge, northern ex-
posure, impossibility or on-sitc% sewage disposal, and remoteness.
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r3,i to development costs Include, the problem of sewage disposal,
The facility 2voi:zld. house 125 'to 150 persons. There is no se;'rer be-
yond. the 17tate 1.1as.p i.tal bo.13d.Ings. Extension of the sewer by the
City of Northamp tion we understand. to be planned for about a decade
in the future, and. therefore an o}~-si'te solu't:Ion may be most feasible.
Certain parts of the Noi~thaaiApton 8tate HO Pital Ettrmlands are
Suitable for talik and. leach field, arrangements, and. other parts,
by virtue of soi_l or water condi.t:i ons, are not;;' The land. between
Etr t a s Pit 'Road ,.,.:rid 1oclty Hi 3.,j, load contains soils which are suitable
for sewage dit.sposal for a. large facility, and the Hampshire County
Engineer will make recoiamendat:ions on this when the land is acquired.
Land south of Rocky Hall Road .(Route 66) is deemed not suitable for
this purpose.
-Construction costs of buildings depend in Part on -the nature of
the earth upon which they will rest, Land satu.ra'ted with water or
underlain. by c',P..•ajys would. require Pilings to su,pPort and anchor them
Buff ici.ently. The land between Dirt' s Pit Road and Rocky Hill Road
is of such a. character that no exceptional building cost,- ar_ e anticipated.
The land which the ("i_ty of Northampton suggested for a:'.;jail site., south
of Rocky Hill is likely to be unsuitable for construction
The lay of the land between Burt's Pit Road. and Rocky Hill Road
is suitable for e, ;alora.'ti.on of alternative energy sources which would
reduce. the o:pe.t^a'tl.ag costs of -the new facility, such as. solar and wind
powe1:, -fo heath,).;g and. ;perhaps geti.eration of electricity, . Grant appl.i-
c6t7 cans are being prepared even now for 'the funding of solar heating
and. other corrrpoz~: et~t?: of a new edifice, and. the terms of any architect-
ural planning co.ntr;a,ct are expected to stipulate cast projections of
alternative hee t ^.n.d power soucesq The site is exposed to the southern
arc of the slay and to the prevailing winds;
While rnul. ~al:l:~ iaosc~ uses of the land acquired by they county are
desirable and. l~l ~,rvic.d, the greatest concern and first priority of tte
county is the rep:ln.cement of the Jail:
Rocky Hi,;J 1. Pond would be ros.tored using retainees of the County
House of Corr ez,c-l;:ion to do some of the labor, and it -could. then bn
available to the re'ta:i.ne es and -the general ;public for, vater-
relate:d recrer} t-_iona1. activities, :including fishing.
More cl.r'ta:i.~.e:ci. planning, best :performed, after acquisition of 'the
(.atacl., trou:l_d c7rt; rml.n(-,, .iaJ.a.c;c~nt>rat:, of structu:re';s%i,p n the land and. various
land uses,. Plar.wzltag done thi.rs fo,r indicates tliat 'this l_i:nd between
Burt's Pit; .T.'Aload .:end flocky Hill :Road, pl!ts -the sinfi ller parcesl... south
of Inc>chy Hill Road. Is the a,wount of landl which the county needs and,
can us- within the philosophy of creating a, facility which wll."be as
nsar.iy self. _cont<: Ined. and as nearly Self-sufficient as possible„ The
acerage we ryst:`i.mate to be approximately .
Tile site is sop,si ,ated. sut'f iclei,3.tly from neighboring residential
a,re<a;s 'to have little or no upon their chRracter, and. the site
is large cnough thjt t13c: pat)u:lation density upon the site would be
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about one person l)er' acre'. The structures we anticipate would be of
law profile, that is, not over two stories, of a style compatible with
the local and regional character and history.
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In conclusion, all of the factors investigated., including soil,
topography, wind., sun, drainage, proximity to court house, job markbt,
and educa.tional facilities, availability of cropland and forest"land,
size, and separation from existing residential neighborhoods are the
factors which have led. the Tamp-shire County Commissioners to request
that land which lies south. of Burt's Pit Road. for tanew County Jail
and House of Corrections complex.
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CITY OF NORTHAMPTON PLANNING DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor David Cramer and the City Council 3
E
FROM: York Phillips, Planning Director
Charles H. Dauchy, City Conservationist
SUBJECT: Pro-posed Hampshire County Jail at Northampton State Hospital
Lands
DATE: April 29, 1976
FILE: E076
At your request I am submitting the following information:
o A summary of the positions of the Planning Board and Con-
servation Commission
o A summary of the position established at the` March 31, 1976
meeting of.various.City representatives
o The position taken by this office
Both the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission have
endorsed the final draft of the Proposal for the Use of Surplus
Land of the Northampton State Hospital by the City of Northampton,
prepared by this office in March, 1975, and presented to the City
Council. This proposal calls for the use of all lands north of
Rt. 66 and west of the State Hospital buildings for conservation,
recreation, agriculture, and open space uses. The proposal indi-
cated that a 35(+) acre site on the :youth side of Route 66 might
be considered as an alternative site for the location of a jail.
The report indicated, however, that care should be taken in allow-
ing such a facility on the State Hospital land in the first place.
Both the Conservation Commission and the Planning Board have
more recently refined and restated their positions. Both have
agreed that: (1)due regard should be given, first to establishing
reasonable requirements for the location of a jail and house of
correction, and then to analyzing a number of appropriately selected
sites in order to choose the best possible location considering all,
relevant factors; and that (2) while that part of the ;state Hospital
lands lying south of Route 66 might well be one of the alternatives
chosen for further analysis, the qualities of the more northerly
site proposed by the County, in terms of recreation, aesthetic,
educational, and open space potential are so great as to require
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precluding such a use in thet location. Although attention has
been focused by the County on the question of whether to locate
the jail on the north or south side of Route 66, the question which
must be answered is whether any other sites within the City or
County would be preferable.
2. At a meeting on March 31, 1976, the Mayor., Councillor Baranowski,
representatives of the Planning Board, Conservation Commission,
Recreation Commission, and their supporting staffs, met and agreed
to the following positions regarding the proposed Hampshire County
Jail and its siting. Following each position is additional explana-
tion of its basis:
a. "That there is a need for a new jail and house of corrections
facility for Hampshire County".
This point was not disputed at this meeting.
b. "That the City agrees to a maximum required area of 26 acres
for such a facility".
This figure is in accordance with the program criteria
established by the County's consultants in March, 1976. It
is contended that a larger area is neither indicated nor
justified in light of these program criteria.
C. "That the City is unable to agree to the proposed location
of such a facility on the land of the Northampton State
Hospital because there has been no adequate study of legiti-
mate alternative sites based on the minimum program criteria
established by the Program for Hampshire County Jail and
Hoarse of Correction, by Reinhardt Associates, Curtis and
Davis, March 17, 1976, and explicitly considering economic,
social, and environmental costs of each alternative site".
This position does not necessarily eliminate ultimate agree-
ment with the County's proposed site, but is based on the
recognition that site selection should follow recognized and
accepted procedures, including minimum program criteria.
The State Hospital land is of inestimable value for future
use for open space, recreation, and agriculture. Any com-
mitment of this land to other uses should be a public deci-
sion after full consideration of all valid alternatives.
2 -
The County's present proposal was not arrived at following con-
sideration of reasonable alternative sites, particularly with
respect to parcel size. In addition, the proposal fails to con-
sider the long-term value of preservation of this uniquely scenic
area.
d. "That the City will support a request to -the General Court
for funds necessary to undertake such study of legitimate
alter nativO_-.-sites
Such study should have been part of earlier planning,
before commitment of study funds to the specific State
Ho..spital land site. However, the minor investment required
will avoid the long-term costs of inadequate site selection..
\ e. "That the County Commissioners deal with the fact of local
authority for land use control contained in the zoning
enabling act".
The City's zoning ordinance requires a facility such as
proposed to be subject to City Council scrutiny under the
procedure, established for s-necial exceptions. At the
meeting of March 31, those in attendance feared that unless
-4an appropriate site selection process is pursued, the
County, as applicant, will be unable to show ade.ctuately
what alternative sites were considered answh_y--tae_y _ were
not zel!2cted, as is required in order to obtain a special
o:.~cepticn.
3. In addition to concurring with the above positions, the Planning
Department raises the following additional .points:
a. No consideration of alternative means of providing for a
jaJ.l facility has been made. If -.a the one hand a substan-
tial number of inmates come from outside the County,
shouldn't the State provide the facility? if on the other
hand the County is responsible, without aid, shouldn't the
design capacity be reduced? It seems that the decision to
build a new jail came before the deterr..i nation was made as
to what is the best way of administering the corrections
function.
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b. Once these questions of size and service area are re-
solved, criteria for site selection must then be developed
before any site is considered. Such criteria should ad-
dress space, physical quality, location, utilities,
environmental and social impacts, cost, etc. Only after
this is done should possible sites be selected and con-
sidered vis-a-vis the criteria.
C. Location of a correctional facility on the State Hospital
land is not objectionable in itself, but the site on the
north side of Route 66 is objectionable in view of its
unique scenic value (both in being looked at, and in being
used to look from), recreational value, conservation value,
and educational value. Certainly a substantial number of
other suitable sites are available so as not to reau~re
location on the site proposed.
d. Any added costs for site purchase must be considered in
.terms of construction costs, utility costs, costs of
operation, social and environmental costs, etc. The
analysis of these costs must be uniformly done with re-
spect to all sites. It is contended that the probable
cost for acquisition of a site of the minimum necessary
area will represent a relatively insignificant part o-JE a
total $6.1 million cost, which in itself has not been
justified. It is further contended that any increased
costs brought about by delays are not attributable to
intransigence on the part of the City, but to the County's
failure to approach the planning and site selection pro-
cess in the proper way to begin with.
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CITY OF NORTHAMPTON
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
TO: Distribution List
FR OM:Planning Department
SUBJECT:Propoaea H~,pahiro County Jail
DATE: April 1, 1976
FILE: Eo76
Based on discussion with addressees the following positions are
suggested regarding the proposed Hampshire County Jazz:
1. That thera.is a need for a new jail and house of corrections
facility for Hampshire County.
2. That the City agrees to a maximum required area of 26 acres
for such a facility.
3. That the City is unable to agree to the proposed location of
such a facility on the land of the Northampton State Hospital
because there has been no adequate study of legitimate alterna-
tive sites based on the minimum program criteria established
by the Program for Hampshire County Jail- and House of Correction,
by. Reinhardt Associates, Curtis and Davis, March 17, 1976, and
explicitly considering economic, social, and environmental costs
of each alternative site.
4, That the City will support`a re-quest to the General Court for
funds necessary to undertake such study. of legitimate alternative
sites.'
5. That the County Commissioners deal with the fact of local
authority for land use control contained in the zoning enabling
act.
Additional Note: The following were present at the 3/31/76 meeting at which
the above positions were developed.
cc: Mayor, David W. Cramer
Charles W. Baranowski
Richard Carnes
Brian Elliott
Dr. Peter Laband
Robert LaSalle %
Patrick Goggins
Charles Dauchy
York Phillips
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~lR1E ~
Q~J
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'Ramp-54tric Tou ,
OFFICE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
NORTHAMPTON, MASS. 01060
FILE: ' ~
SUMMARY OF THE POSITION OF
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY ON
NORTHAMPTON STATE HOSPITAL
SURPLUS LANDS
L~ttnt~ Latttntts~inttcr.~
CHAIRMAN
DAVID B. MUSANTE
NORTHAMPTON
JOHN H. BRECUET
WILLIAMSBURG
PAUL R. DINEEN
SOUTH HADLEY
LECEI ED
NORTHAMPT0q
PLANNING
DEPARTMENT
The County of Hampshire has a pressing, immediate need to
build a new Jail and. House of Correction. The present 11353 faci-
lity clearly violates Judge W. Arthur Garrity's decision in the
case of Suffolk County Jail Inmates vs. Eisensta.dtl Our facility
would. be closed forthwith if a class action suit by inmates and./or.
citizens on their behalf and/or the staff is entered, in a federal
district court.
Our plans call for immediate action, so that the taxpayers
of Hampshire County will not be saddled with additional. tax dollars
spent on interim facilities, like Suffolk County (which is now re-
quired. to spend. an additional $3 million because the new Charles
Street Jail will not be readyoon time).
We chose, as the best of 9 sites, the land at the State Hos-
pital in Northampton for the following reasons:
(a . ) Solar heating
The area we desire is i(
solar greenhouses which
ency in energy and. food.
on Sunset Hill, and. the
of the hill, where they
needed.
and. windmills as alternative energy sources:
Ieally suited. for these concepts, including
will aid us in achieving near self-suffici-
(see f, below). The placement of.a windmill
placement of structures on the southern foot
would be exposed to the southern sky, are
(b.) The new minimum standards, which are now in force, of the
State Department of Corrections, mandate certain programs and condi-
tions of detention by a County Jail and. House of Correction. Some of
these are:
(1.) A full athletic program, including playing
fields and gymnasium;
2.) Shop programs and other vocational programs;
(3.) Diagnostic services;
Library, including law sections;
(5.).Engli.sh-as-a-second.-language program, and.
other academic (classroom) programs;
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(6.) We cannot hold detainee in a more secure -
setting than his (or her) crime requires
for the public safety (we need. a range of
security for those held);
(7.) Medical--Dental-Psychiatric facilities.
(c.) Chapter 777, Special Needs---- requirements mandated
by law.
(d.) Nearness to court facilities and attorneys required
by federal court decisions and new minimum standards.
(e.) Facilities and programs for women.
(f.) Farming, conservation, and. recreation programs and
instruction, including restoration of Rocky Hill Pond and possible
creation of a sub-pond, forest management, and several types of food
Production (orchard, animal husbandry, crops, fish, etc.).
(g.) Job placement after adequate training for positions which
are needed and which are available in the area.
(h.) Cost of land acquisition and development to be as low.as
possible, for the benefit of the county taxpayers.
(i.) Conference rooms for attorneys, etc.
Two citizen committees have recommended that a new Jail and
House of Correction be built immediately. The County Jail Study
Committee, and. petitions of about 5',000 residents of the county,
architects, experts on solar energy, the county engineex/and planner
all conclude that the State Hospital farmlands are ideal.,
The people of Hampshire County require='a humane institution
with proper security guaranteed to themselves and their families,
which this site can provide.
Respectfully submitted,
John D. Lawlor, Jr.,, Cfi 10i1 Member
Richard M. Gaffney, Alternate
July 2, 1975
N.B. The last statements by the representatives of the Nlayor of
Northampton (26th of June) indicate that their only require-
ment for the part of the Northampton State Hospital farmlands
which we seek is now a bicycle path to the drumlin, and along
its eastern slope. This could easily be accomplished through
an area which we have planned as a buffer zone between the,
proposed facility and. the nearest other land uses.
P.S. Tile are looking forward to seeing you at the last meeting of
this group, Wednesday noon, 9 July, when a vote will be taken
on what recommendations the body will make on the future use
of the State Hospital farmlands.
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