Letter: Williamstown Shouldn't Rush Zoning Changes

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To the Editor:

To Members of the Select Board and the Planning Board of Williamstown,

I have been a resident of Williamstown since 1971 and the owner of residential property in town. I am concerned about the process going through your committees to consider zoning changes in this town.

The process is rushing to put these changes in the next warrant articles, to be voted on in the next town meeting. This is unfair to town residents, who need more time to learn about and consider these proposed changes — few residents are even aware of their existence.


Most importantly, the town has hired a consultant for a new comprehensive plan for the town and Berkshire Regional Planning Commission is in the process of conducting a housing needs assessment for Berkshire County. Until these two reports have been completed, it makes no sense to ask us to vote on changes in zoning ordinances.

Thank you for your vigilance in ensuring that we voters get all the information and consultation we need to vote responsibly on proposed zoning changes in Williamstown.

Sincerely,

Tela Zasloff
Williamstown, Mass.

 

 

 


Tags: zoning,   

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Theaters Respond to Changing Customer Tastes, Studio Requirements

By John TownesSpecial to iBerkshires
This is the last of three articles in a series on the evolution and current status of movie theaters in Berkshire County. Read Part I here; and Part 2 here.
 
Operating a movie theater of any size is a complex mix of art and business. It is not as simple as booking a film, opening the doors and selling tickets. It involves complex strategies.
 
Local theaters also have to adapt to constantly-changing conditions and trends in the film and theater industry. This requires balancing the often-convoluted requirements of movie studios and distributors with the preferences and tastes of local audiences.
 
Berkshire County is unusual in an era that is dominated by immense theater chains.
 
Following the closing of the Regal multiplex in the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough in 2022 and the closing of the North Adams Movieplex, in 2023, there are now three remaining theaters.
 
Two of those — Images Cinema in Williamstown and the Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington — are operated by community-based non-profit organizations.
 
While the Beacon Cinema in Pittsfield is a for-profit multiplex owned by the Phoenix Theaters, chain, it is a relatively small company compared to major chains. Under its founder and President Cory Jacobson, Phoenix operates as a midsized independent business. It has 10 theaters in the Midwest, Tennessee and Massachusetts. By comparison, AMC Entertainment owns 855 theaters worldwide, and Cinemark operates 500 theaters.
 
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