Letter: Why Rush Williamstown's Proposed Zoning Changes?

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To the Editor:


I am writing to express my concern about the rushed way that the Williamstown Planning Board is proposing to rewrite the town's zoning code.

There are two possible outcomes to the proposed changes, which are so numerous I doubt even the members of the Board can enumerate them all.

The first is that they won't accomplish much. In that case, there is obviously no need to rush them through.

The second is that they lead to the creation of many more housing units. These units are likely — indeed, practically guaranteed — to be expensive. Developers like to maximize their profits and, remarkably enough, there are no provisions in the proposed changes to mandate or incentivize the construction of lower-cost units.



A significant number of new housing units in town, even if most are purchased by second-home buyers, would have myriad potential impacts. They could reduce the amount of farmland and open space in Williamstown. By increasing the number of septic systems, they may harm water quality. They would likely lead to increased traffic. Almost certainly, they would increase the demand for town services. This last effect would require a commensurate increase in the town's budget.

Unfortunately, the Planning Board seems to have done little to no research into any of these potential impacts. This is another — and crucial — reason the changes should not be rushed. Meanwhile, there was minimal public input into the proposed changes — yet another reason to allow more time.

I believe the residents of Williamstown deserve a lot more information before the community is asked to vote on the proposal the Planning Board has put forward.

Sincerely,

Betsy Kolbert
Williamstown, Mass. 

 

 


Tags: zoning,   

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Williams College Projects Underway on Main Street

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A busy summer construction season around town got a little busier this week with the advancement of two unrelated projects near the Williams College Museum of Art.
 
Both the entrance and exit to Lawrence Hall Drive are seeing some changes in the coming weeks.
 
Earlier this summer, the college removed several large juniper bushes near the east side of Lawrence Hall Drive (the exit onto Main Street) as part of a larger project to make the area more safe for pedestrians.
 
"The College is replacing broken and deteriorating sections of sidewalk that are a safety issue," Williams Horticulture and Grounds Manager Tim Roberts wrote in an email responding to an inquiry about the work. "The old junipers have been damaged over time and constantly need to be pruned back off the sidewalk.
 
"I will be replacing the junipers with a plant to be determined later. The walkway will be widened three feet using a crushed stone material to accommodate large trucks that use this entry."
 
Roberts said the existing junipers in the Town Green needed to be removed to allow for the sidewalk widening.
 
He said, depending on weather, that the project should take about two weeks.
 
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