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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Crust Serving Up Pizza Pies in Two Locations

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

Crust owner Jim Cervone and manager Lexi Politis make pizza's at the Williamstown location. 
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Crust has been serving up classic and specialty pizzas since its opening in 2020 in Pittsfield, and for over a year now in Williamstown.
 
Owner Jim Cervone said his inspiration was his love for cooking and pizza.
 
"I love pizza, and I'm Italian, and I grew up with cooking. I remember my grandmother cooking. Some of the recipes we have here are from my grandmother, specifically the meatballs," he said. "So I've always grown up with food. I'm a good, amateur chef. Always liked cooking. Whenever I travel, I always look for pizza, because that's one of my things. ...
 
"I wasn't really crazy about the offerings, not just around here, just in general. And so the inspiration was, how can I make a really good pizza at an affordable price?" 
 
Cervone said his most popular pizzas are chicken bacon ranch and buffalo chicken, flavors requested by customers and not something he was planning to add to the menu at first since chicken pizza isn't usually found in an Italian restaurant.
 
"I personally think the Grandma's Pizza, which has got a sliced mozzarella cheese underneath, and the organic red sauce on top with meatballs, is one of my favorites," he said. "They're homemade meatballs. It's my grandmother's recipe — that's a popular one."
 
Also on the menu are red and white mushroom pizzas, a "green" version with housemade pesto, peppers and mushrooms, and the option to build your own pie with a wide variety of crusts, sauces, cheeses, toppings and finishes. 
 
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