Williamstown Finalizes Torrey Woods Road Utility Pole Plan

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Select Board Monday OK'd a plan for new utility poles on Torrey Woods Road after hearing that the residents who originally raised questions were satisfied with the final configuration.
 
In a special, single-item meeting, the board wrapped up a public hearing that began in July.
 
Last Monday, at the first continuation of the hearing, the board left with a sense that the property owners on both sides of the road that would be impacted were close to an agreement.
 
This week, National Grid's Nicholas DeRosa was back before the board.
 
"At the meeting last week, we discussed a possible third option to shift Pole 2 away from the guard rail and shift Pole 1 further east," DeRosa said. "After looking at that in the field, we determined the first solution, the original plan, would be the best course of action."
 
The new poles are necessary to continue utility service to 88 Torrey Woods Road, a lot where a new home is under construction. The owners of neighboring 150 Torrey Woods Road brought their concern that Pole 1 was set to be installed directly in front of their home.
 
Chair Stephanie Boyd confirmed that the residents of 150 Torrey were part of the site visit DeRosa made last week and mentioned that the agreed upon plan is a little east of the house.
 
"I ran into Kristy Edmunds [one of the 150 Torrey owners], and she told me she was good with this plan," Boyd told her colleagues. "Plan No. 1 in the meeting packet from last week is the one we are going with."
 
Boyd, Peter Beck and Matthew Neely, who attended the special meeting, voted, 3-0, to approve that plan.
 
"I want to thank Nick DeRosa from National grid and all the homeowners who were thoughtful and respectful about their concerns and their neighbors' concerns," Boyd said. "I think the process worked well."
 

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Williams College Lone Suitor for Development of Water Street Lot

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff

Williams College hopes to replace the current Facilities Services building on Latham Street and use that space for a new  athletics complex. 
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — If the town accepts an offer from Williams College, a 1.27-acre lot that long has been eyed as a possible venue for housing and economic development instead will find a use similar to its history.
 
The college was the lone respondent to the town's request for proposals to purchase and develop 59 Water St., a dirt lot known around town as the "old town garage site." This was first reported Wednesday by Greylock News. 
 
If successful, the college plans to use the former town garage property for the school's Facilities Services building. Or it could be turned back into a parking lot.
 
Williams' offer includes a $500,000 upfront payment and a 10-year agreement to make $50,000 annual donations to the Mount Greylock Regional School District according to the proposal unsealed on Wednesday afternoon.
 
If it closes the deal, the college said it will explore development of a three- to four-story Facilities Services building with "a structured parking facility providing approximately 170 spaces."
 
"[I]f site constraints impact our ability to develop both structured parking and the Facilities Services building, our backup proposal is to develop the parking structure with approximately 170 spaces, also with capacity to support institutional and public needs," the college's proposal reads.
 
The college's current Facilities property at 60 Latham St. has an assessed value — for the .42-acre lot only — of $113,000 and an annual property tax bill of $1,606, according to the town's website.
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