“It’s interesting,” said Valley CDC executive director Joanne Campbell of the widespread criticism. “I think it’s a well-planned out development.”
EASTHAMPTON – The Planning Board Tuesday heard scores of complaints from residents at a special permit hearing about a proposed affordable housing project.
The Northampton-based Valley Community Development Corp. applied for the permit in December to develop a 4.3-acre lot at 69 Parsons St. The plans call for five buildings with a total of 38 one- to three-bedroom apartments, a community building and a playground.
At a standing-room only public forum, representatives from Valley CDC and the civil engineering firm Berkshire Design Group detailed the project and addressed concerns about density, traffic, drainage and a host of other issues presented by residents.
Valley CDC executive director Joanne Campbell said the project is meant “to assist the city in accomplishing its goal of providing” affordable housing. The city has set a goal for 10 percent of its housing to be affordable.
At the moment, only 6.6 percent qualifies. Campbell said the new development would bring that figure to seven percent.
The biggest issue on residents’ minds seemed to be traffic flow.
The developers said they had conducted a study of traffic patterns in the area and predicted that 19 trips will be made from the new apartments every morning, a number they said would not have a significant impact on road congestion. The plans call for 76 parking spaces, but Campbell said she does not expect all of them will be used.
Julie Ouimette, who lives on Duda Drive across town from Parsons Street, said she is not convinced.
“I work in Southampton and I make four trips a day,” she said. She goes to work, comes home for lunch, then returns to finish her shift.
“It’s going to be more traffic than you can even begin to imagine,” she said.
The designs allow for two units that are fully handicapped accessible, while the rest are only visitable on the first floor, which raised the ire of residents who said the elderly and disabled are being disenfranchised.
Amy Heflin is a member of the New City Neighborhood Association, which has collected about 100 signatures of neighbors who oppose the development.
“Not one single resident in dozens and dozens and dozens is for this,” said Heflin. “If (the project’s approval) was based on community support, it would be slim to nil, if not nil.”
Campbell said there is still time to change the design if the Planning Board makes that request, but that it meets zoning regulations.
“It’s interesting,” said Campbell of the widespread criticism. “I think it’s a well-planned out development.”
“We are meeting a need that has been identified in the city of Easthampton,” she said.
Funding has not been secured for the project beyond a $200,000 grant from the city’s Community Preservation Act Committee. The price tag is $9 million to $10 million.
David Boyle of Autumn Properties owns the land at 69 Parsons St. Sale to Valley CDC is contingent upon the Planning Board granting the special permit.
The next hearing will take place March 29 at 6:05 p.m. on the second floor of City Hall.