Bean Farm 12 7 09 forum presentations
Bean Farm Acquisition‐‐Context Look Park Rail Trail Bean Farm Allard Farm
Bean Farm Proposed Purchase 45 ± Bean Farm • 27± acres usable fields
Bean Farm: from southwest (above Spring St.) Courtesy of Richard Shephard, Aerial Photography
Bean Farm: from southwest Courtesy of Richard Shephard, Aerial Photography
Bean Farm: Spring St. Frontage Courtesy of Richard Shephard, Aerial Photography
Bean Farm: Spring St. Frontage Courtesy of Richard Shephard, Aerial Photography
Bean Farm: from Look Park Courtesy of Richard Shephard, Aerial Photography
Bean Farm: Pond Courtesy of Richard Shephard, Aerial Photography
Bean Farm Proposed Purchase • City purchases 45 acres – Includes ALL FIELDS, barn – 3 to 4 frontage lots • Beans retain remainder – Includes house and 5 lots • City pays $910,000 plus
– Chap. 61A rollback for all • NO decision on actual open space uses
Context: Open Space and Recreation Plan • Needs: – Protection of farmland – Provide additional recreation opportunities • Goals: – Expand Open Space and Recreation • Recreation opportunities
for all individuals • Preserve character of rural areas, farms, forests and rivers
Context: Sustainable Northampton Comp. Plan • Preserve and encourage agricultural uses in designed areas, such as the Meadows • Expand open space and recreation areas
1965
Constraints and Due Diligence • Survey – New and existing property lines – Topography, floodplain, wetlands • Soils and wildlife • Environmental Assessment – hazardous releases (“21E”)
• Possible reuse layouts • Demolition assessment • Title and Probate • Appraisal
Bean Farm Options As Privately Developed Land • Homes along the road • 6 to 22 homes developed in the fields Benefits Disadvantages • No city involvement • Generate property tax g •
High traffic generator • 50 to 100% of agriculture lost • No recreation gain • Development NOT consistent with Sustainable Northampton • Taxes may not cover city services
Bean Farm Market Approach 8 to 20 homes in fields PLUS 2 to 3 along road
Northampton Population Stable • Slow development • Reduction (now stable) group quarters • Smaller household size Some areas require more services!
New Suburban Developments= Largest # School Age Children
General Fund Municipal Cost Variables Average Cost education $11,614/student Local share education $6,620/student Average cost services* $3,640/dwelling unit *excludes education and
enterprise funds ($42,956,914 general fund/11,800 dwelling units) • Marginal Cost more accurate – Many costs, especially construction, fixed – Schools are declining enrollment
IN NEW Suburban Housing One School‐Aged Child Per House 1. Total local average cost (w/1 school child)=$11,260 2. LESS discounting for children at private schools 3. LESS marginal costs
less than average costs 4. GUESStimate municipal cost/new suburban house=$8,000 5. Tax rate of $12.64 per $1,000 assessed value 6. $633,000 house pays $8,000 in taxes 7. BREAK EVEN=$633,000
HOUSE
Bean Farm Options Recreation ONLY One POSSIBLE Scenario
City Recreation Potential Assessment
PUBLIC Parcels: Recreation Potential • Venturers Field Rd: jail farm NO: Community gardens or CSA ONLY NO: agriculture value and legal MAYBE: minimal benefit NO: size j • Burts Pit:
NW State Hospital • Burts Pit: expand Ellerbrook • Sylvester Rd: and location NO: size and access NO: slope, wet, farm value to school NOT Potential in DPW gravel pit • Haydenville Rd:
Smith Voc. VA • Locust St: Smith Voc. Ag. • Glendale NOW: future NOT NOW: Potential in future NO: Sensitive cap, traffic, conservation POSSIBLE: field traffic access Rd: Capped landfill
• Glendale Rd: Future cell • Garfield Ave: Capped landfill • Oak off bike One field, traffic, NOT NOW: Potential in future‐small CPA application pending EXISTING: not St: path • Prospect
St: Water Dept • Look Park • Recreation Can reconfigure but new NO: wetlands, wildlife, farmland, legal EXISTING: Can reconfigure but not new includes Parcels • Conservation Parcels
• Schools ‐‐new JFK field Preliminary Assessment only NOT based on parcel availability!
PRIVATE Parcels: Recreation Potential • Island Rd: Ox Bow NO: Restore agriculture, traffic • Old Ferry Rd: expand Sheldon • Meadows: other than Sheldon • Damon Rd: Lane Construction
YES: Two fields over many years NO: Prime agriculture & conservation MAYBE: One field • Hatfield Rd: Concrete batch • Spring St: Bean Farm • Meadow St: Allard Farm MAYBE: Two fields,
expensive YES: Sports complex but prime ag YES: Sports complex but prime ag • Ryan Rd: Willard Gravel • Glendale Road: Kensington • Glendale Rd: gravel pit YES: environmental, access
YES: One field MAYBE: One field, small and access • River Rd: Hampshire Care • Old Wilson Rd: Pine Grove Golf • Haydenville Rd: National Grid , YES: Two fields, access YES: limited,
wet, expense, access y MAYBE: One or two fields, many limits • Burts Pit: Private lots • Spring St: Chambers lots • Jackson St: by rail trail , y MAYBE: One or two fields YES: One or
two fields y YES: Two fields Preliminary Assessment only NOT based on parcel availability!
City Recreation 1. Limited options 2. Some sites would Potential Assessment support 1‐2 fields 3. Extremely limited for 3 to 6 co‐located fields to serve leagues and minimize infrastructure
Context: Recreation Fields Past 20 Years • 31 acres protected – 10 acres Sheldon Field (previously leased) – 5 acres Sheldon Field expansion – 1 acre JFK soccer field (underway) – 15
acre Ray Ellerbrook Field – 3 acres (underway) Look Park • Major field rehabilitations – Arcanum Field and Veterans Field
Recreation Fields are in demand
Recreation Field Deficiencies 20+ leagues, 3,500+ players, compete for fields • The shortage effects hundreds of kids and adults • No opportunity to rest and repair fields Field Needs
• Six multipurpose fields (soccer and related) – includes one field to rotate out of usage to repair • Two baseball fields – one 60’ and one convertible to 75’
Bean Farm Options Agriculture ONLY One POSSIBLE Scenario
Context: Agriculture Protection Past 20 Years • 995 acres permanently protected (includes land managed partially for wildlife) – 355 acres Northampton State Hospital (city and DAR) –
140 acres City conservation areas (includes Meadows) – 300 acres other Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary – 190 acres other Agriculture Preservation Restrictions – 10 acres Conte Wildlife Refuge
• 1,800 acres protected through regulations – Meadows Special Conservancy – Floodplain Watershed Protection
Context: Farmland Loss Past 20 Years • Farm Operations – Loss of all dairy farms in operation – Loss of active orchards – Gain of vegetable production operations • Farmland Loss: – Partial
loss of Park Hill Road agricultural cluster – Loss of other isolated fields around city – No significant loss in meadows • But conversion to ag. land managed in part for wildlife
1971=3,688 acres 1971 1985=3,440 acres 1999= 3,177 acres 1999
Farmland Changes 1971‐1999
Recreation Field 2 acres 60’ diamond, 225’ outfield Layouts (w/sidelines) ‐90’ diamond, 360’ outfield, 60’ backstop 2+ acres OR 75’ diamond 6+ acres
Steps (NOT in order) • Public Forum JFK Community Room (12/7/09 6:30 PM) • Due Diligence underway • Dec 15 Agriculture, Recreation, Cons. Commissions meet • Three public forums sponsored
by ad‐hoc committee (2 each appointed by Ag, Rec, and Cons., Ward 7 City Councilor, possibly non‐voting facilitator) • Ad‐hoc committee to make recommendations to City Council • Permits
for limited development along road • City Council decide final use Note • City Council vote to purchase property and CPA application and action must occur this winter to protect City’s
best options.
Agriculture Commission Presentation
Town •8 acres on 4 fields CS S Farm Northampton, Ma •80 CSA Shareholders •Northampton’s Tuesday Farmers’ Market •In all, we feed approximately 250 families each week •We have high demand
for CSA shares •And will be expanding for 2010 season
Bean Farm Florence, Ma •Walking and biking access from downtown Florence •Close to bike path •Road access for parking/distribution •High-quality agricultural soil •Varied fields for
a range of crops •Long-term history of food production
Potential Farm Scenario •Dedicated CSA with 200-300 shares •Ties to local schools & youth groups •Education for young farmers •Large-sized community garden plots •Orchards •Small-scale
livestock •Play area
Slides from Public
2058-225 10/6/1978
435-57 8/19/1890
399-365 2/2/1886
347-165 4/17/1879
130-267 10/11/1849
Intervale Community Farm Burlington, VT Profile 35-acre community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm situated on the lower Winooski River flood plain in Burlington, Vermont. Started in
1990, they grow about 20 acres of mixed vegetables and 1 acre of berries, flowers, and herbs, with the balance in green manures, facilities, and hedgerows. At nearly 500 member households,
they are one of the largest and oldest CSA’s in the region.
Intervale Community Farm Burlington, VT Farm Plan Mid-sized, diversified veggie farm Certified organic by Vermont Organic Farmers All CSA distribution takes place on the farm. Distributions
can be busy, with several hundred people filing through in a 3.5-hour period. Members pick most of the labor-intensive crops like peas, beans, berries, flowers, and herbs, while the
farm crew gathers the remainder.
Intervale Community Farm Burlington, VT Ownership & Operation Land is leased from the Intervale Center, a nonprofit umbrella-group The membership of ICF owns the farm. Essentially a
consumer cooperative, the ICF is governed by a Board which is elected by the membership at its annual meeting. Led by a Farm Manager, ICF has three full-time, year-round employees. Core
summer staffing runs about 8 full-time staff. ICF hosts farm apprentices as part of the staffing mix. Training aspiring farmers is one of the goals of the ICF
Natick Community Organic Farm Natick, MA History 1974—Red Wing Farm took root on a two acre plot on Audubon land. 1976--Town of Natick's School Committee leased 27 acres of land to the
project. The Red Wing Farm was then established as the Natick Community Farm, a 501 (c) (3) organization with an ambitious environmental and education mission.
Natick Community Organic Farm Natick, MA Farm Plan School Programs--curriculum-based farm visits and classroom visits for groups of children through young adults Public Programs--vacation
and after-school programs for children and youth, as well as education programs, workshops, and seminars for adults. Special Farm Events— eg Maple Sugaring Tours to learn about Native
American and Colonial Sugaring Techniques Farm products for sale— Seedlings, veggies, honey turkeys, goat's milk, eggs, meat, wool, maple syrup, cut flowers
Natick Community Organic Farm Natick, MA Farm Management Management Structure Board of Directors (12 volunteer members) Advisory Board (28 members) How it supports itself Grant funding
Member dues Sales Courses
Caretaker Farm Williamstown, MA Goals Guarantee a secure source of locally-grown food within the community. Guarantee that part of the community's land base will always remain a working
farm with sustainable farming practices. Closer community contact with land that grows our food and create opportunities for education. Affordable, secure access to the farm’s land,
housing, and other infrastructure for farmers now and in the future.
Caretaker Farm Williamstown, MA Farm Stewardship The farmhouse & other infrastructure is owned by: Don & Bridget, Farmers Land is owned by: Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation Option
to Purchase is held by: Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation APR is held by: MA Dept. of Agriculture 99-Year Ground Lease: Lessor: Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation Lessee: Don & Bridget,
Farmers
Caretaker Farm Williamstown, MA Purchase Price: $679,000 Where Did The Money Come From? APR: $252,000 Local Land Trust: $50,000 CPA Funds: $50,000 Raised by CSA Members: $200,000 Don
& Bridget, Farmers: $177,000
Community farms that balance the needs of the community with the needs of the farmer working the land, are more viable long term. Community’s Interests Open space Access to local food
Stewardship of soil Protecting the environment Preserving affordable access to farms for farmers Increased contact with how our food is grown and harvested Opportunities for education
and celebration Preservation of historic buildings Farmer’s Interests Long-term security of tenure The opportunity to build equity Legacy Freedom from undue interference; opportunity
to make a living Stewardship