Jacobs letter Zoning Appeal 5_27_2021Carolyn Misch <cmisch@northamptonma.gov>
Zoning Appeal 5/27/2021
Deb Jacobs <debjacobs44@yahoo.com>Thu, May 27, 2021 at 3:24 PM
To: Carolyn Misch <cmisch@northamptonma.gov>
Public Comment Northampton Public Hearing, Zoning Board of Appeals, May 27, 2021
I am writing in support of the Northampton Building commissioner's denial of a building permit to Pat Melnik, Sr, Trustee of Beaver
Brook Nominee Trust & Raul and Farah Matta for a lot that is not a building lot at the end of Grove Ave, Leeds, Map Id 5-12 for a lack
of frontage.
For safety reasons alone it makes no sense to consider the end of a street that is narrower than most to constitute frontage. For
example, on September 12, 2009 then Leeds Postmaster David Livingston ended mail delivery to the families living on the dead-end
portion of Grove Ave citing that "... public safety and accident avoidance is a priority for the US Postal Service." He noted the
requirement that there be a "suitable place for the rural carrier to turn the vehicle around." He had allowed delivery service as it was
already established when he first came to Leeds, but realized that with the rail trail opening that the street would become even busier
and less safe as it has. Also, USPS delivery vehicles are prohibited from backing up except when it is unavoidable. Other vehicle
including fire and ambulance do back down the street as did the poor guy who came to tow my car when it wouldn't start this winter. In
winter, DPW plows the snow from the street into a mountain of snow and ice at the dead end and the road itself is narrowed by the
snow banks on either side. With the pandemic and so many folks ordering on line the number of delivery truck from UPS, Fed Ex and
Amazon have proliferated. There is currently no on-street parking yet vehicles come down looking to access the paths, beaches, or ski
trails. There are increasing numbers of pedestrians and bikers, some quite young and on their own going by. Let's work to have it
safe and sustainable.
The City decided not to extend Grove Ave when the rail trail extension was put in and chose to keep the end down by the storm
drains. It makes no sense to further complicate matters by changing past practice and allowing phantom frontage.
Thank you.
Deb Jacobs
82Grove Ave
Leeds, MA 01053
413 584-3989