Scarborough letter1/24/24, 2:58 PM City of Northampton Mail - 14 Garfield Street Site Planning Review
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ik=46b15cdcbd&view=pt&search=all&permthid=thread-f:1788996799113613003&simpl=msg-f:1788996799113613003 1/2
Nathan Chung <nchung@northamptonma.gov>
14 Garfield Street Site Planning Review
1 message
Jscarbsr1 <jscarbsr1@aol.com>Wed, Jan 24, 2024 at 1:18 PM
To: "nchung@northamptonma.gov" <nchung@northamptonma.gov>
Nathan,
Below are some concerns that I have regarding the buildings that will be going in at 14 Garfield St.
for tomorrows meeting.
-Triple-deckers really don't fit into the style of the neighborhood as the majority of the homes are
single family with some two family style homes mixed in. This becomes a small apartment
complex right in the middle of the aforementioned homes.
-I am also very concerned about the sewers, as this area has had many issues just in the short
time that I have been back here. Neighbors have had backups several times where the city has
had to come out to clear the street line. And I know this was an issue years before also.
-Lack of any car charging stations set up in the parking area. Would that require extension cords
to be spread across the parking area? Something that is required if I expand my house over a
certain size from recent meetings that I attended. It would seem like six charging stations would be
needed or conduit put in for future station use, one for each unit.
-It would appear that there will be outdoor lighting needed around the building and in the parking
area, adding to the light pollution that we currently don't have in this area. Again the city is trying to
reduce that from meetings that I have attended.
-Noise pollution. Our area is currently very quiet most of the time from traffic or other sounds.
Increase in traffic, people etc. will be interesting.
-Solar is that just planned or going in during construction? Which is something that the city seems
to be pushing. If not installed at construction time why not?
- Green space. It is very hard to tell how much space is going to be green space. Several large
trees appear to being cut down. The large white spruce tree is close to 100 years old or older. Tt
was a very large tree when I moved here in 1947. Plus a couple of mature sugar maples that
appear to be cut down.
-Traffic and parking on the street. Garfield street is very narrow currently with light traffic and little
to no on-street parking. But with a car parked on the side of the road it makes the street just about
one way. If people park on both sides then I doubt if any traffic could pass. I know 12 spaces are
planned in the back of the buildings, will people always use them or be out on the street. What
happens when each apartment has several guest over what then? Where do they park? I have to
back into my driveway now as it becomes dangerous if we back out into the street. Even backing
in can be a problem if cars will parked to close to our driveway entrances as we can't swing into
our driveway. Plus with the increase of delivery trucks FEDEX Amazon, etc, this will place much
more traffic in our area. Something that we currently do not have. Why no traffic study? It would
seem to be needed.
- Snow removal. With the parking area what happens with all the snow that will be removed in the
winter time? Will it be pushed out to the street, into neighbors yards or hauled away?
Lastly if this is allowed to go through as "a small apartment complex" it would appear that the only
thing that the citizens that like the way our neighborhoods are now is to put "deed restrictions" on
our property to prevent this from happening by developers and the city.
Regards
1/24/24, 2:58 PM City of Northampton Mail - 14 Garfield Street Site Planning Review
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ik=46b15cdcbd&view=pt&search=all&permthid=thread-f:1788996799113613003&simpl=msg-f:1788996799113613003 2/2
Johnny Scarborough Sr.
Garfield St. Florence.