Southampton Greenway

Southampton OKs greenway study
by The Republican Newsroom
Tuesday May 20, 2008, 9:33 PM
By NANCY H. GONTER
ngonter@repub.com

SOUTHAMPTON - Despite some vocal opponents, voters at tonight annual Town Meeting agreed to spend $25,000 for a feasibility study for a "greenway" and $5,000 for an appraisal of the land on the proposed two-mile trail.

The vote comes 13 years after voters turned town creation of a bike path, when it failed to get the two-thirds majority it needed for the creation of the path.

This time, a private group called Friends of the Southampton Greenway held a series of informational speaker sessions in the months before Town Meeting and instead of asking for a paved bike path, chose to do a study to determine what type of path should be created.

Some of those who spoke at the meeting said approval of the study was tantamount to approval of the bike path.

"A feasibility study is the first step to a bike path. I don't think anyone is under the impression this will be a non-feasibility study. The question is if you want it and how you fund it," said Michael Sacco, 116 Brickyard Road.

Albert E. Brunette Sr., of 64 Line St., questioned how a private group that did not have public meetings could get money appropriated.

"It sounds like anyone can form a group, go to the Community Preservation Committee and that is all required to bring it before Town Meeting," Brunette said.

Virginia H. Ahart, chairwoman of the Community Preservation Committee, said members of the committee felt the study was needed so "an educated vote can on the greenway" can be made. Both the study and the appraisal will be funded with community preservation money.

"We felt the voters of Southampton should have all the information possible so they can make an educated guess if and when the greenway itself comes to a vote," Ahart said.

Martha T. Issod, of 8 Golden Circle, a member of the Friends of Southampton Greenway, said the study will answer questions including what type of surface the path should have and what route it would take. Currently the proposal calls for a two-mile path from the Easthampton city line to Route 10 near Brickyard Road.

With 254 people registered to vote at the meeting, 179 voted in favor of the study. Following the vote on the study, a few people left the meeting and the appraisal was approved on a voice vote. Dozens of people left the meeting after the greenway vote was completed as the Town Meeting moved on to the town budget and other matters.

Other expenditures of community preservation money that were approved included $6,000 for repair of veterans' graves in the Center Cemetery; $6,000 to preserve town historical records held by the Southampton Congregational Church; and $3,500 to preserve historic records at the Edwards Library.

Voters also approved a $12.8 million fiscal year 2009 budget which is 3.2 percent higher than this year's budget. Town Administrator Diana M. Schindler said that there is only one new position in the budget, a highway department employee, and that is because the Highway Department is expected to take over responsibility for town cemeteries.

"We are trying to be as efficient as we can for the least amount of money," Schindler said.

Greenway up to the voters
http://www.masslive.com/republican/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-13/120738012218320.xml&coll=1
Sunday, April 06, 2008By NANCY H. GONTERngonter@repub.com
SOUTHAMPTON - The town's voters in May will get their first chance to weigh in on whether they want a greenway to run from the town line to Route 10.

A request from Friends of the Southampton Greenway for $30,000 of Community Preservation funds for an appraisal and feasibility study will come before voters on the second day of Town Meeting which is expected to be May 21 at 7 p.m.

Their proposal is substantially different than the "bike path" shot down by voters 10 years ago. In this case, supporters are billing it as a "linear park" that could have a soft surface instead of pavement. Also, it ends at Route 10 near Sheldon's ice cream stand and does not extend to the Brickyard Road area as it did previously.

In 1995 and 1996, an initiative of a bike path committee fell short of the two-thirds majority needed at two Town Meetings to have the town appropriate $75,000 for its share to get a $1.35 million grant. That money would have been used to purchase nearly six miles of rail bed.

Easthampton has built most of its 11-mile Manhan Rail Trail which now ends at South Street. The design of the remaining three-quarters of a mile, which will bring it to the Southampton town line near Coleman Road, should happen this summer with construction next year, according to City Planner Stuart B. Beckley.

Jennifer A. (Roberge) Nearey, a member of Friends of the Greenway and a resident of Brickyard Road, said that she hopes that town residents have experienced the Manhan Rail Trail and will understand how the greenway could work in Southampton.

"They have all seen the Manhan Rail Trail and how wonderful it is," Nearey said.

Also, 10 years ago the only choice was a paved trail. Now, a soft surface of packed stone or a paved trail could be used, depending on what residents would prefer, she said.

The greenway proposal is shorter than that for the bike path because Pinsly Railroad Co. Inc. of Westfield, which owns the land, decided it wants to keep the area near Brickyard Road to store rail cars, Nearey said.

There is $400,000 in the state transportation budget that could be used to construct the greenway, but the town would need to show its support and state officials would have to approve it. The feasibility study will look at whether that is enough money to pay for the design and construction of the path in Southampton.

Comments sought on greenway
Springfield Republican
Tuesday, October 02, 2007By NANCY H. Gonter ngonter@repub.com  http://tinyurl.com/27coz2
SOUTHAMPTON - A group that hopes the town will consider a greenway that could be used for hiking, biking and cross-country skiing, has started an effort to educate the community about the idea.

"Where we are is public awareness," said Martha T. Issod, a member of Friends of the Southampton Greenway.

The group started a speaker series relating to greenways in September and approximately 40 people attended, Issod said.
 
On Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m., greenway expert Jerry Kilma of Salisbur will speak at the Edwards Public Library meeting room at 30 East St. He will discuss volunteer organization, building and obtaining corporate support, management and liability issues for municipal government.

Right now, Friends of the Greenway just want to answer questions residents may have about a greenway, which is different from a bike path in that it can have uses other than bicycling.

"It's a learning experience for the entire community, us included. We've never done this before. It's a way to ask questions and help the town decide if they want a greenway and if so, what type," Issod said.

In 1995 and 1996, efforts of a bike path committee fell short of the two-thirds majority needed at two Town Meetings to have the town appropriate $75,000 for its share to get a $1.35 million grant. That money would have been used to purchase nearly 6 miles of rail bed.

Easthampton, which was Southampton's partner in a proposed 11-mile rail trail, moved forward and built the Manhan Rail Trail which now ends at South Street.

Easthampton City Planner Stuart B. Beckley said the final three-quarters of the trail must still be built, extending it to Coleman Road at the Southampton line. That $750,000 project, which is being overseen by the Massachusetts Highway Department, may be constructed this summer, he said.

The Southampton trail will connect to the Manhan Rail Trail, but it will not connect to Westfield because the Pioneer Valley Railroad does not plan to sell the section of the corridor from the Westfield line to the crossing at Route 10, according to the Friends of the Greenway Web site www.southamptongreenway.org

Without that link, the Southampton greenway would not cross Route 10 and will not go behind houses on Brickyard Road, according to the Web site.

There is $400,000 is still in the state transportation bond, but it will not be released unless the town votes in favor of the project, and it would have to be approved by state officials and Gov. Deval M. Patrick, said Craig P. Della Penna, executive director of the Northampton-based Northeast Greenway Solutions. That would only pay for the purchase of the land, he said.