August 25, 2008 Public Forum

It took two years and eight major public forums to create a Land Use Plan for the 4,000 acres, mostly flood plain, called the Meadows that borders the Connecticut River in Northampton.

In its second public forum held on August 25, 2008 at JFK Middles School, the Committee brought many of the original participants farmers, residents, business owners, city staff and elected officials together for the first time since the Meadows plan was accepted.

The purpose was to record the story of what most consider a difficult but largely successful public process told by the people who made it happen. Participants included Marilyn Richards who was then Ward 3 Councilor , Councilor Bob Reckman, who was then Ward 3 Neighborhood Association President, Gerald Budgar organizer of the Meadows Coalition and Carolyn Misch the city’s senior planner as well as Director of Planning Wayne Feiden.

(A video recording of the event is downloadable here with thanks to Adam Cohen and the North Street Association)

The Committee prepared a written report summarizing the forum and the "lessons learned" it produced.