Category: Uncategorized

Guest Columnist – Benjamin Spencer

June 1, 2025 | Daily Hampshire Gazette

In the month and a half since I pulled papers to run for the position of councilor at large in Northampton it has been great fun to get to meet the residents of the city. While I have been gathering signatures outside farmers markets, community events and city meetings a question I am frequently asked is “why are you running?” That is a great question.

I am running because I want to help.

I want to help people understand how they can engage with their community in ways that are constructive, thoughtful and rewarding. I have seen many people show up at public comment with concerns and questions that they are trying to get answered. Oftentimes those answers are available if you know where to look or who to speak with. I will help you get those answers.

I want to help people understand how the city is working to make Northampton a place where everyone is safe and welcome. There are several projects that have been in the works for a long time that are much needed and about to get underway. The redesign of Main Street, the Resiliency Hub and safety improvements in front of the High School are all examples of projects that came about through public engagement, long term planning and a call for action.

I want to help see more housing get built in the city. I have worked to promote affordable housing being built on Chapel Street, Laurel Street and Cooke Avenue. I have spoken up in support of the infill projects that will provide homes for more people that are walkable, rollable and sustainable because they are close to downtown. I continue to advocate for a significant amount of housing to be built on the large vacant lot on King Street next to the hardware store.

I want to help the City of Northampton live up to our potential. This means planning for both the present and the future at the same time. This means being aware of our history, being mindful of our future and being realistic about our present. Like every other city and town, Northampton has to balance the needs of our community with the realities of the budget. This means we need to make decisions based in reason. I believe it is important to plan ahead.

I want to be a clear choice in the next election. I want you to know who I am and what I will bring to the job. With a long track record of being engaged, collaborative and outspoken, I have demonstrated a willingness and capacity to successfully advocate for what I believe in. With a deep appreciation for everyone who works for the city in all the departments, I will look at the needs of our entire city when it is time to consider the budget.

I want to see everyone in Northampton living their best lives. We are the inheritors of a remarkable place. We can build on that inheritance in a way that serves future generations well. We can do it.

I want to help people find their community.

Letter to the Editor – Benjamin Spencer

April 9, 2024 | Daily Hampshire Gazette

The large vacant lot on King Street is full of possibilities. The property abuts two densely populated neighborhoods, three regional rail trails and a wide range of retail options, and it is easily accessible to downtown. This stretch of King Street is part the Central Business-Gateway District. This district is intended to provide a streetscape that is welcoming, safe and attractive to all users. Mixed-use residential and commercial properties can be found just across the street.

Any development on this vacant lot should build upon what is already nearby. It needs to be comfortable, interesting and useful.Right now there is a need to remind city officials that the Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan commits the city to being a model community for sustainable policies and practices.

Current zoning doesn’t go far enough to protect the goals of the Gateway District. A large automobile dealership could occupy the entire lot if it is granted a special permit from the Planning Board. For this reason, a group of citizens have petitioned the city to change the zoning to no longer allow automobile sales in the Gateway District.

Please attend the combined Planning Board and Legislative Matters meeting on Thursday, April 11 at 7 p.m. in City Council chambers and support the proposed zoning amendment to prohibit auto sales in the Gateway District. We need to ensure the city continues to meet its current and ongoing environmental, social and economic needs without compromising the future for succeeding generations.

Benjamin Spencer
Northampton

Letter to the Editor – Benjamin Spencer

May 15, 2017 | Daily Hampshire Gazette

An editorial published in the Weekend Gazette April 15-16 (“Village Hill developer a smart choice”) declared that the vision for Village Hill Northampton is about to be realized when in fact the outcome has fallen short of the objectives stated in the master plan.

The goal was to create a “vibrant, mixed-use community compatible with surrounding neighborhoods” and avoid building an industrial park and/or subdivision. It is hard to look objectively at the L3 KEO (formerly Kollmorgen) facility and parking lot on the south campus and not think this outcome does not reflect that goal.

The objective to “provide vistas, and especially scenic gateways,” was impacted when access to the rim of the south campus was eliminated. The original master plan had a road, sidewalk and bike path running along this location that would have allowed everyone to enjoy one of the most spectacular views in the Valley. What would have been something wonderful is now off limits, complete with “private property – no trespassing” signs.

The sign at the entrance to Village Hill used to say “Community, Commerce, Culture.” It doesn’t anymore, and that’s too bad. I hope this isn’t an indicator that the developers have given up on the original vision. I trust it wasn’t just jargon.

Why do I care? Because this is my neighborhood, this is my community and this is my city. I’d like to know that what we say matters.

I’m curious to see who ends up occupying the lot in front of L3 that was reserved to “preserve the vision” of the south campus. Maybe the National Priorities Project will move its headquarters up from King Street, just like Kollmorgen did.

I hope that someday L3 will abandon ship and the building that never should have been built comes down, and in its place a vibrant, mixed-use community that benefits everyone and respects this remarkable site is developed instead.

Only then, could it truly be said that the vision for Village Hill has been realized.

Benjamin Spencer
Northampton

Letter to the Editor – Benjamin Spencer

October 24, 2009 | Daily Hampshire Gazette

To the editor:

In every planning document for Village Hill Northampton, we see the intention to create a mixed-use village on the South Campus. The South Campus was to support the residences on the North Campus with a diverse assortment of businesses, including technology, light industry, the arts, education and service.

The plans called for a mixed-use village with a walking-friendly, bustling atmosphere that would draw visitors from across the region.

Now we will have an industrial park. The city’s comprehensive plan, known as “Sustainable Northampton,” seeks to advance environmental, social and economic needs such that future generations will not be compromised. The plan notes “a great advancement in one of these three areas to the detriment of one or two of the others will not be sustainable overall.”

The current site plan for the South Campus is purely economic at the expense of social and environmental concerns. Sustainable Northampton commits the city to becoming a model community for sustainable policies and practices.

It seems to me we have become a bad example instead.

We can do better. This is important. How can we fix this?

Benjamin Spencer
Northampton