Map showing the Veazie properties to the left in the R3 zone.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday night referred a proposed zoning change that would allow the Porches Inn to expand northward along Veazie Street.
The petition, submitted on behalf of Berkshire Hills Development LLC by City Council President Benjamin Lamb, asks that four parcels on the south end of Veazie to be rezoned as CC2, heavy business district. The properties are currently in a Residental 3 zone.
"We respectfully request the City Council and the Planning Board hold their required meetings on this Petition togetehr so as to expedite action on the Petition," writes Berkshire Hills' attorney Jeffrey Grandchamp of Grinnell Partners LLC. Amending the zone, he states, "will allow the use of Veazie Street properties in connection with the Porches."
John S. "Jack" Wadsworth Jr. is principal of Berkshire Hills and the Porches Inn.
The four Veazie lots abut the CC2 zone, which includes the Porches, on two sides. The lots are 10, 18-20, 22-24 and 26-28 Veazie. Three of the properties were purchased by Berkshire Hills between 2011 and 2013 and the final one, 18-20 Veazie, in April of last year, for a total of $327,000.
Berkshire Hills says the Veazie properties also cut off access to a portion of its CC2 property on an embankment behind the hotel.
" ... the CC2 Zone renders the lots somewhat isolated from the remainder of the R3 Zone and excluded from the CC2 Zone," the petition states. "Amending the Zoning Map to include the Veazie Street Properties in the CC2 Zone will make the east side of Veazie Street the more intuitive and logical western boundary of the CC2 Zone."
The petition was referred to the Planning Board to set a joint meeting date.
The committee also referred a request by Councilor Eric Buddington on posting minute meetings to the General Government Committee.
Mayor Richard Alcombright read a proclamation declaring May 7-13 as Children's Mental Health Awareness Week.
In other business, the council approved or confirmed:
• The secondhand licneses for James Montepare of McClain Court, Williamstown, for 432 State Road and 69 Main St.; George Apkin of Depot Street, Adams, for Apkin & Sons at 80R State St.; and, new, for Jennifer Howard, Water Street, Williamstown, for Minerva Arts Center doing business as MAC Treasures at 350 State Road.
• Applications for Edward LaCosse of Brayton Hill Terrace, Carmen Hyatt of Town View Lane, Adams, and Lindsay Wilkinson of Oak Hill to drive for RJ Taxi.
• Re-appointment of Michael Canales, city administrative officer, and Timothy Lescarbeau, commissioner of public services, to the Hoosac Water Quality District, both for terms to expire on April 1, 2020.
• A resolution committing the city to adopt an age-friendly strategy for any projects that was adopted unanimously on a roll-call vote with Councilors Josh Moran and Kate Merrigan absent.
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North Adams School Finance Panel Reviews Fiscal 2026 Spending Plan
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Finance & Facilities Committee took a deeper dive this week into next year's school spending plan.
The draft proposal for fiscal 2026 is $21,636,220, up 3.36 percent that will be offset with $940,008 in school choice funds, bringing the total to $20,696,212, or a 2.17 percent increase.
Business and Finance Director Nancy Rauscher said the district's school choice account would be in relatively good shape at the end of fiscal 2026.
As a practice, the district has been to trying not to exceed the prior year's revenue and to maintain a 5 percent surplus for unexpected special education expenses. However, this year's revenue would be about $500,000 so the amount used would be significantly more.
"But given our current balance, we could absorb that in the net result of what we're anticipating in the way of revenue next year," Rauscher said. "Relative to committing $940,000 to school choice spending next year, that would leave us with a projected balance at the end of FY 26 of a little over $1.2 million, and that's about 6 percent of our operating budget."
But committee members expressed concerns about drawing down school choice funds that are projected to decrease in coming years.
"I think mostly we're going to go through this and we're going to see things that this just can't be cut, right? It's just, it is what it is, and if we want to provide, what we can provide," said Richard Alcombright. "How do we prepare for this, this revenue shortfall?"
Ashlyn Lesure scored 18 points, and Regan Shea and Emma Meczywor added 15 and 11, respectively, as the Hurricanes successfully defended their 2024 state crown and won the program’s fourth state title in a run that has seen Hoosac Valley go to the state final nine times since 2014. click for more
The draft proposal for fiscal 2026 is $21,636,220, up 3.36 percent that will be offset with $940,008 in school choice funds, bringing the total to $20,696,212, or a 2.17 percent increase.
click for more
Two members of the family, an adult and a minor, sustained serious injuries; two members of the family, an adult and a minor, sustained minor injuries; and one four-year old child died inside the residence. click for more
Mayor Jennifer Macksey had hoped to gain immediate approval on the purchase-and-sale agreement with the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation but councilors balked at approving a document they'd had for only a few days.
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Moresi & Associates is moving forward with housing in the former Notre Dame School and the Williamstown Theatre Festival is planning performances in North Adams.
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