[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",5977988,"mediaKeyId","5793262-dc3b3343ddf65e8e33c39cab5641a336","parentId",5793262,"title","Council refers ordinance to allow residential conversion of historic carriage houses and outbuildings","audioSeconds",1109,"startMs",11235000,"endMs",12344000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793262-dc3b3343ddf65e8e33c39cab5641a336&start=11235&end=12344","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793262-dc3b3343ddf65e8e33c39cab5641a336/thumbnail_11235000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5977988/Massachusetts/Council-refers-ordinance-to-allow-residential-conversion-of-historic-carriage-houses-and-outbuildings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5977988-45eb801d1815719fbd6dfce9ccf16dc1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770950369&Signature=OceIEGaCOzKdOSsFqVB3e4eXXbOl~lSbJQw9mpaKGXRB-Z25meTeSzKm6Flw6Qad1SrDj5Mign9ezEgym3scLMqa~W~j335sYGb0Vx8DYTyba4-QZ6tSkyPf3Jvu6j5NXtZYFphc3yi4vDH~5Uv7lYtDxuK-gwTWYvxpVVPW12AW0wYNWur~cUkw3wUZQQ2uT1s8f5sWMNeyAS7H~PCdqx1GHlqo8MjSWMgXyvblgXqinRqaSrQH-8DPmJcaT1U13zvERjJ0ivnrqY4HhxT7IL0BYhnwlJq6E8u8HMB2UVCCOzkKQ3~l5ggrrLfAXEw5oEETmA9F5YViuG-1GB6HVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Northampton City, MA","date","2025-09-19T14:17:46Z","article","Northampton, Massachusetts — The Northampton City Council on Sept. 18 referred a proposed zoning ordinance that would make it easier to convert qualifying historic accessory structures — carriage houses, barns and similar outbuildings — into residential units.

The ordinance, introduced by Councilor Marissa Elkins (sponsor absent at the meeting) and Council President Alex Jarrett, would permit residential conversion of accessory structures in several residential zoning districts when the structure meets historic‑scale criteria, preserves character‑defining features and complies with building and fire codes. The draft sets several guardrails: a qualifying accessory structure must be predominantly historic (70% built before 1976), changes must preserve defining features “to the extent feasible,” height and setback limitations apply and density and dimensional standards for each zoning district would remain in force. The draft waives additional parking requirements for accessory structures under 1,000 square feet but requires parking where units exceed that size.

Proponents said the policy aims to preserve historic buildings while adding housing opportunities through reuse rather than demolition. Council President Alex Jarrett said the measure is intended to encourage smaller, less‑disruptive infill housing and to reduce demolition‑related environmental impacts; the ordinance text estimates roughly 900 accessory structures in the affected zoning districts.

During discussion Councilor Moulton highlighted two guardrails she viewed as important: the subsection that establishes a cutoff date for allowable nonconforming footprints (to prevent later expansions that would materially enlarge a nonconforming structure) and a provision that the ordinance would not override existing dimensional and density rules for each district. Director Mish (planning/building staff) and Mayor Shera answered questions about short‑term‑rental enforcement and reminded the council that short‑term rental rules and local fee revenues are handled under separate procedures and that enforcement capacity affects how detailed any prohibition on rentals could be.

Council action: Councilor Jarrett moved and Councilor Maiori seconded referral of the draft ordinance to the Historical Commission, Northampton Housing Partnership, the Legislative Matters Committee and the Planning Board for review and public comment. The referral motion carried by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The council noted anticipated committee schedules: the Historical Commission will consider the proposal at its next meeting and the Housing Partnership is expected to take it up on Oct. 6; further public hearings will be scheduled as the committees provide recommended changes.

The council and staff stressed that any conversion proposal will also need to meet state and local building and fire codes; those codes and inspections may limit which accessory structures are physically feasible to convert. The sponsors and staff emphasized that the plan is a city‑level zoning tool — it does not automatically permit demolition or expansion beyond existing density limits — and that final changes would come back to the council after committee review.

Ending — next steps: The ordinance will be reviewed by the Historical Commission, the Housing Partnership, Legislative Matters and the Planning Board; the council encouraged public participation in those hearings and said committee recommendations will inform any subsequent council vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Northampton City Council | September 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council referred a zoning change that would permit qualifying historic accessory structures to be converted to residential use — subject to conditions on age, preservation of character‑defining features, parking thresholds and compliance with building and fire codes — to multiple boards for review.","taxTitle","Northampton City, Hampshire County, Massachusetts","taxId",68541,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5977994,"Northampton council unanimously urges city to divest from companies tied to Israel–Palestine rights violations",2280,8310000,10590000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793262-dc3b3343ddf65e8e33c39cab5641a336&start=8310&end=10590","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793262-dc3b3343ddf65e8e33c39cab5641a336/thumbnail_8310000.jpg","/articles/5977994/Massachusetts/Northampton-council-unanimously-urges-city-to-divest-from-companies-tied-to-IsraelPalestine-rights-violations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5977994-4abf56a70d34c52b39fb6aef37056914/orig.mp4?Expires=1770950369&Signature=khmqiJP9ls0efYbOvojV8SawV5YhGajdDOZQ3Pk3ASFaXf8Ovrw1DRBTHmXat49mmvqijeaDQHGsox-B5QkdSQvq5XtzfHVRzKOgZ0g80MSpsjUq~ICzMpnbX~z9zg4jx2aitHEbz~7cgIe3-O4-DcigV7IvNnYeLBO1-9q3kxHlPbDIJcQx~v9tEFAN9PY6SwUWQ~fWha7qPVqX-FwU3HnX2Rnh75Oy9Og9BD1e6fQXEeczr9PAZ~FPXguldKwScyUkxaDSiBUltNCQlXyT3rI7BpvVqdDarHAqFtWxsQTF8WjYjgCeqgf3Rykmu6bwXpC8qp1JAx2nxo31hn3GRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Northampton, Massachusetts — On Sept. 18, 2025, the Northampton City Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution urging the city treasurer and the Northampton Retirement Board to divest from and refrain from future investments in companies the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) has identified as substantially and intentionally complicit in human rights violations in Israel and Palestine, and to complete divestment within two years.

The measure, introduced by Councilors Dobbs, Moulton and Maiori, asks municipal officials to notify investment advisers and fund managers of the city’s desire to avoid those companies and requests that the clerk send the resolution to state and federal officials. The resolution cited reports and findings from human rights organizations that it says justify the action; council sponsors emphasized the vote as a local, legal, nonviolent step aligned with prior Northampton positions on national policy.

Councilors and the mayor told the chamber the local financial exposure is small in dollar terms but meaningful in principle. Councilor Moulton said the city’s current direct holdings in companies that appeared on AFSC’s January list amounted to about $71,000 — roughly 0.62% of the city’s total investments — and argued that any amount is at odds with the city’s stated humanitarian values. Mayor Shera (spoke during the meeting) told councilors that the AFSC list has changed since January and that municipal retirement accounts contain no holdings from the AFSC list; she said the city’s outside investment manager reported the current exposure in the city’s pooled accounts was down to two companies, naming General Electric and the First International Bank of Israel as the remaining direct exposures from the earlier list.

Public comment before the vote featured more than an hour of testimony with dozens of speakers for and against the resolution. Supporters described the measure as a moral and practical step to avoid municipal complicity in rights violations. Rivka Niesensweig, who identified herself as an Israeli American and the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, said passing the resolution “would be honoring my ancestors, honoring my people.” Several speakers who said they are Jewish or have family ties to Israel urged the council to act; others said divestment could inspire other towns to follow. Opponents argued the municipal action would be symbolic, risk unfairly targeting Israeli citizens and businesses, or do more harm than good. Veronica Darman, of Northampton, told the council that because the city is thousands of miles from the conflict “boycotting or divesting … is actually not helping anyone affected by the war.”

Council procedure: Councilor Rothenberg moved to suspend the rules and permit a vote that night; that motion passed. The final motion to adopt the resolution was made by Councilor Maiori and seconded by Councilor Moulton. The council conducted a roll‑call vote: Council President Alex Jarrett, Councilor Rachel Maiori, Councilor Clemmer, Councilor LaBarge, Councilor Moulton, Councilor Dobbs and Councilor Rothenberg all voted yes; the resolution passed 7–0.

The resolution asks the treasurer and the retirement board to: (1) divest from companies identified as substantially and intentionally complicit in human‑rights violations in Israel and Palestine and refrain from future purchases of Israel bonds; (2) complete divestment within two years where feasible; and (3) direct investment advisers and fund managers to remove those companies from the city’s investment products. The resolution also directs the clerk to send copies to the mayor, the city treasurer, the retirement board chair and state and federal elected officials.

Officials said the AFSC list is not static and that companies could be removed from the list if they change behavior; the resolution relies on AFSC’s investigatory work. The council also noted local precedent for value‑based divestment: the body adopted a fossil‑fuel divestment position in 2013 and the mayor issued executive policy limiting contracts with nuclear weapons manufacturers in 2018.

What happens next: The resolution is an instruction to the treasurer and the retirement board rather than an immediate forced sale; city staff and the retirement board and their advisers will work through the technical and legal steps needed to implement divestment over the two‑year window, and the clerk will circulate the resolution to the public officials named in the text.

Ending — context and limits: Supporters called the vote a local, nonviolent tool to press for human rights accountability; opponents called it symbolic and potentially divisive. The council framed the measure as a narrow financial policy change tied to outside research (AFSC) and as consistent with past Northampton actions on values‑based investment policy.","On Sept. 18 the Northampton City Council approved a resolution urging the city treasurer and retirement board to divest from companies the American Friends Service Committee identifies as complicit in human rights violations in Israel and Palestine and to refrain from future investments, with a two‑year implementation window.","actionData","errors"]

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Council refers ordinance to allow residential conversion of historic carriage houses and outbuildings

Northampton council unanimously urges city to divest from companies tied to Israel–Palestine rights violations