<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Rob: The Town of Amherst has an approved plan to remove the parking lot at the north end of the Town Common and replace it with landscaping, paths, benches etc. I believe it is currently under construction. All 34 parking spaces are being removed, although a few of them will be added back through the adjacent road reconfiguration.<div>Here's a link to the project site.</div><div><a href="https://www.amherstma.gov/3395/North-Common-Project">North Common Project | Amherst, MA - Official Website (amherstma.gov)</a></div><div><br></div><div>Bob<div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div><font color="#000099" size="4" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br></font></div><div><font color="#000099" size="4" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Bob Mitchell FAICP</font></div><div>Planning Consultant</div><div>Land Use, Planning, Zoning, & Training Programs</div><div>151 Tremont Street Suite 23A</div><div>Boston, MA 02111</div><div>617-512-9751 (c)<span></span><span></span></div><div><a href="mailto:MitchellFAICP@gmail.com" target="_blank">MitchellFAICP@gmail.com</a></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Jan 2, 2024 at 3:14 PM Rob May via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Happy New Year Everyone, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The City of Brockton has been working on a project to
convert a tired old surface parking lot into a vibrant public space called
Sycamore Grove. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Oddly enough, for some reason, the project has generated
some controversy. Go figure. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Apparently, it will be the end of the world if we lose 24 of
the 500 parking spaces we have within 1,000 linear feet of this location. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">What I hope you all can help me with are examples of other
communities that have turned parking lots into public spaces. I know of one in Cambridge (Starlight) and
one in New Bedford (Customs House Square), but I would love to have a few more examples,
local or national. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Thanks for your help. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rob </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">*Great, now I've got Joni Mitchell stuck in my head </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </p></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>Rob May, CEcD<br></div><div dir="ltr"><div><font size="2">Director of Planning and Economic Development</font></div><div><font size="2">City of Brockton</font></div><div><font size="2">45 School Street</font></div><div><font size="2">Brockton, MA 02301</font></div><div><font size="2">508-580-7113</font></div><div><font size="2"><a href="mailto:rmay@cobma.us" target="_blank">rmay@cobma.us</a></font></div><div>He/Him/His<br></div><div><br></div><div><b style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font color="#e69138">Click here to see:</font></b><br style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><a href="https://vimeo.com/citybrockton/wherebetterbegins" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Where Better Begins</a><br></div><div><br></div><div><img src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4yoFG-59dNVC4ANyrJDHy61moB7tI2s-x1ZP13d-WMuhsAgq1idXGIi2DawnCPo91YiQC9J-v0" width="96" height="60"><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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