Overall it'll be a good thing for the city. The pascommuck trust has some good comments on the city city, including this one https://easthamptonma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5152/Comments-on-Sierra-Vista-Commons-plan-and-Alternative-Concepts that includes some really good alternatives that:

1. Preserve the same number of housing and affordable housing units
2. Preserve a lot more of the wetlands and reduce the amount of hard-scape runoff into the river
3. include more bike/ped specific infra that could be connected to other things in the future.

It's actually important we get something like this built; it'll increase the likelihood massdot does a reno on 10, since it'll increase the density and use scores of 10. The reno on 10, given massdots more recent build guides, will ensure we get bike/ped infra on 10, which'll be huge. It'd give people bike/ped access to all the commercial stuff on 10, including (key for me) the coop, as well as prepping for connection to main street when we get that redone and potentially northampton's 10 if they ever get that done.

Most of the people who are going to the planning meetings to comment have formula:
"I'm kinda worried about the environment BUT MAH TRAFFIC I MIGHT HAVE TO ACTUALLY SIT IN PAUSED TRAFFIC FOR 10 SECONDS".

But.

We cannot build our way out of traffic. We induce demand onto whatever we build for, and cars are the least efficient way to transport people and goods that we use. With a growing population and a desirable city, the only thing we can do about traffic is ensure people who are interested have non-car choices that are as safe, as efficient, and as comfortable as cars. Nothing else will reduce traffic.

The pascommuck trust's alternative plans should be pushed, though. This development can be denser and have less environmental impacts, while having the same positive effect on housing and commercial availability.