I am writing to alert the citizens of South Hadley to the continuation of the public hearing on the proposed Energy Center of Mount Holyoke College, at the corner of Dunlap Place and Woodbridge Street. This hearing will be before the Planning Board on Monday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Senior Center and virtually.

At the initial part of the hearing, on April 14, no abutters or other attendees spoke in favor of this new building. Here are some of the issues that were raised by those individuals who came to the microphone or wrote in correspondence. 1. This industrial building is out of character in the residential neighborhood where it is slated to be built. Older, historical looking homes, churches, brick municipal buildings, and a brick apartment building encompass this area. The front of the building is to be all glass, to expose brightly colored pipes and other structures inside. 2. The noise emanating from the round-the-clock operation of air handlers, air compressors, and other equipment inside the building, on its roof, and outside on the grounds can be a nuisance and disturbance to the abutters. 3. Mount Holyoke College owns much property and should relocate the building to an area that neither impacts the gateway to South Hadley with an aesthetically unappealing industrial building nor disturbs the abutters’ enjoyment of their homes with 24/7 noise from machinery.

I urge citizens to attend the hearing or to send their comments on this issue to the Planning Board c/o Anne Capra, the director of Planning and Conservation at acapra@southhadleyma.gov.

Martha Terry

South Hadley