Sunderland, Massachusetts

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Sunderland, Massachusetts
nickname =
motto =


imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Streetside in Sunderland
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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Franklin County in Massachusetts


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Massachusetts
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Franklin
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1713
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1714
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
government_type = Open town meeting
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 38.3
area_total_sq_mi = 14.8
area_land_km2 = 37.3
area_land_sq_mi = 14.4
area_water_km2 = 1.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0.4
population_as_of = 2000
settlement_type = Town
population_total = 3777
population_density_km2 = 101.4
population_density_sq_mi = 262.5
elevation_m = 152
elevation_ft = 500
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 42 |latm = 28 |lats = 0 |latNS = N
longd = 72 |longm = 34 |longs = 45 |longEW = W
website = http://www.townofsunderland.us/
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 01375
area_code = 413
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 25-68400
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0618176
footnotes =

Sunderland is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, part of the Pioneer Valley. The population was 3,777 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Sunderland was first settled in 1713 and was officially incorporated in 1714. It was first known as Swampfield, a name which is now honored by Swampfield Road, but the name was changed to attract more residents.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 14.8 square miles (38.3 km²), of which, 14.4 square miles (37.3 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (2.77%) is water.

Sunderland is on east bank the Connecticut River. It borders the towns of South Deerfield, Hadley, Leverett, Montague and Amherst. Mount Toby, a prominent conglomerate mountain with a firetower lookout, stands at the east border of the town and is traversed by the 47 mile Robert Frost Trail. The mountain is known for its waterfalls, scenic vista, and biologically diverse ecosystem.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 3,777 people, 1,633 households, and 765 families residing in the town. The population density was 262.5 people per square mile (101.3/km²). There were 1,668 housing units at an average density of 115.9/sq mi (44.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.77% White, 2.36% African American, 0.26% Native American, 6.43% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.06% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% of the population.

There were 1,633 households out of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.1% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town the population was spread out with 18.2% under the age of 18, 21.6% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,147, and the median income for a family was $53,021. Males had a median income of $36,779 versus $30,526 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,024. About 4.2% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Commerce

There are two 7-11's, a Dunkin Donuts, a Subway, a hairdresser, a self service laundry, a Greenfield Cooperative Bank, a doggy daycare and a few convenience stores in Sunderland. The upscale Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland is located at the site of the old town hall. [cite web
last =Nelen
first =Mary
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Life Is a Cabaret - Blue Heron celebrates its tenth anniversary by bringing Moulin Rouge to Sunderland.
work =The Valley Advocate
publisher =
date = 2007-11-08
url =http://www.valleyadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=4096
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-12-27]

Housing and development

The town makes use of an Agricultural Preservation Restriction Program. The development rights to farmland are bought up for 80% of the assessed value of the land. This allows farming to continue on the land but prevents residential and commercial development of the land. [Town of Sunderland, MA Annual Report 2006,2007-03-02] Such actions though, have resulted in negative economic consequences and this is something that economists are becoming increasingly concerned about. [cite web
last =Feitshans, Extension Specialist
first =Ted
authorlink =
coauthors =Mitch Renkow, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
title =Farmland Preservation: Law and Economics
work =Agricultural and Resource Economics
publisher =North Carolina State University
date = 2002-03
url =http://www.ag-econ.ncsu.edu/VIRTUAL_LIBRARY/ECONOMIST/Marapr02.PDF
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-05-17] Price houses at Sunderland are at an all time high which is in part due to restrictions on the supply of housing. This has the effect of forcing out young first time home buyers who cannot afford to buy in the town. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Massachusetts residents leaving for new borders
work =Serghino René
publisher =The Boston Bay State Banner
date = 2004-02-15
url =http://www.baystatebanner.com/issues/2007/02/15/news/news02150705.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-05-17] Although desirable for current homeowners because of appreciating home values, the gentrification effect means that the town starts to become a place for wealthy second home owners and ceases to function as an ordinary town. According to Professor Barry Bluestone at the Center for Urban and Regional Policy, Northeastern University this is a Statewide phenomenon. Very few towns want additional development and yet the demand for housing during this time has increased. Many towns including Sunderland do everything in their power to inhibit further housebuilding by creating as much of a regulatory and fiscal burden as possible. [cite web
last =Bluestone
first =Barry
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =The Housing Crisis
work =
publisher =Center for Urban and Regional Policy, Northeastern University
date = 2001
url =http://www.curp.neu.edu/visualdata/pdfs/Urban%20Policy%20Seminar.The%20Housing%20Crisis.ppt
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-05-17] According to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, between 1980 and 2003, the nation’s largest overall percentage increase in housing prices occurred in Massachusetts. The cost of rental housing has grown similarly. A recent study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition rated Massachusetts as being the least affordable state in which to rent an apartment in 2003. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =Michael D. Goodman, Ph.D.
coauthors =
title =Winners and Losers in the Massachusetts Housing Market
work =
publisher =Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership
date = 2004-01
url =http://www.chapa.org/pdf/WinnersandLosers.pdf
format =
doi =
accessdate =2007-05-17]

The town also has a significant number of rental housing units that are home to many students from the neighboring colleges.

ugarbush Meadows complex controversy

A new development called Sugarbush Meadows complex has been proposed by Amherst developer Scott Nielsen. It would permanently designate 25 percent of its units for low-income or subsidized housing. He proposed to build the apartment complex off Plumtree Road. [cite web
last =CRIS
first =CARL
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Sunderland board holds off on housing project; members indicate they are against it
work =
publisher =The Daily Hampshire Gazette
date = 2007-11-16
url =http://www.gazettenet.com/newsroom/print.cfm?id=49383E74-D938-44A2-84A959842824B6A8
format =
doi =
accessdate =2007-12-20] The project is a 40B project, a state category covering low-income housing that encourages the building of affordable housing to help ameliorate Massachusetts' high cost of homes. However the plan has been heavily resisted by the town after a series of very tense public meetings of the town's zoning board. Both the zoning board and local residents did not want an increase in the town's population. They were also opposed to altering the aesthetic nature of the town and wished to keep it as rural as possible. The population of the local vicinity has not grown for over 15 years, according to county figures. This contrasts sharply with significant population growth in the USA where there is a national need to increase the number of housing units. [cite web
last =CRIS
first =CARL Special to The Recorder
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Sunderland ZBA weighs in on 150-apt. complex
work =
publisher =The Recorder (Greenfield)
date = 2007-11-17
url =http://www.recorder.com/print_friendly.cfm?id_no=4625487
format =
doi =
accessdate =2007-12-20]

ee also

*Pioneer Valley
*Anti-snob zoning
*Mount Toby
*Robert Frost Trail.

References