Public Comment: Moratorium Will Enable Judicious Planning For A Successful Downtown Design

Editor’s note: Starting this week, The Indy will publish Public Comments offered at Town Council and Committee Meetings, in an effort to increase awareness of concerns of residents that are being voiced to government bodies.  During the Council’s first year, The Indy and some Amherst residents requested that the Town Council accept written comments from the public and that such comments be made available in an accessible public record.  To date, nothing has come of that request.  Those wishing to have their comments posted in The Indy should submit the full text of their comment, specifying the meeting and the date where the comment was made to amherstindy@gmail.com.

The following public comment was made at the Amherst Town Council meeting on March 22, 2021.

Thank you for the opportunity to tell you why I’m asking Council members to vote for the proposal to place a temporary moratorium on development in the Town Center and adjacent areas.

A temporary moratorium would allow time for a consultant to create Design Guidelines for how more housing can be built and combined with small commercial spaces, affordable and varied size living units, onsite parking and wider sidewalks to attract a wider range of tenants; and to support a year round economy.  

It would address the problem that restaurants and other small businesses now face during months of school breaks when patronage drops to 20 percent of normal while overhead remains at 100 percent.  

New guidelines could create an environment where local owners can afford to operate shops, restaurants and services that cater to visitors and year round residents.  Thornes Marketplace in Northampton shows how a collection of small and even micro businesses can draw customers and enliven a town center.

Providing buildings with spaces to accommodate a range of residents and businesses is not just a nicety.  It’s a necessity for a year-round local economy.  

Many community members have spoken in recent months about the need for this type of development downtown.  The Master Plan repeatedly calls for design guidelines. Good guidelines will build community support for new developments and draw people downtown.  

I hope you adopt this important proposal to plan first for outstanding town center design guidelines, and then incorporate them into any zoning changes. 

Janet Keller

Janet Keller is a resident of District One and a board member of the Amherst Community Land Trust.