Candidates Identified For Zoning Board Openings

The Community Resources Committee (CRC) of the Town Council will conduct interviews for the two full positions and four associate positions on the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). The interviews are scheduled for Thursday, June 15 at 11:30 a.m. They will be conducted over Zoom at https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/89068238884#success  and will be recorded. 

The terms of Tammy Parks and Dillon Maxfield are expiring, and they have opted not to apply for another three-year term. However, both will continue to serve until the hearings they are now sitting on are concluded. Two of those now serving as associate members, Sarah Marshall and David Sloviter, have applied for the full positions. Other applicants are Hilda Greenbaum, Paul Peelle, and Philip White. All have submitted statements of interest (SOI) that can be read here. 

In her SOI, former member of the Recreation Committee and Community Preservation Act Committee, Sarah Marshall states that she feels prepared to be a full member of the ZBA after sitting on several panels as an associate. She acknowledges she has no training in architecture, planning, or construction, but says she has demonstrated that she can listen respectfully and ask insightful questions. She adds that, although her husband Doug is chair of the Planning Board, their duties have not conflicted, and he has “served as a resource for me as I develop my understanding of the zoning bylaw and construction, site plans, and planning jargon and procedures. However, I have never sought his opinion about the matters before the ZBA.”

David Sloviter cites his 35 years as a business owner and a small-scale real estate developer, which gave him experience in design, construction, and zoning. He has also served on several boards of directors in Colorado and Philadelphia. He said, after sitting on several panels on the ZBA, he has a greater understanding of what is involved and feels ready to serve as a full member of the ZBA.

Hilda Greenbaum has lived in the valley on and off since attending Mount Holyoke College in 1954. She and her husband purchased an old house in Amherst in the 1970’s and then continued to rescue old houses until they owned two dozen properties. All but four of the properties are now owned by her children. Hilda served on the ZBA for eight years in the past and chaired hearings for Village Park, Butternut Farms, and Olympia Oaks affordable housing developments. She also served as Town Assessor for six years. In her statement, she says, “Hearings are important opportunities for abutters to be heard, and to know that board members are listening fairly and impartially. The best decision is one that balances the needs of an applicant to achieve a viable project with the needs of abutters to quiet enjoyment of their homes. Each application is judged on its own merits—there are no precedents. It is very difficult for abutters to appeal a special permit unless serious damages from completion of a project can be demonstrated, so it is incumbent upon the Board to craft rigorous conditions for a permit!”

Although 50-year resident Paul Peelle is a retired high school math teacher, he notes in his SOI that he has a degree in Civil Engineering and is interested in promoting public transportation. He served on the committee that fought to keep the Amtrak station in Amherst, as well as several other committees. He is currently president of Valley Light Opera.

Philip White is new to Amherst, moving here to attend Amherst College and pursue a degree in Economics and Political Science. He previously resided in Wilmington, North Carolina where he served on several boards, including the Young Executives Board of Directors for “A Safe Place,” an organization that assists victims of human trafficking, and the North Hanover County Parks Board of Directors. After an unsuccessful run for Wilmington City Council, he decided, at age 41, to return to school. He concludes his SOI, saying, “I believe that I am an ideal candidate for this position, because of my passion, as well as my vast knowledge of the subject material. I am driven, detail-oriented, and I possess a passion for service.”

After the interviews, the CRC will decide which applicants to recommend to the Town Council at its June 26 meeting.  Criteria for ZBA appointment, including those recommended by current ZBA Chair Steve Judge are listed here. The public can watch the interviews on Zoom, but may not participate. All applicants will be asked the same questions =, which they have been given prior to the meeting. Unlike in previous interviews, follow up questions by CRC members will be permitted.