Petition Asks Council And Planning Board To Stop Wasting Time On Widely Criticized Zoning Proposal

A petition making its way to residents of Amherst asks the Town Council and Planning Board to save time and money by immediately rejecting a slate of proposed zoning amendments that would weaken town oversight of development. The proposal has been severely criticized by many housing advocates residents, Planning Department professionals, members of the Zoning Board of Appeals, members of the Town Council, and members of the Planning Board, but has managed to stay in play and take up valuable time and energy.

The purpose of the zoning amendment package, which was created by Councilors Mandi Jo Hanneke (at large) and Pat DeAngelis (District 2), is to make it easier to build duplexes, triplexes, and town houses, and to convert large houses into multiple-unit apartments. These are already allowed in parts of Amherst, such as the dense neighborhoods near UMass and downtown Amherst, where there are dozens of duplexes, triplexes, town houses, converted houses, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). There, “easier” means faster, with less oversight and no neighborhood input. In other parts of Amherst, although noticeably not the aquifer recharge district that overlaps with parts of Amherst Woods and Amherst Hills, “easier” means allowing multi-unit structures with the same slim oversight and public discussion.

The petition asking the Council and Planning Board to reject the slate of proposed regulations was created by an informal group of Amherst residents who meet regularly to discuss ways that planning and development in Amherst might be improved. They agree wholeheartedly with the stated goals of the proposed changes — to increase affordable housing and diversity — but also agree with housing advocates and other critics who say it will not accomplish those goals. Why would it, as it trades government oversight for regulation by the marketplace, which in Amherst is mostly development of and investment in rentals by the bed for undergraduate students.

“We created the petition because we are confident that the director of the Planning Department, Christine Brestrup, knows what she’s talking about when she shows how the proposed zoning changes won’t create more affordability or diversity than what we’re already doing here,” noted Kitty Axelson-Berry, who is part of the informal group. She added, “Instead of speeding up affordable housing and a diverse population, it seems that the proposed changes would primarily empower real estate interests to build — and charge — whatever the market will bear, whatever will bring in the highest returns on investments. Also, by getting rid of annoying abutter notices and public participation, outside investors with no ties to Amherst will have an even easier time of the process. In contrast, I do think some of the local developers care about their reputation and legacy. I’ve spoken with Barry Roberts, for example, about the importance of  these when he was my landlord.”

Axleson-Berry notes that at a recent meeting of the Planning Board, which has to look into the proposal and make a recommendation to the town council, there was enthusiasm to reject the package as a whole now, rather than continue reviewing it line by line and trying to fix it. That way, the town can get back to work planning, and studying what works and what hasn’t worked in other small towns with large universities as much as two or three times their size.

A copy of the petition can be found here.  Links to recent articles about the proposal can be found here.