- MA
- Hampshire County
- 3/27/24
- 03/28/2024
- 94 Minutes
- Noteworthy
- Highly Noteworthy
- Routine
Overview: The Amherst Conservation Commission met on March 27, 2024, to address various environmental concerns and development projects that pose potential impacts on local wetlands and conservation areas. The most newsworthy topic of the meeting was the discussion surrounding a significant violation involving unauthorized cutting and heavy equipment use on a landlocked parcel, leading to clear-cutting on the bank of a stream and in a bordering vegetated wetland (BVW). The commission issued a cease and desist order to the neighbor believed responsible for the violation and began coordinating with the damaged property’s landowner.
- MA
- Hampshire County
- 3/26/24
- 03/28/2024
- 92 Minutes
- Noteworthy
- Highly Noteworthy
- Routine
Overview: The Amherst Community Resources Committee recently engaged in a review of a draft solar bylaw that has been in development for the past 18 months. In a meeting marked by discussion, the committee examined the need for further refinement of the bylaw, which aims to regulate large-scale ground-mounted solar installations while considering environmental impacts and state laws. Concerns were also voiced regarding the bylaw’s potential to deter developers given the and labor-intensive review process, and the necessity of a separate battery storage bylaw was debated.
- MA
- Hampshire County
- 3/21/24
- 03/22/2024
- 128 Minutes
- Noteworthy
- Highly Noteworthy
- Routine
Overview: In a recent meeting of the Amherst Planning Board, several substantial items were discussed, with a particular emphasis on improving the town’s public safety infrastructure. The board considered significant investments in emergency services equipment, including a new radio communication system for police and fire departments, mechanical CPR devices for ambulances, and hybrid vehicles for the police fleet. Additionally, conversations revolved around the integration of radio frequency systems, the potential adoption of electric vehicles, and the replacement of outdated technology across public safety departments.
- MA
- Hampshire County
- 3/19/24
- 03/22/2024
- 73 Minutes
- Noteworthy
- Highly Noteworthy
- Routine
Overview: In a recent Amherst Finance Committee meeting, focus was placed on the concern over the proposed $20,000 appropriation transfer order for the study of a potential East Amherst local historic district and the intricacies of the budget review process, particularly its impact on the school budget. The committee decided to recommend approval of the appropriation transfer order, excluding the funds for the East Amherst local historic district, and to communicate their concerns about the project’s wording to the Community Preservation Act Committee.
- MA
- Hampshire County
- 3/18/24
- 03/22/2024
- 253 Minutes
- Noteworthy
- Highly Noteworthy
- Routine
Overview: In a development during the Amherst Town Council meeting, members voted to approve the reauthorization of a $1.5 million Regional School debt for a track project at the Amherst Regional High School. The project, which has been a topic of much debate, includes several options ranging from maintaining the current track to relocating and expanding it with various infield choices. The decision to recommend reauthorizing the debt was not without its concerns; councilors expressed reservations regarding the uncertainty of the final project, long-term maintenance, funding sources, stormwater drainage, and the alignment with the Athletic Facility strategic plan. Despite these issues, the council moved forward with the recommendation, noting that failing to reauthorize the debt would result in the loss of funds from both the regional school budget and the town’s capital budget.