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Amherst
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Planning Board

Meetings of the Planning Board are open to the public. MeetingWatch transcribes and analyzes every session.

11 meetings tracked 33% responsive → Latest May 20 History since Jan 2026
Recent activity
Last meetings at a glance.
May 20 · Routine › May 6 · Contentious › Apr 15 · Routine › Apr 1 · Contentious › Mar 18 · Routine ›
Community responsiveness
33% → stable
12 addressed · 13 partial · 31 unaddressed
11 analyzed, most recent first
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Golden Valley Way Holdings LLC - Industrial Site Plan & Conditional Use — Potential risk to groundwater quality and wetland ecosystem health via industrial runoff.
3 public comments 10 decisions awaiting minutes
Routine Zoning Change
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
The meeting was marked by high emotional tension, with residents expressing deep distrust of the developer and frustration with the board's perceived legal helplessness.
9 public comments 11 decisions 2 not addressed awaiting minutes
Contentious Zoning Change
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Regional impact determinations for various developments — Determines the level of notification and potential scrutiny required from neighboring municipalities regarding septic, schools, and stormwater.
awaiting minutes
Routine Zoning Change
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
A heavily attended public hearing on a court-remanded, previously denied housing development drew six opposing speakers, an official Heritage Commission objection, unresolved legal questions about density bonus eligibility, and unusually blunt board language about property conditions — producing sustained tension between residents, the developer, and board members throughout the latter half of the meeting.
6 public comments 8 decisions 4 not addressed awaiting minutes
Contentious Zoning Change
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Abutters voiced targeted objections on noise, parking scale, and conservation commitments, but dialogue remained constructive with partial mitigations offered and no board division.
4 public comments 2 decisions 1 not addressed awaiting minutes
Routine
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
The meeting consisted of a retirement tribute and routine procedural items with uniformly positive public comments and no substantive disagreements.
2 public comments 4 decisions awaiting minutes
Routine
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Strong public opposition from 11 speakers on traffic, safety and compliance issues was largely unaddressed while the board split 4-1 to approve over explicit dissent
11 public comments 3 decisions 8 not addressed awaiting minutes
Contentious Zoning Change
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Kent Service Station development over aquifer — Automotive repair facility with spill prevention measures in aquifer protection district
3 public comments 11 decisions awaiting minutes
Routine Safety Change
Friday, January 23, 2026
High public turnout with 17 speakers, detailed opposition from abutters' counsel, and board motion to deny created clear tension despite the continuance vote
17 public comments 2 decisions 16 not addressed awaiting minutes
Contentious Zoning Change
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Short-term rental zoning regulations — Town-wide rules on short-term rentals subject to voter approval
7 decisions awaiting minutes
Routine Zoning Change
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Short-Term Rental Zoning Regulations — Town-wide new regulatory framework; pending final approval, could require permitting, impose operational conditions, and restrict STR use in residential zones across all of Amherst
2 public comments 11 decisions awaiting minutes
Routine Zoning Change

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