Accountability posts
Drafts ready to share. Click to copy, then post. Planning Board · Amherst, NH · June 19, 2024.
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Highlighting a potential zoning change affecting property rights
Amherst Planning Board is considering changing the rules for landscaping and contracting businesses in Rural Residential (RR) districts. This could shift how property rights and land use are managed in your neighborhood... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-board/2024-06-19/ #MeetingWatch #AmherstNH
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Detailing the board's shift in regulatory strategy
At the 6/19 Planning Board meeting, the board moved toward reviewing non-compliant businesses in RR districts to decide on a potential zoning amendment. This moves away from the standard variance process. #Amherst #PlanningBoard https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-board/2024-06-19/ #MeetingWatch #AmherstNH
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Connecting policy decisions to community character
Is the character of our Rural Residential districts changing? The Amherst Planning Board is debating whether to amend zoning laws to allow more contractor businesses, rather than requiring individual variances. #Amherst... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-board/2024-06-19/ #MeetingWatch #AmherstNH
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The Amherst Planning Board is weighing a major shift in how Rural Residential (RR) districts are regulated. Here is what happened at the June 19 meeting regarding local business zoning. 🧵 #MeetingWatch #AmherstNH
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The board discussed whether landscaping and contracting businesses should be allowed in RR districts. Instead of handling these via individual variances, members are considering a formal zoning ordinance amendment to change the rules for everyone.
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Why this matters: Variances are case-by-case, but an amendment changes the law itself. This decision will impact property rights, the legality of home-based businesses, and the long-term character of our residential zones. #Amherst https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-board/2024-06-19/
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Longer-form draft.
At the June 19 Planning Board meeting, a significant discussion took place regarding the future of business operations in our Rural Residential (RR) districts. The board is currently debating whether to allow landscaping and contracting businesses to operate in these zones through a formal zoning amendment, rather than the traditional process of seeking individual variances. Currently, some businesses in these districts have been identified as non-compliant with existing zoning. The board is now moving toward a formal review of these properties. One board member suggested that amending the ordinance is preferable to the variance process because variances 'run with the land,' potentially creating permanent changes to land-use rules. This is a decision that directly impacts property owners and the character of our residential neighborhoods. If the ordinance is amended, it could change what is legally permitted on your property and how our rural areas are developed. Residents should keep a close eye on upcoming agendas as the board moves from discussion to potential legislative action. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-board/2024-06-19/ #MeetingWatch #AmherstNH