Accountability posts
Drafts ready to share. Click to copy, then post. Planning Board · Amherst, NH · October 2, 2024.
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Individual posts for different angles. Pick the one that fits your audience.
Public notice that a high-stakes subdivision hearing is coming and community turnout matters
📍 Amherst Planning Board 10/2: A 44-lot AND a 9-lot subdivision are coming. The board expects so many residents at the Nov. 6 hearing they're looking at moving it to the high school. If you care about growth in Amherst, that meeting is the one to attend.
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Board chair pushing back on open-ended approvals for unknown future tenants — a positive accountability moment
At Amherst's 10/2 Planning Board meeting, the chair refused to approve a sign plan for a vacant retail unit: 'There's no way I'm going to agree we're going to give carte blanche to 500 sq ft.' Board ultimately capped it at 200 sq ft. Oversight working as intended.
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Board approved a sign waiver while visibly underprepared on a basic operational fact about the applicant
Amherst Planning Board 10/2: Board approved Planet Fitness's request to use purple branding and add 64 sq ft of lit signage — deviating from the site's approved sign plan. The chair didn't know the gym is open 24/7 until mid-discussion. Vote was unanimous.
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Direct call to action for residents ahead of the most consequential upcoming hearing
📅 Mark your calendar: Amherst Planning Board hears Bond Properties' 44-lot AND 9-lot subdivision proposals on Nov. 6 at 7pm. Location may move to Amherst High School due to expected crowd. This is your chance to weigh in before decisions are made.
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THREAD: Amherst Planning Board met Oct. 2. No off-agenda surprises, but two things residents should know before Nov. 6 — and one moment where board oversight actually worked. 🧵
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1/ The biggest item didn't happen Oct. 2 — it's coming Nov. 6. Bond Properties has TWO subdivision proposals pending: a 9-lot AND a 44-lot development. Both were continued to the next hearing. The chair already expects a large enough crowd to consider moving to the high school.
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2/ A 44-lot subdivision is one of the largest single residential proposals a town board can face. Traffic, infrastructure, schools, neighborhood character — all on the table. If you live in Amherst and care about growth, the Nov. 6 hearing at 7pm is the meeting to attend.
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3/ On a lighter but instructive note: the chair pushed back hard on a sign plan for 125 Rt. 101. One retail unit is vacant, and the application would have allowed up to 500 sq ft of signage for whoever moves in. The chair said flat out: 'I won't support it. No way.' Good.
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4/ That resistance led to a real change: the board capped total signage at 200 sq ft with a 15-ft height limit instead of approving a blank check for a future unknown tenant. It's a small thing, but it's what board oversight is supposed to look like.
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5/ Less reassuring: when Planet Fitness asked to deviate from its approved sign plan (purple lettering, extra lit signage), the board chair said he wouldn't want signs 'lit up at 2am' — then learned mid-discussion that Planet Fitness is open 24/7. The waiver passed unanimously.
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6/ Bottom line: Oct. 2 was mostly routine. But Nov. 6 is not. Two major subdivision proposals, potentially at Amherst High School. Show up, or at minimum watch the stream. Decisions made that night will shape this town for years.
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Longer-form draft.
**Amherst Planning Board — October 2, 2024 Meeting Recap** The Oct. 2 Planning Board meeting was largely routine, but it set the stage for what could be one of the most consequential hearings Amherst has seen in years. Here's what residents need to know. **The big one is coming Nov. 6.** Bond Properties has two subdivision applications before the board: a 9-lot and a 44-lot residential development, both known as the Cricket Corner proposals. Both were continued to the November 6th hearing at 7pm. The board chair noted he expects a large crowd — large enough that staff was asked to look into moving the meeting to Amherst High School to accommodate public attendance. A 44-lot subdivision affects traffic, infrastructure, schools, and neighborhood character. If you have thoughts about growth in Amherst, this is the hearing where your voice matters. Watch for a venue confirmation before Nov. 6. **A transparency moment worth noting — in a good way.** When the board reviewed a sign master plan for a commercial property at 125 Route 101, one of the three retail units was vacant, and the application would have allowed up to 500 square feet of signage for whatever business eventually moves in. The chair objected forcefully: "There's no way I'm going to agree that we're going to give carte blanche to 500 square feet." That resistance produced a materially better outcome — the board capped total signage at 200 square feet with a 15-foot height maximum. That's board oversight functioning as it should. **One eyebrow-raiser.** The board approved a waiver for Planet Fitness at 123 Route 101A, allowing the gym to use its signature purple branding (instead of the red/white/black required by the site's sign plan) and add about 64 square feet of internally illuminated signage. During the discussion, the board chair said he wouldn't want signs illuminated at 2am — then discovered mid-conversation that Planet Fitness operates 24 hours a day. The waiver passed unanimously. It's a minor issue in isolation, but it's a reminder that boards should have basic operational facts about applicants before voting on lighting approvals. **What to do now:** Save November 6th, 7pm. Check the Town of Amherst website for the confirmed location (Town Hall or Amherst High School). If Bond Properties' subdivision proposals affect your neighborhood, your roads, or your schools — show up.