Planning Board — December 18, 2024

📋 AMHERST PLANNING BOARD — December 18, 2024 Meeting Recap

The December 18th Planning Board meeting was mostly procedural, but two items deserve closer public attention before the new year.

**Citizen Zoning Petition Heading to January 6 Public Hearing**
A citizen-initiated zoning petition — carrying the required number of signatures — was received and accepted at this meeting. The board confirmed it was timely and properly filed, and scheduled it for a public hearing on January 6. The board noted it cannot alter the petition language — whatever the citizens submitted goes to ballot as written. Town Counsel has been asked to review it for legal issues before January 6. The specific substance of the proposed zoning change was not detailed during the meeting discussion. That gives the public roughly three weeks to learn what the petition proposes, review it, and prepare to attend the hearing. If you care about zoning in Amherst, find out what this petition says before January 6.

**Driveway Permit Appeal: Continued to February 19 With an Unresolved Impartiality Question**
The driveway permit appeal was continued to February 19, 2025 — at the request of the permit holder's attorney, who wants time to revise plans based on recommendations from third-party reviewer Steve Keach. The appellants' attorney objected on the record, arguing the delay was prejudicial and that there is already sufficient evidence to decide the case. The board granted the continuance, with the chair reasoning that this is a de novo proceeding and the board should consider all available facts and analysis.

During the discussion, the appellants' attorney made a hearsay allegation: that Steve Keach — the reviewer whose analysis the board is now waiting on — had previously stated he would 'never grant this over his dead body.' This is an unverified claim made in an adversarial proceeding and should be weighed accordingly. However, it is a direct challenge to the neutrality of the review process, and the board did not publicly address the allegation before voting to continue the case.

**Other Business:**
— The Vinderosa Properties subdivision application was continued to February 19, with the applicant extending all statutory deadlines.
— No regional impact was determined for a 2,500 sq ft addition at 9 Columbia Drive and an accessory dwelling unit at 22 Founders Way.
— December 4th meeting minutes were approved with minor corrections (one abstention).

**What to watch next:**
— January 6, 2025: Planning Board public hearing on the zoning petition.
— February 19, 2025: Driveway permit appeal and Vinderosa Properties subdivision.
— Will the board address the Keach impartiality allegation before his review is used to decide the appeal?