Planning Board — July 2, 2025

Here's what happened at Amherst's Planning Board meeting on July 2, 2025 — including several things that deserve more public attention before the next hearing on August 20.

The main item was a 40-lot residential subdivision proposed by Vonderosa Properties on County Road. The developer's attorney made what he called a 'generous' offer: the applicant would pay the full cost of designing and constructing County Road improvements — normally the town's financial burden — in exchange for regulatory concessions. The board chair publicly questioned the motive, noting that the offer appears designed to eliminate the town's legal basis for denying the application on 'premature development' grounds. The board also unanimously rejected a separate request from the developer to have town taxpayers cover roughly $100,000 in third-party inspection and review costs — the chair called it an 'open-ended blank check' unlike anything done in prior applications. A workshop is scheduled for July 16 at 7pm to continue deliberations.

Residents raised serious environmental concerns that the board has not yet formally acted on. Howard and Amy Muscott presented photographs showing that a current approved development on County Road resulted in extensive clear-cutting — and asked whether this project would produce the same outcome. Resident Sullivan told the board that 70% of Amherst residents depend on well water drawn from the aquifer directly beneath the development site, and that the wetland study on record dates to 1980 — 45 years ago. A prior nearby development was cited as having caused flooding at a local school. The board chair expressed personal concern and said he would 'use every authority available,' but no enforceable requirement for updated environmental review was established.

In a separate vote, the board denied 3-1 a request to waive a $14,000 impact fee for a lot at 4A Buckridge Drive that was approved and taxed independently for 37 years — well before impact fees were ever established in Amherst. The property owner argued they paid approximately $90,000 in extra taxes during that period and received no notification about the fee. The board majority voted to deny the waiver on grounds of consistent process, setting a precedent that no grandfather exemption exists for pre-existing lots regardless of their history. One board member dissented.

The next public hearing on the Vonderosa subdivision is August 20 at 7pm. A workshop session open to the public is scheduled for July 16 at 7pm. If the County Road development, the aquifer, or the impact fee precedent affects you, these are the meetings to attend.