Planning Board — December 3, 2025
Amherst Planning Board deadlocked on short-term rental rules at Dec 3 meeting, deferred pending legal review.
Routine approvals proceeded without conflict while the short-term rentals policy discussion exposed clear internal differences without resolution.
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At the December 3 Planning Board meeting in Amherst, members spent time on short-term rentals under 30 days. Positions differed sharply: outright prohibition across zones, versus registration and inspection requirements, versus immediate action to prevent further market distortion. No policy was adopted.
The board instead directed staff to consult town counsel on local authority and return with options. All formal votes that night on subdivisions and site plans passed without dissent.
The short-term rental discussion showed clear differences in approach and timing, with agreement only that the current lack of rules is not working. Residents who follow these meetings may want to track what counsel advises and whether a concrete proposal appears on a future agenda.
Public impact
State-mandated changes allowing multifamily development; board selected ADU option 2 and will develop site plan review regulations
Topics discussed
Board granted continuance of final subdivision approval amendment to January 7, 2026 after accepting the application as complete.
Board reviewed and approved amended non-residential site plan for a one-story dental office, including waiver for landscape architect signature and conditions on heritage documentation and invasive species.
Board accepted application, granted waivers for required studies, and approved two-lot subdivision of 21-acre parcel subject to staff conditions and findings of fact.
Board discussed updates to definitions, impact fees, ADUs, and multifamily housing in commercial zones per state statutes; selected ADU option 2 and proposed site plan review regulations for multifamily.
Extensive discussion on unregulated short-term rentals (under 30 days), with board members expressing views ranging from prohibition to registration/safety regulations; consensus that status quo is inadequate but no agreement on specific approach.
Board discussed state-mandated allowance of multifamily development in commercial zones under section 4.6, noting limits on local authority and proposing to tie approvals to future site plan review regulations.
Board reviewed proposed updates to incorporate recent HDC regulation changes but opted to defer changes this year to allow further discussion with the HDC on non-compliant materials like vinyl fencing.
Board reviewed and approved minutes from the November 18 meeting with corrections for transcription errors (e.g., 29 vs. 39 units, stormwater site plans).
Controversy & dissent
Potentially controversial issues
Short-term rentals policy
Public comment
Decisions logged
Action items
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