Accountability posts

The Amherst Planning Board met on January 7, 2026, and while much of the agenda was procedural, three decisions warrant public attention before follow-up hearings on January 21 and February 18.

The sharpest vote of the night was 3-2 in favor of deleting the requirement that accessory dwelling unit (ADU) owners must live on-site. This is part of a state-mandated package of housing reforms. Removing the owner-occupancy rule would determine whether ADUs are primarily built by homeowners adding a rental unit, or by absentee owners renting both the main house and the ADU. Two board members voted against the deletion. Their specific concerns were not recorded in the available summary. A public commenter, Andrew Horn, argued that Amherst's current housing policies exclude the working people who keep the town running: 'We've told young teachers, nurses and firefighters — you can work in Amherst, but you can't afford to live here. That's not the kind of community we claim to be.' The amendment heads to a second public hearing on January 21.

Also headed to January 21: a proposed new zoning ordinance (Section 3.22) that would regulate short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO across Amherst. Resident John D'Angelo argued the rules are 'unnecessarily restrictive' and that the town has no current STR problem to solve. A board member responded directly: 'The fact that there isn't a problem now is exactly why we should act now — I've seen neighborhoods change dramatically in a period of months.' The board unanimously advanced the ordinance for further review, with legal clarification on cabin and dwelling unit definitions still pending.

Finally, Kent's Service Station has an application for maintenance work in Amherst's aquifer district. Outstanding unresolved items include stormwater controls, membranes, and landscaping. The board required the applicant to obtain a conditional use permit and address all third-party review comments before proceeding. The case continues February 18.

If you want to weigh in: January 21 public hearing covers ADU reform and short-term rental rules. February 18 covers the service station application. Both are Planning Board meetings open to the public. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-board/2026-01-07/ #MeetingWatch #AmherstNH