Accountability posts
Drafts ready to share. Click to copy, then post. Planning Board · Amherst · April 1, 2026.
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Extreme density bonus use and Heritage Commission ordinance objection at Carlson Manor
Amherst Planning Board (4/1/26): A developer wants 52 units on land zoned for 14. That's nearly 4x base density via bonus calculations. The Heritage Commission says the design violates town ordinance. The board has no answer yet... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-...
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Legal conflict between density bonus eligibility and developer's revised application
At the 4/1/26 Amherst Planning Board meeting, a board member said he couldn't understand how the developer could drop rental units — a basis for density bonuses — and still claim 52 units. The board punted to town counsel. Resid... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-...
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Unresolved public safety and infrastructure concerns dismissed without board response
Six Amherst residents spoke against the Carlson Manor development on 4/1/26. Concerns: traffic on Route 122, well water impacts, a curb cut opposite Peacock Brook's only exit, and a 2020 traffic study that's 6 years out of date.... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-...
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Board's failure to engage with formal Heritage Commission ordinance violation finding
Amherst Heritage Commission Chair told the Planning Board on 4/1/26 that Carlson Manor's design violates Article 1, Section 209 of town ordinance — it doesn't preserve rural character. The board made no direct response. That's a... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-...
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🧵 THREAD: What happened at the Amherst Planning Board meeting on April 1, 2026 — and why residents along Hollis Road, Route 122, and Peacock Brook should pay close attention before the May 6 hearing. #MeetingWatch
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1/ Carlson Manor is back. This 52-unit age-restricted housing proposal on 32 acres off Hollis Road was previously DENIED — and a court remanded it back to the Planning Board. The developer returned with a revised plan. The core...
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2/ Base zoning allows 14 homes on this land. The developer is using Amherst's Innovative Housing Overlay (IIHO) density bonus system to claim 52 units — nearly 4 times the base. Bonuses are stacked for age restriction, ADA compl...
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3/ Here's the legal problem the board itself identified: The developer removed the rental unit component from the revised plan. A board member stated directly that the ordinance links density eligibility to that requirement — an...
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4/ The Chairman also questioned whether the board can legally review a modified application that differs from the one that was originally denied. Both issues were deferred to town counsel. No resolution before May 6.
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5/ The Heritage Commission Chair testified on the record that the design does not meet Article 1, Section 209 of town ordinance — the rural character preservation requirement. She called it 'too urban.' The board made no direct...
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6/ Six residents spoke in opposition. Specific concerns: rerouted heavy truck traffic on Route 122, a proposed driveway curb cut directly across from Peacock Brook's only community exit, and a traffic study last conducted in 202...
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7/ One resident, a 56-year neighbor, reported losing two wells during prior construction periods and flagged an old dug well near the property line as a safety hazard. The board did not respond to either concern.
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8/ The board did direct the developer to produce an updated traffic study before May 6. That's something. But curb cut placement, well impacts, and the Heritage Commission's ordinance finding remain unaddressed going into the ne...
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9/ The property itself was described by multiple residents as debris-strewn and in disarray. A board member told the developer to 'clean the freaking property up' — but acknowledged the board has no legal mechanism to enforce it.
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10/ Next steps: Site visit April 22 at 5:00 PM. Full hearing May 6 at 7:00 PM, same room. If you live along Hollis Road, Route 122, or in Peacock Brook — or if you care about how Amherst's density bonus rules are applied — this... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-board/2026-04-01/ #AmherstNH
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Longer-form draft.
📋 AMHERST PLANNING BOARD — April 1, 2026 Meeting Summary The most significant item of the evening was the return of the Carlson Manor housing proposal: a 52-unit age-restricted (55+) development on 32 acres off Hollis Road. This application was previously denied by the Planning Board and then sent back by a court for further review. The developer returned with a revised plan — and the controversies are substantial. The land is base-zoned for 14 homes. The developer is using Amherst's Innovative Housing Overlay (IIHO) density bonus system to justify 52 units — nearly four times the base. Two board members raised serious legal doubts on the record: the Chairman questioned whether the board can even review a modified application that differs from the one that was denied. A second member stated he couldn't understand how the board could waive the ordinance's rental unit requirement while allowing the developer to keep the full density bonus — because, as he noted, the ordinance explicitly links those things. Both questions were deferred to town counsel before the May 6 hearing. That's appropriate, but residents deserve clear answers, not further delay. The Heritage Commission Chair also testified — officially — that the design does not meet Article 1, Section 209 of the town ordinance, which requires preservation of rural character. She characterized the design as 'too urban.' The board made no direct response to that finding during the meeting. Six residents spoke in opposition, raising concerns about traffic on Route 122 (including a proposed driveway directly across from Peacock Brook's only community exit), the adequacy of a 2020 traffic study that predates significant changes in local traffic patterns, and potential well water impacts from septic systems. The board directed the developer to update the traffic study before May 6, but the curb cut placement and well concerns were left unresolved. 📅 Site visit: April 22 at 5:00 PM at the property. 📅 Next hearing: May 6 at 7:00 PM, same meeting room. If you live along Hollis Road, use Route 122, or live in Peacock Brook — this decision will affect you. Attending or submitting written comment before May 6 is your opportunity to be heard. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/amherst/planning-board/2026-04-01/ #MeetingWatch #AmherstNH