Letter: When It Comes To Zoning, Town Government Appears To Reject Public Input And The Concept of Planning

The following letter was sent to the Amherst Town Council, Town Manager, Planning Board and Planning Department on August 16,2021

As you are about to vote to make significant changes to Amherst’s zoning, that will alter the town forever, please consider: 

• That you have promised a government that is transparent and responsive and inclusive, and the public perception is that you are making many decisions and agreements behind the scenes 
• that you are re-defining such things as mixed-use and apartment buildings in a way that diminishes the usefulness of our central business district, so that zoning bylaws are stacked in the favor of development that will too soon be obsolete and unimprovable, even to the detriment of UMass, whose reputation also depends on the town part of town/gown 
• that you seem unaware of how separation of powers is at the root of effective and honest governing 
• that there is not “planning” happening, as much as acquiescing to the short-sighted proposals of developers, those projects being too jumbo, too useless, and selling our downtown for 1/82 of our annual tax revenue needs 
• that you are making inadequate effort to gather public opinion and wisdom – while claiming you’re doing it well 

I have heard the beginnings of long-time residents considering moving out of Amherst, feeling dislocated from all this chaotic process and product.  

What will happen to those houses? Families cannot compete with the spending power of 4++ students’ families, so those houses could easily become student rentals, increasing the percentage of our houses that are student rentals to above the current 60%. 

Please note that a town’s most “profitable” customers are people whose children have finished public school – why would the town want a policy that discourages them from sticking around? One hundred forty-two such houses, on average, produce the same $1M in property taxes!   

As a member of town government, would you not prefer to be seen as independent thinkers, innovative planners, open and inclusive? If so, this would be a great time to metamorphose, if you can. 

I am hoping that the upcoming election will get more people in our town government that have the ability to do the things you promised to do. 

Ira Bryck

Ira Bryck has lived in Amherst since 1993, ran the Family Business Center for 25 years, hosted the Western Mass. Business Show on WHMP for 7 years, now coaches business leaders, and is a big fan of Amherst’s downtown.