East Amherst Local Historic District Gets Mixed Reception from Planning Board

Report on the Meeting of the Amherst Planning Board, October 8, 2025

This meeting was held over Zoom and was recorded. 

Present
Doug Marshall (Chair), Bruce Coldham, Fred Hartwell, Angus McLeod, and Jesse Mager.Jerah Smith joined at 7:30. Absent: Johanna Neumann.

Staff: Nate Malloy (Senior Planner), Walker Powell (Planner), and Pam Field Sadler (Assistant)

East Amherst Local Historic District Proposed

Local Historic District Commission (LHDC) member Steve Bloom and consultant Chris Skelly presented work they have done documenting buildings of historical significance in East Amherst, with the proposal that the area become the town’s third local historic district, in addition to the North Prospect-Lincoln-Sunset and Dickinson local historic districts. Bloom said that the Town Manager had suggested the study, because East Amherst is the oldest part of town and was the original town center. 

Skelly noted that East Amherst is listed on the National Register of Historic Places which is primarily an honorary designation, but local historic districts created by local elected officials are “very effective at protecting historic resources.” Local historic district commissions review proposed demolitions and major alterations that are visible from the street and can require that major changes be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. In the absence of a local historic district designation, the Amherst Historical Commission can only put a 12-month demolition delay on a historically significant structure. In contrast, LDHC can block the demolition.

As part of his consultant’s work, Skelly updated the information on about 50 historically significant properties in East Amherst. He noted that most of the existing research was done in the 1980s and was incomplete. He said that East Amherst “contains many early intact properties that really tell the early history of Amherst as a whole and its growth and development over time.”

Local historic districts are dealt with under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 40C. The Planning Board makes its recommendations to the LHDC and a final report is submitted to the Massachusetts Historical Commission for additional input. The creation of a local historic district must ultimately be approved by the Town Council.

Skepticism Voiced by Several Planning Board Members
Planning Board member Angus McLeod stated that the East Amherst Local Historic District, as proposed, contains several apartment complexes—the type of housing that the Planning Board is trying to promote to ease the housing shortage. He wanted to know how the existence of a local historic district would affect them. Skelly answered that there are always nonconforming properties in the local districts and nothing would change about them unless they were rebuilt or modified in the future, when the new design would be reviewed and approved by the LHDC. Planning Board member Bruce Coldham, who served for eight years on the LHDC, pointed out that the aim of the committee is to promote good design, not to “freeze these districts in time.” Personally, he wanted to see representative architecture of various time periods, but their different styles should be compatible. Bloom pointed to the new additions to several Amherst College buildings near downtown that are modern, yet compatible in size and design to the original building. 

Jerah Smith was concerned that creating a local historic district would add additional layers of approval required in order to build and therefore make projects more expensive, even if that was not the intent. “Maybe the protection of our cultural resources is worth that,” he said, “but I think it’s important that this is going to make it more challenging to make it affordable to build here. I wonder if this is the best tool for preserving homes that are truly of historic value.”

McLeod went further, asserting that local historic districts generally lead to less construction. He admitted that Bloom and Coldham were supportive of thinking creatively to approve projects, but he worried that that might not be the case if the composition of the LDHC changed. Skelly stated that he was not aware of any studies that suggest that there is less construction in a local historic district. He said he was aware of several that have more construction within the local historic district because that is where people want to live, in a “nice, walkable area.”

Planning Board Chair Doug Marshall asked if it was a good thing to preserve the character of a neighborhood. “Do we want to strangle growth?” he asked. “We need a balance.” Bloom countered that “History is our brand. When I think of Amherst, I think of Emily Dickinson. Character is what makes a town special, and it’s a big part of what makes people want to move here. And so I think it behooves us to try to honor and preserve it.”

Planner Walker Powell summed up the purpose of the LHDC: “They’re welcoming new types of buildings or new types of construction, but they want them to not be jarringly different than the building they’re next to or the pattern of development within the district. Within that, there’s a lot of range for different kinds of styles that are new and interesting, but still harmoniously fit into the neighborhood [in a way] that maybe something that hasn’t gone through the review would.”

Public Outreach and Next Steps
Powell said that the LHDC had sent a survey to property owners in the proposed district with a poor response of about 15%. She noted that many property owners were out-of-town landlords. They were evenly split between being in favor of the local historic district and opposed to it. The LDHC had a public hearing in July that was not well attended. Another public hearing is required after the final report is sent to the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Finally, the Town Council must approve the plan..

In public comment, Bella Delfino, a graduate student in Regional Planning at UMass, suggested putting some unobtrusive signage that gives the history of significant properties to increase the appreciation for their architectural and historical importance.

Listening Session for Housing Changes in North Amherst Scheduled for October 23
The Planning Board decided on Thursday, October 23, as the date for a listening session with North Amherst residents regarding proposals for additional housing in North Amherst. The session will present some of the suggestions for development and gather feedback from the public. It will not be a formal public hearing. Some members of the Planning Board and Planning staff will attend. The time is tentatively scheduled for 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the meeting room in the North Amherst Library.

North Amherst is one of several areas in town with potential for increased housing. The Planning Board has been discussing a possible overlay district to encompass the rental and condominium complexes along North Pleasant Street and Pine Street.

Third Apartment to Be Added to Former Bruno’s Pizza Building
The Planning Board unanimously approved the addition of a four-bedroom apartment on the first floor of the former Bruno’s Pizza building at 363 Main Street. The non-residential space on the first floor will be reduced to 650 sq. ft. There are two apartments on the second floor, which will not be altered. Minimal changes are planned for the building’s exterior with the replacement of the staircase to the second floor and the addition of mini-splits for heating and cooling. There are five parking spaces.