Planning Board votes to close Amity Street hearing

Planning Board · Meeting of July 29, 2026

AMHERST — The Amherst Planning Board voted 4-0 to close a public hearing and approve a site plan for a two-unit affordable duplex at 174 Amity Street. Chair Douglas Marshall presided as members Jerah Smith, Jesse Mager and Fred Hartwell joined him in backing the findings and conditions for the Amherst Community Land Trust project, which includes a 99-year affordability restriction tied to a regulatory agreement with the state's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. Applicant representative Felicity Hardy said lenders are awaiting the written decision before finalizing financing.

The board then discussed how to sequence three overlapping housing priorities, with member Jerah Smith arguing the town's Housing Production Plan should anchor near-term work since it "names the planning board, town council, the housing trust, everybody with responsibilities for implementing it." A revised downtown design standards draft is due from consultants in August.

In the full story:

• Call to Order, Roll Call and Quorum
• Public Comment
• Reports of the Chair and Staff
• Public Hearing: Site Plan Review 2026-04, 174 Amity Street
• General Housing Discussion: Sequencing the Production Plan, Design Standards and Pending Zoning Items
• Adjournment
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,581 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of July 29, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.