Category Archives: Economic Development
Village Center Rezoning
This week Town Meeting will be discussion and hopefully passing Article 17 – Village Center rezoning. Here are our views on this important legislation. The problem is sprawl: unplanned, uncontrolled development that spreads out into areas outside of town and … Continue reading
Filed under Economic Development, Town Meeting
We’re All NIMBYs
The “solar farm” proposed for the old landfill next to Amherst Woods is generating fierce opposition from some neighbors. And discussion about developing a “Gateway” corridor — a residential-retail project — connecting UMass and downtown has faced vocal objections from … Continue reading
Filed under Economic Development, Town Meeting
Preserving What We’ve Built
Joni Mitchell sang, “you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.” As context for the upcoming override decision, we asked recent Amherst Regional High School grads now in college to tell us how well our high school prepared them … Continue reading
Filed under Economic Development, Master Plan, Quality of Life
A Welcome Sign of Faith
This time of year, there is lots of change going on all around us. As fall heads into winter, we work to prepare for it. Perhaps we have stacked wood, brought in the yard furniture, put up the storm windows. … Continue reading
Filed under Economic Development, Master Plan
Back to the Future
If you have had a teenager or been one at any time since 1985, you probably know the movie, “Back to the Future,” in which a young Michael J. Fox travels back in time in a souped-up DeLorean sports car. … Continue reading
Filed under Economic Development, Master Plan, Town Meeting
Smart Growth in a Recession
Spring in Amherst is beautiful. Have you seen the lovely Amherst 250th daffodils springing up all over town? You can almost ignore the potholes. A drive down North East or South East Street can give you a gorgeous, clear view … Continue reading
Filed under Economic Development, Finances
Open Space, Development Can Peacefully Co-Exist
We need to encourage more business development in town, to broaden our tax base so we can support the services we depend upon without pricing homeowners out of town. But sometimes we run up against the claim that supporting business … Continue reading
Filed under Economic Development, Master Plan
Summer Reflections
Summertime is such a sweet time here in Amherst, when the crowd thins and the pace slows. The hectic schedule of the school year is over and we can take some time to reflect. Good things are happening all around … Continue reading
Filed under Economic Development, Master Plan, Quality of Life
Cognitive Dissonance
It’s that time of year again. Time for Town Meeting, which means time for approving our town budget, which means time for hand-wringing. This year’s installment of our budgetary passion play has time-honored plotlines as well as some new ones … Continue reading
Filed under Economic Development, Town Meeting
On Finding New Foundations
Did you see those houses rolling through the streets of Amherst last week? The striking image of something so solid and rooted gliding to a new place has become almost commonplace, as the third house in a year rolled down … Continue reading
Filed under Economic Development
