Pretty Buildings vs. Plenty of Homes: Amherst's Big Design Debate!
Ever tried to find a new place to live in Amherst lately? It's tougher than trying to find a parking spot on a Saturday morning, right? We all know Amherst needs more homes, and we need 'em fast! Like, 500-600 new units by 2030 fast!
Now, nobody wants our beautiful downtown to turn into a bland, cookie-cutter mess. That's why Amherst has these super specific "design standards" for buildings. Think rules about how tall a building can be, how much parking it needs (or doesn't need!), what kind of bricks it should use, and even how far back it sits from the street. These rules were made with the best intentions – to keep Amherst charming and lovely.
But here's the kicker: some folks are starting to wonder if these very rules are accidentally making it harder to build the new homes we desperately need! Imagine you're trying to bake a cake, but the recipe has so many picky instructions – use only specific organic flour from a single farm, measure ingredients with a microscope, and bake it in a custom-made oven that barely exists. You'd probably give up and just order a pizza, right? Building new homes in Amherst might be facing a similar struggle.
Our amazing Planning Board is currently grappling with this exact dilemma. They're asking: How can we keep Amherst looking great, without putting so many handcuffs on builders that they can't actually build? It's a tricky balance! On one hand, we want charming, unique buildings. On the other, we desperately need places for people to live, work, and thrive.
They're looking at everything from those pesky parking minimums (do we really need a spot for every single person, especially with more walkable options?) to building heights and material choices. The goal? To find a sweet spot where good design meets urgent housing needs. It's about ensuring new buildings fit in nicely, but without making it impossible or super expensive to actually build them.
So, next time you walk through downtown, give a little nod to the Planning Board. They're on a quest to figure out how Amherst can have its architectural cake and eat it too – by building more homes without losing its unique flavor. Fingers crossed they find a recipe that works for everyone!
Original Article: Planning Board: Downtown Design Standards Constrain New Housing Construction