The Amherst redevelopment authority candidates speak

Published on March 28, 2008

Editor's note: The following letters are from three of the four candidates seeking the two seats on the Amherst Redevelopment Authority. A letter from ARA candidate Aaron Hayden appeared in an earlier issue of the Bulletin.

By CAROL GRAY

I'm running for the Amherst Redevelopment Authority. I invite people to visit my website at CarolGrayForARA.org.

I believe I could add new ideas, new energy and creativity to the ARA, as well as analytic and thorough reasoning because of my training as an attorney. While the ARA has done some important projects in the past, such as Clark House and the Bangs Center, in recent years, it has been dormant. I think more could be done.

I've learned a lot by researching Redevelopment Authorities across the state: In Boston, they do many projects dealing with creation of affordable housing and spaces for artists. In Malden, beautiful landscaping transformed a public transportation center. Some redevelopment involves brownfield sites, areas contaminated by prior industrial use. Use of solar panels is another project mentioned in the state statute. With global warming and rising fuel costs, energy-efficient development makes sense and helps implement our town's Climate Action Plan. I am also committed to making Amherst as livable as possible for people of all economic classes.

Last year a random survey of hundreds of Amherst residents, done in conjunction with the town's Master Plan process, revealed that many Amherst residents don't want drastic changes; rather, they want to preserve the beautiful, small-town character while encouraging economic development and creating more affordable housing. These are my goals too. I really love this town. As a mom, a Town Meeting member, someone interested in conservation, and a small business owner, I care about how Amherst evolves. I settled here because Amherst has a rare combination of social, political and educational vibrancy, combined with the beauty of open spaces. I have a strong commitment to environmental issues and have voted against hasty deregulation that would weaken environmental protections in our zoning laws at town Meeting. I have advocated for indigent people in Amherst by speaking and voting in favor of the human services budget which helps fund nonprofits helping those in need in our community. These same values prompt me to look toward the ARA as a vehicle for creating more affordable housing.

I think Amherst is at a crossroads in terms of development right now. I want to help insure that any economic development is in harmony with the character of the town. I hope you'll support me for the ARA.

By Jim Oldham

I've long been interested in the Amherst Redevelopment Authority (ARA) and I've wondered, at previous elections, why it got so little attention. I'm pleased to see new interest this year in this important body and I appreciate the Bulletin's decision to provide voters with an opportunity to learn about the ARA and the candidates who wish to serve on it.

My approach to the Redevelopment Authority is both optimistic and cautious.

I am optimistic because the ARA is an important tool for making our town what we want it to be. It can to contribute greatly to the goals identified through our master planning and other public dialogues - not just economic development but also affordable housing, and development that helps us manage transportation and energy use sustainability. I bring a strong commitment to this long-term vision for Amherst and I'd like to be part of making it happen.

At the same time, membership on the ARA requires respect for the public will and caution regarding the exercise of the authority's extraordinary powers. Redevelopment Authorities can borrow money and issue bonds; clear land and oversee new construction; and take property by eminent domain. In addition, their projects can help define a community for a century. The Boltwood Walk project took over 20 years to plan, design and build, and the finished product will be with us for decades to come.

Any new projects of the ARA need to be appropriate for Amherst in the 21st century. They will need to address the challenges of addressing global warming and peak oil, keeping Amherst affordable, and balancing the desire for economic growth with other quality of life objectives. If elected, I will work collaboratively with other ARA members to ensure that these broader issues remain part of the discussion. I will also emphasize transparency and public participation. Towards this end, I have helped create the website amherstredevelopment.org to as a first step to greater public understanding of the ARA

I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to improving Amherst while respecting and preserving all that we currently appreciate about our town. I will bring the same energy and commitment to the ARA that I have brought to Town Meeting and the Comprehensive Planning Committee.

By Margaret R. Roberts

It's good to see so much current interest in the possibility for urban renewal in Amherst. I am running for the 5-year term on the Amherst Redevelopment Authority because I believe that this is the right time to look at areas that have the potential to greatly enhance our community life. We now have information from the work of the Master Plan which gives residents' vision for the future of our town and we have a new appreciation for the importance local business plays in our economy.

Having worked on the Boltwood Walk project earlier as a member of the ARA to bring affordable housing and services for the elderly to the town center as well as a community center and improved retail opportunities, I know that big ideas can be realized with redevelopment as a tool. But redevelopment authorities in Massachusetts must satisfy both state and local goals and requirements in a complex process.

By state statue, urban renewal is restricted to projects in "decadent or blighted" areas of unrealized potential. There needs to be a community generated plan that could not be realized through private development alone. In order to succeed, projects require dedicated and informed authority members, talented professional staff or consultants and lots and lots of community discussion. And now more than ever, any Amherst project must compete for funding with all of the many cities and towns interested in economic development.

To preserve the unique character of Amherst, just stopping future growth is not a real possibility, but by controlling and shaping change to truly serve the needs and wishes of residents now and in the future we can protect the qualities that we treasure most. By growing our village centers and downtown to include apartments and to more fully provide for our daily needs of goods, services and recreation within the town, we strengthen our sense of community and avoid becoming just suburbia. Redevelopment can be a tool to do the right thing.

With your help, I am eager to put my experience, energy and belief in citizen participation to work on the ARA. To learn more, visit my Website at peggyroberts.org.