Amherst's planning meetings: The rest of the ideas (part 3)

Published on November 03, 2006

With the five public idea-generating sessions for a comprehensive master plan for Amherst now concluded, the folks at Planning Amherst Together have plenty of raw material to consider. The Bulletin brings you the input from the last three sessions this week; you can find all five at the Bulletin's dedicated master planning site.

Planning Amherst Together
Oct. 18, 2006, Immanuel Lutheran Church

Sewer extension to protect environment (aging septic system)

More office spaces, office parks

Continue village center development to foster neighborhood self sufficiency

Less cars downtown, more walkways for people

Lessen the impact of motor traffic all over town. More sidewalk, bike lanes, quiet public transportation

Diverse and affordable housing to support socioeconomic diversity of population

Traffic issue, main artery

Maintain high standard of public education and enhance our school

More community for single non undergraduates and people without children

Implementing a town wide traffic calming projects

More art (music, art) on the common and less fairs

More dense mixed use housing development

Using educational resources to provide leadership in developing regional planning

More communication with UMass, Amherst College, and Hampshire

Support cherry hill gold as a model of diversity

Create innovative ways to increase and broaden our tax base

Develop a sense of community to uncover the different needs of diverse groups, and faster cooperation. Cease focusing on problems present in first (i.e., student misbehaviors)

Quiet low emission buses that run all over tow, all of the time. Also vans and other public vehicles

Create a community center that is real draw for diverse groups with different needs acac with pool inside

Create easy access to green spaces

Develop vertically instead of flat to draw people and create more living choices specifically condos and town houses, in the village centers including new campus village zones

Comfortable environmentally sound housing for all income levels

Invest in a more secure tax base; we need more business in town such as bio-tech, high tech and arts related

Diversify its revenue base and e. Up its dependence on state revenue and private residential property taxes

Law and incentives for environmentally friendly house construction or business construction

Provide better state funding to UMass cap number of students, maintain campus, provide on campus housing to decrease impact to neighborhood, increase on campus parking structures and incentives not to drive

Shop for groceries in town (not route 9) more commercial center in town such as south Amherst. With sidewalks to access them.

Safe bike paths and alternative non road based bike paths to provide other way to get around besides a car

Create permeable edges to all 3 schools (UMass, ac, hc) to interface campuses and town such as a coffee place in Amherst college. Citizen advisory committee for 3 campuses (one for each campus)

Transform cultural centers into cultural villages or increase use of cultural centers (i.e., renaissance center and emily dickinson house)

Work on schemes to get older people involved with kids. Parallel to the tree house project in east hampton so that there are clear voluntary opportunities.

Preserve existing open space and create open space. Support farms and increase farm lands. Make it feasible for farmers to ? In certain spaces.

Vehicle free space or times in certain parts of town

Well founded schools with no sports fees and vibrant after school programs and community involvement project to create activities for students

Get rid of bank of america and the parking lot. Between the bank and town hall.

Better maintenance pf trails; get rid of beavers

More creative concept for downtown center such as traffic free plaza

More attractive public places, cleaner more landscapes, green and funding to do this.

Ground rules between town and educational institutes

Preserving open space

Public or private organization for seniors to be able to access services as they age at home

Improving and encouraging pedestrian use

More diversification of the tax base so there is less burden on the home owner

Better lighting on street that people use for bicycling commuting

Shared community resources i.e., bicycles, tools, snow blowers, w/ drop off points

Focus on land and resources for staying fit

Traffic calming and road planning

Affordable housing for people on fixed incomes

Family restaurant (locally owned) downtown

Tree inventory and health and planning

More vibrant downtown with adequate parking and village centers

Fewer dead-end streets

The economy that supports the town with taxes on ability to pay based

Housing and jobs to support an influx of young middle-income working families

Joint-growth planning between town and colleges and universities

Utilizing local expertise

Maintaining quality of public school

Improving public transportation

Environmental consciousness

Capitalize on being a college town

Keep the rural character

Foster the town as a place of academic excellence at all levels (prek-20)

Condensed future building around town centers

Create new business activities -esp food and culture in town

Attract different businesses (i.e., restaurants) that cater to multiple age groups

See the college contribute to the town for the services they receive

Develop east-west connecting streets

Uniting the local artists and supporting community are

Affordable owner-occupied housing for teachers, cops and other town workers

Encourage neighborhood development that you can walk to services

Safer roads for elderly children, cyclists, and other pedestrians

More shade trees

More sidewalks and bike trails

Make Amherst an attractive community for diversity including cultural diversity

Maintain parks and recreation areas for children and adults

Preserving farms and farmland

Develop town commons- kids, play, equipment, band stands, and parties (for all ages)

Get a ymca

Encourage "brain" businesses to use the talents of the community

Have a summer outdoor music series

Wide, gentle walking trails

Umass finish digging and start planting

New elementary school

More community festivals, series, events

Develop clean industry and clustered business/shopping on the outside of town

Better bike trails and more sidewalks

Continue having open planning forums (like this one)

Develop a brand for Amherst

Create a music venue

Create stronger relationships with Amherst, Hampshire, UMass colleges

Have many accessible and affordable opportunities for life-long learning.

More transportation; more shopping& grocery store, clothing store (other than bar & restaurant)-- bringing other things to Amherst

Build larger tax base to counter high real estate taxes. Build attractive industrial park. Make area attractive by surrounding it with trees.

Build more affordable housing with disabled access

Preserve open space & farmland and outdoor recreation areas

As structure and areas are redesigned emphasize openness so you're designing widely rather than narrowly. Emphasizing intergenerational opportunities.

Town level planning for decentralization of access to essential goods without dependence on automobile transportation

Recognize how topography of western, ma has affected settlement from past and determine how it can structure future growth.

Focus on developing, expanding, intensifying, and improving the downtown and village centers

Develop closer access to emergency medical care

Push for development for very small cars for in town. Rent large cars for vacations

Better control on atmosphere-- in town at night (drinking, vandalism, noise)

Would like to see town be more aggressive regarding building codes related to green buildings.

Access to modes of transportation& think about the ways to extend access

Like to see town work intensively on creative emergency management and coordinating public health with other community services

Want town to develop "vehicle" by which town, two colleges, and UMass identify common goals and search for synergy in the implementation of those goals.

Integrate sustainability into every level of decision making planning in town policy

A family and child friendly downtown

Increase the tax base

Development should not destroy what can't be replaced

Put a freeze on residential building, may be temporarily

More sidewalks, and present ones maintained

Amherst should remain an open community, and not move in the direction of a gated community so people who live here can stay here

Build a vibrant downtown

A plan to preserve open space

Solidify funding to the public schools

A new business incubator program in town and village centers

Economic development strategy with the 5-colleges in order to capture the intellect and commerce

Jitneys: small volume, non-polluting public transportation that discourages use of cars

An expanded farmers market, as in ithaca, ny

Make better use of public school buildings in the summer

Build a public pool and a fire station in south Amherst

More moderate or "affordable" housing so that people who work here and provide services can afford to live here

Provide means for cars, public transportation, bikes and pedestrians to co exist

Re-assess public transportation system (too many large, partially filled buses)

Expansive, interconnected, well-maintained bicycle roadways

Green building

Restore service to downtown Amherst (grocery store, pharmacy, hardware store)

Consider common good, not pleasing every individual

Improving where necessary major intersections in Amherst (ex: 116 & pomeroy lane)

Better integration of student (college) and non student social venues

Become business friendly

Attention to visual impacts

Encourage clustered buildings that facilitate convenient public transport

Patience, trust with each other less second guessing

One-ness with UMass both physical and social

Ideals and value that can be shared and respected

Broaden and deepen the tax base

A place to do stuff after school

Establish as town gown partnership to attract alumni entrepreneurs

Vigorous, diverse town center

Preserve open space while encouraging cluster housing

More affordable housing

Little to no vehicle traffic in the town center

Build on the historical heritage of the town

Understand the power of and make the most of the choices the community has already made

Fenced in dog park in kendrick park

Make kendrick park into a second town center with appropriate commercial development on east side of e. Pleasant street

Community owned sustainable energy network

Encourage alternative energy sources

Playground next to dog park

Maximize the use of vertical space downtown

Invite creation of food co-op

Better downtown parking

Trolley system similar to that of the 1890s

Create more user friendly opportunities for civic involvement in term of time, impact, and sense of accomplishment

Town-wide bike path network

Free bike rental network

Balance between vehicle and pedestrian demands

Create places where people can come together/congregate that is recreational and/or commercial

Integration of natural world in our everyday lives open space

Economic base that pays taxes

Affordable housing

Promote tourism for economic development

Plan where traffic flow will be

Develop educational support for low income families

Elevate excellence in public schools

Sensible redevelopment of existing space

Vibrant artistic community

Investment in public safety

Downtown more like northampton

Programs for gifted students to keep them in Amherst schools

Preserve more open space and maintain parks

Develop village centers with play areas

Encourage mom and pop stores

A town where we can keep our doors unlocked- public safety

Preserve citizen participation in town government

Encourage bikes, buses, walking, etc

Better relationship between the town and UMass/colleges

Regional cooperation and efficiency

Use web-sties to disperse information on events

Eliminate utility poles

Wireless internet for town

Municipal cable service/broadband

Plan senior centers/intergenerational day cares/ teen centers

Encourage the colleges to have social events open to the general public

Open access to education advantages at colleges

Sidewalks in village centers

Remove research park/commercial areas out of east Amherst/belchertown rd. Utilize frontage on route 9

Economic development

More diverse economic development

Cultural and social center open to all including teenagers

More bike and pedestrian friendly trails and sides walks

A cooperative and responsive town government, working together to achieve the best possible solutions

Vehicle traffic

Build community with physical infrastructure that will help people meet face to face (e.g., trail system)

Build local food economy through functional farms institutionalize csa on a municipal level.

Promote education and multicultural openness, diverse methods

Improve student town relations

Lower speed limits

Develop village center and neighborhoods

Emergency health center

Restructure/decentralize the schools decision making power given back to the teachers

Vital downtown with stores providing essentials (i.e., groceries, hardware etc)

Parking

Connect Amherst to the rest of the region via public transit

Assert citizen rights and the civic good as superior to corporate rights e.g., stop water privatization

Redefine corporate person hood see humboldt and california

More affordable housing- more widely integrated

Achieve energy independence though developing renewable energy

Beautiful park with water connected to the trails

Keep buoys and the lifeguard off of puffers pond

Keep dogs allowed on trails and in parks

Encouraging employment of all levels and all ages and interests (human development)

Less lawn culture

Welcome people of all cultures and nationalities

Access for the disabled

Make all areas of town accessible by bus

Increase funding for the town so we can continue to fund all services (long list!)

Remain a walking friendly town

Retention of business and encouragement of new business to broaden the tax base and enhance the community

Change focus of public schools from social ongoings so funds can be diverted to academic excellence for all students

Create a better system for local government and small business to co exist

Make/build/create a real community center to en compass all members of a community a physical space and environment

Increase side walks and bike friendliness near so. Amherst common- pomeroy/116 area

Maintain small town new england character- preserve open spaces, quality of sidewalks, bike lanes, intersections in general, enhance public school educationally and physically

Safety in neighborhoods and schools support for older residents in homes-transportation, and fun-arts, entertainment, recreational spaces

Encourage development of green spaces for public gathering

Adequately fund the school system, maintain broad range of leisure services programs

Measured emphasis on economic development: special focus on small biz (retail) downtown improve shopping downtown (no home depot)

Cultivation of environment of tolerance and civility and respect for different opinions

Continual funding and work for conservation areas

Form a better/more positive relationship with 5 colleges (or other students) re: student behavior

More "nightlife": culture like Amherst cinema- no just coffee or alcohol.

Combine economic development strategies with environmentally responsible green business incentives and promotion

A process to work through (committee system?) For positive outcomes with students, involves students in answers- n.Amherst

Increase collaboration between town and non profits in town (i.e., hitchcock center)

Continue to examine the structure of town government and explore methods to improve it and make it more responsible and efficient.

Continue Amherst as a cultural center/attraction