AMHERST — Designating new school zones on roads near the Amherst Regional Middle and High schools, and installing associated signs and flashing beacons as has been done for the town’s elementary schools, will require more time to go through a Town Council process.

While District 5 Councilor Ana Devlin Gauthier was among three councilors pushing to have the school zones in place as soon as possible, the Town Council voted 8-5 on Oct. 21 to instead have the proposal reviewed by the Town Services and Outreach Committee, and for more input be gathered from town officials and the public.

“I think it’s disappointing we’re bogging things down, when TSO has enough other things on its plate that it should truly be weighing in on,” Devlin Gauthier said.

Devlin Gauthier said her concern is that councilors are not deferring to the experts, including the Department of Public Works and the Amherst school superintendent.

At Large Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke, though, said the school zone idea needs to be referred to the TSO committee to collect more information, with a report due back by Dec. 2.

It would be bad legislative process, Hanneke said, to not know the length of the school zones and where exactly the signs and beacons would be located, observing there a number of streets that are in proximity to the high school that would qualify for the school zone designation. “It is a very unclear motion to know where it’s going,” Hanneke said.

Hanneke also said the schools have also not been consulted on the times the school zone traffic laws should be in effect. “We need to talk to the school before we vote on where and how long during the day they need to be flashing,” Hanneke said.

The proposal, which came in writing from Devlin Gauthier, District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen and Council President Lynn Griesemer, would establish designated school zones in accordance with state guidelines..

“This is a simple motion to approve the establishment of the school zones at both locations and does not require nor benefit from committee referral,” their memo reads. “The only item left to communities to determine is the time of illumination and location.”

Devlin Gauthier said the school zones have been requested by members of the public, though the state only recently allowed school zones for middle and high schools. The town last approved a school zone in 2017 for Fort River School on South East Street, when the town still had a Select Board.

The town is constrained by the state Department of Transportation’s rules on the look of the school zone signs and their color. Mass DOT also requires school zones to have a 20 mph speed limit, and that they be 200 to 500 feet from school grounds. But the town gets to decide if the signs flash or not, and when they flash.

Devlin Gauthier said the flashing indicator lights could be placed at the discretion of the DPW Director Guilford Mooring, and be illuminated between 6:30 and 10 a.m. and again from 3 to 6 p.m. The only review of this timing would be done by the Town Services and Outreach Committee one year after the signs begin operating.

District 3 Councilor George Ryan said councilors should follow the usual process of consultation. “Yes it, does take time, but there are pieces that need to be figured out,” Ryan said.

At Large Councilor Andy Steinberg said he supports a comprehensive study of traffic, adding that although Triangle Street passes by school athletic fields, that is town property, not part of the schools.

“It’s a process that obviously concerns the community a lot,” Steinberg said.