By Alex Cox  ||  coxalexj@gmail.com

A report on the Regular Meeting of the Amherst Town Council on Monday, October 6.

Resident Zoning Bylaw Change Petitions, Articles 18 and 19

The Town Council voted to refer two zoning by-law change petitions to the Planning Board at their Monday meeting. 

The first petition (which would add Article 18 to the Zoning Bylaw) requests a one-year pause on new multifamily housing construction in the BG and BL zoning districts, which includes much of downtown. The moratorium on new building permits would apply only to “any residential buildings that include four or more dwelling units.” The moratorium also requires the Town to seek an agreement with the University of Massachusetts that the university will “provide housing for 5,000 additional students on campus.” The moratorium is to be for one year from enactment, or until the Town passes both Design Standards (with special consideration of the “Hastings Block” model) and a Housing Production Plan. The moratorium includes language to extend the ban for 90 days unless the Town has passed the Design Standards and Housing Production Plan and extracted an agreement from the University. Under Amherst Zoning Bylaw §3.325, mixed-use buildings (such as the ‘Hastings Block’) are considered to be “residential uses” and would be included in the temporary moratorium.

The second petition (which would add Article 19) would define student homes (utilizing a definition drafted by the Planning Board within proposed zoning regulations for protected use ADUs), set minimum distance requirements between student homes in all zoning districts (on local and collector streets), limit rentals of student homes to “arterial (main) streets,” and includes “consideration of rent stabilization.” Under Massachusetts state law, there is a “uniform statewide policy that broadly prohibits any regulatory scheme based upon or implementing rent control,” including rent stabilization programs; the actual implication of the rent-stabilization clause in the proposed Article 19 is therefore unclear.

Under Massachusetts law, “adoption or change of zoning ordinances or by-laws may be initiated… by ten registered voters in a city.” The two petitions, circulated by District 2 resident Cathy Axelson-Berry, received 19 and 17 certified signatures, respectively. Under the same provision of state law, the town council “shall within fourteen days of receipt of such zoning ordinance or by-law submit it to the planning board for review.”

Axelson-Berry, speaking on behalf of both petitions, claimed that Amherst is approaching a “tipping point” with approximately 13,000 non-student residents and 9,000 off-campus students living in town, citing the draft Housing Production Plan’s estimate of off-campus student populations. The Housing Production Plan also noted that many of the off-campus students “stay in Amherst year-round and might be living at their permanent home address, employed full-time, or raising a family.”

“Year-round residents should be valued,” said Axelson-Berry, claiming that the bylaw amendments would create balance between students and “year-round residents who put down roots in their community,” while not addressing the many students who are year-round residents. 

“This is not anti-student, it’s pro stable, year-round communities,” said Axelson-Berry. “A year-round population is essential for a year-round economy.” 

Article 18 Referral

Despite state law saying that council shall submit the petition to the Planning Board for review, many councilors expressed concerns with Article 18. “I don’t think 18 accomplishes much,” said Councilor Andrew Steinberg (At-Large), citing that providing more on-campus housing would take a long time for local institutions – a timeline that a moratorium wouldn’t expedite. “Students aren’t going to disappear. They are here. They are part of our community,” said Steinberg. 

Councilors George Ryan (District 3) and Mandi Jo Hanneke (At-Large) joined Steinberg in opposing the petition, stating that the moratorium would discourage development when the Town should be promoting more housing. Hanneke further expressed concerns that the petition’s provision for “special consideration to the Hastings Block” in determining Design Standards was a disregard of the ongoing public participation process the Town has been employing to develop the guidelines. 

Many other councilors expressed support of the petition and the idea it represented. “The sentiment of what you all are trying to do really resonates with me,” said Councilor Ellisha Walker (At-Large). The amendment, she claimed, is an opportunity to shape the town to be more friendly to families. Councilor Pamela Rooney (District 4) added that citizen action, such as these petitions, was a clear indication that the Council hadn’t been doing enough to solve housing challenges in town. 

The council referred the first petition to the Planning Board in a 8-0 vote. Councilors Hanneke, Ryan, Steinberg, and de Angelis (District 2) abstained from the vote as a signal of their disapproval. 

Article 19 Referral

Article 19 was similarly scrutinized by some councilors, although the Council seemed more open to considering the proposal. Council President Lynn Griesemer (District 2) highlighted that by referring the petition, the Council was putting it to a public body and inviting a discussion that had been asked for repeatedly. “I’m glad it was brought forward,” said Griesemer. 

Despite the more positive attitude of the Council towards this petition, some Councilors still had concerns about the wording of the amendment. Councilor Ndifreke Ette (District 1) stressed the importance of framing the issue differently and not scapegoating students. “Students come here, can live here, and can carry memories that are good or not good about the town,” said Ette, “let’s find a way to frame this discussion so students don’t become the other”. 

Councilor Jennifer Taub (District 4) stressed that the concern of the petition wasn’t with students, but with the declining non-student population. “That’s what we are addressing,” said Taub, “a change in the balance of the population.” 

The second petition was referred to the Planning Board in an 11-1 vote. Councilor de Angelis voted against the referral. 

Other Business

At the remainder of the 5+ hour meeting, Council referred a debt authorization for the Middle School roof project to committee (12-0) and granted an extension for the Charter Review Committee to complete its work (9-3). This is the second extension granted for the Review Committee, who have yet to file a preliminary or initial report despite the October 31 deadline for a final report. The committee now has until January 5, 2026 to file all three reports. “We will absolutely be done by January 5,” said Committee Chair Julian Hynes. The Council also passed a proclamation recognizing October 14th, 2025 as George Floyd Day (11-1).

The next Town Council meeting will be on October 20th in Town Hall at 6:30. Town Council meetings are also accessible via Zoom, livestream, and Amherst Media broadcast. Meeting details, agendas, and access are posted on the Town Council webpage. If you’re interested in knowing more about upcoming Council meetings, you can subscribe to text and email updates from the Town. If you want the Current’s coverage of the next Town Council meeting delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe using the field below. 

Alex Cox (he/him) has lived year-round in Amherst since 2023. He is a graduate student at UMass Amherst studying Regional Planning (MRP) and Public Policy and Administration (MPPA). He currently serves on the Amherst Affordable Housing Trust Fund and as the Graduate Director of the Student Union Art Gallery. He has been a member of the Amherst Current editorial board since 2024.