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Zoning Board of Appeals
Overview
The Zoning Board is a quasi-judicial body that operates under the authority of Chapter 40A of the General Laws of the Commonwealth for the purpose of promoting the health, safety, convenience, and general welfare of the inhabitants of the Town of Amherst. Section 10.38 of the Amherst Zoning Bylaw also outlines the process and specific findings that must be made for all ZBA Special Permit decisions.
The ZBA holds public hearings and acts on applications for Special Permits, Variances, Appeals of actions of the Building Commissioner, and Comprehensive Permits. Most ZBA hearings are for Special Permit applications for residential or business uses not allowed by right. All meetings and public hearings of the ZBA are open to the public. Hearings are advertised in the local paper and abutters are notified at least 2 weeks in advance of the hearing.
MEMBERS
* Mr. Judge served as an Associate Member from 2017
Full Members | Year Appointed | Term Expires |
---|---|---|
John Gilbert | 2021 | 2025 |
* Steve Judge, Chair | 2019 | 2025 |
Dillon Maxfield | 2020 | 2023 |
Craig Meadows | 2021 | 2024 |
Tammy Parks | 2020 | 2023 |
Associate Members | Year Appointed | Term Expires |
Jordan Helzer | 2023 | 2023 |
Sarah Marshall | 2022 | 2023 |
Vincent O'Connor | 2023 | 2023 |
David Sloviter | 2023 | 2023 |
Town Council Appointed: 5 full Members serve 3 year terms; up to 4 Associate Members serve 1 year terms .
Links to help in the Zoning Board of Appeals process:
- ZBA Handout Prepared by Town Council Community Resources Committee – Dated 2021-03-31
- ZBA Rules & Regulations, Effective Date August 26, 2022
ZBA Training on GL C40B Comprehensive Permits - Presentation Slides
ZBA Training on GL C40B Comprehensive Permits - YouTube Link
- Dark Sky lighting Examples
- Citizen Guide to the Conservation and Development Permit Process
- Zoning Primer, Overview of Zoning Principles
- Complaint Response Plan - Form
- Tenant-Lessee Notification Info Sheet
Interested in serving on the Zoning Board of Appeals? Fill out an online Community Activity Form here.
Contact Us
-
Rob Watchilla
Ph: 413-259-3120
Town Hall
4 Boltwood Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Next meeting: June 8, 2023
Click on the Meeting Agenda for More Info & Zoom Login Info
All meetings are currently being held virtually via Zoom, the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM, unless noted otherwise.
**In accordance with the Open Meeting Law, all agendas are now posted on the Town's Boards and Committee calendar on the homepage of the website a minimum of 48 hours in advance. Notices for public hearings are posted at Town Hall 2 weeks prior to said hearing date. This posting page is unofficial.