PROJECT NEWS
ABOUT THIS PROJECT
Plan Amherst was launched in early 2022 to review and renew the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw for the Town of Amherst. The project team completed a technical analysis (summarized in the Issues Report) and connected with community members to learn what is important to residents and business owners.
The project team carefully reviewed all feedback from the initial phase of engagement (summarized in the What We Heard Report) and used it to shape the draft Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw documents.
Phase 2: What We Heard Report is Now Available!
The What We Heard Report from the second phase of public engagement is now available. It summarizes feedback received on the draft Plan and organizes input into key themes based on the comments, questions, and concerns shared by participants.
The report explores a wide range of topics, including:
Housing
Commercial Development
Recreation & Community
Community Character
Environment & Climate
Transportation
Administration & Process
...and more!
Curious about what the community had to say? Read the full report to learn more!
What We Heard Report & Issues Report Now Available!
The What We Heard Report and the Issues Report are now available to the public.
The What We Heard Report is a summary of the initial findings from the first phase of consultation. It contains discussions around the key themes that came up throughout the consultations and will inform the direction of the new planning documents.
The Issues Report is an analysis of land use challenges the town is facing. It also explores some planning best practices, identifies gaps in the existing planning documents and framework, and proposed some preliminary policy directions for the new planning documents.
The Town of Amherst Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw Review is a project to review and update the Town’s Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB), which were adopted in 2005.
The MPS is the primary planning document that guides growth and development in Amherst. It establishes the vision, goals, and policies that guide how growth and development are managed within the Town.
The LUB is the companion document to the MPS, and puts the vision, goals, and policies into action through specific regulations that have to do with development activities.
Together, the MPS and LUB shape the Town of Amherst by determining what types of development can happen where.
Updating the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw presents an exciting opportunity to renew and reinforce the vision for the Town of Amherst, to make the Municipality’s role in land use regulation easier, and to ensure planning policy better serves residents and businesses of the Town. Policy in the new planning documents will consider topics such as:
Identification of an appropriate set of rules and approaches for the character of neighbourhoods across the town.
Supporting and encouraging economic development.
Efficient utilization and growth of town infrastructure.
Adaptation and mitigation to climate change.
Supporting a healthy community.
Promotion of housing variety, including affordable housing options.
Conservation and protection of valuable environmental and heritage resources.
Attracting and retaining new residents.
Land use implications on the transportation network, including active transportation.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Input from community members will form the foundation of this project, and there will be multiple opportunities to share your input. Visit the Get Involved page to see the upcoming opportunities to share your feedback and leave your email below to sign up for project updates.
STAY IN THE LOOP
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