3.0 Land Use and Development - Town of Amherst

TOWN OF AMHERST BICENTENNIAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
importance of open space preservation to Amherst’s community
character. Thus an open space system is conceived as an integral
part of future land use in Amherst, providing “connective tissue”
that helps define the Town’s development patterns.
3-13 Designate a town-wide open space and greenway
network to be achieved through a variety of
mechanisms.
The Town should work towards establishing an
interconnected open space network within Amherst that
integrates public parks and open spaces, private open spaces
(e.g., country clubs and protected farmlands), and
environmentally sensitive resources. Existing public and
private open spaces can serve as the foundation of this
network (see Figure 4). The network may include lands
under private ownership that do not include public access,
but provide desirable open space. Already protected open
spaces should be augmented by additional properties
protected through a variety of mechanisms. The Conceptual
Land Use Plan (Figure 6) shows how these lands are added
to the pattern of existing open spaces to create a more
interconnected network. Techniques to protect privately
owned land that should be included in the open space system
include:
Open space preservation is one
of the priority issues identified by
citizens, as reflected in the Vision
Statement and Aesthetic/
Community Character Key
Initiative.
• Regulatory approaches: Conservation development is
one regulatory technique proposed to help preserve
open space (see Policy 3-14). Other ways to integrate
open space into new development should be explored
(e.g., by establishing requirements for easements when
new developments abut greenway corridors identified on
the Open Space and Greenways Plan).
• Public acquisition: See Policy 3-15.
• Private landowner conservation: Working with
private, non-profit land organizations such as the
Amherst Conservation, Parks, and Recreation
Foundation, private landowners can preserve significant
open space areas through voluntary actions, such as
conservation easements that restrict future development,
outright donations or bargain sale of properties, or
limited (below market value or the intensity allowed by
zoning) development. A variety of tax benefits are
available to landowners pursuing these options.
In addition, the Town should identify and pursue
properties for acquisition in residential areas that are
under served by existing parks and recreational facilities.
Residential areas located more than ½ mile from a local
or community park are shown on Figure 4.
3-20
Town Board Adopted Plan (Amended March 2009) – Land Use and Development