AMHERST — Determining whether buildings’ heights are being portrayed accurately, ensuring there is sufficient outdoor play space for children and keeping a pedestrian path from entering onto Montague Road are among the concerns residents have with a large mixed-use project being proposed for Cowls Road.
Many of the nearly 50 people present Thursday for the first of three planned Zoning Board of Appeals hearings on the North Square at the Mill District project sought to learn more about how this development will impact both the North Amherst village center and the town at large. They asked members of the town board to do more research before deciding on the permit.
Beacon Communities of Boston is seeking a comprehensive permit under the state’s chapter 40B affordable housing law for the project, which would be built on 5.3 acres of vacant industrial land owned by W.D. Cowls.
The project includes 130 residential apartments, of which 26 will be affordable, 22,000 square feet of commercial space and 299 parking spots.
Hilda Greenbaum of Montague Road said she worries the town’s limited water supply, already being affected by the ongoing drought, will be compromised by the intense development.
“A lot of growth is happening very fast, as it did 30 years ago, and no one is talking about that,” Greenbaum said.
Paige Wilder of Fearing Street asked that the Zoning Board investigate the additional burden the development might place on municipal resources, including the fire, police and school departments, while Carol Gray of South East Street suggested that the board learn how property values will be changed in the neighborhood.
“I’m concerned about commercial deliveries,” said Melissa Perot of Summer Street. “We have several retail areas, and I’m not seeing anyplace for delivery trucks.”
Vincent O’Connor, also of Summer Street, requested an independent review of the artist’s conceptions of the project before it proceeds.
The Zoning Board made no decisions Thursday, with Chairman Mark Parent explaining that the first votes will come at the Dec. 8 meeting, when the board will begin acting on Beacon’s requests for a series of waivers from either general or zoning bylaws, including the height and density of buildings. The board will also start to identify the conditions that should be put on the project. That meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at Town Room at Town Hall.
Parent asked residents to stick to asking about missing information in the project plans, rather than directly endorsing or criticizing the plans.
“At future meetings you will have an opportunity to provide your support or your non-support for the project itself,” Parent said.
To approve the comprehensive permit, at least two of the three members must vote in favor. The other members sitting on the panel are Yuri Friman and Thomas Simpson.
Dara Kovel, president of development for Beacon, said the project will spur development and promote a sense of community and place.
“The housing supports the retail, and the retail supports the housing,” Kovel said.
North Square is a more than $40 million investment and will mean $14 million in new tax revenues to Amherst over the first 20 years.
With only 42 new apartments created in Amherst since 2012, Darcy Jameson, Beacon’s development director, said the development is also responding to demand for housing, and will target young professionals, empty nesters, young families, low-income people and graduate students.
“Amherst traditionally has quite low vacancy rates,” Jameson said, citing Beacon’s experience in managing Rolling Green Apartments.
Cowls Road is an ideal place for the project, she said. “It’s also a site that has a lot of opportunity for redevelopment from a land-use perspective,” Jameson said.
Parent had his own questions, including what would happen if the development becomes an enclave for college students. “What does your management plan do should they show up?” Parent said.
Jameson said there will be two full-time on-site property managers, in addition to two maintenance workers.
Jameson said the project is designed with sustainable features, natural drought-tolerant plants and will be a healthy environment for those living there and visiting the shops and restaurants.
“North Square will be entirely smoke-free, both public and private spaces,” Jameson said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
