AMHERST — Amherst’s Conservation Commission will not consider adjusting the town’s wetlands bylaw to ease approvals for a mixed-use development proposed for Hampshire College-owned land in South Amherst.
With a 5-0 vote Wednesday, the commission went on the record against making any changes to its regulations, based on a request from Archipelago Investments, which is interested in bringing a mixed-use project to the area near Atkins Farms Country Market.
Commission member Alex Hoar said he wanted to go on record that the commission would not change its regulations and that it won’t be reconsidering requests for a change to the bylaws.
“Personally, I’m interested in economizing our time,” Hoar said, noting that the project has already been on several agendas.
Citing wetlands exemptions for commercial development in Northampton, Kyle Wilson, a principal with Archipelago Investments, made the appeal in August, arguing that Amherst’s bylaws could match those in Northampton for certain commercial development. The commission has previously expressed concerns about too many wetlands disturbances.
Plans for the development have shown up to three, four-story mixed-use buildings, with 265 beds, on 7.7 acres of land on West Bay Road and West Street.
Hoar initially proposed denying the continuation entirely, because there was no reason for the request.
Wetland Administrator Erin Jacque, though, warned against this approach, observing the commission would have to issue an order of conditions within 21 days, and would have to either approve or deny the request at that time.
Instead, she recommended setting a deadline for Archipelago to submit plans within 30 days that meet general performance standards under the town’s wetland bylaws and state regulations.
“If we don’t follow the appropriate regulatory steps in order to get where we need to go, that could be a potential legal consequence,” Jacque said.
The commission ultimately set a deadline for submitting paperwork and plans by Oct. 24 and will then hold a hearing Dec. 3.
“That would give Erin time to review them and us time to discuss them,” said Chairman Andrey Guidera, and that would be the last extension
“Right now, as it is, we don’t have enough information to approve anything,” Guidera said.
Other members expressed frustration, with Jason Dorney said there had already been many continuances.
The project is also being reviewed by the Planning Board.