AMHERST — Workforce housing with homeownership opportunities, with the possibility of multigenerational housing stock where young families live next to retirees.
Developments that would enhance the tax base, possibly through creation of a new walkable village center, while protecting existing farmland and conservation habitats located nearby.
These are among the visions for the future of the Hampshire College property, once the educational institution winds down operations after the fall semester, with a likelihood that the site could be sold to a private developer.
Members of the Town Council on Monday, in their first in-depth conversation with consultants Horsley Witten Group and Dodson & Flinker, had the opportunity to elaborate on the statement it issued in June calling for the buildable land on the campus to be set aside for housing, sensitive habitats to be preserved and some of the property to be looked at for possible use for town services.
Jeff Bagg, the town’s director of Planning and Economic Development, said the zoning decisions the town makes likely will dictate what happens to the college land.
“That’s what this boils down to is our control is going to be through zoning, so that’s going to be the task over the next several months, to figure that out,” Bagg said.
The ongoing Hampshire Campus Zoning Study is a project being put together by a team of consultants, working through MassDevelopment, evaluating the 632 acres in Amherst. MassDevelopment offered to provide technical assistance and expertise on environmental, land use and economic development.
The meeting was to get both an update on the work and served as a brainstorming session, expanding on ideas and concerns, though not to debate the merits of using zoning, which is the only way the town can set the parameters for the future of the land that for 60 years has been for educational purposes.
A day after the meeting, Bagg said the interest in multi-generational housing is helpful as a guide for developing the specific zoning, as is the connection councilors would like to see to the existing cultural facilities and a new walkable village center.
“There’s starting a vision for what they’d hope to be on the property,” Bagg said.
The work session is the lead up to a scheduled community listening session Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. and a design workshop Sept. 24 at 5:30 p.m., both at the Eric Carle Museum. People will be asked to RSVP, with capacity limited to about 150 people.
Bagg said the consultants are experts at bringing people together to offer feedback and to build on the case studies that will be presented. More details about the possible zoning impacts will be presented in the fall, showing detailed maps for how such housing would be laid out.
Before any rezoning proposals are crafted, likely in early 2027, consultants would figure out the amount of housing, and the specific number of units that could be built under various scenarios. They would then do a cost-benefit analysis. For instance, if 2,000 units could be accommodated, the consultants would figure out the impacts on both the tax base and services.
Bagg said the hope is that by having the work done now, the end process for getting to a vote by the Town Council will not take as long.
Members of the Town Council offered a lot of thoughts on the future of the campus.
District 4 Councilor Pamela Rooney said she would like to see any developer use existing facilities as much as possible, reducing energy costs and time for development.
“One of my goals is we use the existing facilities as best as possible,” Rooney said.
She also suggested there be “rings of density” for development, similar to places like Almere, Holland, or the New Town development in Virginia.
District 3 Councilor Hala Heather Lord said housing justice, mixed-income and multi-generational and community wealth and wellness are priorities.
“So part of the campus could be used to create jobs, locally owned business, cultural space, our BIPOC, our youth center, education, mental health, wellness,” Lord said.
At-Large Councilor Andy Churchill said in addition to housing, he would like to see options for the recreation facilities, like the multi-use sport center.
District 2 Councilor Lynn Grisemer said homes for senior citizens and an addition that could be a complement to the nearby Applewood Apartments, with multiple levels of care, would be appropriate, and District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen said there could be life care communities and the campus would become a “mecca for healthy seniors.”
While the town doesn’t control how the land is used and has no interest in acquiring any of the property, the rezoning could guide the use of properties, such as the Red Barn, which, once the college closes, can no longer be used as an event space or conference hall without rezoning. Some councilors expressed a desire for parts of the campus, such as an indoor swimming pool and tennis courts, to remain available to the public.
Rezoning would make it easier for buildings to be used, but “it’s not something we have control over,” Bagg said.
The Planning Board has given similar feedback in previous meetings, urging consultants to not shy away from housing density and to think outside the box, such as encouraging density with very small lots.
Bagg said one of the intriguing ideas is easing regulations for a potential buyer who has a vision and a master plan for the entirety of the property.
Nate Kelly of Horsley Witten said there would probably be multiple levers through zoning.
“This idea of a master plan is definitely a tool that has to be on the table,” he said, setting the stage for how the site would be conceptually laid out over time and engineers and designers.
Knowing the zoning would be good for a developer, even if several steps of permitting and review would still be necessary, Bagg said.
“We think this is something that could be viable and beneficial for the town,” Bagg said.
