Zoning and Permits

Since 1935, the Town of Amherst adopted and maintained a zoning ordinance that is predicated on a proactive planning approach.  Our zoning ordinance is continually referenced and utilized as a model by municipalities and governments throughout the United States.

Today, the zoning code has been modified again to incorporate modern development principals developed in the recent Town of Amherst Bicentennial Comprehensive Plan. The Plan identifies a series of Priority Action Programs as high priority for short-term plan implementation. The first Action Program identified the need to comprehensively revise the Town’s development regulations, standards, and review/approval processes to implement the policies of the Land Use and Development Element. The Zoning Code amendments represent a significant step toward implementation of that Action Program. Modifications to the existing code allow for greater density, a mixture of uses and varying building plan configurations that encourage full utilization of a property.