[MassHistPres] Amherst creates first local historic district

[Jim Wald]

All:

We are pleased to announce that Amherst Town Meeting last night approved 
its first local historic district by a clear voice vote--no one even 
asked for a vote count.

The newspaper article below provides some details.

Many thanks to all on the list who, directly or indirectly, helped us to 
get this far. The discussions on the list have been of great value as we 
refined our ideas, policies, and strategies.

Best,
Jim Wald


  Amherst OKs historic district, immigration resolution

By /smerzbach/
Created /05/22/2012 - 5:00am/

AMHERST - For the first time, Amherst will have a means of maintaining 
the historic appearance of the area surrounding one of its most popular 
tourist destinations, the Emily Dickinson Museum.

By voice vote at the seventh and final session of annual Town Meeting, 
members Monday approved establishing the Dickinson Local Historic 
District, which will give a new level of protection to 39 properties 
along Main, Triangle and Lessey streets.

"I think it's the best thing we can do in terms of historic preservation 
for Amherst that we've ever done in town," said Michael Hanke, chairman 
of the Historical Commission.

The local historic district matches precisely the borders of the 
National Historic District established in 1977.

Select Board member James Wald said the local district, unlike the 
honorary national district, will prevent irreparable actions that could 
compromise its enjoyment for future generations

Currently the only tool at the disposal of the town is the demolition 
delay bylaw, which the Historical Commission can impose for up to a year 
to prevent historic buildings and other structures from being torn down 
while working with property owners on finding alternative solutions.

Wald said the district will make the town more sustainable by protecting 
historic resources, much like Amherst already does with its open space 
and farmland.

Hanke said if Emily Dickinson, Luke Sweetser or Enos Cook, all famous 
residents of Amherst, were able to walk the streets today, they would 
see the area that was the center of civic life in the 1800s unchanged. 
"This was the heart of Amherst in the late 19th century," Hanke said.

Jerry Guidera, chairman of the Local Historic District Study Committee, 
said his panel received extensive input from residents. "We think it's 
the best proposal there is," Guidera said.

The district establishes a Local Historic District Commission that will 
review projects submitted to it by the building commissioner. This 
commission is likened to the Design Review Board, which examines 
projects in downtown for how they might affect the look of streetscapes.

Initially opposed to the concept, Thomas Ehrgood of Precinct 5, who 
lives in an 1870s historic house at 94 Lessey St., agreed to support the 
district after amendments were made.

He acknowledged that it will mean regulations that will control property 
owners when they seek building permits and that the commission will need 
to review many projects the building inspector considers applicable.

Nancy Gregg of Precinct 3, a representative of the Amherst Woman's Club 
on Triangle Street, said the organization is supporting the amended 
article after its concerns about added expenses for future projects were 
resolved.

Murray Schwartz of 108 Lessey St. said the bylaw doesn't address 
deterioration and may create new neglect of properties.

"The bylaw creates uncertainty, potentially expensive regulation 
(rather) than incentives of any kind to maintain the properties," 
Schwartz said.

Precinct 5 member Carlton Brose, of and 36 Triangle St., said the bylaw 
will restrict what people can do with their properties and limit freedom 
of choice.

"I can't help but ask, 'Does Amherst really need a new level of 
bureaucracy?'" Brose said.

"It seems this commission will have power to decide whether a project is 
appropriate based on a vague understanding of their own choosing," Brose 
added.

Town Meeting also adopted a resolution critical of the federal Secure 
Communities Act and asks the town's police department, as well as 
municipal employees, not to participate in the program as much as 
legally possible.

Lead petitioner Ruth Hooke of Precinct 8 said "S-Comm" is a project of 
the executive branch, and described the program as forcing an "inhumane 
and outdated immigration system on municipalities."

Emma Febo of Longmeadow Drive said immigrants, both legal and 
undocumented, will be more afraid of reporting domestic incidents and 
other crimes to police for fear of being deported.

"With this law, those cases will be worse and will increase," Febo said.

Select Board member Diana Stein said the law is supposed to be about 
ensuring dangerous criminals in the United States illegally are removed, 
but many people have instead been deported after minor traffic offenses. 
She said the law promotes racial and ethnic profiling.

Daily Hampshire Gazette © 2011 All rights reserved
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*Source URL:* 
http://www.gazettenet.com/2012/05/22/amherst-oks-historic-district-immigration-resolution

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