PROJECT NEWS
ABOUT THIS PROJECT
What We Heard Report & Issues Report Now Available!
The What We Heard Report and the Issues Report are now available to the public.
The What We Heard Report is a summary of the initial findings from the first phase of consultation. It contains discussions around the key themes that came up throughout the consultations and will inform the direction of the new planning documents.
The Issues Report is an analysis of land use challenges the town is facing. It also explores some planning best practices, identifies gaps in the existing planning documents and framework, and proposed some preliminary policy directions for the new planning documents.
The Town of Amherst Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw Review is a project to review and update the Town’s Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB), which were adopted in 2005.
The MPS is the primary planning document that guides growth and development in Amherst. It establishes the vision, goals, and policies that guide how growth and development are managed within the Town.
The LUB is the companion document to the MPS, and puts the vision, goals, and policies into action through specific regulations that have to do with development activities.
Together, the MPS and LUB shape the Town of Amherst by determining what types of development can happen where.
Updating the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw presents an exciting opportunity to renew and reinforce the vision for the Town of Amherst, to make the Municipality’s role in land use regulation easier, and to ensure planning policy better serves residents and businesses of the Town. Policy in the new planning documents will consider topics such as:
Identification of an appropriate set of rules and approaches for the character of neighbourhoods across the town.
Supporting and encouraging economic development.
Efficient utilization and growth of town infrastructure.
Adaptation and mitigation to climate change.
Supporting a healthy community.
Promotion of housing variety, including affordable housing options.
Conservation and protection of valuable environmental and heritage resources.
Attracting and retaining new residents.
Land use implications on the transportation network, including active transportation.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Input from community members will form the foundation of this project, and there will be multiple opportunities to share your input. Visit the Get Involved page to see the upcoming opportunities to share your feedback and leave your email below to sign up for project updates.
STAY IN THE LOOP
Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates about the project. It will not be shared with 3rd parties, and will only be used to contact you with information about the Town of Amherst Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw Review.