RESULTS SPECIAL TOWN MEETING November 6, 8, and 13 ...

RESULTSSPECIAL TOWN MEETINGNovember 6, 8, and 13, 2017

The meeting was televised by Amherst Community Television and shown on the government channel.

There were 249 town meeting members. 125 checked in and a quorum was declared. The November 6, 2017 Special Town Meeting was called to order by the Moderator, James W. Pistrang at 7:03 p.m.The call and return of the warrant was read by Town Clerk, Sandra J. Burgess.

The Moderator asked Town Meeting to rise and observe a moment of silence in memory of those town meeting members who had passed away since the last town meeting. Town Meeting stood in recognition of Isaac BenEzra, Louis Greenbaum, Ruth Hooke, Rick Keller and Randa Nachbar.

Procedural MotionsVOTED to hear Article 13 on Wednesday, November 8 at 7:05 p.m.VOTED unanimously to hear Article 12 on Wednesday, November 8 at 7:15 p.mVOTED to hear Article 16 on Wednesday, November 8 at 7:20 p.m.VOTED unanimously to hear Article 15 on Wednesday, November 8 at 7:25 p.m.

ARTICLE 1. Reports of Boards and Committees (Select Board)VOTED unanimously to hear those reports of Town officers, the Finance Committee, and any other Town boards or committees which are not available in written form.Action taken 11/6/17.Nina Allen gave a report on behalf of the Dog Park Task Force.

ARTICLE 2. Free Cash to Stabilization Fund (Finance Committee) VOTED to appropriate and transfer the sum of $1,301,633 from Free Cash in the Undesignated Fund Balance to the Stabilization Fund.Action taken 11/6/17.

ARTICLE 3. Local Option Recreational Marijuana Excise Tax (Select Board)VOTED Yes 175, No 7, with 4 abstaining to accept M.G.L. c.64N, Section 3(a), as recently amendedby Section 13 of Chapter 55 of the Acts of 2017, and impose a sales tax upon the sale or transfer of marijuana or marijuana products by a marijuana retailer operating within the Town to anyone other than a marijuana establishment, at the rate of 3 percent of the total sales price received by the marijuana retailer as a consideration for the sale of marijuana or marijuana products. Action taken 11/6/17.

ARTICLE 4. General Bylaw – Limitation on Number of Recreational Marijuana Retail Establishments (Select Board)

VOTED Yes 98, No 57 with 7 abstaining to amend the General Bylaws to limit the number of recreational marijuana retail establishments located within the Town by adding the following Bylaw:

PreambleM.G.L. c.94G does not require a vote of the voters to approve any limitation on the number of recreational marijuana establishments that is at or above the number of medical marijuana treatment centers registered to operate in the municipality or equal to or greater than 20% of the licenses issued for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises. Currently there are four (4) medical marijuana treatment centers registered to operate in Amherst and eleven (11) licenses issued for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises in Amherst.

LimitationNo more than eight (8) recreational marijuana retail establishments shall be permitted to be located in the Town of Amherst. Action taken 11/6/17.(A motion was made by Janet Chevan to amend the proposed bylaw to limit the number of recreational marijuana retail establishments to no more than six. In accordance with Section 7 of the Rules of Order for Town Meeting, Town Meeting voted first on the higher amount. Ms. Chevan’s motion failed by default.)

ARTICLE 5. General Bylaw – Prohibition on Public Consumption of Marijuana or Tetrahydrocannabinol (Select Board)

VOTED Yes 117, No 73 with 1 (one) abstaining to amend the General Bylaws to prohibit consumption of marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol in public ways and places by adding the following Bylaw:

Consumption of Marijuana or Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)No person shall inhale, ingest, or otherwise use or consume marijuana or THC (as defined in G.L. c. 94C, § 1, as amended) while in or upon any street, sidewalk, public way, footway, passageway, stairs,

bridge, park, playground, beach, recreation area, boat landing, public building, schoolhouse, school grounds, cemetery, parking lot, or any area owned by or under the control of the Town; or in or upon any bus or other passenger conveyance operated by a common carrier; or in any place accessible to thepublic.

This Bylaw may be enforced through any lawful means in law or in equity including, but not limited to, enforcement by criminal indictment or complaint pursuant to G.L. c.40, § 21, or by noncriminal

disposition pursuant to G.L. c. 40, § 21D, by the Select Board, the Town Manager, or their duly

authorized agents, or any police officer. The fine for violation of this Bylaw shall be one hundred dollars ($100) for each offense. Any penalty imposed under this Bylaw shall be in addition to any civilpenalty imposed under G.L. c. 94C, § 32L.

This Bylaw shall not alter or affect the jurisdiction of the Board of Health under the provisions of G.L c.111, §31 or any other applicable law, including but not limited to the regulation of combustion and

inhalation of tobacco and non-tobacco products in workplaces and public spaces in the Town.Action taken 11/6/17.(A motion was made to reduce the fine for violation from $300 to $100. In accordance with Section 7 of the Rules of Order for Town Meeting, Town Meeting voted first on the higher amount. The vote on the higher amount was defeated and the motion to reduce the fine for violation from $300 to $100 carried.)

ARTICLE 6. Zoning Bylaw – Recreational Marijuana Retailer (Planning Board)VOTED Yes 104, No 50 with 5 abstaining to amend the Zoning Bylaw to insert a new use, “recreational marijuana retailer” and make changes, and to modify the regulation of “medical marijuana” uses, as follows:

(1) Amend Article 3, Use Regulations, Section 3.3, Use Classifications and Standards, by deleting Section 3.360.40, Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) and Section 3.360.41, Off-Site Medical Marijuana Dispensary (OMMD) in their entirety, including associated standards and conditions, and

(2) Amend Article 3, Use Regulations, Section 3.3. Use Classifications and Standards, by adding a new use category, Section 3.363, Marijuana Uses, and adding subsections, shown in bold italics, as follows: Section 3.363.0, Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC), Section 3.363.1, Off-Site Medical Marijuana Dispensary (OMMD) and Section 3.363.2, Recreational Marijuana Retailer (RMR), and adding associated Standards and Conditions; and

(3) Amend Article 12, Definitions, by adding a new definition, 12.34, Recreational Marijuana Retailer (RMR), by adding the language in bold italics, and to renumber subsequent subsections (definitions) of Article 12.

ARTICLE 3 USE REGULATIONS, Section 3.3, Use Classifications and Standards

3.363 Marijuana Uses

3.363.0 Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC)

R-O

R-LD R-N R-VC R-G R-F B-G B-L B-VC B-N COM OP LI PRP FPC

N N N N N SP SP* SP N SP SP SP N N

*Allowed only in those B-L Districts which co-occur with the R&D overlay district.See definition under Article 12.Subject to the standards and conditions listed below, under Section 3.363.2.

3.363.1 Off-Site Medical Marijuana Dispensary (OMMD)

R-O


N N N N N SP SP SP N SP SP SP N N

See definition under Article 12.Subject to the standards and conditions listed below, under Section 3.363.2.

3.363.2 Recreational Marijuana Retailer (RMR)

R-O


N N N N N SP SP SP N SP N SP N N

See definition under Article 12.Subject to the standards and conditions listed below.

Standards and Conditions (applies to MMTCs, OMMDs and RMRs)

1. Purpose. It is recognized that the nature of the substance cultivated, processed, and/or sold by medical marijuana treatment centers and off-site medical marijuana dispensaries and recreational marijuana retailers may have objectionable operational characteristics and should be located in such a way as to ensure the health, safety and general well-being of the public as well as patients seeking treatment and customers seeking to purchase marijuana for recreational use. The specific and separate regulation of Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) and Off-site Medical Marijuana Dispensaries (OMMDs) and Recreational Marijuana Retailers (RMRs) is necessary to advance these purposes.

Subject to the provisions of this Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 40A of the Massachusetts General Laws, and 105 CMR 725.000, and M.G.L. Chapter 94G, MMTCs and OMMDs and RMRs will be permitted to provide medical support, security and physician oversight that meet or exceed state regulation as established by the Massachusetts Department of Health (DPH) and to provide retail sales of marijuana for non-medical use in a manner that meets or exceeds state regulations.

2. Application Requirements. Above and beyond the standard application requirements for Special Permits, an application for a use under this section shall include the following:

a) The name and address of each owner of the facility/operation;

b) Copies of all documentation demonstrating appropriate application status under state law, or registration or license, issued to the applicant by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and any of its agencies for the facility;

c) Evidence that the Applicant has site control and the right to use the site for a facility in the form of a deed or valid purchase and sale agreement, or, in the case of a lease, a notarized statement from the property owner and a copy of the lease agreement;

d) A notarized statement signed by the organization’s Chief Executive Officer and corporateattorney disclosing all of its designated representatives, including officers and directors, shareholders, partners, members, managers, directors, officers, or other similarly-situated individuals and entities and their addresses. If any of the above are entities rather than persons, the Applicant must disclose the identity of all such responsible individual persons;

e) In addition to what is normally required in a site plan pursuant to Section 11.2, details showing all exterior proposed security measures for the premises, including lighting, fencing, gates and alarms, etc. ensuring the safety of employees and patrons and to protect the premises from theft or other criminal activity;

f) A Management Plan as required under the Rules and Regulations of the Special Permit Granting Authority, including a description of all activities to occur on site, including all provisions for the delivery of marijuana and related products to OMMDs and RMRs or off-site direct delivery;

g) A traffic impact report as set forth in the Rules and Regulations of the Special Permit Granting Authority shall be developed and submitted with the application.

3. Regulations. The following regulations shall apply to uses under this section:

a. Use Regulations.

1) No marijuana shall be smoked, eaten or otherwise consumed or ingested on the premises.

2) The hours of operation shall be set up the Special Permit Granting Authority, but in no event shall a facility be open to the public, nor shall any sale or other distribution of marijuana occur upon the premises or via delivery from the premises, between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.

b. Locational and Physical Requirements

1) All aspects of an MMTC or OMMD or RMR relative to the acquisition, cultivation, possession, processing, sales, distribution, dispensing, or administration of marijuana, or products containing marijuana, must take place at a fixed location within a fully enclosed building.

2) No outside storage of marijuana, related supplies, or educational materials is permitted.

3) No MMTC shall have a gross floor area in excess of 25,000 square feet.

4) No OMMD or RMR shall have a gross floor area accessible to patients or customers which is in excess of 2,500 square feet, except as may be permitted under 3., e., 1), c). Space in an OMMD facility or RMR which is dedicated to administration or operations and is accessible only to employees of the facility shall not be included in this limitation.

5) Ventilation – all facilities shall be ventilated in such a manner that:

a) No pesticides, insecticides or other chemicals or products used in the cultivation or processing are dispersed into the outside atmosphere; and

b) No odor from marijuana or its processing can be detected by a person with an unimpaired and otherwise normal sense of smell at the exterior of the MMTC or OMMD facility or RMR or at any adjoining use or property.

c. Reporting Requirements

1) All Special Permit holders for uses under this section shall provide the Police Department, Fire Department, Building Commissioner, Board of Health, and SpecialPermit Granting Authority with the names, phone numbers, mailing and email addresses of all management staff and key-holders, including a minimum of two (2) operators or managers of the facilities identified as designated contact persons to whom notice should be made if there are operating problems associated with any use under this section. All such contact information shall be updated as needed to keep itcurrent and accurate.

2) The designated contact persons shall notify the Police Department, Fire Department, Building Commissioner, Board of Health and Special Permit Granting Authority in writing a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to any change in ownership or management of a facility regulated under this section.

3) The designated representatives of permitted facilities shall file an annual report with the Special Permit Granting Authority and shall appear before said Authority to present the report no later than January 31st of each year, providing a copy of all current applicable state licenses for the owners and facilities, to demonstrate continued compliance with the conditions of the Special Permit.

4) The designated contact persons shall be required to respond by phone or email withintwenty-four (24) hours of the time of contact and inquiry regarding operation of the facility by a town official to the telephone number or email address provided as the contact for the business.

d. Transfer/Discontinuance of Use

1) A Special Permit granted under this Section is non-transferable and shall have a term limited to the duration of the applicant’s ownership or leasing of the premises asan MMTC or OMMD or RMR.

2) Any MMTC or OMMD or RMR permitted under this section shall be required to remove all material, plants, equipment and other paraphernalia in compliance with 105 CMR 725.105 (J), (O) prior to the expiration of its DPH Registration or immediately following revocation or voiding of its DPH Registration or following expiration, revocation or voiding of its license issued by the Cannabis Control Commission.

e. Prohibitions

1) The proposed uses shall not be located:

a) Within three hundred (300) feet of a building:

i. Containing another MMTC or OMMD or RMR, except for facilities that are owned or leased by the same operator; or

ii. In which is located a public or private elementary school, middle school, secondary school, preparatory school, licensed daycare center, or any other facility in which children commonly congregate in an organized ongoing formal basis; or

iii. Owned by and operated as part of the campus of any private or public institution of higher learning; or

iv. Housing a public library; or

v. Containing any residential use, excepting a mixed-use building under Section 3.325 of the Zoning Bylaw.

b) Within, on the same lot as, or on a lot immediately adjacent to a licensed pharmacy; or

c) Within buildings that contain any pharmacy, medical doctor offices or the offices of any other professional practitioner authorized to prescribe the use ofmedical marijuana. An exception shall be that the Special Permit Granting Authority may grant permission for palliative and therapeutic care uses in the same building in which an MMTC or OMMD or RMR is operated; or

2) The proposed use shall not display on-premises signage or other marketing on theexterior of the building or in any manner visible from the public way, which, in the opinion of the Special Permit Granting Authority, may promote or encourage the use of marijuana or other drugs by minors.

4. Findings. In addition to the findings required under Section 10.38, and meeting the provisions of Articles 7, 8 and all other applicable sections of this Bylaw, the Special Permit Granting Authority shall find that the proposed use:

a. Meets all of the permitting requirements of all applicable agencies within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will as proposed be in compliance with all applicable state laws and regulations.

b. Will provide copies of registrations and licenses and a copy of a signed Host Agreement with the Town of Amherst, in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 94G and subsequent regulations to the Building Commissioner prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.

c. Is designed to minimize any adverse visual or economic impacts on abutters and other parties in interest.

d. Provides a secure waiting area.

e. Provides adequate security measures to ensure that no individual participant will pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals, and that the storage and/or location of cultivation of marijuana is adequately secured in enclosed, locked facilities.

f. Adequately addresses issues of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, circulation, parking and queuing, especially during peak periods at the facility, and adequately mitigates the impacts of vehicular and pedestrian traffic on neighboring uses.

5. Limitation on number of RMRs – No more than eight (8) Recreational Marijuana Retailers shall be permitted to be located in the Town of Amherst.

ARTICLE 12 DEFINITIONS

12.34 Recreational Marijuana Retailer (RMR): An entity licensed to purchase and deliver marijuana and marijuana products from marijuana cultivators and marijuana product manufacturers and to deliver, sell or otherwise transfer marijuana and marijuana products to marijuana consumers, for non-medical purposes.

Action taken 11/6/17.

At 10:16 p.m. on Monday November 6, 2017, town meeting voted to adjourn to Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Amherst Regional Middle School. 202 town meeting members were checked in.

The November 8, 2017 session was called to order by Town Moderator Jim Pistrang at 7:03 p.m. 125 town meeting members were checked in.

Procedural Motions

Voted unanimously to hear Article 10 immediately following Article 15.Voted unanimously to hear Article 11 immediately following Article 10.

Town Meeting resumed with consideration of Article 13

ARTICLE 7. Zoning Bylaw - Temporary Moratorium on Recreational MarijuanaEstablishments (Planning Board)

DEFEATED [To see if the Town will amend the Zoning Bylaw by amending Section 3.0, Prohibited Uses – All Districts, by adding a new section, Section 3.03, Temporary Moratorium on Recreational Marijuana Establishments, that would provide as follows, and further to amend the Table of Contents to add Section 3.03, “Temporary Moratorium on Recreational Marijuana Establishments” as shown in bold italics:

3.03 Temporary Moratorium on Recreational Marijuana Establishments

3.030 Purpose

On November 8, 2016, the voters of the Commonwealth approved a law regulating the cultivation, processing, distribution, possession and use of marijuana for recreational purposes (new G.L. c. 94G,Regulation of the Use and Distribution of Marijuana Not Medically Prescribed). The law, which allows certain personal use and possession of marijuana, took effect on December 15, 2016 and (as amended on December 30, 2016 by Chapter 351 of the Acts of 2016 and thereafter, on July 28, 2017 by Chapter 55 of the Acts of 2017) requires a Cannabis Control Commission to issue regulations regarding the licensing of commercial activities by March 15, 2018 and to begin accepting applications for licenses no later than April 1, 2018. Currently under the Zoning Bylaw, a non-medical Marijuana Establishment (hereinafter, a “Recreational Marijuana Establishment”), as defined in G.L. c. 94G, §1, is not specifically addressed in the Zoning Bylaw. Regulations to be

promulgated by the Cannabis Control Commission may provide guidance on certain aspects of local regulation of Recreational Marijuana Establishments. The regulation of recreational marijuana raises novel legal, planning, and public safety issues, and the Town needs time to study and consider the regulation of Recreational Marijuana Establishments and address such issues, as well as to address the potential impact of the State regulations on local zoning and to undertake a planning process to consider amending the Zoning Bylaw regarding regulation of Recreational Marijuana Establishments. The Town intends to adopt a temporary moratorium on the use of land and structures in the Town for Recreational Marijuana Establishments so as to allow sufficient time to address the effects of such structures and uses in the Town and to enact bylaws in a consistent manner.

Section 3.031 Definition

“Recreational Marijuana Establishment” shall mean a marijuana cultivator, independent testing laboratory, marijuana product manufacturer, marijuana retailer or any other type of licensed marijuana-related business for non-medical purposes.

Section 3.032 Temporary Moratorium

For the reasons set forth above and notwithstanding any other provision of the Zoning Bylaw to the contrary, the Town hereby adopts a temporary moratorium on the use of land or structures for a Recreational Marijuana Establishment and other uses related to recreational marijuana. The moratorium shall be in effect through December 31, 2018. During the moratorium period, the Town shall undertake a planning process to address the potential impacts of recreational marijuana in the Town, and to consider the Cannabis Control Commission regulations regarding Recreational Marijuana Establishments, and shall consider adopting new Zoning Bylaws in response to these new issues. This moratorium shall be applicable to all recreational marijuana establishments notwithstanding any zoning bylaw amendments adopted by the Town allowing for such uses prior to December 31, 2018.]


ARTICLE 8. Zoning Bylaw – Table 3 Footnotes – Miscellaneous (Planning Board)VOTED by a declared two-thirds to amend Section 4.32 and Article 6, Table 3 of the Zoning Bylaw as follows:

Part A. Amend Section 4.32 by deleting the lined out language and adding the language in bold italics, as follows:

4.32 Use and Dimensional Standards

4.320 A one-family detached dwelling, a zero lot line single family dwelling, a two-family detached dwelling (duplex), or attached dwellings, or other lawful accessory building may be constructed on certain lots in a Cluster Development (as herein defined and limited) although such lots have less area, frontage, and/or rear and side yard dimensions than normally required.

4.321 The total area of land included within the development shall be five (5) acres or more.

4.322 In all cluster developments, a minimum of 50 percent of the total lots shall bereduced at least 25 percent in area from the minimum standard lot size requirement of the zoning district in which the parcel is located.

4.323 Density/Setbacks

4.3230 Unless otherwise provided for, the Dimensional Regulations of Table 3 shall be complied with.

4.3231 In any zoning district, the maximum density of a cluster subdivision, except for an affordable cluster, shall not exceed the allowed density for a standard subdivision in that zoning district, said density to be calculated by taking the parcel area, subtracting 10% of that area and dividing that number by the minimum lot area of the zoning district in which the parcel is located. See Section 4.12. In addition, the applicant shall submit a Yield Plan. See Article 12.

4.324 For all cluster developments, the following Dimensional Regulations shall besubstituted for those in Article 6, Table 3.

R-LD R-0 R-N R-VC R-G

Cluster Minimum Lot Area (sq. ft.) 25,000 15,000 10,000 7,500 6,000

Cluster Lot Frontage (ft.)* 100 100 80 60 50

Cluster Minimum Front Setback (ft.)* 20 20 15 10 10

Cluster Minimum Side and Rear Yards (ft.)* 15 15 15 10 10

*Requirements may be modified by the Permit Granting Board under a SitePlan Review approval granted for a cluster development, except that no such modification may result in a reduced requirement of less than eighty percent (80%) of the cluster requirement. Frontage requirements may be modified for not more than fifty percent (50%) of the lots in the subdivision.

Part B. Amend Table 3 Footnotes by deleting the lined out language as follows:

TABLE 3 – DIMENSIONAL REGULATIONS FOOTNOTESa. Requirement may be modified under a Special Permit, issued by the Special Permit Granting

Authority authorized to act under the applicable section of this bylaw. In applying the criteria established in Section 10.395, the Special Permit Granting Authority shall consider the proposed modified dimensional requirement in the context of the pattern(s) of the same dimensions established by existing buildings and landscape features in the surrounding neighborhood.

b. Applies to Residence Uses only (Section 3.32). In the B-G, B-VC, and B-N districts, the Basic Minimum Lot Area shall apply only to the first dwelling unit on the ground floor of subdividable dwellings and converted dwellings. For townhouses, apartments, buildings containing dwelling units in combination with stores or other permitted commercial uses, and other permitted multi-unit residential uses in these districts, the Basic Minimum Lot Area, Additional Lot Area/Family, and Basic Minimum Lot Frontage requirements shall not apply.

c. Reserved

d. [Reserved.]

e. [Reserved.]

f. [Reserved.]

g. [Reserved.]

h. [Reserved.]

i. [Reserved.]

j. 85% in any B-L District adjacent to the B-G District, and along University Drive; 70% in any other B-L District and in the COM District.

k. Requirements may be modified by the Permit Granting Board under a Site Plan Review approval granted for a cluster development, except that no such modification may result in a reduced requirement of less than eighty percent (80%) of the cluster requirement. Frontage requirements may be modified for not more than fifty percent (50%) of the lots in the subdivision.

l. [Reserved.]

m. In addition to the areas required by this table for any existing dwelling units on the lot, the density for new town houses (Section 3.322) and apartments (Section 3.323) shall not exceed one dwelling unit per 4,000 sq. ft. of the remaining lot area, or in the case where there are no existing dwelling units, 4,000 sq. ft. for each new dwelling unit beyond the first unit.

Part C. Amend Table 3 by removing the bottom four rows and the footnotes deleted under Part B of this article, and by replacing the term “70/85” in Row “Maximum Lot Coverage (%)”/Column “B-L” with the numeral “85”.Action taken 11/13/17.

ARTICLE 9. Zoning Bylaw - Parking Facilities (Planning Board)DEFEATED Yes 58, No 104 with 10 abstaining.[To see if the Town will amend Section 3.384, Parking Facilities of the Zoning Bylaw by deleting the lined-out language and adding the language in bold italics, as follows:

3.384 Parking Facilities

3.3840 Commercial parking lot or parking garage

R-O


N N N N N SP SP SP N SP N N N NSPR SPR SPR

3.3841 Public parking lot or garage

R-O


N N N N N SPR SPR SPR SP SPR SP SP SP N


ARTICLE 10. Regional School District Planning Committee (Amherst School Committee)VOTED Yes 137, No 12 with 9 abstaining to form a Regional School District Planning Committee (RSDPC) in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 71, Sections 14, 14A and 14B, consisting of three (3) members, appointed by the Town Moderator, one of whom must be a member of the Amherst School Committee. The RSDPC may join with a corresponding Committee from another town to form a Regional School District Planning Board to perform a detailed exploration of and make a recommendation as to forming a regional school district for students in grades pre-kindergarten through six.Action taken 11/8/17.

ARTICLE 11. Resolution Regarding Charter School funding and Expansion(Amherst School Committee)

VOTED the following resolution:WHEREAS: providing free and equal access to the highest quality education possible for every studentin our public schools - regardless of income, language proficiency, disability or any other difference - is a foundational principle core to our democracy;

WHEREAS: all schools funded by public tax dollars should be driven by this central mandate of civic and social responsibility;

WHEREAS: the charter tuition formula is fundamentally flawed, based on the spending level of the sending district, taken directly from the sending district's funding, and without consideration for the need level of the students sent;

WHEREAS: the charter tuition formula unfairly draws resources away from districts - such asAmherst and Amherst-Pelham Regional - that choose to make substantial investments in robust programs and resources for students with disabilities, English-language learners and economically-disadvantaged students, further escalating the budgetary impact on districts;

WHEREAS: the charter tuition formula includes in-district special education costs, but excludes special education costs out-of-district - creating a financial disincentive for districts to service special needs students with their peers in-district;

WHEREAS: the charter tuition formula already draws more than $3 million from the Amherst and Amherst-Pelham Regional budgets, negatively impacting our resources and program levels;

WHEREAS: the state is required by M.G.L. c.71 § 89 (gg) to reimburse districts for 100 percent of

charter tuition costs for the first year and 25 percent for the following five years, but has only been reimbursing districts for the first year since 2012;

WHEREAS: in recognition of the inequities created by the systemic problems with charter funding, 62% of Massachusetts and 78% of Amherst voted against the 2016 Question 2 Charter School additionand expansion;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town of Amherst calls upon the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education to work with the Legislature to develop and pass a state funding formula for district public schools and charter schools that adequately funds their respective missions;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town of Amherst calls upon Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to not approve any existing charter amendment to increase enrollment, and to further deny all similar charter school expansion requests until the funding formula has been corrected,

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that upon passage the Amherst Town Clerk shall mail copies of this resolution and vote to the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, BESE, the stateJoint Committee on Education, our elected state Senator Stan Rosenberg and our elected state Representative Solomon Goldstein-Rose, and our elected Governor Charlie Baker.Action taken 11/8/17.

ARTICLE 12. General Bylaw – Public Shade Trees (Public Shade Tree Committee)VOTED to amend the General Bylaws by adding a new bylaw as follows:

1. PurposePublic Shade Trees are protected by Chapter 87 of the Mass General Laws and regulated by the Amherst Tree Warden and the Select Board. The purpose of this bylaw is to recognize the protection afforded Town Public Shade Trees pursuant to Chapter 87 of the General Laws. In connection therewith, the bylaw authorizes the Select Board, in consultation with the Tree Warden, to promulgate regulations addressing the process by which these trees may be cut or removed. The bylaw also authorizes creation of a committee, appointed by the Select Board, to serve in an advisory role to the Tree Warden. Lastly, the bylaw provides for an enforcement scheme consistent with the General Laws to address unauthorized cutting or removal.

2. Public Shade Tree Committee (“PSTC”) dutiesThe PSTC shall work to protect and promote Public Shade Trees consistent with the committee charge as set forth herein and as may be approved by the Select Board from time to time, including:

a. Advocating for public trees and educating the public on the importance of street trees;b. Advising the Tree Warden, at the Warden’s request, as to tree removal, replanting and other

tree related topics; and c. Searching out and designating locations for new plantings and organizing tree plantings,

encouraging broad citizen participation.

3. Promulgation of RegulationsThe Select Board shall hereby be authorized to promulgate regulations consistent with law to implement the provisions of this bylaw, including but not limited to:

a. establishing a process for applying for authorization to cut or remove Public Shade Trees as that term is defined in the General Laws (hereinafter “Public Shade Trees”); b. setting penalties for violations of such regulations;

c. establishing mitigation requirements in the event of a violation thereof, including payment ofany related costs incurred by the town; and d. establishing an appeal process.

4. Prohibited ActsNo person shall violate any provision of the General Laws applicable to Public Shade Trees, this bylaw or any regulation promulgated hereunder.

5. EnforcementThis bylaw and any regulations promulgated hereunder may be enforced by any means available in law or in equity, including non-criminal disposition. For purposes of non-criminal disposition, the term “enforcing person” shall mean the Tree Warden or any police officer of the town of Amherst. Each day a violation exists with respect to each Public Shade Tree shall constitute a separate violation. In the absence of a regulation promulgated hereunder establishing a different amount, each such violation shall be subject to a fine of $300.Action taken 11/8/17.

ARTICLE 13. General Bylaw – Town Meeting Advisory Committee(Town Meeting Coordinating Committee)

VOTED Yes 99, No 81 with 2 abstaining to amend the General Bylaws by adding a Bylaw, “Town Meeting Advisory Committee”, as described below.

(a) The Town Meeting Advisory Committee. Duties of the CommitteeThere shall be a Town Meeting Advisory Committee (TMAC) consisting of nine members to be elected, as required by Section (b) “Committee Elections” by members of Town Meeting at the Annual Town Meeting.

Duties of the Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to investigate how the Town Meeting warrant articles would affect the Town if passed, excepting the Town finances, which are reserved for the Finance Committee. The TMAC shall analyze the benefits and impacts to the

Town of warrant articles and shall report its findings to Town Meeting. The principal focus of its report shall be on the analysis of pros and cons that it identifies.

(b) Committee Elections; Term of Office; Termination of Membership; Committee VacanciesCommittee Elections: Nominations to the Committee shall be made in writing and delivered to the Town Clerk, with the consent of the nominee recorded on the nomination paper. Nominations maybe made by any or all of the following:

1. The Moderator;2. The Town Meeting Coordinating Committee (TMCC); and3. By filing with the Town Clerk an individual’s statement of nomination.

The nominees need not be Town Meeting members, but shall be residents of Amherst. The Town Clerk shall prepare a list of all nominees to be presented to Town Meeting members, without identifying the source of nomination. The Town Clerk shall prepare a ballot of those nominated, which ballot shall be presented to each Town Meeting member at a subsequent session of the Annual Town Meeting to be determined by the Moderator after consultation with the Town Clerk. Each Town Meeting member shall cast a number of votes less than or equal to the number of seats available. Ties shall be resolved by a coin toss.

Terms of Office: Each member shall hold office for three years commencing with the dissolution of the Town Meeting at which they were elected and ending at the dissolution of the Town Meetingthree years later. Members shall be sworn by the Town Clerk. Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, however, initial elections to the TMAC shall be in accord with the following: the three candidates receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected to serve threeyear terms, the next three candidates receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected to serve two year terms, and the next three candidates receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected to serve one year terms.

Termination of Membership: Other than termination at the expiration of a member’s term, membership on the Committee shall terminate when the member submits a resignation to the TownClerk or is no longer a resident of the Town.

Committee Vacancies: When a position on the Committee becomes vacant for any reason other than expiration of a term, the Moderator shall appoint, from among those unelected candidates of the most recent election who are still willing to serve, the candidate who received the highest

number of votes in said election, ties to be resolved by a coin toss. If no unsuccessful candidate from the most recent election meets these qualifications, the Moderator shall appoint a Committee member from among the current Town Meeting members or other residents of the Town. Appointed Committee members shall serve the remainder of the uncompleted term.

(c) Committee Internal Organization and Procedures: Leadership, MinutesLeadership: The committee shall annually elect its own leadership.

Minutes: The Committee, and any subcommittees thereof, shall keep minutes of its proceedings and shall file these minutes with the Town Clerk.


ARTICLE 14. Petition – Design for Significant Improvements to the North Amherst Library (Patricia G. Holland et al.)

VOTED Yes 100, No 73 with 5 abstaining to appropriate the sum of $50,000 from Free Cash in the Undesignated Fund Balance to fund the design by an architect of a plan, in accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 7C, to include, but not be limited to, making the following significant improvements to the North Amherst Library, within the following constraints:

a. Make all three floors of the building fully accessible by elevator with as little impact on the building’s historic components as possible, while minimizing damage to the two large maples at the rear of the building, and maintaining the building’s character, and its architectural and aesthetic unity;

b. Provide (a) fully accessible bathroom(s) and a water fountain for use by the public and Library staff;

c. Develop and install a more climate, energy, and space conscious method of heating and coolingthe building;

d. At least double the North Amherst Library space available to the public in the existing building;

e. Add a sidewalk at the south edge of the paved area at the rear of the Library building that would connect to a new accessible ground floor entry at the rear of the North Amherst Library building;

f. Finish and furnish the unfinished attic space for use for public meetings, for ESL conversation circles, for public readings including readings for children, etc.;

g. Do not assume any change in the present layout of Sunderland Road;And, additionally authorize the application for and acceptance of any gifts, bequests or grants for these purposes.Action taken 11/13/17.

ARTICLE 15. Petition – General Bylaw - Net Zero Energy Town Buildings (Lee Jennings et al.)VOTED Yes 123, No 54 with 9 abstaining to amend the Town of Amherst General By-Laws by adding the following new by-law.

ZERO-ENERGY TOWN BUILDINGS.1. Definitions: For purposes of this Bylaw:

a. 'Town of Amherst Buildings and Building Additions' shall mean all new buildings and new building additions built by and for the Town of Amherst and its subsidiary agencies, including but not limited to the Amherst School Committee.

b. ‘On-Site Renewable Energy Systems’ shall mean photovoltaic or wind-energy systems serving the same electric meter that is used by the subject building(s) or addition(s),

i. Clarification: For purposes of this Bylaw, Renewable Energy Systems not on the project site and/or not on the same electric meter as the subject building(s) or addition(s) may be used if insufficient solar or wind exposure is available on the project site, subject to the following conditions:

1. For Renewable Energy Systems purchased directly, such systems shall be funded aspart of the construction budget.

2. Such Renewable Energy Systems shall be dedicated exclusively to the subject project, and the energy generated shall be metered independently.

2. Zero Energy Requirements: All Town of Amherst Buildings and Building Additions shall be designed and constructed to meet Zero Energy requirements, which are defined as follows:

a. No burning of fossil fuels shall take place on the site. i. Exception: Emergency power generators powered by fossil fuels may be used.

b. On-site Renewable Energy Systems shall supply at least as much energy, on an annual basis, as is used by the building for heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic hot water, lighting, plug loads, food preparation, refrigeration and all other building systems that require energy for operation.

c. The building and its systems shall be conceived, planned, designed, engineered, constructed andcommissioned collaboratively such that all systems work in consort to achieve the Zero Energy standards described in the previous items.

d. Exceptions:

i. Projects for which construction documents (plans and specifications sufficient for competitive public bidding) are complete within 4 months of the passage of this bylaw by Town Meeting.

ii. Projects with a total project cost less than $1,000,000.

iii. Projects which are renovations to existing buildings.1. Clarification: For projects which combine renovation of existing buildings and new

construction, sub-metering shall be provided to enable separate determination of energy use by existing building(s) and by new construction.

e. Determination of compliance with the requirements of this Bylaw:

i. Compliance shall be determined by actual measured performance over a 12-month period of occupancy, which 12-month period shall begin within 12 months of initial occupancy.

ii. Failure to Comply: The administrator of a building or addition that is non-compliant after 12 months shall continue to work toward compliance every year until it is compliant, and shall report the results publicly and to the Town Manager.

f. Clarifications:

i. The Town may accept payments for renewable energy credits without jeopardizing Zero Energy status under this Bylaw.

ii. Compliance shall be measured by Site Energy, not Source Energy

iii. Renewable energy systems may be obtained through direct purchase or through leasing or power purchase agreements with third party private entities.

iv. Vehicles powered by fossil fuels may be allowed on the site.


ARTICLE 16. Petition – Resolution in Support of 100 Percent Renewable Energy(Lee Jennings et al.)

VOTED unanimously to adopt the following resolution in support of 100 percent renewable energy:

WHEREAS, too much of Massachusetts’ energy comes from fossil fuels that pollute our air and water and damage our climate, and Massachusetts communities are already feeling the impacts of global warming; and,

WHEREAS, the Town of Amherst is already actively reducing its carbon emissions and promoting clean energy, by taking actions including energy efficiency upgrades in municipal buildings and street lights, running a highly successful Solarize Amherst program, using electric vehicles and installing public EV charging stations; and,

WHEREAS, clean energy has brought many benefits to Massachusetts, including reduced pollution, tens of thousands of clean energy jobs, and more of our energy dollars retained in the local economy; and,

WHEREAS, Massachusetts has historically been a leader in the fight against global warming, has a responsibility to continue to set a positive example for other states and countries to follow, and has the ability to get 100 percent of its energy from clean, renewable sources by harnessing its abundant solar and wind resources, and taking advantage of innovations in energy efficiency, green transportation, energy storage, and other technologies; and

WHEREAS, the transition to 100 percent renewable energy should promote employment opportunitiesand economic growth in our communities, facilitate local control and ownership over energy options, and bring tangible benefits to low-income residents and others who have historically been disadvantaged by our energy system;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by Town Meeting in the Town of Amherst in the County ofHampshire, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, that Massachusetts should commit to a goal of 100 percent clean, renewable energy, and move as quickly as possible to achieve that goal;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that leaders in the Legislature and statewide elected and appointed officials are urged to support legislation that would bring Massachusetts to 100 percent renewable energy, and ensure that the benefits of renewable energy are realized by Massachusetts residents from all walks of life;

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AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town of Amherst and its staff will consider all municipal decisions in light of whether they will bring the Town and its residents, businesses, and institutions closer to 100 percent renewable energy;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town of Amherst will avoid taking actions that could increase the use of fossil fuels or delay the transition to 100 percent renewable energy;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town of Amherst will strive to take actions to promote clean energy and reduce fossil fuel use, including

Continued ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES in municipal buildings

Promotion of ENERGY EFFICIENCY upgrades in private homes and businesses

Consideration of commencing a Community Choice Aggregation (or “CCA”) program pursuant to G.L. c. 164, §134 in joint action with other municipalities, to

o Purchase additional class 1 RECS above that required by the Renewable Portfolio Standard;and

o Adopt a comprehensive energy plan that would:

Significantly reduce energy demand through electrification and the use of energy efficiency products and services and energy conservation measures;

Develop the maximum possible amount of renewable distributed energy resources to be sited, owned and used within the CCA community; and

Provide rate stability and possible consumer cost savings through bulk purchasingAction taken 11/8/17.

At 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8, 2017, town meeting voted to adjourn to Monday, November 13, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Amherst Regional Middle School. 192 town meeting members were checked in.

The November 13, 2017 session was called to order by Town Moderator Jim Pistrang at 7:06 p.m. 125town meeting members were checked in.

Town Meeting resumed with consideration of Article 8.

ARTICLE 17. Petition – Resolution in Support of the End of Life Options Act(Nadine Shank et al.)

VOTED to adopt the following Non-Binding Resolution for the Amherst Town Meeting to Call on the State Legislature to Pass ‘The End of Life Options Act’ and Make Massachusetts the 7th State plus Washington DC to allow citizens to request and receive compassionate aid in dying

medication from their doctor.

WHEREAS, advances in science and technology have created medical interventions that often prolongthe dying process and increase suffering; and

WHEREAS, “aid in dying” describes a medical practice defined by established standards of care in Oregon for the past 19 years and in the state of Washington for 9 years. It enables a mentally capable,

terminally ill adult to obtain a prescription for medication, which the patient may choose to self-administer, in the face of unbearable suffering, to advance the time of an approaching death; and

WHEREAS, many people find significant relief in the legal right and medical means of control in bringing an end to the suffering caused by their terminal illness, and only a small minority of the adultswho request a prescription for life-ending oral medication actually receive and use it; and

WHEREAS, annual reports by the Public Health Department of Oregon’s implementation of the law show “no evidence of heightened risk for the elderly, women, the uninsured, people with low educational status, the poor; the physically disabled or chronically ill, minors, people with psychiatric illnesses including depression; or racial or ethnic minorities;” and

WHEREAS, many find comfort and peace of mind in having access to options at the end of life, including aid in dying, even if they do not exercise those options; and

WHEREAS, 72% of Amherst voters voted in favor of the 2012 Ballot Initiative authorizing aid in dying, and state Rep. Peter Kocot and many other legislators from western Mass. are co-sponsors of the 2017 bill called ‘The End of Life Options Act’; and

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WHEREAS, a 2014 public opinion poll by Purple Strategies found 70% of Massachusetts registered voters agree with the statement: The decision of a terminally ill adult to end their own life should be a private decision between the patient, their family, their faith, and their own doctor; and

WHEREAS, seven jurisdictions (Oregon, Washington, California, Montana, Colorado, Vermont, and the District of Columbia) now authorize the medical practice of aid in dying; and

WHEREAS, aid in dying is only available to those terminally ill, mentally capable adults who have a prognosis of six months or less to live, as determined by their doctor and confirmed by a second medical doctor; and

WHEREAS, well-respected health and medical organizations recognize aid in dying as a legitimate, necessary end-of-life option for eligible adults facing an imminent death from a terminal illness, including The American Public Health Association, The American Medical Women’s Association, The American Medical Student Association, The American Academy of Legal Medicine, The Gay andLesbian Medical Association;

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts statute on “assisted suicide” is not applicable to the choice of a psychologically healthy, terminally ill individual facing end-of-life suffering, who asks his or her physician for the means to die in a humane and dignified manner;

THEREFORE BE IT NOW RESOLVED, that the Amherst Town Meeting respects the diversity of perspectives on end-of-life decisions; and supports equal protection within the diversity of perspectiveson end-of-life decisions; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Amherst Town Meeting recognizes the practice of aid in dying as a desirable medical option for many terminally ill, mentally capable adults; and

THEREFORE, BE IT NOW RESOLVED, that the Amherst Town Meeting hereby calls on the Massachusetts State Legislature to pass ‘The End of Life Options Act’; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be transmitted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Legislature, including state representatives and state senators who represent the Town of Amherst.Action taken 11/13/17.

The business of the warrant having been completed, Town Meeting voted to dissolve at 9:18 p.m. onMonday, November 13, 2017. 180 town meeting members were checked in.

Attest:

Sandra J. BurgessTown Clerk

Prepared August, 2017

Town of Amherst Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report

Prepared by: Taylor Briglio

Carbon Footprint Analysis and Communication Intern

1. Only a limited amount of data could be gathered from Hampshire college; therefore, the university’s emissions may be underestimated

Executive Summary

The Town of Amherst (Amherst), Massachusetts has a progressive attitude towards the environment and its environmental impact. Amherst prides itself in maintaining the natural environment and actively works to preserve open space from future development. The town completed greenhouse gas emission inventories in 1997 and 2005, but they are now outdated and no longer useful for community planning. The town has since engaged in several energy efficiency projects and wants to take a closer look at its current greenhouse gas emissions.

In the base year, FY 2011, Amherst emitted 293,538 metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MTCO2e). In FY 2016 the towns emissions decreased by 2.3% to 286,773 MTCO2e. In FY 2016, Amherst’s greenhouse gas emissions were 7.2 tonnes per capita, 66% lower than the 2014 United States emission rate of 21.3 tonnes per capita (USEPA 2014). Main emission sources were similar during both inventory years. The stationary energy and transportation sectors are the two largest emission sources, comprising over 97% of total emissions in both inventory periods (Figure 1 and Figure 2). Emission from Waste and Agriculture comprise the remaining 3% of emissions. Amherst does not contain a significant amount of Industrial Processes; therefore, that sector was excluded from the inventory.

During both inventory periods, the three universities, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst College, and Hampshire College1 account for nearly 50% of the town’s emissions (Figure 3 and Figure 4). University of Massachusetts Amherst alone accounts for over 40% of the town’s emissions. The majority of the remaining emissions come from residential buildings and other community sources. Fugitive emissions from the conveyance of natural gas are modelled using general assumptions and are not an attempt to

quantify emissions from leaks specifically within Amherst.

Emissions from municipal operations account for less than 2% of total emissions. The town has made a conscious effort to reduce its energy usage over the past several years and as a result municipal operations decreased by 21.4% from 5,583 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 4,289 MTCO2e in FY 2016.

Amherst has not set a formal GHG reduction goal at this time. This inventory will be used by Town staff and other stakeholders to develop a climate action plan, set emission target goals, and serve as a catalyst for other sustainability issues within the town. Amherst intends regularly monitor their emissions to measure the impact of their sustainability initiatives.

Figure 1. Percentage of Amherst’s FY 2011 greenhouse gas emissions summary by sector.

Stationary Energy74.8%

Transportation22.5%

Waste2.4%

Agriculture0.3%

Town of Amherst- Community FY 2011 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory

Figure 2. Percentage of Amherst’s FY 2016 greenhouse gas emissions summary by sector.

Figure 3. Percentage of Amherst greenhouse gas emissions by subsector in FY 2011.

Figure 4. Percentage of Amherst greenhouse gas emissions by subsector in FY 2016.

Introduction

City Background

Amherst is located in eastern portion of Hampshire County. As of 2016, Amherst’s population is approximately 40,079, the largest in the county. The town’s main economic sectors include educational services, retail operations, and agriculture. Amherst is home to three universities: University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst College, and Hampshire College. The universities have a significant impact on the town in regards to its population dynamics, employment, and environmental mindedness. Modest population growth is expected in the town in the coming decades.

At the time of this inventory, Amherst has not set a greenhouse gas emission reduction goal, but the town has actively worked to reduce its energy usage and carbon footprint. The town recently retrofitted all of the town-owned streetlights with LED lights and sponsored a solar panel campaign that resulted in adding solar photovoltaics to nearly 200 homes. As equipment requires replacement, the town installs high efficiency motors and boilers. Lastly,

Stationary Energy73.8%

Transportation23.3%

Waste2.5%

Agriculture 0.3%

Town of Amherst- Community FY 2016 Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Inventory

Residential Buildings,

17.5%

Municipal, 1.9%

UMass, 42.2%

Amherst College,

6.1%

Hampshire College,

0.8%

Community, 30.3%

Fugitive Emissions from Natural Gas, 1.2%

Town of Amherst FY 2011 Emissions by Subsector


15.4%

Municipal, 1.5%

UMass, 41.9%

Amherst College,

5.9%

Hampshire College,

0.6%

Community, 33.5%

Fugitive Emissions from Natural Gas, 1.2%

Town of Amherst FY 2016 Emissions by Subsector

several municipal departments have actively switched away from heating oil to natural gas. While not implemented at the time of the inventory, Amherst is working on a bike share program and local renewable energy projects.

Background and Objective

Amherst previously completed two greenhouse gas inventories, one in 1997 and one in 2005. In 2017, these inventories are outdated and no longer useful for planning. Both of the previous inventories were smaller in scope that the FY 2011 and FY 2016 inventories. The purpose of the new inventories is to establish a new, comprehensive baseline and see how recent town actions have impacted emissions. The inventories are intended to provide a detailed look of emission sources within the town to help town staff target sectors that have the highest opportunity to reduce emissions. Amherst also plans to do more regular emissions monitoring to better track and analyze the impact of its sustainability projects.

Inventories and Base Year

Community Inventory

The community GHG inventory represents total emissions from activities that occur within the geographic borders of town. Emissions are determined on a fiscal year basis (July 1-June 30) which aligns with the schedule many data sources operate on including municipal operations and each of the universities. The community inventory includes four main emission sectors: stationary energy, transportation, waste, and agriculture. Amherst does not contain major industrial processes; therefore, that sector was excluded from the inventory.

Municipal Inventory

The municipal inventory represents a subset of the community inventory. The municipal inventory calculates the emissions associated with all municipal operations including building energy

usage, vehicle fleet fuel usage, and other miscellaneous operations. It was not possible to determine emissions from waste generation from to municipal activities. Emissions from waste generation are calculated in the community inventory. The municipal inventory allows the town to take a closer look at its operations and find opportunities to reduce its environmental impact.

Base Year

A base year provides a snapshot of the community’s emission and a reference point to set reduction goals, predict future emissions, and to track progress. Attention should also be given to selecting a base year that represents “normal” conditions within the community. For example, a particularly hot summer or cold winter could skew the base year inventory results, distorting emissions forecasts. Base years should also represent the most complete data set available. This can prove challenging depending on the regularity with which underlying emissions data is collected or modeled for the various sectors. Some data sets are often reported annually, such as utility consumption, while others are generated less frequently, such as regional transportation models.

Based on data availability, FY 2011 was selected as the base year for both the community and municipal operations inventories.

Methods

The municipal operations inventory was completed using guidance provided in the Local Government Operations Protocol (LGOP). Emissions are categorized by individual town department. The community inventory was completed using guidance provided in Global Protocol for Community Scale Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories (GCP). Emissions were categorized by sector and subsector described in the protocol. Commercial and institutional subsector emissions were further categorized (when possible) into UMass, Amherst College, Hampshire College, Municipal, and

Community emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions are converted to equivalent carbon dioxide emissions based on a gas’s 100 year global warming potentials reported in IPCC’s 5th Assessment Report.

Community Emissions Summary

Stationary Energy

Stationary energy is the largest source of Amherst’s emissions, in both inventory years. 219,654 MTCO2e were emitted from stationary sources in FY 2011. Stationary energy emissions decreased by 3.6% to 211,716 MTCO2e in FY 2016. Natural gas and electricity are two largest sources of energy in the Town (Figure 5). The largest natural gas user is UMass, in particular because of the combined heat and power (CHP) plant on the campus (Figure 6). The CHP plant is run primarily on natural gas, but may also be run on liquefied natural gas and ultra-low sulfur diesel. The CHP provides most of the electricity for the campus, which explains the campus’s proportionately smaller electricity usage.

Figure 5. Amherst’s stationary energy greenhouse gas emissions during FY 2011 (green) and FY 2016 (blue).

Residential buildings and the non-university community usage consistently combine to be the largest electricity users (Figure 7 and Figure 8). Residential electricity usage decreased by 14.5% between FY 2011 and FY 2016 while commercial and industrial electricity usage (includes the universities) increased by 22.1% during the same time period. Total electricity usage increased by 3.8% between FY 2011 and FY 2016; however, electricity related emissions decreased by 10.8% during the same time period. The increase in electricity usage was offset by the decrease in the carbon intensity and transmission losses of the electricity during this time period. Both heating oil and diesel oil usage decreased between FY 2011 and FY 2016 while natural gas usage increased during the same time period increased. This suggests that Amherst is switching away from the most carbon-intensive fuels.

Figure 6. Percentage of Amherst's stationary energy greenhouse gas emissions by fuel type and subsector in FY 2016.

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Town of Amherst FY 2016 Stationary Energy Emissions by Subsector and Fuel

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Gas (natural gas)ElectricityLiquefied natural gas (LNG)Diesel oilDistillate oil (heating fuel)Liquefied petroleum gases (LPG)Residual fuel oil

Figure 7. Percentage of Amherst's electricity greenhouse gas emissions by subsector in FY 2011.

Figure 8. Percentage of Amherst's electricity greenhouse gas emissions by subsector in FY 2016.

Transportation

Transportation is the next largest source of Amherst’s emissions. 66,047 MTCO2e were emitted from mobile sources in FY 2011. Transportation emissions increased by 1.4% to 66,944 MTCO2e in FY 2016. The vast majority of transportation related emissions come from on-road transportation (Figure 9). On-road emissions increased by 5.1% from 56,660 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 59,532 MTCO2e in FY 2016). Over 90% of the on-road emissions come from passenger vehicles (Figure 10). On road transportation emissions consist of emissions from the total number of vehicle miles travelled (VMT) from passenger within the town and emissions from public buses. Each university tracks its own fuel usages, though data could not be obtained from Hampshire College. While not depicted, in FY 2016 UMass’s fleet emitted 3.7% of the on-road transportation emissions and Amherst College’s fleet emitted 0.5% of the on-road transportation emissions. Railways is shown in both figure to illustrate its scale of emissions relative to the other transportation emission sources.

Off-road emissions decreased by 20.8% from 9,363 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 7,412 MTCO2e in FY 2016. The Amtrak Vermonter line used to stop in Amherst, but as of December 2014 the stop was re-routed to Northampton. As a result, railway emissions decreased from 24 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 0 in FY 2016. There are no current plans to re-route the Amtrak line back to Amherst; therefore, future railway emissions are expected to stay at 0. Amherst does not have any airports and does not have a significant boating scene; therefore, these subsectors were excluded from the inventory.


50%

Municipal, 4%

UMass, 25%

Amherst College, 4%

Hampshire College, 5%

Community, 12%

Town of Amherst FY 2011 Electricity Emissions by Subsector


41%

Municipal, 4%

UMass, 30%

Amherst College, 7%

Hampshire College,

4%

Community, 13%

Town of Amherst FY 2016 Electricity Emissions By Subsector

Figure 9. Percentage of Amherst's transportation greenhouse gas emissions by sector in FY 2011 (green) and FY 2016 (blue).

Figure 10. Percentage of Amherst's transportation greenhouse gas emissions by vehicle type in FY 2011 (green) and FY 2016 (blue).

Waste

Emissions from generating municipal solid waste (MSW) and treating wastewater are the third largest source of Amherst’s emissions. Total waste emissions increased by 3.9% from 6,994 MT CO2e in FY 2011 to 7,270 MTCO2e in FY 2016. The distribution of waste emissions has remained relatively constant between FY 2011 and FY 2016 (Figure 11). Residential and commercial MSW is picked up by several waste haulers and brought to several transfer stations. The transfer stations then send the waste to various recycling, landfill, and incineration facilities. Due to the complexity in the town’s waste management system, non-university MSW emissions are modelled using statewide data. Based on statewide averages, the majority of Amherst’s waste emissions come from landfilling and incinerating its waste. Each university manages its waste separately from the rest of the town, though data could not be obtained from Hampshire College. UMass and Amherst College both have higher recycling and composting rates than the rest of the state. It should be noted that recycled materials do not decompose into methane and are not combusted; therefore, for the purposes of this inventory recycled materials do not result in greenhouse gas emissions.

Amherst has its own wastewater treatment plant to treat all of the wastewater generated within the town, and some septic systems in neighboring towns. The treatment plant is a centralized aerobic wastewater treatment plant with nitrification and denitrification. Because the system is aerobic, no methane is expected to be generated from the treated wastewater. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the only greenhouse gas emitted from Amherst’s wastewater treatment process. Amherst upgraded the treatment plant in 2012 to enhance the nitrogen removal and emissions decreased by over 50% from 282 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 139 MTCO2e in FY 2016 as a result.

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Town of Amherst Transporation Emissions by Sector

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Figure 11. Percentage of Amherst's waste greenhouse gas emissions by vehicle type in FY 2011 (green) and FY 2016 (blue).

Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use

Emissions from agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) represent the smallest source of emissions in Amherst. Agricultural emissions remained constant at 842 MTCO2e during both inventory periods. Agriculture is a vital part of the community and has gained attention as a critical component of greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock, particularly cattle, are generally the largest source of agricultural emissions. Amherst has a relatively small cattle population; therefore, Amherst’s agricultural activities do not heavily contribute to the town’s emissions. Even though Amherst’s AFOLU emissions are relatively small, livestock emissions still account for nearly two-thirds of the agricultural emissions (Figure 12). Cattle then account for 89% of Amherst’s livestock emissions (Figure 13). Aggregate sources consist primarily of fertilizer usage and manure deposited in pastureland and rangeland. Land use change is a component of this sector, but was excluded due to a difficulty in obtaining quality data on how the town’s landscape may have changed between FY 2011 and FY 2016.

Figure 12. Percentage of Amherst's AFLOU greenhouse gas emissions by sector.

Figure 13. Percentage of Amherst's livestock greenhouse gas emissions by species.

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Town of Amherst Waste Emissions by Treatment Type

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FY 2016

Livestock, 64%

Aggregate Sources,

36%

Town of Amherst FY 2016 Agriculture, Foresty, and Other Land

Use Emissions

Cattle, 89%

Swine, 6%

Poultry, 2%

Other, 4%

Town of Amherst Livestock Emissions by Species

Community Forecasts

Two forecast scenarios were generated during the inventory: a business as usual (BAU) scenario and adjusted business as usual (ABAU) scenario (Figure 14 and Figure 15). The BAU scenario assumes that no additional federal, state, or local actions are taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In general, emissions are expected to increase as population and employment increases. The initial emissions decrease is due to existing vehicle fuel efficiency standards. The standards can offset the expected increase in VMT as well as emission increases from other sectors. As VMT continues to rise, transportation emissions are expected to eventually increase by 2050. The BAU forecast predicts that the town’s emissions will increase by 3.1% to 295,753 MTCO2e in 2050, relative to FY 2016 emissions. The ABAU scenario assumes a much more aggressive approach to reducing emissions including a greener electricity source and assuming that each university reduces their emissions to 0 by 2050. UMass has set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2050. Hampshire College has set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2032. The ABAU forecast assumes that both universities achieve their goals. Amherst College has not formally set a greenhouse gas reduction goal, but it is reasonable to assume that the college will set a similar carbon neutrality goal by 2050. Massachusetts’s renewable portfolio standard requires the percentage of electricity generated from renewables to increase by 1% per year. While not a perfect estimation, the ABAU forecast assumes the carbon intensity of electricity decreases by 1% per year to account for the greater share of renewables. The ABAU forecasts demonstrate that with aggressive greenhouse gas management, the Town of Amherst can reduce its FY 2016 greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50%, down to 133,123 MTCO2e, by 2050. Transportation emissions are difficult to project beyond the fuel efficiency standards, so transportation forecasts between the two scenarios are very similar.

Figure 14. Amherst business-as-usual greenhouse gas emission projections through 2050.

Figure 15. Amherst adjusted business-as-usual greenhouse gas emission projections through 2050.

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Municipal Emissions Summary

The town has actively worked to reduce its environmental impact, particularly with improving the energy efficiency of its operations. Overall, municipal emissions decreased by 21.4% from 5,583 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 4,389 MTCO2e in FY 2016. The largest source of emissions within municipal operations has consistently been the energy usage associated with municipal buildings (Figure 16 and Figure 17). The town’s efforts to improve building energy efficiency and switch away from carbon intensive fuels is noticeable. Municipal building emissions decreased by 39.4% from 3,710 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 2,248 MTCO2e in FY 2016. The town’s vehicle fleet is the second largest source of emissions from municipal operations. Emissions from on-road vehicles have increased by 21.9% from 1,647 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 2,008 MTCO2e in FY 2016. The decrease in building emission combined with the increase in on-road fleet emissions dramatically shifted the distribution of municipal emission sources. On-road fleet emissions now account for nearly half of the municipal emissions. Off-road emissions account for less than 1% of municipal operations and remained relatively constant between the inventory periods. The remaining emissions come from public lighting, other municipal facilities, and fugitive emissions from natural gas transmission and distribution. Like the community inventory, the fugitive natural gas emissions are modelled from state-wide data and may not be fully representative of potential leaks within Amherst. These smaller emission sources collectively decreased by 48.2% from 227 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 133 MTCO2e in FY 2016. Municipal emissions accounted for 1.9% of the town’s total emissions in FY 2011 and 1.5% of the town’s total emissions in FY 2016.

Figure 16. Percentage of Amherst’s municipal FY 2011 greenhouse gas emissions summary by sector.

Figure 17. Percentage of Amherst’s municipal FY 2016 greenhouse gas emissions summary by sector.

Municipal Buildings

64.2%

Other Municipal Facilities

2.8%

Public Lighting

3.0%On-Road Vehicles29.5%

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Town of Amherst - Municipal Operations FY 2011 Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Inventory

Municipal Buildings

51.2%

Other Municipal Facilities

0.4%

Public Lighting

2.1%

On-Road Vehicles45.8%

Off-Road Vehicles and Equipment

0.2%

Process and Fugitive Emissions

0.3%

Town of Amherst - Municipal Operations FY 2016 Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Inventory

Municipal Buildings

Schools, the water treatment plant, and wastewater treatment plant are the three largest emission sources within municipal buildings. In FY 2016, they collectively account for 65.8% of the municipal building emissions (Figure 18). It should be noted that schools within the municipal operations inventory refer to local and regional elementary, middle, and high schools; not the three universities within Amherst. Schools have high lighting and heating demands. Drinking water treatment and wastewater treatment are both very energy intensive processes, requiring large quantities of electricity. The remaining departments each account for a relatively small percentage of municipal building emissions. While not shown, the general distribution of municipal building emissions between town departments was similar in FY 2011.

Figure 18. Percentage of Amherst’s municipal building greenhouse gas emissions by town department during FY 2016.

The town has dramatically changed its energy mix between FY 2011 and FY 2016. Municipal buildings use three main sources of energy: natural gas, heating oil, and electricity. Heating oil accounted for 34% of the municipal building emissions in FY 2011 and currently accounts for less than 1% of municipal building emissions (Figure 19 and Figure 20). The fire department, libraries, public works, schools, water department, and the wastewater department all formally used heating oil. Currently, only schools still use heating oil, and their usage has decreased dramatically. The overall decrease in heating oil usage is the primary driver in the decrease in municipal building emissions. Similarly to the community inventory, electricity usage for municipal buildings increased by 3.3% between the inventory periods, but the decrease in carbon intensity and transmission loss associated with the electricity still resulted in a net decrease in emissions.

Figure 19. Amherst municipal building greenhouse gas emissions by fuel type and town department in FY 2011.

Administration, 9.2%

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4.6%

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Libraries, 5.3%LSSE, 0.8%

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Figure 20. Amherst municipal building greenhouse gas emissions by fuel type and town department in FY 2016.

Municipal Fleet Emissions

Municipal fleet emissions vary significantly through time. Unlike the community inventory, municipal fleet emissions are calculated from empirical fuel usage, as opposed to modelled vehicle miles travelled. During FY 2011, the fire department and public works department were the two largest municipal fleet emissions sources (Figure 21). In FY 2016, schools were the largest emission source, but the public works department and the fire department were the second and third largest sources, respectively. (Figure 22). As mentioned previously, fleet emissions increased between FY 2011 and FY 2016. This is in part because the libraries, LSSE, wastewater, and water departments did not consume gasoline or diesel in FY 2011, but did so in FY 2016.

Figure 21. Percentage of Amherst’s municipal fleet emissions by department in FY 2011.

Figure 22. Percentage of Amherst’s municipal fleet emissions by department in FY 2016.

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FY 2016 Municipal Fleet Emissions by Department

Town fleet vehicles run primarily on gasoline and diesel and account for over 99% of fleet emissions (Figure 23). Less than 1% of the fleet emissions come from combusting liquefied petroleum gas, propane. Diesel is largest contributor to fleet emissions, likely used in heavy duty trucks within the different town departments. Fuel usage data does not specify what equipment is used within specific departments. It is possible that some fuel usage could be attributed to other, non-vehicle, equipment (i.e. backup generators). For the purposes of this inventory all gasoline and diesel usage was assumed to be used in on-road vehicles. All propane usage was assumed to be used in off-road equipment.

The town owns some electric vehicles; however, energy usage associated with each vehicle are not tracked. Vehicles are charged at municipal buildings; therefore, there energy usage and associated emissions are accounted for within the municipal buildings subsector. The town expects to continue to purchase electric vehicles as resources permit so the composition of municipal fleet emissions may continue to change over time.

Figure 23. Amherst’s municipal greenhouse gas emissions from fleet vehicles by fuel type in FY 2011 (orange) and FY 2016 (blue).

Other Municipal Facilities and Public Lighting

The town provides other public services including free Wi-Fi in the downtown area, metered parking spaces, and public lighting such as streetlights and traffic signals. Electricity is the only energy source associated with other services. Collectively, these other services account for a few percent of the municipal operations. The town completed an LED retrofit of the streetlights and as a result public lighting emissions decreased by 45% from 165 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 91 MTCO2e in FY 2016. Other municipal facilities decreased emissions by 43.3% from 31 MTCO2e in FY 2011 to 18 MTCO2e in FY 2016.

Municipal Emissions Overview

Electricity has consistently been the dominant emissions source within municipal operations (Figure 24). Even though total emissions decreased and total emissions from electricity decreased, electricity usage is still the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations. This can be turned into an advantage if the town significantly increases the renewable energy content of the electricity it uses. If more departments rely heavily on electricity and the electricity is sourced from carbon-free sources, emissions will continue to decrease. The share of emissions from gasoline and diesel both increased between FY 2011 and FY 2016 because of the increase in fuel usage between the inventory periods. As mentioned previously heating oil usage decreased dramatically between FY 2011 and FY 2016, and as a result heating oil is now responsible for less than 1% of the town’s municipal emissions. Municipal departments have actively worked to move away from heating oil to natural gas, and the results are clear. The decrease in heating oil usage also partially explains the increase in proportion of emissions from other energy sources. For example, even if emissions from the remaining energy sources was constant, each would constitute a higher percentage of the total emissions.

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Figure 24. Percentage of Amherst’s total municipal greenhouse gas emissions by energy source in FY 2011 (orange) and FY 2016 (blue).

Looking more closely at emissions from electricity usage throughout all municipal departments, schools, the water department, and the wastewater department are the largest electricity users in the town (Figure 25). Combined, they account for 71.9% of the municipal electricity emissions in FY 2016. The electricity emissions distribution follows the municipal buildings emissions distribution very closely, demonstrating that most departments rely on electricity to meet their energy needs. The non-municipal building town departments each contribute only small percentages to the total electricity usage emissions. Schools have already completed a LED lighting retrofit to reduce their electricity consumption. Treating drinking water and wastewater are inherently electrically intensive processes. Unless major changes or retrofits occur, these departments will likely continue to be top electricity users within municipal operations. While other departments may have a smaller contribution to the electricity related emissions it may be easier to reduce their electricity usages.

Figure 25. Percentage of Amherst’s municipal greenhouse gas emissions from electricity usage by town department in FY 2016.

Municipal Forecasts

Similar to the community inventory, two projection forecasts were made for the municipal operations: a business as usual (BAU) scenario and adjusted business as usual (ABAU) scenario (Figure 26 and Figure 27). Like the community inventory, the BAU forecast assumes that the town does not take aggressive actions towards reducing the greenhouse gas emissions. Emission growth rates are estimated by the expected change in services provided by each town department. Town departments usually only plan potential changes in services up to five years in advance; therefore, most of the long term projections are based on general changes to the town such as population growth or employment growth. When applicable and long term planning information exists, department emission projections are based on unique growth

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Public Works, 1.7%

Information Technology,

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Wastewater, 30.5%

Parking, 1.0%

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22.7%

FY 2016 Municipal Electricity Emissions by Department

rates. Future fuel usages within each department are based on nationally projected changes in fuel consumption. Given how variable fuel usage between departments has been in previous years, future on-road vehicle emissions are perhaps subject to the most uncertainty. The municipal BAU forecast predicts that FY 2016 municipal operation emissions will increase by 4.2% to 4,575 MTCO2e in 2050.

Figure 26. Amherst municipal business-as-usual greenhouse gas emission projections through 2050.

The municipal ABAU forecast predicts that FY 2016 emissions will decrease by 5.7% to 4,140 MTCO2e in 2050. The municipal ABAU forecast assumes the same changes in the carbon intensity of electricity as the community ABAU forecast. The ABAU does not account for more aggressive changes to the town’s electricity source including the possibility of joining a community choice aggregation or developing local renewable energy projects. If

either of these took place, emissions could decrease more than predicted given the share of electricity within the municipal operations energy mix. Given the difficulty in projecting possible changes for each department, the electricity source is the only significant difference between the BAU forecast and the ABAU forecast.

Figure 27. Amherst municipal adjusted business-as-usual greenhouse gas emission projections through 2050.

Conclusion

While the town has not set an official emission reduction goal it is likely that one will be established in the coming years. Even without a set target, the Town of Amherst has actively worked to reduce its energy usage and emissions. The efforts are noticeable in both the community inventory and municipal operations inventory. Based on the emissions breakdown by subsector (Figure 4), nearly half of the emissions come from the three

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universities and the other half of the emissions come from residential buildings and other community sources. Relatively small percentages of emissions come from municipal operations and fugitive natural gas leaks.

Each university is autonomous, so Amherst has limited influence over the university operations. UMass and Hampshire College have both set carbon neutrality goals and Amherst should work to help them achieve their goals when possible. As shown in the ABAU projections, emissions would decrease significantly if the universities achieved their goals.

Amherst should focus on the residential buildings subsector and the community subsector, since the town can more easily influence these groups. Energy usage including electricity, natural gas, and heating oil use are the main emission sources in these subsectors. Amherst should continue engaging residents and local businesses to help reduce their energy usage through local renewable energy projects, fuel switching programs, and energy efficiency programs. Another strategy that would reduce emissions in all sectors would be to source greener electricity. Currently Amherst receives all of its electricity from the utility company. Amherst could consider alternative electricity sources including local renewable energy projects or participating in a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) with a high renewable energy portfolio.

References

USEPA. Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2014. USEPA, 2016, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2014, www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2017-04/documents/us-ghg-inventory-2016-main-text.pdf.

Climate Action Planning: Background Information MAJOR REPORTS 11/2018, United Nations International Panel on Climate Change, Special Report, Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees 11/2018, Fourth National Climate Assessment AMHERST CLIMATE ACTION PLANS AND RELATED DOCUMENTS Town of Amherst Climate Action Plan, 2005 Town of Amherst Greenhouse Gas Inventory 2011-2016, 2017, attached. New England Municipal Sustainability Network Roadmap to Compact of Mayors Compliance, Summer 2017 100% Renewable Energy Resolution, enacted 11/2017 Zero Energy Municipal Building Bylaw, enacted 11/2017, revised 3/2018 See draft #6 of General ByLaws as proposed by Bylaw Review Committee CLIMATE ACTION PLANS/PRESENTATIONS TO LEGISLATIVE BODIES - MA MUNICIPALITIES

Presentations: Weston, Newton (attached), Wayland

Plans - Concord, Somerville, Cambridge, Lexington, Northampton, Greenfield

CLIMATE ACTION PLANS - AMHERST HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS UMass Climate Action Plan 2.0, 2012, MA Executive Order 484 mandates that by 2020 all state agencies must reduce overall emissions by 40%, reduce energy consumption of their buildings by 35%, and must obtain 30% electricity from renewable energy. Amherst College Climate Action Plan - in progress Hampshire College Climate Action Plan - “Climate neutral” by 2022, 100% solar electricity MA AND US LEGISLATION Global Warming Solutions Act, 2008 MA Exec. Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions MassDEP emissions inventories An Act to Transition Massachusetts to 100% Renewable Energy (2017-2018 legislative session - H.3395/S.1849) Final (Federal) Green New Deal legislation, with FAQ, 11, 2018

https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/

https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/chapter/front-matter-about/?fbclid=IwAR3NXGeuBw9LbWjlLdyEId1667ekxZghp2xoNu3uFYl4Qs0c1vmp_19zYE4

https://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/612/Climate-Action-Plan-9-27-05?bidId=

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZbALifjZBDX0264TumxMQ9Mfwbmh7DHcGSggwLFkEIY/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs

https://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/41908/Petitions-Resolution-In-Support-of-100-Percent-Renewable-Energy--?bidId=

https://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/45967/DRAFT-6---GENERAL-BYLAWS-APRIL-2018-DRAFT---FINAL?bidId=

https://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/45967/DRAFT-6---GENERAL-BYLAWS-APRIL-2018-DRAFT---FINAL?bidId=

https://www.weston.org/DocumentCenter/View/14651/Sustainable-Weston-Working-Group-Presentation---April-3-2018-PDF?bidId=

https://www.wayland.ma.us/sites/waylandma/files/uploads/2.6.18_great_presenters_series_slides_waylands_energy_and_climate_agenda.pdf

https://concordma.gov/2184/Sustainability-Goals-and-History

https://www.somervillema.gov/climateforward

https://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/climateandenergy

https://www.lexingtonma.gov/sustainable-lexington-committee

https://www.northamptonma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5225/Climate-Adaptation-and-Mitigation---Northampton-2016-AIA-SDAT-Report?bidId=

https://greenfield-ma.gov/files/Sustainable_Greenfield-Greenfields_2014_Comprehensive_Sustainable_Master_Plan.pdf

https://www.somervillema.gov/climateforward

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1001&context=csi&_ga=2.213447636.1579332047.1546120649-196446038.1371772691

https://www.amherst.edu/amherst-story/today/green-amherst/what-the-college-is-doing/carbon-energy/climate-action-plan

https://www.hampshire.edu/sustainable/climate-action-plan

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2008/Chapter298

https://www.mass.gov/progress-towards-reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions

https://www.mass.gov/lists/massdep-emissions-inventories#2

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H3395

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jxUzp9SZ6-VB-4wSm8sselVMsqWZrSrYpYC9slHKLzo/edit

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN CLIMATE MITIGATION/RESILIENCE PLANNING 12/30/2018, Commonwealth Magazine, Municipal electricity aggregation really works! 12/28/2018, Keene Sentinel, Local group puts weight behind Keene 100% renewable plan. 12/19/2018, Masslive, Report: Massachusetts’ clean energy sector added 1500 jobs in 2017. 12/19/2018, Hampshire Gazette, Northampton (Amherst and Pelham) win $75,000 grant to explore community choice energy programs. 12/18/2018, Huffington Post, Washington, D.C. passes historic bill mandating 100% renewable electricity by 2032. 12/18/2018, Boston Globe, In landmark agreement, Mass., 8 other states, vow to cut transportation emissions. 12/18/2018, Utility Dive, NY Gov. Cuomo pledges 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. 12/14/2018, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, The Green New Deal has strong bipartisan support. 12/10/2018, ThinkProgress, Congressman Jim McGovern pledges support for a Green New Deal. 12/9/2018, WBUR, Watertown becomes the first town in New England to require solar panels on new commercial construction. 12/6/2018, Ecowatch, California becomes the first state to require solar on new homes. 11/27/2018, Environment MA, The National Climate Assessment: What does it mean for Massachusetts? 11/27/2018, Clean Technica, GM may finally be serious about electric vehicles. 11/26/2018, General Motors, GM accerates transformation (press release). 11/26/2018, New Yorker, Bill McKibben: How extreme weather is shrinking the planet. 11/25/2018, Commonwealth Magazine, We need a Green New Deal in Massachusetts. 11/24/2018, Masslive, Northeast “particularly vulnerable” to climate change, federal report says. 11/22/2018, Salem City News, City seeks solar panels for roofs, parking lots.

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/municipal-electricity-aggregation-really-works/

https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/local-groups-put-weight-behind-keene-renewable-energy-plans/article_060acc0e-c19c-5557-bbd0-833ecfd98e28.html?fbclid=IwAR0lJyimiJFNAXHnleAIydOUOjl-J7IFbb7s0wrztEmgvb4irBwr4gnQdwI

https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/12/report_clean_energy_sector_in.html?fbclid=IwAR3StTQhi8R1kJpdbDo3ub5QNm-bgk09yfmGTsL5XIOF3Mfg3HgojPiHWAE

https://www.gazettenet.com/Northampton-is-awarded-$75-000-grant-to-explore-Community-Choice-Energy-PLUS-22248190?fbclid=IwAR0yfUUBQA4p9PXa4penJG-woLf--QjPMIjAWae4LHFQ2z_9T-rp-S-Cxq4

https://www.gazettenet.com/Northampton-is-awarded-$75-000-grant-to-explore-Community-Choice-Energy-PLUS-22248190?fbclid=IwAR0yfUUBQA4p9PXa4penJG-woLf--QjPMIjAWae4LHFQ2z_9T-rp-S-Cxq4

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dc-historic-climate-bill-renewable-power_us_5c195218e4b08db990587aea?ncid=engmodushpmg00000003&fbclid=IwAR2BQEcmaE5hkF8X_c0VE78-1npDaWqeKTiQ1VIV73JquQQTuoFnoKCXOhw

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/12/18/landmark-agreement-mass-eight-other-states-vow-cut-transportation-emissions/kzsX7xUw3l5R2x5AIC47UK/story.html?s_campaign=bostonglobe%3Asocialflow%3Afacebook&fbclid=IwAR3Fgu6MxQVZPC5SW6wz30okc2HLewH5xqMMh3KCQeNs3IafFjM16iF5BnU

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/new-york-gov-cuomo-pledges-100-carbon-free-electricity-by-2040/544587/

http://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/the-green-new-deal-has-strong-bipartisan-support/

https://thinkprogress.org/jim-mcgovern-democratic-house-member-pledges-support-green-new-deal-a5ab3aa866d8/?fbclid=IwAR0-gLM5WO0pDoyBfH2CbTFRE5-6Aw1XyDySb38ptb6FHzOMt2HF2vGO0-I

https://www.wbur.org/news/2018/12/09/watertown-commercial-buildings-solar-panels?fbclid=IwAR0quqc8zkeXGKdHqs965UwSMbzpZzwPe9_BjkASpxielc3dA4SGodGmqMI

https://www.wbur.org/news/2018/12/09/watertown-commercial-buildings-solar-panels?fbclid=IwAR0quqc8zkeXGKdHqs965UwSMbzpZzwPe9_BjkASpxielc3dA4SGodGmqMI

https://www.ecowatch.com/california-solar-new-homes-requirement-2622590374.html?xrs=RebelMouse_fb&ts=1544123128&fbclid=IwAR3ky6vyo-hwMDpNCUNe6H6cZSLlnddUV9MwGkgbVRGFE1smBKAogCGYl2E

https://environmentmassachusetts.org/blogs/blog/mae/national-climate-assessment-what-does-it-mean-massachusetts?fbclid=IwAR32ClDxfEYG6AZb65Qi4VGvhYuyyjgh5cUGx8xutHb8XAnTzU2vOq-U7II

https://cleantechnica.com/2018/11/27/gm-may-finally-be-serious-about-electric-vehicles/

https://investor.gm.com/news-releases/news-release-details/general-motors-accelerates-transformation

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/11/26/how-extreme-weather-is-shrinking-the-planet?mbid=nl_Daily+111718&CNDID=49125334&utm_source=nl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily+111718&utm_content&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=Daily+111718&hasha=a72047ad97e94cb5d0fbbc0197823f51&hashb=183906dfd39cf4b2466d3009da40b85e18ee5639&spMailingID=14639835&spUserID=MTgzODI0OTgzNzE2S0&spJobID=1521363321&spReportId=MTUyMTM2MzMyMQS2&fbclid=IwAR1nsYG7VPV-6ctJx2nwq1UenMudyfptRuap-IwFldlScSUi6OxqplxHzqk

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/we-need-a-green-new-deal-in-massachusetts/?fbclid=IwAR2sAQTSnYszrrDwKKWmK8hEQLuYeipKJ2uRXAXVRM-E6bfEZV--VHxD1Ic

https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/11/northeast_region_particularly.html?fbclid=IwAR0t8Wa3zdGjTCkkPCWccugoYNiNJ31Z6KGQ-qjIBobzClKW1OQuJ6gi2gQ

https://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/city-seeks-solar-panels-for-roofs-parking-lots/article_9c2d0a30-d516-5382-8cee-b35d559e749e.html?fbclid=IwAR2Bmupa1ClrbGa7jBZQI20tgnq_Y4QUl7NImOybewBMdmM9UnZjDN9Ro8k

RESULTS

ANNUAL TOWN MEETING

April 30, May 2, 7, 9, 14, 16 and 21, 2018

The meeting was televised by Amherst Community Television and shown on the government channel.

There were 246 town meeting members. 124 members checked in and the Constable announced a

quorum was present. The 260th Annual Town Meeting was called to order by the Moderator, James W.

Pistrang at 9:21 p.m.

The call and return of the warrant was read by Assistant Town Clerk, Susan Audette.

Newly elected and re-elected town meeting members were sworn to the faithful performance of their

duties by the Moderator. The Moderator congratulated those elected and re-elected to town wide office.

The Moderator explained the purpose and criteria used for inclusion of articles in the Consent Calendar.

Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 were selected because they were considered to be routine articles, their

meaning could be clearly explained in the Finance Committee Report, and it was reasonable to expect

they would pass with no controversy.

Article 4 – FY2018 Budget Amendments and Article 7 - Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Trust

Fund were removed at the request of five town meeting members.

The Moderator accepted the Select Board motion to move all remaining warrant articles included in the

Consent Calendar of the 2018 Annual Town Meeting and the printed motions thereunder and approve

those articles as a single unit. Articles 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 9 were voted Yes 143, No 3, with 5 abstaining.

Procedural Motions

VOTED unanimously to hear the Library portion of the budget at 7:05 p.m. on Monday, May 7, 2018.

VOTED unanimously to hear Article 10, and the Elementary and Regional portions of Article 8 at 7:10

p.m. on Monday, May 7, 2018.

ARTICLE 1. Reports of Boards and Committees (Select Board)

VOTED Yes 143, No 3 with 5 abstaining to hear those reports of Town officers, the Finance

Committee, and any other Town boards or committees which are not available in written form.


Richard Kofler presented a report on behalf of the Council on Aging, and Chris Riddle spoke on behalf

of the Town Meeting Coordinating Committee and the Town Meeting Advisory Committee.

ARTICLE 2. Transfer of Funds – Unpaid Bills (Finance Committee)

VOTED Yes 143, No 3 with 5 abstaining to DISMISS. [To see if the Town will, in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 64, appropriate and transfer a sum of

money to pay unpaid bills of previous years.]


ARTICLE 3. Acceptance of Optional Tax Exemptions (Select Board)

VOTED Yes 143, No 3, with 5 abstaining to authorize a maximum additional exemption of up to 100

percent for taxpayers qualifying for exemption under M.G.L. Chapter 59, Section 5, clauses 17D, 22,

37A, or 41C.


ARTICLE 4. FY 2018 Budget Amendments (Finance Committee)

VOTED unanimously to:

A. Amend the action taken under Article 9 of the 2017 Annual Town Meeting Fiscal Year 2018

Operating Budget by increasing the appropriations and the amounts to be raised by taxation for the

General Government account by $125,000, and to meet such increased appropriation by decreasing the

appropriation and the amount to be raised by taxation for Community Services by $125,000;

Part B of the original warrant article was DISMISSED under the same motion;

C. Amend the action taken under Article 9 of the 2017 Annual Town Meeting Operating Budget, by

appropriating to the Health Claims Trust Fund a sum of $ 2,000,000 for employee health insurance, and

to meet such appropriation transfer $2,000,000 from Free Cash in the Undesignated Fund Balance of the

General Fund, said appropriation to be reimbursed to the General Fund via a temporary health insurance

premium surcharge to employers and employees until such time the total appropriation has been

reimbursed.


ARTICLE 5. Retirement Assessment (Finance Committee)

VOTED Yes 143, No 3, with 5 abstaining to raise and appropriate $5,565,471 for the Hampshire

County Retirement System assessment.


ARTICLE 6. Regional Lockup Assessment (Finance Committee)

VOTED Yes 143, No 3, with 5 abstaining to raise and appropriate $35,928 for the Hampshire County

Regional Lockup Facility assessment.


ARTICLE 7. Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Trust Fund (Finance Committee)

VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $500,000 for the OPEB Trust Fund established under

the provisions of M.G.L., Chapter 32B, Section 20.


ARTICLE 8. FY 2019 Operating Budget (Finance Committee)

Marylou Theilman gave a report on behalf of the Finance Committee prior to consideration of the

FY2019 Operating Budget.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

VOTED unanimously to appropriate $7,855,219 for General Government, that the salary of the

Moderator be fixed at $1,000, that of the Select Board Chair at $2,000, that of the Select Board

Members at $1,500, that of the Elector under the Oliver Smith Will at $20, and that to meet such

appropriation, $7,726,883 be raised by taxation and $128,336 be transferred from the Ambulance

Receipts Reserved For Appropriation Account.


PUBLIC SAFETY

VOTED to appropriate $10,446,161 for Public Safety and that to meet such appropriation $7,774,383

be raised by taxation and $2,671,778 be transferred from the Ambulance Receipts Reserved for

Appropriation Account.


PUBLIC WORKS

VOTED to raise and appropriate $2,355,505 for Public Works.


(Vince O’Connor made a motion to refer the Public Works budget back to the Select Board and Finance

Committee. The Moderator did not accept the motion because once an article is referred back it is

disposed of.)

CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

VOTED to raise and appropriate $1,439,099 for Conservation and Development.


COMMUNITY SERVICES

VOTED Yes 108, No 24, with 9 abstaining, to raise and appropriate $1,808,486 for Community

Services.


(A motion was made by Jenifer McKenna to raise the Community Services budget by $60,000. In

accordance with Section 7 of the Rules of Order for Town Meeting, Town Meeting voted first on the

higher amount. Ms. McKenna’s motion carried.)

DEBT SERVICE

VOTED unanimously to appropriate $2,187,844 for payment of the Town’s General Fund

indebtedness, and to meet such appropriation 1,867,001 be raised by taxation and $320,843 be

appropriated and transferred from Community Preservation Fund annual revenues.


SEWER FUND

VOTED unanimously to appropriate $4,177,666 for the Sewer Fund and that to meet such

appropriation $4,085,290 be made available from Sewer Fund revenues of the current year, and $92,376

be transferred from Sewer Fund Retained Earnings.


WATER FUND

VOTED unanimously to appropriate $3,996,578 for the Water Fund and that to meet such

appropriation $3,996,578 be made available from Water Fund revenues of the current year.


SOLID WASTE FUND

VOTED unanimously to appropriate $487,270 for the Solid Waste Fund and that to meet such

appropriation $487,270 be made available from Solid Waste Fund revenues of the current year.


TRANSPORTATION FUND

VOTED Yes 90, No 54, with 4 abstaining to appropriate $872,121 for the Transportation Fund and

that to meet such appropriation $819,121 be made available from Transportation Fund revenues of the

current year and $53,000 from the Transportation Fund Free Cash balance.


(The Transportation Fund portion of Article 8 was voted initially on May 2. A motion had been made by

Robert Kusner at that time to increase the Transportation Fund budget by $50,000. In accordance with

Section 7 of the Rules of Order for Town Meeting, Town Meeting voted first on the higher amount. Mr.

Kusner’s motion failed by a vote of Yes 61, No 67, with 9 abstaining.

A motion for reconsideration was made by Jeffrey Lee at the May 9 session. The motion to reconsider

passed and the Transportation Fund was brought back to the floor for discussion.

Robert Kusner made a motion to increase the appropriation by $53,000. In accordance with Section 7

of the Rules of Order for Town Meeting, Town Meeting voted first on the higher amount. Mr. Kusner’s

motion carried.)

At 10:07 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2, 2018, town meeting voted to adjourn to Monday, May 7, 2018 at

7:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Amherst Regional Middle School. 156 town meeting members were

checked in.

The May 7, 2018 session was called to order by the Town Moderator, James Pistrang, at 7:05 p.m.

There were 247 town meeting members; 124 members constituted a quorum. The constable announced

that a quorum was present.

Town Meeting resumed with consideration of the Library Services portion of Article 8, followed by

Article 10, and the Elementary and Regional portions of Article 8.

A report was presented by Library Director Sharon Sharry prior to consideration of the Library Services

budget.

LIBRARY SERVICES

VOTED to approve the Library Services operating budget of $2,683,069 and that the Town raise and

appropriate $1,993,466 as its share of that budget.


A report was presented by Dr. Mike Morris prior to consideration of the Elementary Schools budget.

SCHOOLS – ELEMENTARY

VOTED Yes 102, No 62, with 7 abstaining to raise and appropriate $23,242,365 for the Amherst

Elementary Schools.

Action taken on 5/7/18.

(Carol Gray made a motion to increase the Elementary School budget by $15,000. In accordance with

Section 7 of the Rules of Order for Town Meeting, Town Meeting voted first on the higher amount. Ms.

Gray’s motion carried.)

A report was presented by Dr. Mike Morris prior to consideration of the Regional Schools budget.

SCHOOLS – REGIONAL

VOTED to approve the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District operating and capital budget of

$31,815,351 and that the Town raise and appropriate $16,045,304 as its share of that budget.


(Vince O’Connor made a motion to increase the Regional School budget by $100,000 in the form of a

gift from the town of Amherst to the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District for the purpose of

preserving the Regional High School Culinary Arts Program and the High School Pre-School. In

accordance with Section 7 of the Rules of Order for Town Meeting, Town Meeting voted first on the

higher amount. Mr. O’Connor’s motion was defeated by a vote of Yes 68, No 110 with 7 abstaining.)

At 10:01 p.m. on Monday, May 7, 2018, town meeting voted to adjourn to Monday, May 9, 2018 at


checked in.




Town Meeting resumed with Article 11.

ARTICLE 9. Reserve Fund (Finance Committee)

VOTED Yes 143, No 3, with 5 abstaining to raise and appropriate $100,000 for the Reserve Fund for

FY 2019.


At 9:57 p.m. on Monday, April 30, 2018, town meeting voted to adjourn to Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at


checked in.





ARTICLE 10. Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Assessment Method

(Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee) VOTED unanimously to amend Section VI of the Amherst Pelham Regional School District

Agreement by adding subsection i) as follows: For Fiscal Year 2019 only, the alternative operating

budget assessment shall be calculated as 20% of the minimum contribution with the remainder of the

assessment allocated to the member towns in accordance with the per-pupil method found in Section VI

e) of the Amherst Pelham Regional School District Agreement.


ARTICLE 11. General Bylaw - Revolving Fund Reauthorization (Finance Committee)

VOTED unanimously pursuant to G.L. c.44, §53E½, to amend the General Bylaws by inserting a new

bylaw establishing the After School Program Revolving Fund, specifying the departmental receipts to be

credited to the fund, the departmental program or purpose for which the fund may be expended, and the

entity authorized to expend the fund, such bylaw to provide as follows:

Revolving Fund There is hereby established in the Town of Amherst, pursuant to G.L. c.44, §53E½, the following

Revolving Fund:

Expenditures from such revolving fund set shall be subject to the limitation established annually by

Town Meeting or any increase as may be authorized in accordance with G.L. c.44, §53E½.

It was further voted to establish a funding limit of $400,000 for said fund, or, take any other action

relative thereto.


Revolving

Fund

Authorized to

Spend Fund

Revenue Source Use of Fund

After School

Program

Department

Head of the

LSSE or his/her

designee

Program and

Tuition fees, Gifts,

Grants and Admin

Fee

Supplies and services, including salaries

and benefits of staffing, and related

administrative costs for the operation of

the After School Program.

ARTICLE 12. Community Preservation Act Appropriations

(Community Preservation Act Committee)

A. VOTED to appropriate $955,645 for Community Preservation Act Purposes recommended by the

Community Preservation Act Committee and that the following items 1–13 be appropriated or reserved

from Community Preservation Act Funds as follows, and to authorize the Town to accept or convey

property interests where applicable, as required under M.G.L. Chapter 44B, Section 12.

Project Appropriation Source of Appropriation

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Amherst Community Connections- Housing

Stabilization Program $112,815

Amherst Community Land Trust (ACLT) First

Time Home Buyers Program $266,200

Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust

(AMAHT)- Consultant $40,000

Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust

(AMAHT) - Development Support $150,000

Total Affordable Housing $569,015

FY19 Estimated Revenues,

Undesignated Fund Balance &

Reserved Fund Balance for

Community Housing $92,399

HISTORIC PRESERVATION

North Amherst Community Farm (NACF)-

Farm House Preservation and Rehabilitation $130,000

Amherst Historical Society (AHS)-Textiles $13,580

Amherst Historical Society (AHS)-Boiler $30,000

Total Historic Preservation $173,580

FY19 Estimated Revenues

& Undesignated Fund Balance

OPEN SPACE

Town of Amherst - Due Diligence $25,000

Amherst Dog Park Task Force – Dog Park $45,000 50% Open Space 50% Recreation

Total Open Space $70,000



RECREATION Appropriation Source of Appropriation

Amherst Dog Park Task Force – Dog Park $45,000

50% Open Space 50%

Recreation

Amherst Baseball, Inc. - Mill River Baseball

Fields $44,550

Town of Amherst - Mill River Basketball

Courts $50,000

Total Recreation $139,550



ADMINISTRATIVE

To fund CPAC Administrative Expenses $3,500

Total Administrative $3,500



Community Preservation Act Purposes

Total for Article 12 $955,645

Several motions were made by Town Meeting members to divide Article 12. Because both the Open

Space and Recreation portions included appropriations for the Amherst Dog Park, the Moderator

determined that those two areas could not be divided.

A motion was made to further divide the items in the Historic Preservation portion of Article 12.

Accordingly Town Meeting voted Article 12 as follows:

Affordable Housing Voted unanimously

Historic Preservation

North Amherst Community Farm (NACF) – Farm

House Preservation and Rehabilitation Voted unanimously

Amherst Historical Society (AHS) – Textiles Voted unanimously

Amherst Historical Society (AHS) – Boiler Voted

Open Space and Recreation Voted

Administrative Voted unanimously

B. OPEN SPACE – Borrowing Authority – Epstein Property Acquisition

Voted by a declared two-thirds to (a) authorize the Select Board to acquire by gift, purchase, and/or

eminent domain, for open space purposes, portions of the parcels of land located on Bay Road, shown

on Assessor Map 25B as Parcels 21 and 59, and described in a deed recorded with the Hampshire

County Registry of Deeds in Book 11596, Page 157, which portions, containing 30.4 acres, more or less,

shall be under the care, custody, management and control of the Conservation Commission under the

provisions of G.L. c. 40, §8C; (b) raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds, and/or borrow the

sum of $270,000 for the acquisition of said land and costs related thereto, and, to meet said

appropriation, and, to meet said appropriation, transfer the sum of $113,000 from the Community

Preservation Act Fund and authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select Board, to borrow the

remaining sum of $157,000 under G.L. c.44, §7, G.L. 44B, §11, and/or any other enabling authority and

to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, and any premium received by the Town upon the sale of

any bonds or notes approved by this vote, less any such premium applied to costs of issuance of such

bonds or notes, may be applied to of costs approved by this vote with a reduction of borrowing authority

therefore by a like amount in accordance with G.L. c.44, §20; (c) authorize the Select Board, the Town

Manager, and/or the Conservation Commission, as they deem appropriate, to accept on behalf of the

Town funds granted under the LAND Program (G.L. c. 132A, §11) and/or any other funds, gifts, grants,

under any federal and/or other state program, in any way connected with the scope of this acquisition,

and to enter into all agreements and execute any and all instruments as may be necessary or appropriate

to effectuate the foregoing acquisition; and, further, (d) authorize the Select Board and/or the

Conservation Commission to convey a restriction on said parcels of land in accordance with G.L. c. 184,

as required by G.L. c. 44B, §12(a).


ARTICLE 13. Capital Program – Equipment (Joint Capital Planning Committee)

VOTED unanimously to appropriate $1,136,925 to purchase repair and/or install new or replacement

equipment and to meet such appropriation $576,925 be raised by taxation, $260,000 be transferred from

the Ambulance Receipts Reserved for Appropriation account, and $300,000 be transferred from the

Overlay Surplus reserve, and further to authorize the application for and acceptance of any gifts,

bequests, or grants.


ARTICLE 14. Capital Program – Buildings and Facilities (Joint Capital Planning Committee)

VOTED Yes 65, No 62 with 3 abstaining to appropriate $2,007,864 to repair and/or improve buildings

and facilities and to meet such appropriation $2,007,864 be raised by taxation and further to authorize the

application for and acceptance of any gifts, bequests, or grants.


(A motion was made to reduce the appropriation by $90,000, removing the Downtown Wayfinding

Signs line item. In accordance with Section 7 of the Rules of Order for Town Meeting, Town Meeting

voted first on the higher amount. Ms. Page’s motion failed by default.)

At 10:31 p.m. on Monday, May 9, 2018, town meeting voted to adjourn to Monday, May 14, 2018 at


checked in.




Procedural Motions

VOTED unanimously to hear Article 39 on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 7:05 p.m.

VOTED unanimously to hear Article 25 on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 7:10 p.m.

VOTED to hear Article 27 on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 7:15 p.m.


ARTICLE 15. Capital Program – Bond Authorization Transportation Fund

(Finance Committee)

VOTED by a declared two-thirds to borrow $450,000 for repairs at the Main Street Parking Lot, and

to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select Board, is authorized to borrow

said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 7, (1) or pursuant to any other enabling

authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, and further, any premium received by the

Town upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this vote, less any such premium applied to costs

of issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to project costs approved by this vote with a

reduction of borrowing authority therefore by a like amount in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44,

Section 20.


ARTICLE 16. Capital Program – Bond Authorization Water Fund (Finance Committee)

VOTED by a declared two-thirds to appropriate $2,000,000 to pay for the costs of water main and

system replacements on Northampton Road, and to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the

approval of the Select Board, is authorized to borrow said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L.

Chapter 44, Section 8 (5), or pursuant to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the

Town therefor, and further, any premium received by the Town upon the sale of any bonds or notes

approved by this vote, less any such premium applied to costs of issuance of such bonds or notes, may

be applied to project costs approved by this vote with a reduction of borrowing authority therefore by a

like amount in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 20.


ARTICLE 17. Capital Program – Bond Authorization Sewer Fund (Finance Committee)

VOTED unanimously to appropriate $1,000,000 to pay for the costs of replacing the gravity belt

thickener, and to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select Board, is

authorized to borrow said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 7 (1), or pursuant

to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, and further, any

premium received by the Town upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this vote, less any such

premium applied to costs of issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to project costs approved

by this vote with a reduction of borrowing authority therefore by a like amount in accordance with

M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 20.


ARTICLE 18. Capital Program – Bond Authorization PEG Fund for Amherst Media

(Finance Committee)

VOTED unanimously to appropriate $410,000 to pay for the costs of audiovisual equipment and to

meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select Board, is authorized to borrow

said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 7 (1), or pursuant to any other enabling

authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, and further, any premium received by the

Town upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this vote, less any such premium applied to costs

of issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to project costs approved by this vote with a

reduction of borrowing authority therefore by a like amount in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44,

Section 20.


ARTICLE 19. Rescission of Bond Authorization – Cole Property (Finance Committee)

VOTED unanimously to rescind the $225,000 unissued amount that was authorized to be borrowed by

a vote of the Town passed at the Annual Town Meeting held on May 1, 2017 (Article 12b) for the

acquisition of Cole Property.


ARTICLE 20. Acquisition of Easement – Cole Property (Select Board)

VOTED unanimously to authorize the Select Board to acquire by gift, an easement on a portion of the

parcel of land located off West Street and described in a deed recorded with the Hampshire County

Registry of Deeds in Book 9150, Page 152 to access, and to allow members of the public to access the

open space parcel of land on said property by foot, vehicles and other means, which open space parcel is

to be donated to the Conservation Commission for conservation purposes under the provisions of G.L.

c.40, §8C.


ARTICLE 21. Dedication of Use - Groff Park (Select Board)

VOTED unanimously to permanently dedicate Groff Park, located on Mill Lane and identified by the

Assessors as Parcel 17C-13, and containing 12 acres, more or less, to active recreational purposes under

the provisions of G. L. c. 45, §3, as it may be amended, and other Massachusetts statutes related to

recreation, as required under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant Program (P.L. 88-578), and

transfer the care, custody, and control of said park to the Leisure Services and Supplemental Education

(LSSE) Commission for, such purposes.


ARTICLE 22. Acquisition of Easements – Multiple Locations (Select Board)

VOTED unanimously to authorize the Select Board to acquire, by gift, purchase or eminent domain, in

connection with the:

A. East Hadley Road Sidewalk Project, for public way, walkway and/or sidewalk purposes, permanent

and/or temporary easements in, on, under a portion or portions of the property identified below and

shown on a plan entitled “East Hadley Road Multi-Use Path” dated December 17, 2017, prepared

by the Town of Amherst, on file with the Town Clerk.

B. West Bay Road Sidewalk and Road Improvement Project, for public way and sidewalk purposes,

permanent and/or temporary easements in, on, under a portion or portions of the property identified

below and shown approximately on a plan entitled “Sidewalk Plan West Bay Road”, dated

December 27 2017, prepared by the Town of Amherst, on file with the Town Clerk.

Owner Address Map and Parcel

Pioneer Valley Living

Care/Amherst

1 Spencer Drive 25A-43

Carle, Eric & Barbara,

Foundation C/O Eric

Carle Museum of Picture

Book Art

125 West Bay Road 25A-22

Valley Properties Land

Trust C/O Treasurer’s

Office

25B-52

Trustees of Hampshire

College

205 West Bay Road 25A-1-1

C. East Pleasant Street / Village Park bus pull offs and sidewalk improvements Project, for public way

and sidewalk purposes, permanent easements in, on, under a portion or portions of the property

identified below and shown approximately on a plan entitled “East Pleasant Street /Village Park

Bus pull offs”, dated February 21, 2018, prepared by the Town of Amherst, on file with the Town

Clerk.


Ercolini, Robert Trustee 166 East Hadley Road 17C-30

New Fort River Nominee Trust

Ercolini, Robert Trustee 16D-34

Riverglade Nominee Trust

Ercolini, Robert Trustee 16D-15

New Hollister Nominee Trust

Northland Boulders LLC 188 East Hadley Road 16D-11

C/O Northland Investment Corp.

Yosrex Limited Partnership 266 East Hadley Road 16D-13

C/O Ronex Corp


Related Village Park, LLC

C/O The Related Companies

497 East Pleasant Street 8D-21

Commonwealth of MASS U

Mass

8C-13

E. Main Street Sidewalk Project, for public way and sidewalk purposes, permanent and/or temporary

easements in, on, under a portion or portions of the property identified below and shown

approximately on a plan entitled “Plan of Proposed Taking and Easement in Amherst Mass”,

dated February 23, 2018, prepared by Holmberg & Howe Inc. Land Surveyors, on file with the Town

Clerk.


VOTED unanimously to authorize the Select Board to acquire, by gift, or purchase, in connection with

the:

D. Belchertown Road Reconstruction, Resurfacing and Related Work on Route 9-Belchertown Road

Project, for public way and sidewalk purposes, permanent and/or temporary easements in, on, and

under the parcels of land abutting and/or near Belchertown Road, shown approximately on a plan

entitled “Amherst- Pelham- Reconstruction, Resurfacing and Related Work on Route 9-Belchertown

Road”, dated February 21 2018, on file with the Town Clerk, and listed on Schedule A, attached to

the warrant.


(Vincent O’Connor made a motion to divide Section D. Gerry Weiss made a further motion to remove

the phrase “by eminent domain” with regards to Section D. The motion to amend was voted Yes 93, No

63 with 5 abstaining.)

ARTICLE 23. Acquisition of Land and/or Easements – Harlow Drive and Rolling Ridge Road

(Select Board)

VOTED unanimously to authorize the Select Board to acquire, by gift, purchase or eminent domain,

for multi-path purposes, the fee to and/or permanent and temporary easements in, on, under a portion or

portions of the parcels of land identified by the Assessors as Parcel 5D-267 and Parcel 5D-268.


ARTICLE 24. Abandonment of Water Line Easement - Kingman Road (Select Board)

VOTED unanimously to authorize the Select Board to release the water line easement acquired by the

Town pursuant to the Order of Taking dated June 9, 1984 and recorded with the Hampshire Registry of

Deeds in Book 2740, Page 90, said easement identified under item #2 (Kingman Road) therein.


ARTICLE 25. Free Cash (Finance Committee)

VOTED Yes 150, No 3 with 10 abstaining to appropriate and transfer the sum of $75,000 from Free

Cash in the Undesignated Fund Balance of the General Fund to balance the Fiscal Year 2019 budget.


ARTICLE 26. Stabilization Fund (Finance Committee)

VOTED unanimously to DISMISS. [To see if the Town will appropriate and transfer a sum of money from the Stabilization Fund to balance the

Fiscal Year 2019 Budget.


ARTICLE 27. Transfer and Authorization - East Street School to AMAHT (Select Board)

VOTED Yes 145, No 27 with 3 abstaining to transfer from the School Committee for school purposes

to the Select Board for general municipal purposes and for the purpose of conveyance, the care, custody

and control of the parcel of land known as the East Street School, located at 31 South East Street, identified

by the Assessor’s as Parcel 15A-20, and containing 2.4 acres, more or less, and to authorize the Select

Board to acquire said property by eminent domain for affordable housing purposes and for the purpose of

clearing the Town’s title thereto, and to authorize the Select Board to convey the same to the Amherst

Affordable Housing Trust Fund for affordable housing purposes on such terms and conditions, and for

such consideration, which may be nominal consideration, as the Select Board deems in the best interest

of the Town, provided that at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the units developed on said property shall

be used in perpetuity for housing for those earning no more than eighty percent (80%) of the area median

income, and further to authorize the Select Board to accept, on behalf of the Town, an affordable housing


Mass



Mass



Amherst Womans Club 35 Triangle Street 14B-19

Amherst Community Television,

Inc.

Main Street 14B-250

restriction on said units, which may be held in common with said Trust, provided, however, that the Town

shall not provide a conditional commitment to convey said property to the Amherst Affordable Housing

Trust until the Town Council determines that a feasible project, meeting the above objectives has been

identified and shall not convey such property until financing commitments have been obtained, and key

permits have been secured.


(A motion to refer the article back to the Select Board and Housing Trust was defeated.)

Following discussion of Article 27, Carol Gray moved for reconsideration of the Elementary Schools

portion of Article 8. The motion to reconsider failed by a vote of Yes 76, No 106 with 2 abstaining.

ARTICLE 28. Amendment – Establishment of Agricultural Commission (Select Board)

VOTED unanimously to amend the action taken under Article 10 of the October 30, 2006 Special Town

Meeting establishing an Agricultural Commission, by deleting the lined out language and adding the

language in bold italics, to be in accordance with MGL c40 §8L, as follows:

To see if the town will establish an Agricultural Commission to represent the Amherst farming and

agricultural community, as well as other farming and forestry activities. As of January 1, 2007, the

Agricultural Commission will replace the Farm Committee previously established by the Select Board.

The purpose of the Agricultural Commission will be to support commercial agriculture and other

farming activities in the Town of Amherst. The Commission’s duties shall include but will not be

limited to the following: promoting agricultural-based economic opportunities in Town; acting as

mediators, advocates, educators, and/or negotiators on farming issues; working for the preservation of

agricultural lands; advising Town Meeting, Select Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals,

Conservation Commission, Board of Health, Historical Commission, Board of Assessors, and the Open

Space Committee, or any other appropriate Town Boards and Committees, on issues involving

agriculture; pursuing all initiatives appropriate to creating a sustainable agricultural community in the

Town of Amherst; and, reviewing and advising on development proposed in farmland areas, as may be

permitted under zoning and other development regulations.

The Commission shall consist of nine seven members appointed by the Select Board. A majority of the

membership shall be substantially engaged in the pursuit of agriculture. All members of the Commission

must either be residents of the town, or owners and farmers of agricultural property or agricultural

enterprises within the town. owners or farmers of agricultural property or agricultural enterprises

within the town, or enrolled in an agricultural program at one of the learning institutions in

Amherst. One member shall be a non-voting representative of the Planning Board, nominated by the

Planning Board and appointed by the Select Board. The Director of Conservation and Planning shall

serve as a non-voting staff liaison to the Agricultural Commission.

The term of appointment shall be for 3 years staggered so that three new members are appointed each

year. Initially, three members shall be appointed for a term of three years; three members shall be

appointed for a term of two years; and three members shall be appointed for a term of one year. At the

time of passage of this article, current members of the Amherst Farm Committee- who meet the

Commission’s membership criteria, shall continue to serve out their current terms as Commission

members. Reappointments shall be consistent with Town Policy.


ARTICLE 29. General Bylaw Amendment - Zero Energy Town Buildings (Select Board)

VOTED Yes 149, No 2 with 5 abstaining to amend the Town of Amherst General Bylaws, rescinding

the Net Zero Energy Town Buildings Bylaw voted November 13, 2017, Special Town Meeting Article 15

and replacing it with the following:

Purpose: This bylaw shall be known as the Town of Amherst Zero Energy Town Buildings Bylaw. It is

enacted to help counter and prevent the effects of global climate change. It affirms that the Town of

Amherst is committed to working towards a resilient and carbon-neutral community by incorporating

optimal energy efficiency standards, using Renewable Energy, and eliminating nearly all use of Fossil

Fuels in new Town Buildings and Building Additions, as provided herein.

1. Zero Energy Requirements: All new Town Buildings and Building Additions (the

“Project”) shall be designed to meet Zero Energy Requirements:

a. The Project shall be designed to be Zero Energy Capable.

b. The Project shall be designed to operate without Fossil Fuels except as may be

needed for emergency power generators, Process Energy or Specialized Equipment.

c. Renewable Energy Systems shall supply at least as much energy, on an annual basis,

as is used by the Project for heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic hot water, lighting,

telecommunications, computers, elevators, plug loads, food preparation, refrigeration

and cooking and all other building systems that require energy for operation, except

for emergency power generators, Process Energy, and Specialized Equipment.

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d. The Project shall be conceived, planned, designed, engineered, and Commissioned

collaboratively such that all systems work together to meet the Zero Energy

Requirements described in this Bylaw.

2. Applicability: a. This Bylaw shall apply to all Projects with a Total Project Cost more than $2,000,000,

as determined by the Town Manager, at the completion of the most recent Feasibility

Study for the Project and prior to development of the Schematic Design.

b. For construction undertakings which combine renovation and new addition(s), only

the new addition(s) shall constitute the Project for purposes of this Bylaw. Monitoring

equipment shall be installed to enable separate determination of energy use by the

Building and Building Addition(s).

c. For all Projects to which this Bylaw applies, the Town will design a Zero Energy

Capable Project in compliance with this Bylaw. If the cost of purchase and

installation of the Town owned new and independently measured Renewable Energy

Systems for the Project exceeds 10% of the Zero Energy Ready Project Cost (Total

Project Cost minus the purchase and installation cost of the Renewable Energy

Systems) then (1) the Town shall proceed with the Zero Energy Capable Project

design and (2) include in that design as much of such Renewable Energy Systems for

the Project as equals 10% of the Zero Energy Ready Project Cost, and (3) shall plan

to obtain any remaining energy capacity to meet the remaining need by Renewable

Energy as long as the per kilowatt hour cost is less than or comparable to the per

kilowatt hour cost of utility provided electricity in the first year of the contract. Only

in the last circumstance may the Town purchase energy that is not specifically

dedicated to the Project.

d. Renewable Energy Systems not on the Project site or not on the same electric meter

as the subject Buildings or Building Additions may be used if insufficient solar or

wind exposure is available on the project site. Such renewable energy systems shall

be dedicated exclusively to the project and the energy generated shall be measured

independently.

e. The Town may sell Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).

3. Compliance with this Bylaw: Compliance with this Bylaw shall be determined by

successful completion of all of the following:

a. Certification by the Architect of Record that the final Construction Documents, if

followed, will produce a completed Project that is Zero Energy Capable.

b. Peer Review confirming that in the opinion of the third-party reviewer, the final

Construction Documents, if followed, will produce a completed Project that is Zero

Energy Capable.

c. Completed contracting for Commissioning at a suitable point prior to occupancy, and

Re-commissioning at a point 12 months after occupancy. However, the failure to

achieve the Zero Energy Requirements at the point of 12-month Re-commissioning

shall not affect compliance with this Bylaw.

d. Compliance shall be measured by the projected Site Energy, not Source Energy.

4. Implementation: The Town and the Project end-users undertake, on a good faith basis:

a. To formulate a preliminary Energy Budget for the Project consistent with the Zero

Energy Requirements prior to Schematic Design.

b. To endeavor to operate the Project in accordance with a final Energy Budget for the

Project consistent with the Zero Energy Requirements.

c. To report to the public annually the energy performance of the Project for ten years

from the date of occupancy.

Definitions

Architect of Record: The Architect whose professional seal is affixed to the construction documents.

Building: A structure wholly or partially enclosed within exterior walls, or within exterior and party

walls, and a roof providing services and affording shelter to persons, animals or property.

Building Addition: New construction attached to an existing Building.

Buildings and Building Additions: All new municipal buildings and new municipal building additions

built by and for the Town of Amherst.

Commissioning: The process that verifies and documents that the building systems including all

systems related to this Bylaw have been designed, installed, and function according to the Construction

Documents.

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Re-commissioning: The process of testing and recommending adjustments to the building systems at

least 12 months after the date of occupancy.

Construction Documents: Drawings and specifications sufficient for competitive public bidding in the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Energy Budget: Established at the outset of design and updated periodically during design, an Energy

Budget is based on estimated amounts of energy to be used once the building is occupied.

Feasibility Study: A planning document that confirms and explains the owner’s requirements,

identifies and evaluates alternative solutions and sites, recommends and defines solutions, summarizes

the proposed scope of work, and provides a cost estimate.

Fossil Fuels: Fuels from petroleum, natural gas or coal.

Peer Review: Review by a third-party reviewer skilled in energy analysis and energy modeling

certified as an architect or engineer.

Photovoltaic Systems: Electrical Systems using photovoltaic panels to collect solar energy and convert

it to electricity.

Process Energy: Energy used to transform, for large-scale municipal, not Project, purposes, the

biological, chemical and/or physical state of sewage, waste, water or other material, or to move and

package it during or after such transformation, including but not limited to municipal water supply

pumping and treatment, municipal sewage treatment, and municipal waste compaction, transfer,

recycling and/or composting, and similar processes, but not including food preparation, refrigeration and

cooking.

Re-commissioning: See Commissioning above.

Renewable Energy: Energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power.

Renewable Energy Certificate (REC): Represents and conveys the environmental, social and other

non-power qualities of one megawatt-hour of renewable electricity generation and can be sold separately

from the underlying physical electricity associated with a renewable-based generation source.

Renewable Energy Systems: Electrical and mechanical systems using Renewable Energy comprising

one or more of the following: Photovoltaic Systems, Wind Energy Systems, and other systems that

generate electricity without the use of fossil fuels.

Project: A single new construction undertaking by and for the Town of Amherst and to be constructed

at the same time, comprised of new Building(s), new Building Addition(s), associated site work, and

Renewable Energy Systems; but not including any building renovation component of the construction

undertaking.

Building Site: Building(s) and Building Addition(s) and the area on which a building is located where

energy is used.

Schematic Design: The first of five phases of an Architect’s basic services in the planning and

construction of a Building or Building Addition.

Site Energy: Energy consumed at the Building(s) and/or Building Addition(s) and by energy-

consuming features of their associated site(s).

Source Energy: Site Energy plus the energy consumed in the extraction, processing and transport of

primary fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas; energy losses in thermal combustion in power generation

plants; and energy losses in transmission and distribution to the Building or Building Addition.

Specialized Equipment: Equipment that is essential to a particular function of the Building or Building

Addition for its intended function, and is not heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic hot water, lighting,

telecommunications, computers, elevators, plug loads, food preparation, refrigeration and cooking and

has no reasonable electrically powered alternative.

Total Project Cost: The sum of the direct construction and non-construction costs of a Project,

exclusive of site acquisition, demolition, landscaping and environmental remediation costs. In cases

where renovation is also part of the same construction undertaking, non-construction costs and site-work

costs of the undertaking shall be allocated prorated between the renovation and the Project.

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Wind Energy Systems: Systems that collect wind energy and convert it to electricity.

Zero Energy Capable: Designed based on the Energy Budget, in compliance with the Zero Energy

Requirements, incorporating highly efficient standards to minimize the Project’s need for energy, and

incorporating Renewable Energy Systems with enough capacity to supply the energy needed.

Zero Energy Ready: Designed to be Zero Energy Capable, but without the inclusion of Renewable

Energy Systems.

Zero Energy Requirements: See Section 1.a-d of the Bylaw.

Zero Energy Ready Project Cost: Total Project Cost minus the purchase and installation cost of the

Renewable Energy Systems.


(A motion was made by Carol Gray to change the amount in Section 2 (a) from $2,000,000 to

$1,000,000. Ms. Gray’s motion was defeated by a vote of Yes 37, No 107 with 3 abstaining.)

At 9:57 p.m. on Monday, May 14, 2018, town meeting voted to adjourn to Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at


checked in.




Procedural Motion

VOTED to hear Article 25 at the next session of Town Meeting at 7:05 p.m.

(It was voted to hear Article 25 at the next session of town meeting because it was unknown what date

town meeting would be adjourned to.)

Town Meeting resumed with consideration of Articles 39 and 27.

ARTICLE 30. Zoning Bylaw – Medical Marijuana Treatment Center & Off-site

Dispensary (Planning Board)

VOTED unanimously to amend the Zoning Bylaw by amending Article 12, Definitions, Sections 12.32,

Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) and Section 12.33, Off-Site Medical Marijuana

Dispensary (OMMD), by deleting the lined out language and adding the language in bold italics, as

follows:

12.32 Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC): A use operated by an not-for-profit entity

registered and approved by the MA Department of Public Health in accordance with 105 CMR

725.000, and pursuant to all other applicable state laws and regulations, also to be known as a

Registered Marijuana Dispensary (RMD), that acquires, cultivates, possesses, processes

(including development of related products such as food, tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments),

transfers, transports, sells, distributes, dispenses, or administers marijuana, products containing

marijuana, related supplies, or educational materials to registered qualifying patients or their

personal caregivers. An MMTC shall explicitly include facilities which cultivate and process

medical marijuana, and which may also dispense and deliver medical marijuana and related

products.

12.33 Off-Site Medical Marijuana Dispensary (OMMD): A medical marijuana facility that is located

off-site from any cultivation/processing facility that is controlled and operated by the same

registered and approved non-profit entity which operates an affiliated MMTC but which serves

only to dispense the processed marijuana, related supplies and educational materials to patients

registered and qualified under the provisions of 105 CMR 725.00 or their personal caregivers.


ARTICLE 31. Zoning Bylaw – Marijuana Uses (Planning Board)

VOTED Yes 109, No 17 with 8 abstaining: Part A. To amend the Zoning Bylaw by amending Article 12, Definitions, by deleting the lined out

language and adding the new definitions related to Marijuana Uses, with the language in bold italics, as

follows:

12.34 Recreational Marijuana Retailer (RMR): An entity licensed to purchase and deliver marijuana

and marijuana products from marijuana cultivators and marijuana product manufacturers and to

deliver, sell or otherwise transfer marijuana and marijuana products to marijuana consumers, for

non-medical purposes. An entity licensed to purchase and transport cannabis or marijuana

product from Marijuana Establishments and to sell or otherwise transfer this product to

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Marijuana Establishments and to consumers. Retailers are prohibited from delivering

cannabis or marijuana products to consumers; and from offering cannabis or marijuana

products for the purposes of on-site social consumption on the premises of a Marijuana

Establishment.

12.35 Craft Marijuana Cooperative: a Marijuana Cultivator comprised of residents of the

Commonwealth and organized as a limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or

cooperative corporation under the laws of the Commonwealth. A cooperative is licensed to

cultivate, obtain, manufacture, process, package and brand marijuana and marijuana

products to transport marijuana to Marijuana Establishments, but not to consumers.

12.36 Independent Marijuana Testing Laboratory: A laboratory that is licensed by the Cannabis

Control Commission and is: (i) accredited to the most current International Organization for

Standardization 17025 by a third-party accrediting body that is a signatory to the International

Laboratory Accreditation Accrediting Cooperation mutual recognition arrangement or that is

otherwise approved by the Cannabis Control Commission; (ii) independent financially from

any medical marijuana treatment center, marijuana establishment, or marijuana licensee for

which it conducts a test; and (iii) qualified to test marijuana in compliance with 935 CMR

500.160 and M.G.L c. 94C, Section 34.

12.37 Marijuana Cultivator: An entity licensed to cultivate, process and package marijuana, and to

transfer marijuana to other Marijuana Establishments, but not to consumers.

12.38 Marijuana Establishment: A Marijuana Cultivator, Craft Marijuana Cooperative, Marijuana

Product Manufacturer, Marijuana Retailer, Independent Testing Laboratory, Marijuana

Research Facility, Marijuana Transporter, Medical Marijuana Treatment Center, Off-site

Medical Marijuana Dispensary, or any other type of licensed marijuana-related business

12.39 Marijuana Product Manufacturer: An entity licensed to obtain, manufacture, process and

package marijuana and marijuana products, to deliver marijuana and marijuana products to

Marijuana Establishments and to transfer marijuana and marijuana products to other

Marijuana Establishments, but not to consumers.

12.40 Marijuana Transporter: An entity, not otherwise licensed by the Cannabis Control

Commission, that is licensed to purchase, obtain, and possess marijuana and marijuana

products solely for the purpose of transporting, temporary storage, sale and distribution to

marijuana establishments, not for sale to consumers.

12.41 Marijuana Microbusiness: A collocated Marijuana Establishment that can be either a Tier 1

Marijuana Cultivator [up to 5,000 square feet in accordance with 935 CMR 500.005,

Cannabis Control Commission Regulations], or Product Manufacturer or both, in compliance

with the operating procedures for each [Cannabis Control Commission] license. A

Microbusiness that is a Marijuana Product manufacturer may purchase no more than 2,000

pounds of marijuana per year from other Marijuana Establishments.

12.42 Marijuana Research Facility: An entity licensed to engage in research projects by the

Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission.

12.43 Marijuana Social Consumption Operator: A marijuana retailer licensed to purchase

marijuana and marijuana products from a marijuana establishment and to sell marijuana and

marijuana products on its premises only to consumers or allow consumers to consume

marijuana and marijuana products on its premises only.

12.44 Marijuana Social Consumption Operation: An entity licensed to purchase or otherwise

acquire marijuana from licensed marijuana establishments and sell single servings of

marijuana to consumers for consumption or use on the premises, except as otherwise

authorized herein.

12.45 Marijuana Social Club: An organization, club, lodge, business, or other private grounds

allowing on-site consumption of marijuana or marijuana products where no sales of

marijuana or marijuana products occurs.

12.46 Marijuana Delivery-Only Retailer: An entity that does not provide a retail location accessible

to the public, but is authorized to deliver directly from a marijuana cultivator facility, craft

marijuana cultivator cooperative facility, marijuana product manufacturer facility or

microbusiness.

Part B.

To amend the Zoning Bylaw by amending Article 3, Use Regulations, Section 3.3, Use Classification

and Standards, by deleting the lined out language and adding the language in bold italics, as follows:

ARTICLE 3 USE REGULATIONS, Section 3.3, Use Classifications and Standards

3.363 Marijuana Uses

3.363.0 Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC)

R-O



*Allowed only in those B-L Districts which co-occur with the R&D overlay district.

See definition under Article 12.

Subject to the standards and conditions listed below, under Section 3.362.

3.363.1 Off-Site Medical Marijuana Dispensary (OMMD)

R-O


N N N N N SP SP SP N SP SP SP N N



3.363.2 Recreational Marijuana Retailer (RMR)

R-O


N N N N N SP SP SP N SP N SP N N



3.363.3 Craft Marijuana Cultivator Cooperative & Marijuana Cultivator

R-O



*Allowed only in those B-L Districts which co-occur with the R&D overlay district.


Subject to the standards and conditions listed below.

3.363.4 Independent Marijuana Testing Laboratory

R-O


N N SP N N SP SP SP SP SPR SPR SPR SPR N

SPR*

*In those areas of the B-L District which coincide with the Research & Development (R&D) overlay district,

Site Plan Review approval shall be required for uses regulated under this section. In all other areas of the B-L

District, a Special Permit shall be required from the Zoning Board of Appeals



3.363.5 Marijuana Product Manufacturer & Marijuana Micro-business

R-O



SPR*






3.363.6 Marijuana Transporter

R-O


N N N N N SP SP SP N SP SP SP SP N



3.363.7 Marijuana Research Facility

R-O



SPR*






3.363.8 Marijuana Social Consumption Operation &

Marijuana Social Consumption Operator &

Marijuana Social Club

R-O


N N N N N N N N N N N N N N



3.363.9 Marijuana Delivery-Only Retailer

R-O


N N N N N N N N N N N N N N



Standards and Conditions (applies to all MMTCs, OMMDs and RMRs Marijuana Establishments, and

if applicable, shall be in accordance with Regulations of the Cannabis Control Commission, 935

CMR 500):

1. Purpose. It is recognized that the nature of the substance cultivated, processed, and/or sold by

Marijuana Establishments medical marijuana treatment centers and off-site medical marijuana

dispensaries and recreational marijuana retailers may have objectionable operational

characteristics and should be located in such a way as to ensure the health, safety and general

well-being of the public as well as patients seeking treatment and customers seeking to purchase

marijuana for recreational use. The specific and separate regulation of Marijuana

Establishments Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) and Off-site Medical

Marijuana Dispensaries (OMMDs) and Recreational Marijuana Retailers (RMRs) is necessary to

advance these purposes.

Subject to the provisions of this Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 40A of the Massachusetts General

Laws, 105 CMR 725.000, M.G.L. Chapter 94G, M.G.L. Chapter 94I, and 935 CMR 500,

Marijuana Establishments MMTCs and OMMDs and RMRs will be permitted to provide goods

and services as allowed by the aforementioned laws and regulations. medical support, security

and physician oversight that meet or exceed state regulation as established by the Massachusetts

Department of Health (DPH) and to provide retail sales of marijuana for non-medical use in a

manner that meets or exceeds state regulations.

2. Application Requirements. Above and beyond the standard application requirements for Special

Permits and Site Plan Review approval, an application for a use under this section shall include

the following:

a) The name and address of each owner of the facility/operation;

b) Copies of all documentation demonstrating appropriate application status under state law, or

registration or license, issued to the applicant by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and

any of its agencies for the facility;

c) Evidence that the Applicant has site control and the right to use the site for a facility in the

form of a deed or valid purchase and sale agreement, or, in the case of a lease, a notarized

statement from the property owner and a copy of the lease agreement;

d) A notarized statement signed by the organization’s Chief Executive Officer and corporate

attorney disclosing all of its designated representatives, including officers and directors,

shareholders, partners, members, managers, directors, officers, or other similarly-situated

individuals and entities and their addresses. If any of the above are entities rather than

persons, the Applicant must disclose the identity of all such responsible individual persons;

e) In addition to what is normally required in a site plan pursuant to Section 11.2, details

showing all exterior proposed security measures for the premises, including lighting, fencing,

gates and alarms, etc. ensuring the safety of employees and patrons and to protect the

premises from theft or other criminal activity;

f) A Management Plan as required under the Rules and Regulations of the Special Permit

Granting Authority, including a description of all activities to occur on site, including all

provisions for the delivery of marijuana and related products to Marijuana Establishments

OMMDs and RMRs or off-site direct delivery consistent with state law and regulations;

g) A traffic impact report as set forth in the Rules and Regulations of the Special Permit

Granting Authority shall be developed and submitted with the application.

3. Regulations. The following regulations shall apply to uses under this section:

a. Use Regulations.

1) No marijuana shall be smoked, eaten or otherwise consumed or ingested on the premises.

2) The hours of operation shall be set up by the Special Permit Granting Authority, but in no

event shall a facility be open to the public, nor shall any sale or other distribution of

marijuana occur upon the premises or via delivery from the premises, between the hours

of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.

3) A violation of the Host Community Agreement may result in the revocation of a

Special Permit or Site Plan Review approval.

b. Locational and Physical Requirements

1) All aspects of an a Marijuana Establishment MMTC or OMMD or RMR relative to the

acquisition, cultivation, possession, processing, sales, distribution, dispensing, or

administration of marijuana, products containing marijuana, related supplies, or

educational materials must take place at a fixed location within an enclosed area as

defined by 935 CMR 500.002 fully enclosed building and shall not be visible from the

exterior of the business.

2) No outside storage of marijuana, related supplies, or educational materials is permitted.

3) No MMTC shall have a gross floor area in excess of 25,000 square feet.

4) No OMMD or RMR shall have a gross floor area accessible to patients or customers

which is in excess of 2,500 square feet, except as may be permitted under 3., e., 1), c).

Space in an OMMD facility or RMR which is dedicated to administration or operations

and is accessible only to employees of the facility shall not be included in this limitation.

5) Ventilation – all facilities shall be ventilated in such a manner that:

a) No pesticides, insecticides or other chemicals or products used in the cultivation or

processing are dispersed into the outside atmosphere; and

b) No odor from marijuana or its processing can be detected by a person with an

unimpaired and otherwise normal sense of smell at the exterior of the MMTC or

OMMD facility or RMR a Marijuana Establishment or at any adjoining use or

property.

c. Reporting Requirements

1) All Special Permit and Site Plan Review approval holders for uses under this section

shall provide the Police Department, Fire Department, Building Commissioner, Board of

Health, and Special Permit Granting Authority with the names, phone numbers, mailing

and email addresses of all management staff and key-holders, including a minimum of

two (2) operators or managers of the facilities identified as designated contact persons to

whom notice should be made if there are operating problems associated with any use

under this section. All such contact information shall be updated as needed to keep it

current and accurate.

2) TheOne of the two designated contact persons shall notify the Police Department, Fire

Department, Building Commissioner, Board of Health and Special Permit Granting

Authority in writing a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to any change in ownership or

management of a facility regulated under this section.

3) The designated representatives of permitted facilities shall file an annual report with the

Special Permit Granting Authority and shall appear before said Authority to present the

report no later than 30 days following renewal of a state license or registration January

31st of each year, providing a copy of all current applicable state licenses for the owners

and facilities, to demonstrate continued compliance with the conditions of the Special

Permit or Site Plan Review approval.

4) The designated contact persons shall be required to respond by phone or email within

twenty-four (24) hours of the time of contact and inquiry regarding operation of the

facility by a town official to the telephone number or email address provided as the

contact for the business.

d. Transfer/Discontinuance of Use

1) A Special Permit or Site Plan Review approval granted under this Section is non-

transferable and shall have a term limited to the duration of the applicant’s ownership or

leasing of the premises as a Marijuana Establishment an MMTC or OMMD or RMR.

2) Any Marijuana Establishment MMTC or OMMD or RMR permitted under this section

shall be required to remove all material, plants, equipment and other paraphernalia in

compliance with 105 CMR 725.105 (J), (O) prior to the expiration of its DPH

Registration or immediately following the expiration, revocation or voiding of its DPH

Registration or in compliance with 935 CMR 100.105(12) immediately following the

expiration, revocation or voiding of its license issued by the Cannabis Control

Commission.

e. Prohibitions

1) The proposed uses shall not be located:

a) Within five hundred (500) feet of a pre-existing public or private school

providing education in kindergarten or any of grades 1 through 12. The

distance under this section shall be measured in a straight line from the nearest

point of the property line in question to the nearest point of the property line

where the Marijuana Establishment is or will be located.

b) Within three hundred (300) feet of a building:

i. Containing another Marijuana Establishment MMTC or OMMD or RMR,

except for facilities that are owned or leased by the same operator; or

ii. In which is located a public or private elementary school, middle school,

secondary school, preparatory school, licensed daycare center, or any other

facility in which children commonly congregate in an organized ongoing

formal basis that is not a K-12 school; or

iii. Owned by and operated as part of the campus of any private or public

institution of higher learning; or

iv. Housing a public library; or

v. Containing any residential use, excepting a mixed-use building under Section

3.325 of the Zoning Bylaw.

c) Within, on the same lot as, or on a lot immediately adjacent to a licensed

pharmacy; or

d) Within buildings that contain any pharmacy, medical doctor offices or the offices

of any other professional practitioner authorized to prescribe the use of medical

marijuana. An exception shall be that the Special Permit Granting Authority may

grant permission for palliative and therapeutic care uses in the same building in

which a Marijuana Establishment an MMTC or OMMD or RMR is operated.

2) For the purposes of 3.363.9(3)(e)(1)(b), the three hundred foot buffer shall be

measured from the closest point of the building triggering the buffer to the closest

point of the marijuana use.

3) The proposed use shall not display on-premises signage or other marketing on the

exterior of the building or in any manner visible from the public way, which, in the

opinion of the Special Permit Granting Authority or the Code Enforcement Officer

may promote or encourage the use of marijuana or other drugs by minors.

4. Findings. In addition to the findings required under Section 10.38 and 11.24 of the Zoning

Bylaw and meeting the provisions of Articles 7, 8 and all other applicable sections of this Bylaw,

the Special Permit Granting Authority shall find that the proposed use:

a. Meets all of the permitting requirements of all applicable agencies within the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will as proposed be in compliance with all applicable

state laws and regulations.

b. Will provide copies of registrations and licenses and a copy of a signed Host Community

Agreement with the Town of Amherst, in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 94G and

subsequent regulations, including 935 CMR 500, to the Building Commissioner prior to the

issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.

c. Is designed to minimize any adverse visual or economic impacts on abutters and other parties

in interest.

d. Provides a secure waiting area, as required by state law or regulations.

e. Provides adequate security measures to ensure that no individual or group participant will

pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals, and that the storage and/or

location of cultivation of marijuana is adequately secured in enclosed, locked facilities.

f. Adequately addresses issues of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, circulation, parking and

queuing, especially during peak periods at the facility, and adequately mitigates the impacts

of vehicular and pedestrian traffic on neighboring uses.

5. Limitation on number of RMRs locations – No more than eight (8) Recreational Marijuana

Retailers locations shall be permitted to be located within in the Town of Amherst.


ARTICLE 32. Zoning Bylaw – Recreational Marijuana Retailer Locations (Planning Board)

VOTED unanimously to DISMISS. [To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw by amending Article 3, Use Regulations, Section 3.3,

Use Classifications and Standards, Section 3.363.2, Recreational Marijuana Retailer, Standards and Conditions

(applies to MMTCs, OMMDs and RMRs), paragraph 5, by deleting the lined out language and adding the

language in bold italics, as follows:

1. Limitation on number of RMRs locations – No more than eight (8) Recreational Marijuana Retailers

locations shall be permitted to be located within in the Town of Amherst.]


ARTICLE 33. Zoning Bylaw – Supplemental Dwelling Units (Planning Board)

DEFEATED Yes 63, No 56 with 5 abstaining.

[To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw by amending Article 5, Accessory Uses, Section 5.011,

Supplemental Dwelling Units, Section 5.0112 General Requirements, by deleting the lined out language and

adding the language in bold italics, as follows:

5.0112 General Requirements. The following standards shall apply to supplemental dwelling units

(supplemental apartments and supplemental detached dwelling units):

1. There shall be not less than 350 square feet nor more than 800 square feet of habitable space

in any supplemental dwelling unit Supplemental Apartment I or Supplemental Apartment

II, except that any such dwelling unit built and maintained as fully accessible under the

provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may include a maximum of 900

square feet in habitable space.

There shall not be less than 350 square feet nor more than 1,000 square feet of habitable

space in any Supplemental Detached Dwelling Unit, except that any such dwelling unit

built and maintained as fully accessible under the provisions of the Americans with

Disabilities Act (ADA) may include a maximum of 1,100 square feet of habitable space.

2. No one family detached dwelling in which a supplemental apartment is constructed or upon

the property of which a supplemental dwelling unit is built may be used simultaneously for

accessory lodging under any provision of Section 5.010, nor shall any supplemental dwelling

unit built upon the property of such a one family dwelling be so used.

3. One of the dwelling units on the property shall be occupied by the owner(s) of the principal

one family residence, which requirement shall be made a condition of any Special Permit

issued under this section.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 12, a supplemental dwelling unit shall be occupied

by a total of no more than three (3) adult residents.

5. The design review principles and standards established under Section 3.204 shall be applied

to all accessory uses under this section, and the review and recommendation of the Design

Review Board may be sought by the Building Commissioner, Permit Granting Board, or

Special Permit Granting Authority.]


(A motion to refer article back to Planning Board was defeated.)

ARTICLE 34. Petition: Zoning Bylaw – Amendment of Official Zoning Map (Kaynor, et al)

VOTED Yes 103, No 57 with 12 abstaining to refer this article to the Planning Board. [To amend Article 6, Dimensional Regulations, of the Zoning Bylaw, for properties in the R-O (Outlying

Residence) zoning district that are above 425 feet in elevation above mean sea lever (NAVD88) and are not

connected to town sewer and water that these properties shall comply with the dimensional requirements of the R-

LD (Residential Low Density) zoning district.]


ARTICLE 35. Zoning Bylaw - Inclusionary Zoning Amendment (Planning Board)

VOTED Yes 156, No 19 with 5 abstaining to amend Article 15 of the Zoning Bylaw by adding the

language in bold italics and deleting the lined out language:

ARTICLE 15 INCLUSIONARY ZONING

SECTION 15.0 INTENT AND PURPOSE SECTION 15.1 REGULATIONS

SECTION 15.0 INTENT & PURPOSE

The purpose of this Article is to promote the general public welfare, including but not limited to

ensuring an economically integrated and diverse community, by maintaining and increasing the supply

of affordable and accessible housing in the Town of Amherst. This purpose includes:

15.00 Ensuring that new residential development generates affordable housing as

defined in Section 12.20 Article 12.

15.01 Ensuring that affordable housing created under this section remains

affordable over the long term, with the majority of such housing remaining affordable in

perpetuity, except as may be otherwise required under state or federal programs.

15.02 Maintaining a full mix of housing types and unrestricted geographic

distribution of affordable housing opportunities throughout Amherst.

15.03 To the extent allowed by law, ensuring that preference for new affordable

housing is given to eligible persons who live or work in Amherst.

SECTION 15.1 REGULATIONS To ensure the purposes of this section, the following regulations shall apply to residential development

in Amherst:

15.10 All residential developments resulting in a net increase in dwelling units

above the number already existing on the site, and requiring a Special Permit for the use

itself or for modification of one or more certain dimensions as described below and

resulting in additional new dwelling units shall provide affordable housing units at the

following minimum rates:

Total Development Net Increase in Required Affordable

Unit Count Unit Provision

1-9 units None*

10-14 units Minimum one (1) dwelling unit

15-20 units Minimum two (2) dwelling units

21 units or more Minimum 12% of total unit count

*While provision of affordable units is not required for developments containing 1-9

units under this section, the Bylaw encourages affordability and provides for incentives.

See Sections 4.33 and 4.55.

Special Permit-modified dimensions triggering this bylaw:

Building Coverage greater than standard maximum; or Lot Coverage greater than standard maximum; or Additional Floor(s) beyond the standard maximum; or Height more than 2 feet greater than standard maximum

Where two or more units are required to be provided under this section, a minimum of

forty-nine percent (49%) of affordable units shall be eligible and countable for the

purpose of the Commonwealth’s 40B Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) or its

successor. Calculation of the number of total affordable units or the number of SHI-

eligible units shall, if the required percent of the total results in a fraction, be rounded up

to the next whole number where the fractional portion is equal to 0.5 or greater, and shall

be rounded down to the next whole number where the fractional portion is less than 0.5.

15.11 Affordable and accessible dwelling units provided under Section

15.10 shall be counted as meeting the requirements for density bonuses under the

provisions of Section 4.55, Density Bonuses, of this Bylaw.

15.12 The applicant shall establish such housing restrictions, conditions, and/or

limitations as are necessary to ensure that the affordable housing units provided under

this section will be permanently available for purchase or rental by eligible low-and

moderate-income buyers and tenants, and available for a minimum of twenty years in the

case of rental housing. in perpetuity or to the extent allowable under law.

15.13 Housing constructed by a public agency or non-profit corporation using a

Federal, state, or local housing assistance program may adhere to the requirements set

forth by the funding agency provided that the purpose of these regulations are met.

15.14 In any residential development, affordable housing units provided shall be

dispersed throughout the development, and shall be comparable to market rate units in

terms of the quality of their design, materials, and general appearance of their

architecture and landscape. Affordable units shall be comparable to market rate units

in terms of size and bedroom count except as otherwise allowed by the Permit Granting

Board or Special Permit Granting Authority.

15.15 The Permit Granting Board or Special Permit Granting Authority may

grant a Special Permit for modifications as provided below, except that when four (4)

or more affordable units are required under the provisions of Article 15 of this Bylaw,

a minimum of 50% must be provided on-site.

15.150 Off-site affordable units may be allowed for projects principally

located in the B-G, B-VC, B-N, and those B-L districts abutting the B-G

District. Off-site units shall be located within the same zoning district or within

500 feet of the premises of the development and shall comply with Section

15.14.

15.151 Payment of fees-in-lieu of affordable units may be allowed,

payable prior to the granting of a Certificate of Occupancy for any dwelling

units associated with the development, to the Town of Amherst Municipal

Affordable Housing Trust. The fee-in-lieu value for each affordable unit not

provided shall be three (3) times the current Median Family Income for

Amherst as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) or successor agency.


ARTICLE 36. Petition: Zoning Bylaw – Inclusionary Zoning Amendment (Weiss et al)

VOTED to DISMISS. [To see if the Town will amend Section 15.10 of the Zoning Bylaw by adding the language in bold italics, and

deleting the lined out language:

15:00 Ensuring that new residential development generates affordable housing as defined in Section

12.20 Article 12.

Section 15.10 All residential developments requiring a Special Permit for the use itself or for modification of

one or more certain dimensions as described below and resulting in additional new a net

increase in dwelling units above the number already existing on the site, shall provide

affordable housing units at the following minimum rates:

Total Development Required Affordable

Unit Count Unit Provision

1-9 unites None*

10-14 units Minimum one (1) dwelling unit

15-20 units Minimum two (2) dwelling units

21 units Minimum 12% of total unit count

Special Permit-modified dimensions triggering this bylaw

Building Coverage greater than standard maximum; or

Lot Coverage greater than standard maximum; or

Additional Floor(s) beyond standard maximum; or

Height more than 2 feet greater than standard maximum

Where two or more units are required to be provided under this section, a minimum of forty-nine

percent (49%) of affordable units shall be eligible and countable for the purpose of the

Commonwealth’s 40B Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) or its successor. Calculation of the

number of total affordable units or the number of SHI-eligible units shall, if the required percent

of the total results in a fraction, be rounded up to the next whole number where the fractional

portion is equal to 0.5 or greater, and shall be rounded down to the next whole number where the

fractional portion is less than 0.5.

15.12 The applicant shall establish such housing restrictions, conditions, and/or limitations as are

necessary to ensure that the affordable housing units provided under this section will be

permanently available for purchase or rental by eligible low-and moderate-income buyers and

tenants, and available for a minimum of twenty years in the case of rental housing in perpetuity

or to the extent allowable under law.

15.14 In any residential development, affordable housing units provided shall be dispersed throughout

the development, and shall be comparable to market rate units in terms of size, bedroom count,

the quality of their design, materials, and general appearance of their architecture and landscape.]


ARTICLE 37. Petition: General Bylaw - Unlawful Noise Bylaw (Gesuelle-Hart et al)

VOTED unanimously to call on the Select Board to investigate and assess the problems created by

noises emanating from firearm ranges and the impacts those noises are having on homeowners and

visitors and recommend solutions to the relevant governing body.


ARTICLE 38. Petition: Resolution - A Resolution to Prevent Nuclear War (Faye et al)

VOTED unanimously to approve:

A RESOLUTION

Calling for the United States to “Pull Back from the Brink” and Prevent Nuclear War

WHEREAS, Since the height of the Cold War the United States and Russia have dismantled more than

50,000 nuclear warheads, but 15,000 of these weapons still exist and post an intolerable

risk to human survival; and

WHEREAS, 95 percent of these weapons are in the hands of the United States and Russia and the rest

are held by seven other countries: China, France, Israel, India, North Korea, Pakistan,

and the United Kingdom; and

WHEREAS, the use of even a tiny fraction of these weapons would cause worldwide climate

disruption and global famine; to wit, as few as 100 Hiroshima sized bombs, small by

modern standards, would put at least 5 million tons of soot into the upper atmosphere and

cause climate disruption across the planet, cutting food production and putting 2 billion

people at risk of starvation; and

WHEREAS, a large scale nuclear war would kill hundreds of millions of people directly and cause

unimaginable environmental damage and catastrophic climate disruption dropping

temperatures across the planet to levels not seen since the last ice age; under these

conditions the vast majority of the human race would starve and it is possible we would

become extinct as a species; and

WHEREAS, despite assurances that these arsenals exist solely to guarantee that they are never used,

there have been many occasions when nuclear armed states have prepared to use these

weapons, and war has been averted only at the last minute; and

WHEREAS, nuclear weapons do not possess some magical quality that prevents their use; and

WHEREAS, former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara said, speaking about the Cuban Missile

Crisis, “It was luck that prevented nuclear war,” yet our nuclear policy cannot be the

hope that luck will continue; and

WHEREAS, as the effects of climate change place increased stress on communities around the world

and intensify the likelihood of conflict, the danger of nuclear war will grow; and

WHEREAS, the planned expenditure of more than $1 trillion to enhance our nuclear arsenal will not

only increase the risk of nuclear disaster but fuel a global arm race and divert crucial

resources needed to assure the well-being of the American people and people all over the

world; and

WHEREAS, there is an alternative to this march to nuclear war: In July 2017, 122 nations called for

the elimination of all nuclear weapons by adopting the Treaty of Prohibition of Nuclear

Weapons.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Meeting of Amherst Massachusetts calls upon

our federal leaders and our nation to spearhead a global effort to prevent nuclear war by:

Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first;

Ending the president’s sole, unchecked authority to launch a nuclear attack;

Taking the US nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert;

Cancelling the plan to replace its entire arsenal with enhanced weapons; and

Actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear armed states to eliminate their

nuclear arsenals.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the town of Amherst shall cause a copy of this resolution to be

sent to U.S. Congressman James McGovern, U.S Senator Elizabeth A. Warren, U.S. Senator Edward J.

Markey, and President Donald J. Trump.


ARTICLE 39. Petition: Resolution - A Resolution in Support of the Paris Climate

Agreement (Gray-Lee et al)

VOTED unanimously to adopt the following resolution in support of the Paris Climate Agreement:

Whereas NASA reports that the average global temperature has risen almost 2 degrees Fahrenheit since

the 19th century, most of which having been in the last 35 years,

Whereas sea ice now is more than 1.27 million square miles smaller than the 1979-2000 average, and,

according to National Geographic, see level would rise 216 feet if all the ice in the world melted,

submerging much of coastal US including most of Florida,

Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that CO2 in the air has reached

407 parts per million, the highest in 650,000 years,

Whereas the World Health Organization expects that between 2030 and 2050, climate change will

cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat

stress alone,

Whereas the International Organization on Migration reports that up to 200 million people could be

displaced by global temperature increase by 2050,

Whereas President Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement which set the goal of keeping

global temperature rise this century below 2ºC by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28

percent below 2005 levels by 2025,

Whereas the US is the number two CO2 emitting country in the world,

Whereas 2,300 cities as well as 14 states including Massachusetts, which make up one third of the US

population, have pledged that they will stand by the Paris Climate Agreement,

Whereas Burlington, Vermont’s largest city, already runs on 100 percent renewable energy,

Whereas in 2017, Amherst Town Meeting took three actions addressing climate change: a Resolution to

Implement a Carbon Fee and Dividend Program, a resolution calling for the town to use 100 percent

renewable energy by 2050, and a Net Zero Energy bylaw requiring all new Town buildings costing more

than $1 million to use no more energy than they produce,

Whereas the Town of Amherst’s 2005 Climate Action Plan’s goal of reducing Amherst’s greenhouse

gas emissions by 35 percent below 1997 levels by 2009 was not met, though progress was made in

energy efficiency and Amherst became a Green Community in 2012,

Therefore be it resolved that the Town of Amherst will stand by the Paris Climate Agreement by

adopting the goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by

2025,

And therefore be it further resolved that upon passage the Amherst Town Clerk shall mail copies of

the resolution and vote to President Donald Trump, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Ed Markey,

Congressman Jim McGovern, Governor Charlie Baker, Speaker of the Massachusetts House Robert

DeLeo, Acting President of the Massachusetts Senate Harriette Chandler, and Representative Solomon

Goldstein-Rose.


At 10:35 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, town meeting voted to adjourn to Monday, May 21, 2018

at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Amherst Regional Middle School. 193 town meeting members

were checked in.




Town Meeting observed a moment of silence in memory of Merle Howes who passed away since the

previous session of town meeting.

Town Meeting resumed with discussion of Article 25 followed by the remaining articles on the warrant.

The business of the warrant having been completed, Town Meeting voted to dissolve at 9:17 p.m. on

Monday, May 21, 2018. 185 town meeting members were checked in.

Questions on the Structure of the Energy and Climate Action Committee Andra Rose, for ECAC meeting 6/5/19 These questions are for purposes of developing the ECAC procedures. The details should be considered to be springboards for discussion and for brainstorming, not proposals. Details that are decisions we made at our first meeting or were suggested by members are highlighted.

● How urgent do we feel about climate change and the work we are charged with? ○ What pace are we going to go? ○ How much time can we each put in now and during school year? ○ How can we be structured for the pace we choose? ○ Do we want to schedule a retreat for in depth discussion?

● What procedural rules do we want to use for deliberation in our meetings?

○ Robert’s Rules for actions ○ facilitation and timekeeping for discussion ○ Zoom remote participants and public ○

● Agenda setting ○ end of meeting discussion of agenda for next meeting ○ email from Chair with draft ○ replies to Chair with additions/changes

■ Agenda items will be related to climate change mitigation or adaptation. ■ Time could be allocated based on the topics that have the most impact,

determined based on a vote of ECAC. ■

○ meeting of agenda setting group on off weeks (decide how to involve different committee members, role of Vice-Chair)

○ Final agenda sent by Chair to members ○ Agenda posted by staff

● Planning

○ Do we want a standing meeting on off weeks (not expecting whole committee, but quorum ok, could be the agenda setting group or separate)? It could:

■ monitor long-term timeline and progress ■ plan several meetings ahead and special meetings (retreat, invited

presentations from outside ECAC)

● Subcommittees, ad hoc committees and task forces ○ What working groups would help us forward?

○ Do we need to finish the target goals as a whole group before forming working groups? The committee can create standing and ad hoc subcommittees and work groups. Task Forces must be approved.

● What liaisons, networking and outreach do we need to establish?

○ Other Town Committees ○ Businesses ○ Residents

● What communications and educational tools do we need?

○ Repository of articles and documents easily accessible ■ On Sustaining Amherst website (question about ease of posting)

○ Google Docs with public viewing ○ Recordings of Zoom publicly available ○

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Town of Amherst

Community Resilience Building Workshop

Summary of Findings

Draft – April 26, 2019

I. Overview

The Town of Amherst, alongside peer communities across Massachusetts, is experiencing the impact of

climate change. Residents have already felt the effects of longer heatwaves, warmer winters, and

storms of increasing frequency and ferocity, and expect these shifting patterns to only intensify moving

forward, with significant implications for the local economy, town infrastructure, water resources, eco-

systems, agriculture, and public health.

In response, Amherst has acknowledged the heightened risks associated with such extreme and varia-

ble weather, and is taking action to both reduce and respond to them in ways that build the resilience of

our community. The Town has begun working with community members to proactively develop strate-

gies for protecting local ecosystems and for strengthening the community’s social and physical infra-

structures—and hopes to expand on this collaboration over the course of the coming year. This model

places both social equity and sustainability at the forefront of conversations about mitigating and re-

sponding to climate change, offering a framework for other municipalities in Massachusetts and across

New England to follow.

In 2018, Amherst joined the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness

(MVP) program (https://tinyurl.com/ycs5kv8r) to further the town’s climate adaptation efforts. The

MVP program offers support to Massachusetts municipalities through workshops that, first, identify the

community’s strengths and vulnerabilities in relationship to climate change and, second, generate pri-

oritized actions to strengthen the municipality’s resilience. After participating in these workshops, mu-

nicipalities become eligible for funding to implement climate adaptation measures.

In accordance with the MVP framework, Amherst hosted two workshops on March 4th and 5th. These

conversations were structured and strengthened by the use of the Community Resilience Building

(CRB) Planning Framework (https://www.communityresiliencebuilding.com/), a community-driven pro-

cess focused on shared dialogue, identifying community assets and challenges, and prioritizing actions

moving forward. Amherst engaged MVP certified providers Linnean Solutions and the Pioneer Valley

Planning Commission to facilitate this process.

[CALL OUT BOX: The workshops’ central objectives were to: Define top local natural and climate-re-

lated hazards of concern; Identify existing and future strengths and vulnerabilities; Develop prioritized

actions for the community; and Identify immediate opportunities to collaboratively advance actions to

increase resilience.]

https://tinyurl.com/ycs5kv8r

https://www.communityresiliencebuilding.com/

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Town staff and the Linnean Team prepared several materials in advance of the MVP workshops to

structure and animate small-group discussions. Participants were provided with a series of maps based

on municipal data illustrating flood vulnerability and infrastructural, social, and environmental features

to serve as resources for formulating or substantiating comments. Additionally, each group received a

large ‘storyboard map’ that participants pointed to, drew on, and marked up throughout the workshop,

illustrating where the community’s greatest assets and challenges were located. Finally, comments

made by community members during the workshops were recorded in the CRB “Risk Matrices,” which

provide a template for organizing group observations, analyses, and priorities. Images of the maps and

risk matrices are included in the appendix of this report.

The purpose of this report is to compile and communicate the content of the Amherst Community Re-

silience Building workshop series. It synthesizes community members’ comments on Amherst’s fore-

most hazards, strengths and vulnerabilities, and proposed actions for bolstering community-wide resili-

ence.

[CALL OUT BOX: For the purpose of the workshop, “vulnerabilities” were considered to be aspects of

the town that may lose function due to climate change hazards or that may feel the effects of climate

change more acutely. “Strengths” were aspects of Amherst that would help the town adapt and thrive

even in the face of climate change. Some features—such as the town’s public transportation system—

could be seen as both a strength and a vulnerability.]

The content of this report is open to comments, corrections, and updates from workshop participants

and additional stakeholders. The Town’s progress towards climate change adaptation and mitigation is

ongoing, and the process stands only to be strengthened by the participation of many community

voices, inclusion of insights drawn from different perspectives, and the consideration of various visions

for a more resilient and equitable Amherst.

II. Top Hazards and Vulnerable Areas

Each breakout group in the Community Resilience Building Workshop discussed four main cli-

mate change hazards in Amherst that had been identified in advance by a team of municipal

staff representatives as the hazards with the greatest potential to affect the town. These top

climate change hazards were increased heat, increased precipitation, drought, and extreme

weather, and workshop participants identified community vulnerabilities, strengths, and pos-

sible action items with respect to each. Throughout their discussions, participants leveraged

prior experience with symptoms of these four hazards, such as Hurricane Irene or the Hallow-

een storm of 2011, to frame their understanding of how the hazards might affect Amherst

moving forward.

A. Current Concerns and Challenges Presented by the Hazards

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1. Increased Heat

Like municipalities statewide, Amherst has already witnessed warming as a result of climate

change and will continue to see rising average annual temperatures in the years to come,

leading to extended heat waves, fewer days below freezing, and a greater number of days

with extreme heat each year. The number of days per year with a temperature over 90°F is

expected to increase from the 6 days averaged between 1971 and 2000 to 16-42 days in the

2050s, while the number of days per year with a temperature below 32°F is expected to dwin-

dle from 159 days averaged between 1971 and 2000 to 121-140 in the 2050s. With these

higher temperatures, Amherst faces several threats to its robust agricultural economy and lo-

cal ecosystems. Plant species accustomed to colder climates will likely have increasing trou-

ble adjusting to warmer temperatures and insect species traditionally whittled down by the

winter (such as ticks that carry vector-borne diseases) will increasingly survive and breed at

higher rates. Most crucially, the larger number of days with extreme heat and prolonged heat

waves will pose greater risk for heat-related illnesses and fatalities, especially among commu-

nity members with compromised immune systems or limited access to air conditioning. Such

risks will be especially elevated for Amherst residents currently experiencing social isolation

or limited access to transportation to cooling centers. As such, this hazard, in particular,

holds potential to reveal underlying inequities in access to transport or resources, exacerbat-

ing existing social inequalities.

2. Increased Precipitation

Amherst is expected to witness an increase in annual precipitation and, more significantly,

greater frequency and intensity of major storms over the next fifty years. Annual precipita-

tion is projected to increase from 46 inches averaged between 1971 and 2000 to 48-53 inches

in the 2050s, with the majority of precipitation concentrated within periods of heavy rainfall

in the winter and spring. As a result, the town will likely face greater risks of flooding from

rivers and streams, localized flooding due to overburdened stormwater infrastructure, as well

as higher rates of erosion and roadway surface deterioration. Infrastructure upgrades and

maintenance, revised design standards, and innovative strategies for storing or absorbing wa-

ter may prove crucial for preventing extreme flood damage to town buildings, roads, and

other infrastructure systems.

3. Drought

Climate change is likely to introduce longer periods of drought into existing weather patterns,

which may affect the health of Amherst’s water supply. Currently, the town relies on seven

sources: Atkins Reservoir, the Pelham Reservoir System, the South Amherst Wells (2), the

Brown Well, the Lawrence Swamp Well, and the Bay Road Well. As of 2017, the Atkins Reser-

voir and Lawrence Swamp Well functioned as the town’s primary water supplies, with the Pel-

ham Reservoir System and the Bay Road Well operating only during high demand periods. De-

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spite the capacity to rely on a number of sources, the town has already encountered in-

stances in which the network of wells and reservoirs was incapable of meeting its water de-

mand. In August 2016, for example, the town implemented a four-month mandatory water

ban due to an extended period of dry weather and abnormally low recharge to groundwater.

With such conditions poised to grow more frequent, it will become increasingly necessary for

the Town of Amherst, adjacent municipalities, and large water users such as the local aca-

demic institutions to take part in collaborative and proactive planning to maintain a healthy

water supply. In addition to public health concerns, extended dry periods stand to jeopardize

the health and productivity of Amherst’s farms, particularly those that do not use irrigation

systems.

4. Extreme Weather

Due to climate change, Amherst will likely be subjected to extreme weather events of in-

creasing severity and frequency in the next fifty years, including heavy rainfall, hurricanes,

and snowstorms. With this increase in extreme weather comes an increase in vulnerability:

without attention to systemic resilience interventions, Amherst will likely suffer a growing

number of power outages, setbacks to business operations, interruptions in transportation

services, and damage to local infrastructure and trees. Accounting for the existing inequities

in access to resources and information, will prove crucial to reducing the impact of such dis-

ruptions on residents’ health and livelihoods.

Areas of Concern

Road Segments

• East Hadley Road (flooding)

• Southeast Street (flooding)

• East Leverett Street Bridge (water flow over capacity)

• Greenleaves Drive (erosion)

• Beston Street (post-sewer overflow)

• Pomeroy Court (flooding)

• Station Road and Bridge (flooding)

• Meadow Street (flooding)

• Old Grist Mill Bridge (reliance)

• Stanley Street near the baseball fields (flooding)

Utility Infrastructure

• Dam near Puffer’s Pond (reliance)

• Atkins Reservoir Dam and Water Treatment Plant (reliance)

Sites and/or Services

• South Amherst (flooding)

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• Apartment complexes, in general (communication limitations)

• Farmington Road neighborhood (flooding)

• The Book, Mill Valley Estates, the Boulders, Southpoint Townhouses and Apartments and

the Boulders (low income, high water table)

• Pufton Village, Village Park Apartments, Aspen Chase Apartments, Colonial Village, the

Brook, Mill Valley Estates, the Boulders, Southpoint Townhouses and Apartments, the

Boulders, Rolling Green Apartments, and Eagle Crest Apartments (high renter popula-

tions)

Natural Resources

• Cider Mill Pond Conservation Area (septic)

• Rivers (water quality)

• Market Pond Outfall (erosion)

B. Specific Categories of Concerns and Challenges

As in any community large or small, Amherst is not uniformly vulnerable to climate change,

and certain sites, populations, and resources stand to be affected to a greater extent than

others. Workshop participants identified the following items as their community’s key vul-

nerabilities.

Infrastructural Vulnerabilities

Strained water supply:

- Supply relies mostly on wells with limited storage, and is under significant strain from the

large student population

- Supply crosses town lines: both the Atkins Reservoir Dams are outside of Amherst, which

requires increased coordination to protect the health of the water supply

Wastewater system performance:

- Forty-year-old wastewater treatment plant is overburdened due to stormwater leaking into

its pipes

- Some pipes were connected illegally thirty years ago, leading to sewage back-up in house

basements in the development directly north of Hampshire College

Aging housing stock:

- The town’s housing stock, built primarily before the 1970s, tends to have older systems and

in many cases may require significant maintenance

Inconsistent quality and distribution of municipal facilities and programs:

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- Lack of public meeting facilities that are both ADA compliant and accessible by public

transit; two out of three town schools, for example, are not ADA compliant

- Lack of fire department coverage and resources in South Amherst

- Lack of clearly identified heating or cooling centers

- Department of Public Works equipment is up to par, but its buildings are aging

- Backlogged services lead to lags in repair time for municipal buildings

- Poor coordination of waste-management services, lack of education about waste reduction

and management, and no staff available to support the municipal recycling program

- Police and fire communication towers are located in Pelham, which could create a vulnera-

bility if they are damaged or fail

Mobility limitations:

- Limited public transportation system has inefficient existing routes, which do not ade-

quately service some key destinations or the town’s east and west flanks, and are being cut

both in terms of routes and hours of service

- Public transportation does not serve low income and minority communities outside of the

downtown areas

- Public transportation is not financially accessible to everyone

- Few north/south arterial routes combined with the town’s long, thin geography create a

heavy reliance on a few specific roads and make it more difficult to centralize resources

- Inconsistent bike lane and sidewalk coverage prevents walking and biking from being safe

or viable modes of transportation for many residents

Energy system vulnerabilities:

- Large student population creates high demand for electricity and heating fuels, which may

limit availability for residents

- Power grid requires backup during cold snaps

- Most power lines are above-ground, which increases the risk of downed lines during storms

- Limited capacity and funds for renewable energy initiatives

Flooding of roads, properties, bridges, and dams:

- Erosion and overwhelmed culverts lead to flooding of roads and properties, particularly in

South Amherst

- Residential units and potential meeting places in the apartment complexes off of E. Hadley

Road and Pomeroy road have high water tables

- Both major traffic arteries and neighborhood roads are prone to flooding

- Flooding is exacerbated by beaver dams

- Dams and bridges are threatened by high water flow, particularly in South Amherst and

near Puffers Pond

- Flooding at UMass affects not only Amherst residents, but also their neighbors in Hadley

- The UMass campus has a substantial amount of impervious surfaces

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Proximity of freight rail line to natural resources:

- The freight rail line has experienced multiple derailments in recent years

- Comparable derailments moving forward could damage the Lawrence Swamp

Telecommunications and network security:

- There is uncertainty around the security of Amherst’s communications infrastructure

- The town’s emergency communications system is reliant on towers outside of Amherst

Societal Vulnerabilities

Exclusionary planning processes:

- Lack of understanding or trust between government and select resident populations, in-

cluding renters, low-income, or non-English speaking residents, leads to less inclusive pub-

lic meetings or civic engagement processes, as well as a lack of empowerment to contrib-

ute to community development efforts

- Lack of neighborhood cohesion: segregation prevents lower income and minority communi-

ties outside of the town center from fully accessing resources

Uneven access to resources:

- The town’s significant renter population has little influence over energy efficiency and

housing quality

- Existing homeless services in Amherst, particularly for those under the influence, may sup-

port the growth of those populations without providing adequate women-designated beds

or around-the-clock services

- There is notable economic inequality in Amherst, largely along race lines: 40 percent of

children in Amherst schools qualify for free and reduced lunch, 50 percent of whom are

students of color, despite the population of Amherst being over 75 percent white

- The town’s sizable elderly population may not have support networks or access to munici-

pal emergency communication and social services, particularly for those who live alone

Transience and migration:

- The large transient population, composed of UMass Amherst, Amherst College, and Hamp-

shire College students and renters, leads to significant seasonal fluctuations in the town’s

population, contributes to large turnover in who makes up Amherst’s residents, and thus

makes it harder for the town to engage consistently with its population

- Students constitute over 50 percent of the town’s population, and yet only a portion are

likely captured in the census data, making it more difficult to get an accurate sense of the

town’s population and demographics

- A high number of town infrastructure users and local business customers are not residents,

but visiting for a day or weekend

8 of 19

- Amherst may witness an influx of residents due to climate change, especially as people mi-

grate inland from coastal communities

Communication barriers:

- A large portion of the town population lacks knowledge of how to access services during an

emergency

- Apartment complexes lack common meeting spaces, bulletin boards, and public access to

individual apartment doors, rendering it difficult to identify channels for effective commu-

nication with and within such communities

- The Town’s current routine engagement and emergency communication strategies do not

consistently serve non-English speakers or residents without access to a phone or the inter-

net

- The Town’s current routine engagement and emergency communication strategies do not

reach residents of surrounding towns who are dependent on Amherst’s water and sewer in-

frastructure

Land ownership and development:

- Addressing systematic changes to land use/management and infrastructure systems re-

quires significant coordination with the academic institutions, which own and use a large

portion of the land and infrastructure systems within the town

- Due to the academic institutions and the town’s conservation land, a high percentage of

land in Amherst is not taxable

- A lack of incentives and policies facilitating sustainable development, outdated and prohib-

itive zoning, and a master plan that needs updating leaves large institutions and developers

unaccountable to the needs of residents

- The uncertain future of Hampshire College creates a “large unknown” for Amherst’s econ-

omy, land use, development, and community

- Discourse around development is marked by a tension between preservation and progress

- Residents feel a lack of power over big industry

Public health concerns:

- Amherst imports most of its food and could be cut-off from its supply if I-91 shuts down;

the proportion of Amherst’s food that is (or can be) produced locally in Amherst is unclear

- Air pollution from the concentration of cars around the universities is compounded by the

geography of the valley that traps air from coal-burning plants

- Sections of Amherst are food deserts with limited grocery stores or other locations to pro-

cure healthy food, and food inaccessibility may be exacerbated during a climate hazard if

certain roads are closed

Environmental Vulnerabilities

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Conservation:

- Large, continuous swaths of conservation land render one third of the town liable to be

damaged by pest outbreaks and the effects of rising temperatures on plant species

- Endangered salamander population limits development potential

Ecological stresses:

- An increase in pollen has led to health problems related to allergens, which are exacer-

bated seasonally

- Rates of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and mosquito and tick-borne illnesses are espe-

cially high during particularly wet years

- Large beaver population leads to increased flooding

Tree canopy vulnerability:

- The tree canopy has suffered as a result of storms and requires significant maintenance,

both to ensure the ongoing health of the trees and to prevent future storm damage

- The tree canopy is under threat from an increasing number of invasive species like Gypsy

Moths and Emerald Ash Borers

Natural water systems vulnerability:

- Poor water quality of local rivers may be further compromised by climate change

- Stormwater runoff threatens water quality

III. Current Strengths and Assets

Just as certain sites, populations, and resources in Amherst stand out as particularly vulnera-

ble to the effects of climate change, other town features are notable for their potential to

serve as assets to Amherst’s climate adaptation efforts. Workshop participants identified the

following items as their community’s core strengths, and expressed interest in using them as

a basis in future resilience planning interventions.

Infrastructural Strengths

University/college and private energy resources:

- UMass has 5-1/2 megawatts of solar on campus, a micro-grid, and battery storage

- Hampshire College has a system of 15,000 solar panels with battery storage

- UMass is building a facility that will serve as an emergency shelter for the town

- Applewood has backup power and can serve food during outages

Transportation and mobility:

- ValleyBike Share infrastructure will be expanded, though it is largely oriented towards stu-

dents

10 of 19

- UMass Transit, the PVTA, and school buses are routinely used, particularly by low-income

residents and students, and could be leveraged in an emergency

- Underutilized railway line running through the center of town may offer development op-

portunity

- State-owned bike trail near Amherst College is a primary mode of commuting

Facilities and amenities:

- The town has multiple locations for swimming and cooling off during periods of extreme

heat, including Puffers Pond, the Splash Pad, Memorial Pool, and Atkins Center (pools have

an income-based entry fee, and the Splash Pad is free)

- Bangs Community Center, Town Hall, and Amherst Regional High School can be activated by

town staff to serve as heating and cooling centers

- Multiple new municipal buildings will be constructed in the near future

- Police station has a generator for its building and a community meeting space

- Downtown Amherst has free wifi

Green energy potential:

- Amherst is a part of a 3-town task force to create a community choice energy option

Public health:

- An urgent care facility is located near Stop n' Shop

- College campuses have basic health center facilities

- Cooley-Dickinson hospital is 15 minutes away from the center of town

Societal Strengths

Community networks and resources:

- Craig’s Doors serves the homeless and welcomes people seeking shelter under the influence

- Municipal district system could serve as a building block for neighborhood organization

- Worship communities could serve as a starting point for larger faith-based community or-

ganization in connecting residents to the town government

- The Family Center, Survival Center, and Casa Latina are community hubs

- Apartment developments are existing, small-scale units of community organization, often

with a distinct culture and set of resources

- Universities offer knowledge repositories, a positive mindset about resilience, and testing

grounds for innovative sustainability strategies and green infrastructure

Culture:

- Amherst generally has a culture of activism, collaboration, and open-mindedness about cli-

mate mitigation

11 of 19

- Town has weathered extreme weather events like the storm of October 2011 and may have

learned from those experiences

Municipal resources:

- Town’s new emergency alert system sends mass alerts to everyone who subscribes and is

accessible in multiple languages

- A committed Town staff with significant GIS mapping skills, a recently updated master

plan, and a Building Commissioner that has dedicated time towards building a relationship

with landlords

Regional stability:

- Amherst is surrounded by stable communities and has not witnessed large swings in its popu-

lation

Environmental Strengths

Agricultural hub:

- Large amounts of high quality agricultural land in the immediate environment

- Educational programs in Amherst schools and UMass build on the town’s agricultural re-

sources

Programs that protect and maintain trees and open space:

- A robust tree canopy that can only be expected to grow, given the 2,000 street trees

planted in recent years as a result of a grant to mitigate storm damage

- Protected open space around Atkins Reservoir and Lawrence Swamp

- Eversource tree pruning service offers a low-barrier maintenance service

Access to composting:

- A widespread composting program picks up curbside compost for $11 each month

IV. Recommendations to Improve Resilience

After taking stock of Amherst’s vulnerabilities and assets, participants worked in small

groups to collectively identify actions that would address the community’s challenges and

build upon its strengths. The groups generated ideas for policy interventions, outreach and

empowerment strategies, and key areas of investment to enhance Amherst’s climate resili-

ence.

A. Cross-Cutting Themes:

Equity and empowerment:

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Amherst is home to both longtime residents and growing immigrant communities, retirees and

college students, renters and homeowners, with each group representing varying degrees of

access to emergency alerts, public transportation, shared services, and political representa-

tion. Throughout the two-day workshop, many conversations revolved around inequitable ac-

cess to community resources, with renters, racial minorities, and low-income residents most

commonly cited as underserved communities, as well as methods to address that inequity and

empower communities currently lacking political power. Suggestions included new models for

public participation and community meetings, and addressed both the acute need for effec-

tive communication in emergencies and the long-term benefits of equitable access and em-

powerment.

Sustainable land use and development:

Recognizing the desirability of Amherst as a place to live, participants repeatedly discussed

strategies for development in a community with one-third of its land dedicated to conserva-

tion as well as an aging housing stock. Comments included the suggestion of greater density

nearer to existing infrastructure systems, revealed a clear appreciation for the conservation

of natural resources paired with recognition of the town’s housing shortage, and highlighted

the tension between preserving Amherst’s character and facilitating new development. Par-

ticipants also devoted significant time to the town’s Master Plan, brainstorming ways to up-

date, improve, and build upon the completed document to forefront equity and sustainability.

Collaborative climate adaptation planning:

A third thread that emerged from the workshops was the need for a participatory planning

process to generate a Town plan for climate action and adaptation. This theme combines the

aforementioned calls for community empowerment and sustainable use of resources, and

workshop participants emphasized that the compilation of a town-wide climate action and ad-

aptation plan should integrate these core and complementary areas of focus. To this end,

they suggested engaging two consultants to work on the plan’s development: one who would

focus primarily on climate planning, and another who would ensure that equity was fore-

fronted at each step of the way and in each section of the plan. Such a planning process

would serve to weave and advance these two core community priorities, as well as move sev-

eral of the individual actions brought up in the workshops towards a comprehensive strategy

for implementation.

High Priorities:

Infrastructural:

Water infrastructure and water security:

- Conduct consistent and routinely funded inspections and exercises of the dam

- Assess the distribution of aging pipes to determine where repairs are most urgent

13 of 19

- Incorporate redundancies in future plans to prepare for emergency situations

- Consider water resources at a watershed scale

- Modify building codes to better address energy, water use, and sewer impact

- Reduce resource consumption through encouraging local academic institutions to limit wa-

ter use, and through providing incentives and educational programs for water conservation

and reuse

Environmentally friendly transportation:

- Increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations

- Charge more for parking downtown to discourage driving

- Create a bike culture through bike maintenance and incentive programs

- Provide incentives for ride-sharing and create a network for carpooling

- Increase the connectivity of trails and bike paths

- Apply recent grant from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) to evaluate the

town’s bike and pedestrian infrastructure

Sustainable development:

- Create proactive, positive channels of communication between the town and developers

about the inclusion of green infrastructure, stormwater management, and energy efficiency

- Provide incentives for developers to include green infrastructure, stormwater management,

and energy efficiency

Reducing vulnerability of electric grid:

- Task the Energy Commission with developing principles and goals for the community’s tar-

get energy consumption and necessary infrastructure moving forward (in partnership with a

consultant)

- Continue to support programs like Community Choice Energy 3.0

- Invest in renewable energy storage and community-level energy generation

- Consider partnering with Community Solar

Flooding resilience and green infrastructure:

- Continue to work towards Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) compliance

- Include new technologies to address the effects of climate change in all infrastructure re-

pairs or new roadway construction

- Create a capital improvement plan addressing frequently-flooded roadways to account for

increased frequency and intensity of storms

Societal:

Empowerment of vulnerable populations in political and planning processes:

14 of 19

- Focus on immediate crisis-based communication while developing community-based leader-

ship

- Equitably compensate residents and business owners participating in community improve-

ment processes and sitting on town committees

- Consider identifying a neighborhood captain to serve as a community representative and

liaison in emergency situations

- Leverage the town council’s district framework to build relationships at a neighborhood

scale, and to improve access to government resources and power

New models for all levels of public participation:

- Focus on working within existing community networks, rather than forcing active groups to

fit a new framework for community engagement; take stock of existing groups working to-

wards a resilient Amherst and bring them together; and allow community members to set

the agenda

- Structure meetings in a manner sensitive to cultural differences and resident schedules,

and incorporate a variety of activities to accommodate various engagement preferences,

perhaps with a ‘Collaborating for Equity and Justice’ framework

- Work with schools and parent groups, tapping the knowledge of the school district

- Engage the transient population by connecting community efforts with student groups and

clubs at UMass, Amherst College, and Hampshire College

- Incorporate channels for remote participation, such as online or paper comment submis-

sions, and communicate that feedback to the community at large

Ensure thorough distribution of resources and information from Town Staff:

- Use multi-lingual written, verbal, digital, print, and face-to-face communications for city

communications with residents

- Expand the current emergency communications system to reach areas of non-English speak-

ing residents, undocumented residents, and other vulnerable populations that may not re-

ceive notice through social media or Reverse 911

- Provide multi-lingual education on how to access services during an emergency

- Compare Amherst’s emergency resources and procedures to other towns in Massachusetts

- Coordinate with neighboring municipalities to ensure residents of nearby towns affected by

infrastructure located within Amherst are notified of relevant emergencies

Foster new connections within the community:

- Recognize the inherent relationship-building value in community gatherings

- Forge connections with the young professional community in Amherst

- Engage student groups in planning processes

- Provide funds for community block parties to engender two-way conversations that build

access and connections

- Leverage the Family Center, the Survival Center, and Casa Latina to build connectivity

15 of 19

- Integrate formal meeting spaces into apartment complexes

Tenant-landlord relationships:

- Disseminate information to landlords about how to improve the energy efficiency of their

buildings

- Create time-sensitive education requirements when landlords open their escrow accounts

- Incorporate energy-efficient features to minimize greenhouse gases into building codes

- Ensure rebate programs provide enough incentive to incur the costs of upgrades

- Educate landlords about their responsibilities to their tenants

- Incentivize landlords to build connections among their tenants through activities

Master planning and zoning that reflect community values:

- Prioritize implementing outstanding relevant recommendations

- Include measures to increase the amount of moderately-priced housing

- Modify the master plan to incorporate a commitment to climate change adaptation and eq-

uity, and move the updated plan towards implementation

- Hire one paid consultant to draft a climate action plan or portion of the master plan, and

another paid consultant to ensure that equity is at the forefront of each step of the devel-

opment of the plan

- Revise the building code with a more rigorous review process for new buildings, require-

ments for incorporating resilience strategies, and greater attention to energy, water use,

and sewer impact

Environmental:

Create more resilient food production and distribution approaches:

- Research alternative methods for growing, harvesting, and distributing food sustainably, fo-

cusing on hydroponic agriculture in dense areas

- Promote policy that reduces the use of pesticides and protects pollinator populations

- Invest in more storage and distribution centers

- Ensure that amenities like grocery stores are accessible by foot or bus, and consider the

creation of a mobile market

Sustainable development:

- Concentrate development near the town center, on sites connected to existing water and

sewer systems, to protect forest and farmland

- Coordinate on a regional scale to protect water systems from a wide range of threats, in-

cluding pollutants, debris, and development

- Consider alternative municipal revenue streams to compensate for untaxed conservation

land

16 of 19

Moderate Priorities:

Infrastructural:

Equitable mobility:

- Consider bilingual public transportation signage

- Add heating and shelter to bus stops

Home-owner improvements program:

- Create a program to support house maintenance and repairs as the housing stock ages and

requires greater attention

Maintenance of infrastructure and impervious and permeable surfaces:

- Conduct regular maintenance on municipal infrastructure with greater awareness of the

‘invisible issues’ associated with subsurface systems

- Direct more funds towards infrastructure maintenance

- Keep Mill Lane dirty

- Increase funding for the local trail network, allow trails to flood in storms, and keep up

with the necessary maintenance afterwards, building out as needed

- Advocate for more green space and permeable surfaces

Improving municipal facilities, information, and resources:

- Add an additional fire station or relocate the current fire station to South Amherst

- Include an ADA-compliant community space in any new municipal facility

- Ensure consistent assessment, repair, and redundancy plans for police and fire towers

- Ensure that new facilities meet the town’s Zero Energy Bylaw

- Take stock of which campus health facilities are accessible to the public and raise public

awareness about such existing health resources

- Facilitate a coordinated plan for waste management among contractors

Societal:

Enhanced coordination between institutions and Town:

- Expand University-Town Amherst Collaborative (UTAC) to include Amherst College and

Hampshire College

- Research and align each institution’s emergency and resilience plans

- Facilitate conversations through which schools can learn from one another and coordinate

plans

- Enable UTAC to assume greater responsibility for community-wide emergency planning

Harness existing capacity of municipal staff:

17 of 19

- Continue to leverage GIS mapping tools, in particular, which are not accessible to many

peer communities

- Build off the Building Commissioner’s recent work to strengthen relationships between City

Hall and residents

Environmental:

Combat insect-borne illnesses:

- Assess rates of mosquito-borne illnesses and identify sites with high rates of incidence

Protect land and water resources:

- Ensure farmland remains protected and incentivize active farming

- Coordinate on a regional scale to protect water from a wide range of threats, including pol-

lutants, debris, and development

- Ensure there is a plan in place to protect water sources from overuse and threats to water

quality, such as train derailment in Lawrence Swamp

Work towards a more robust tree canopy:

- Use Eversource tree pruning service to keep trees healthy and properly maintained

- Minimize the risk of trees damaging electrical wires in storms

Lower Priorities:

Infrastructural:

Energy-efficient municipal facilities:

- Take inventory of buildings’ current resource consumption to identify potential opportunity

for greater efficiency

Intentional supply line and distribution of resources:

- Leverage existing transportation resources, such as the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority and

rail line, for a supply line

- Use the Family Center as a facility to distribute necessary goods in an emergency

Water security:

- Explore alternative water sources and consider using more reclaimed water

- Set goals for the percentage of toilets in town that are composting to reduce water use

through the sewer system and to take advantage of the environmental benefits of compost

- Conduct additional studies on water quality and a comprehensive study on methods for

cleaning and storing water

Telecommunications and network security:

18 of 19

- Take stock of possible threats to cell towers and network

- Research how such threats are being addressed across different communities and scales

Societal:

Climate-induced in-migration:

- Coordinate with neighboring municipalities to navigate potential population growth from

people fleeing coastal communities

- Focus on ensuring the wellbeing of existing residents while accommodating changes

Environmental:

Small-scale and community-oriented farming:

- Leverage underutilized resources like vacant lots and rooftops for local food production

- Select plant species that consume less water

- Charge town agencies with researching alternative options to large lawns

- Consider replicating the North Amherst Community Farm’s model for integrating farming,

housing, and local produce consumption

- Create workforce development programs to build on the strength of the agriculture indus-

try

V. Next Steps

Conversations held throughout the MVP program highlighted climate-related challenges facing

the Town of Amherst, as well as community assets that might be leveraged to address them.

Participants identified numerous possible short-term and long-term strategies for adapting to

the changing climate, including action items for the Town, its institutions, its businesses, and

residents in making Amherst more resilient.

The findings from these conversations will serve as the basis for Amherst’s MVP Action Grant

application, an opportunity to take the community ideas in this process and translate them

into action. In the end, the comments voiced throughout the MVP process will function as the

building blocks for Amherst’s continued efforts to mitigate climate change impacts and build

the resilience of its infrastructure, ecosystems, and communities. The initial steps in this pro-

cess are outlined in greater detail below.

Listening Sessions

In May 2019, the Town of Amherst hosted a series of five discussions throughout the town in

partnership with community organizations. These gatherings centered on conversations about

the local challenges of climate change, disseminated information about relevant community

resources, elevated voices of neighborhood leaders and members, and gathered input on ways

19 of 19

the town and residents could collaborate in building a prepared and resilient community.

[The community partners that collaborated with the Town were X,Y, and Z. Ideas that

emerged from these conversations included X, Y, and Z.]

MVP Action Grants

The Town of Amherst’s participation in the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) plan-

ning process renders the municipality eligible for an MVP Action Grant from the Common-

wealth of Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. One of the

community priorities highlighted in the Community Resilience Building Workshops was [the

subject of the action grant], and in Summer 2019 the municipality will apply for an action

grant to address this need.

Energy and Climate-Action Committee

In light of the pressing challenges facing Amherst as a result of climate change, the Town

called for the formation of an Energy and Climate Action Committee (ECAC) on February 11,

2019. The purpose of the Committee will be to guide the Town towards meeting its climate

mitigation and resilience goals, and it will be composed of nine voting members, two of whom

will be current Town Councilors and seven of whom will be residents with experience in net

zero energy building; energy efficient retrofits; climate change mitigation/advocacy/re-

search; clean energy practice/policy/infrastructure; community choice energy; green infra-

structure for climate adaptation; sustainable transportation; sustainable farming and forestry;

waste reduction; and environmental or climate justice, or other relevant areas. Town staff

are currently reviewing applications from residents interested in participating in the Commit-

tee.

The location of this meeting is accessible and reasonable accommodations will be provided to persons with disabilities who require assistance. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact the city of Newton’s ADA Coordinator, Jini Fairley, at least two business days in advance of the meeting: [email protected] or (617) 796-1253. The city’s TTY/TDD direct line is: 617-796-1089. For the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS), please dial 711.

Public Facilities Committee Agenda

City of Newton In City Council

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

6:30 PM – Note Early Start Time Room 204 #599-18 Update on the status of the Solar Phase 3 Projects

COUNCILOR CROSSLEY requesting an update on the status of the Solar Phase 3 Projects.

#600-18 Update on the Climate Action Plan PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE requesting updates on the status of the Climate Action

Plan. #205-18 Resolution to reach Zero Carbon Pollution by 2050 COUNCILORS BROUSAL-GLASER, NORTON AND LEARY requesting a resolution from the City

Council committing the City to reach Zero Carbon Pollution by 2050, with a plan and interim targets toward reaching that goal.

Chair’s Note: The administration will introduce its I&I (inflow and infiltration) Mitigation policy, recently revised in order to manage compliance with DEP rulings, so that the Committee may discuss its application and implications to both municipal and land use development projects across the city.

Respectfully submitted, Deborah Crossley, Chair

mailto:[email protected]

599-18

PROPO

SED PHASE 3 SOLAR SITES

Roof Sites

Total First Year O

utput kW

hLocation

1Ed Center roof, 100 W

alnut St.95,799

Roof

2 Fire Station #3 and Headquarters, 31 W

illow Street, roof

77,395

Roof3

Zervas Elementary School, 30 Beethoven Ave

216,094

Roof4

FA Day Middle School roof, 21 M

inot PlaceRoof303,215

Roof

5Angier Elem

entary School Gym roof, 1697 Beacon St

95,355

Roof6

William

s Elementary School, 141 Grove Street

138,466

Roof7

Cabot gym roof, 229 Cabot School

68,432

Roof8

Carr School, 225, Nevada Street

68,486

RoofTotal Phase 3 Roof sites kW

h1,063,242

Parking Lot Canopy Sites9

New

ton Free Library, 330 Homer Street

262,909

Parking lot10

Countryside Elementary School parking lot, 191 Dedham

Street383,040

Parking lot

11N

orth High School lots, 360 Lowell Ave and W

alnut Street 973,560

Parking lot12

Auburndale Cove, West Pine St.

398,677

Parking lot13

250 Albermarle Road, on street parking

598,100 Parking lot

14Pleasant Street lot

114,709 Parking lot

15Brow

n Middle School lot, corner of M

eadowbrook Road and W

heeler Road

466,029

Parking lot

16M

emorial Spaulding Elem

entary School parking lot, 250 Brookline Ave178,639

Parking lot

17O

ak Hill MS parking lot, 130 W

heeler Road, behind Oak Hill M

iddle School

208,718

Parking lot

18Ed Center parking lot, 100 W

alnut St.302,240

Parking lot

19Bigelow

Middle School parking lot, Park Street (behind Bigelow

School)286,550

Parking lot

20M

ason Rice Elementary School Parking lot, 149 Pleasant St

191,674

Parking lotTotal Phase 3 Canopy sites kW

h4,364,845

FY 2018 kWh

Per Cent of M

unicipal Use

Phase 3 Total kWh-design

5,428,087

26%Phase 2 Total kW

h-actual3,773,369

18%Phase 1 Total kW

h-actual 622,475

3%All Phases kW

h9,823,931

Municipal Total U

se kWh FY 2018

20,600,000

599-18

FY 2018 Solar Projects Financial Report

Rumford LandfillPhase 2: seven

LocationsPhase 1: four

locations TotalTotal Revenues from sale of kWh 720,497.00$ 291,412.00$ 128,403.00$ 1,140,312.00$ Total PPA Cost from Ameresco 249,986.00$ 168,455.00$ 68,892.00$ 487,333.00$

Net Revenues to Newton 470,511.00$ 122,957.00$ 59,511.00$ 652,979.00$

599-18

600-18

CITY OF NEWTON 2013

GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY

798,813 metric tons CO2e

*Current inventory does not include GHG emissions from public transportation and all methods of waste disposal.

Residential Buildings

35.6%

Commercial & Industrial Buildings

25.9%

Municipal Buildings

2.3%

Electricity T&D Losses

2.8%

Fugitive emissions from natural gas

systems

7.6%

On-road passenger vehicles

23.5%

On-road commercial vehicles

1.4%

Waste (solid waste & wastewater)

0.9%

600-18

Memorandum

To: Jennifer Steel and Claire Rundelli, City of Newton

From: Megan Aki, MAPC

Date: November 28, 2018

Re: Summary of Newton’s Climate Action Plan Kick-Off Roundtable Discussion

Held on October 23, 2018

On October 23, over 60 people gathered at the Newton War Memorial for the Kick-Off

Roundtable Discussion for the City of Newton's Climate Action Plan. MAPC presented on the

climate action planning process, greenhouse gas emissions in the City of Newton, and best

practices from national and international climate action plans. Ann Berwick, Co-Director of

Sustainability for the City of Newton, provided an update on ongoing climate projects and

initiatives. Mayor Ruthanne Fuller provided remarks to open up the table discussions where

attendees had the opportunity to discuss priority actions and sectors they would like to see the

climate action plan address and why these were important to them.

The nine small group discussions, led by members of the Volunteer Climate Action Plan Working

Group and City Staff, produced over 80 priority actions that covered recommendations related

to buildings, energy supply, transportation, education & outreach, waste, and other topic areas.

Summary of Table Discussion Notes

Sector # of Actions Identified

Percentage of Total Priority Actions Identified

Buildings 21 25%

Energy Supply 20 24%

Transportation 15 18%

Education & Outreach 14 17%

Waste 3 4%

Other 10 12%

The following sections summarize the priority actions captured during the discussion on the large

poster notepads used to facilitate the small group discussions.

Buildings

Within the building sector, workshop attendee priorities demonstrate a depth of knowledge of the

topic area. Overwhelmingly, the table discussion notes highlighted electrification of the heating

and cooling systems for all buildings in Newton as a priority action to address in the Climate

Action Plan. Some tables included discussion of how the City could lead by example in its own

municipal buildings through energy efficiency and electrification. Residential and commercial

energy efficiency also rose to the top of discussions at the workshop. Attendees prioritized

600-18

regulation, zoning, requirements for new construction through efficiency standards, and support

for rooftop solar PV as actions to take in support of building energy efficiency.

Energy Supply

There was overwhelming support and prioritization of the City’s Newton Power Choice initiative

as a strategy to increase the renewable energy supply for residents and businesses. The tables

emphasized the importance of increasing renewable energy supply in tandem with their

prioritization of electrification of heating and cooling and transportation. Several

recommendations referenced specific targets for the percentage of renewable energy purchased

through Newton Power Choice, such as committing to 100% renewable by different time frames

(2021 and 2050 were proposed at some of the tables). Other actions prioritized by some of the

groups in this sector included co-generation, community shared solar, district energy, gas leak

repair, rooftop solar, and municipal solar.

Transportation

While there was less specificity in the priority actions identified by the workshop attendees in the

transportation sector, there was a clear emphasis on several overarching categories of action. This

included improved bike infrastructure, increased public transportation options, complete streets,

electrification of transportation, and first and last mile connections.

Education & Outreach / Waste

While this is less of a sector, and more of an action type, many of the tables prioritized actions

regarding increased education and outreach by the City to address resident and business

behavior. Many of these actions were focused on raising public awareness and understanding of

high efficiency options through targeted training and programs in schools. There was also a focus

on ways that outreach could be implemented to support a comprehensive lifestyle change for

Newton residents around food choices and waste. There was a less of an emphasis on specific

actions related to waste.

Other Priority Actions

Several of the actions noted down during the discussions did not cleanly fit into the categories

above, but still merit mention. Some of the table discussions prioritized overarching concepts the

attendees would like to see the City’s Climate Action Plan address, such as providing incentives,

leading by example, setting short and long term goals, and support for state policies such as

carbon pricing. Two of the table discussions also raised the carbon benefits of green infrastructure

through creation of tree canopies or tree planting in general.

600-18

Local Climate Action Plan Analysis

Summary Report

September 2018

Produced by Sabina Grenaderova* for the City of Newton

*Graduate student, Brandeis University

600-18

Local Climate Action Plan Analysis Summary Report July 2018 – September 2018

2

List of Acronyms

CAP - Climate Action Plan

EPC - Energy Performance Contracting - alternative financing mechanism designed to

accelerate investment in cost effective energy conservation measures in existing

buildings

EPR - Extended Producer Responsibility - requires companies to set up and pay for

recycling programs for the products and packaging they make and sell

EV - Electric Vehicle - may be powered through a collector system by electricity from

off-vehicle sources, or may be self-contained with a battery, solar panels or an electric

generator.

GHG - Greenhouse Gas - carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O)

and ozone - gases in the atmosphere that absorb and re-emit heat, and thereby keep

the planet's atmosphere warmer than it otherwise would be

LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - is the most widely used green

building rating system in the world.

PPA - Power Purchase Agreement - is a contract between two parties, one which

generates electricity (the seller) and one which is looking to purchase electricity (the

buyer)

PPP - Public–Private Partnership - is a cooperative arrangement between two or more

public and private sectors, typically of a long-term nature

ROI – Return on Investment – is usually expressed as a percentage and is typically used

to compare the efficiency of different investments

VMT – Vehicle Miles Traveled - total annual miles of vehicle travel divided by the total

population in a state or in an urbanized area

600-18


3

Summary

Ten cities around the world of various population sizes were selected from the C40 web

platform and recommendations of the Newton’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) planning

committee to perform preliminary research on Climate Action Plans and initiatives. Most

cities examined for this analysis have larger populations than City of Newton, but also

display wider range of initiatives taken to lower GHGs. Official documents published by

the cities were used to identify initiatives relevant to the main contributing sectors for

the city of Newton - transportation, residential and commercial gas and oil use, and

commercial electricity use. Appendix A details the cities researched and two

categories “Transportation” and “Energy” that outline policies in the CAPs of the

corresponding cities that could be relevant to the City of Newton’s priorities for GHG

reduction.

Natural Gas leaks mitigation strategies have been researched outside of the particular

city context as not all cities had this issue highlighted as one of the focus areas.

Therefore, actions and policy suggestions to reduce natural gas leaks are highlighted in

Appendix B.

Key Findings:

- Many municipalities used a combination of capital investment projects (i.e.

bikeshare), ordinances (i.e. zoning mandates), and internal adjustments (i.e.

retrofitting municipal buildings) to reduce GHGs.

- Most aggressive actions and accomplishments in GHGs reduction came from

larger cities that were able to mobilize stakeholders and establish PPPs.

- Transportation sector was the hardest to tackle successfully, where many cities

do not show significant progress after many years of targeted policies and

investments.

- Most CAPs presented the strategies as initiative and policy suggestions rather

than specific quantitative goals. City of Seattle is an exception, highlighting goals

as a specific percentage change in each sector.

- Many cities highlighted other benefits to the CAPs initiatives, such as workforce

development, health and wellbeing impacts, natural capital preservation,

affordability, etc. City of New York’s CAP is a good example of such

comprehensive evaluation.

Assessment of Local Climate Action Plans

The following summarizes the most common initiatives, innovative initiatives, and

stakeholder engagement strategies identified in the review of the local climate action

plans. Further detail on each CAP analyzed is included in Appendix A.

Most Common Initiatives:

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4

- Bike share

- Green municipal fleet

- Mixed zoning, high-density planning

- Energy benchmarking and mandates

- LEED mandates for new development

- Retrofitting incentives for private sector and individual residents

- Municipal building upgrades, retrofitting

- Investment in renewable energy development/purchasing

- Home energy performance rating mandates at the point of sale

Most Innovative Initiatives:

- Eugene, OR - 20-minute neighborhoods plan developed where 90 percent of

Eugene residents can safely walk or bicycle to meet most basic, daily, non-work

needs, and have safe pedestrian and bicycle routes that connect to mass

transit.

- Eugene, OR - Evaluating and removing financial, infrastructure, regulatory, and

perceived barriers to increase the use of on-site renewable energy systems.

- Boston, MA - matchmaking service for businesses that allows them to be paired

with sustainability services such as green cleaners, green delivery and courier

services, recycling services, etc.

- Washington, D.C. - Zipcar FastFleet offers municipal fleet optimization in the form

of real-time tracking and sharing technology while downsizing their municipal

fleet.

Stakeholder Engagement Strategies:

- Community Summits have been highlighted as a prominent tool to engage

community in Boston, Chicago, and other cities. Moreover, City of Chicago CAP

recommends bringing stakeholders together every 5 to 6 months to keep

stakeholders informed of progress and ensure communities-wide buy-in.

- External Advisory Groups for each goal area with representatives from key

partner organizations such as business and industry associations, other levels of

government, non-government organizations and academia has been a

highlight throughout multiple CAPs to ensure accountability for goals progress.

Identifying responsible group of individuals to implement certain goals helped

many cities to stay on track and collect better data.

- City of Paris engages stakeholders in a creative way by providing an opportunity

to become “Partners” in the Paris Climate and Energy Action Plan by signing

dedicated partnership agreement which gave stakeholders status of

“Sustainable Paris Doers”. This stakeholder network, led by City of Paris, acts as a

social network and lists all eco-actions and showcases Doers; encourages

exchange of sustainable ideas, offers practical tools, and hosts monthly free

events that are open to public.

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5

- Lastly, online discussion threads, surveys, email, focus groups, interviews,

representative polling, and events were also widely used by many cities to

collect input, but to dot result in long-lasting continuous interaction between

communities and CAP initiatives

Methods Used to Estimate Timeline, Impact, & Costs

As a part of the Local Climate Action Plan Analysis, additional research in the estimated

timeline, impact, and costs of particular measures was conducted to inform the

development of implementation approaches for the City of Newton’s Climate Action

Plan.

Appendix B - “Calculations” is color-coded in three ways to identify types of the

initiatives.

Green category of Capital Investment Projects includes initiatives that require

purchases and expenditures.

Orange category includes initiatives executed through ordinances, regulations,

and mandates - a policy tools available to Newton’s City Council and Mayor.

Blue category includes initiatives that municipality could do on its own internally

to reduce GHGs.

Timeline estimation was mostly a rough estimation based on available data. Most CAPs

did not have follow up CAPs to report on the actual timeline of implementation for the

initiatives. The CAPs that have provided updates were roughly evaluated in 3 to 5 years.

The timeline on the bikeshare roll out estimation was used from research that

specifically outlined timeframe.

Expected GHG Reduction Impact was assessed based on the available information

online about the initiative. In some cases, expected GHG reduction was not possible to

estimate, so other proxies such as percent decrease in gas consumption was used to

allow further calculate GHG reduction. The other proxy to estimate GHG reduction was

a per unit proxy, for example, per 1 electric vehicle in a year.

Expected Financial Impact was calculated as a potential cost imposed to the City of

Newton if the initiative were to be implemented. For most initiatives it was unclear on what

the exact costs may be; for some there was precise information available with

documented references; and for regulatory initiatives costs were estimated at $0 under the

assumption that it only requires work of City Council members to pass a certain ordinance.

Monitoring and Evaluation metrics were found during the research by identifying

common indicators used in the literature.

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6

Prioritization Recommendations

One of the important aspects of developing a successful CAP is understanding what

factors to take into account and how they may influence the feasibility of

implementing a particular action or the scale of the actions overall impact. The

following table includes common factors represented across the CAPs analyzed and

how they relate to potential actions to include in a CAP.

Factor Relationship to Action

Staff Capacity Available staff capacity can impact the feasibility of an action to be

implemented and timeline necessary for implementation.

Example: In the City of Chicago’s CAP, they considered staff

capacity when actions were placed along an implementation

timeline, suggesting at least two staff and project manager per

initiative selected.

Present Stakeholder

Engagement

Identifying active stakeholders operating or advocating on the CAP’s

initiatives and partnering with them to further ensure accountability

during implementation.

Example: Seattle, WA, CAP has extensive list of Community

Organizations that are identified as a potential partner for each

initiative in the CAP.

Washington, DC, has a dedicated non-profit partner just for

community engagement (monthly workshops, educational and

outreach programs).

GHG reduction per $ ROI and levelized cost calculations per investment.

Ease of Monitoring

and Evaluation

Identify data collation mechanisms that are already in place to track

measurable changes and progress and communicate that to

stakeholders.

Example: City of Alameda, CA, attributes it’s CAPs success due to the

strong monitoring and evaluation framework.

The City of Pittsburg’s previous CAP’s actions were framed as

suggestions without a clear measure of success, making it difficult to

gauge completion. Their new CAP is structured according to emission

sources, with a focus on instrumental and measurable actions with

assigned stakeholders.

Additional Indicators Following indicators were used by New York City to evaluate CAP

initiatives: Jobs, Economy and Innovation, Workforce Development,

Long-term Savings, Health and Well-being, Safety, Affordability,

Access, Community, Lead by Example, Resiliency, Reliability, and

Natural Capital.

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Lo

ca

l Clim

ate

Actio

n P

lan

An

aly

sis

: Hig

hlig

hte

d P

lan

s &

Ex

am

ple

Actio

ns

PLA

N N

AM

E CLIM

ATE

GO

AL

FOCU

S AR

EAS

EXA

MP

LE STRA

TEGY

EXA

MP

LE ACTIO

N

IMP

LEMEN

TER

Net Zero A

ction P

lan 80%

by 2050, and N

et zero annual em

issions for buildings cityw

ide by 2040

Energy Efficiency in Existing B

uildings, Net

Zero New

Construction, Local Carbon Fund, R

enewable

Energy Supply, Engagem

ent and Capacity B

uilding

Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings

Initiate a study to explore a requirement for

energy upgrades at the time of renovation

permit or, if appropriate, tim

e of sale of property.

Cam

bridge Com

munity D

evelopment

Departm

ent

Net Zero N

ew Construction

Set targets for net zero new construction in

Cam

bridge by building type / sector. C

ambridge C

omm

unity Developm

ent D

epartment

Renewable Energy Supply

Develop a m

emorandum

of understanding with

local utilities to support collaboration on projects of m

utual interest that result in energy use and em

issions reductions

Cam

bridge Com

munity D

evelopment

Departm

ent

Engagement and C

apacity Building

Develop a com

prehensive long-term

comm

unications strategy around the C

ambridge N

et Zero objective.

Cam

bridge Com

munity D

evelopment

Departm

ent

PLA

N N

AM

E CLIM

ATE

GO

AL

FOCU

S AR

EAS

EXA

MP

LE STRA

TEGY

EXA

MP

LE ACTIO

N

IMP

LEMEN

TER

Greenest City

2020 Action

Plan

80% below

2007 em

issions by 2050

Climate and

Renew

ables, G

reen Buildings,

Green

Transportation, Zero W

aste, A

ccess to Nature,

Clean Water,

Local Good, Clean

Air, G

reen Econom

y, Lighter Footprint

Clim

ate & Renew

ables W

ork with partners to develop four new

neighborhood energy system

s. Sustainability G

roup

Green Buildings

Restructure the City’s G

reen Building Rezoning Policies to specifically target G

HG

emission

reductions and introduce mandatory G

HG

em

ission targets for new buildings.

Chief Building O

fficial, Planning and D

evelopment Services, and

Sustainability Group

Clean A

ir W

ork with M

etro Vancouver to ensure air

quality data and information is available for

sources and locations across the city.

Sustainability Group and M

etro V

ancouver

Lighter Footprint Support a com

munity of action on Lighter

Footprint by sharing information and facilitating

and encouraging comm

unity leaders.

Sustainability Group, C

oV lead for

other Greenest C

ity targets and com

munity partners

CA

MB

RID

GE

, MA

VA

NC

OU

VE

R, C

AN

AD

A

600-18

Lo

ca

l Clim

ate

Actio

n P

lan

An

aly

sis

: Hig

hlig

hte

d P

lan

s &

Ex

am

ple

Actio

ns

PLA

N N

AM

E CLIM

ATE

GO

AL

FOCU

S AR

EAS

EXA

MP

LE STRA

TEGY

EXA

MP

LE ACTIO

N

IMP

LEMEN

TER

Cleveland Clim

ate Action

Plan: 2018

Update

80% below

2010 em

issions by 2050

Energy Efficiency &

Green B

uilding, Clean Energy, Sustainable Transportation, Clean W

ater &

Vibrant G

reen Spaces, M

ore Local Food, Less W

aste, and Cross-Cutting P

riorities

Promote new

construction and m

ajor renovations that meet

high green building standards

Incentivize continued use of financing tools to prom

ote green building Enterprise Com

munity Partners,

Cleveland H

ousing Netw

ork, C

uyahoga County, City of C

leveland, banks, utilities

Improve access to affordable

clean energy for residents and sm

all organizations

Create com

munity-w

ide Clean Energy Equity

plan to support low-incom

e residents and small

organizations to purchase renewable energy

City of C

leveland, Cuyahoga County,

small orgs

Drive cleaner, m

ore efficient vehicles

Implem

ent approaches for promoting and

enforcing anti-idling D

epartment of H

ealth-Air Q

uality, C

MSD

, NO

ACA

, Public Safety, CWRU

Prevention Research C

enter, businesses w

/large fleets

Update land use policy to foster

health, equity and sustainability C

reate a “Green Infrastructure G

uide” and incorporate into Planning Review

C

ity of Cleveland (Sus. &

Planning), N

EORSD

, Cuyahoga SW

CD

Advance green jobs through

workforce developm

ent Build a green jobs aw

areness and recruitment

strategy with com

munity organizers and

workforce organizations

NLI, G

CC, N

eighborhood Connections,

Towards Em

ployment, em

ployers identified in green jobs analysis

PLA

N N

AM

E CLIM

ATE

GO

AL

FOCU

S AR

EAS

STRA

TEGY

EXA

MP

LE ACTIO

N

IMP

LEMEN

TER

1.5°C: Aligning

New

York City

with the P

aris Clim

ate A

greement

Carbon neutral by 2050

Buildings, Energy,

Transportation, W

aste, & A

ll Sectors

Reduced and more efficient

consumption

Provide energy use information to m

ore building owners,

managers, staff, tenants, and residents, including by

requiring energy disclosure at point of sale and energy grades for large buildings

Mayor’s O

ffice of Sustainability

Transition to clean energy C

atalyze adoption of high-efficiency electric heat and hot w

ater systems paired w

ith appropriate efficiency measures

in buildings through policies and programs

Mayor’s O

ffice of Sustainability

Clim

ate change leadership Partner w

ith manufacturers and industry stakeholders to

ensure availability and competitive pricing of high-efficiency

construction materials, renew

able energy technologies, and energy efficiency technologies

Mayor’s O

ffice of Sustainability and Econom

ic Developm

ent C

orporation

NE

W Y

OR

K, N

Y

CLE

VE

LA

ND

, OH

600-18

DR

AFT

CLIM

AT

E A

CT

ION

MA

TR

IX –

FO

R D

IS

CU

SS

ION

& N

OT

ET

AK

ING

PU

RP

OS

ES

ON

LY

New

ton’s Clim

ate Action Plan w

ill be structured with the follow

ing components. W

e are seeking your input on all of the following.

PR

IOR

ITY AR

EAS: These are the overarching them

es for action that have risen to the top through research, engagement, and com

munication w

ith City staff and

leadership.

Energy Efficiency &

Net Zero B

uildings

Clean Energy Supply

Zero Em

ission Mobility

Zero W

aste

M

unicipal Climate Leadership

OB

JECTIVES: These are strategic objectives that support progress and im

pact priority areas.

ACTIO

NS: These are specific points of m

unicipal leverage that support the implem

entation of each objective.

FACTO

RS: M

easures of costs and benefits that will assist w

ith prioritization of actions.

Feasibility: H

as it been done successfully elsewhere?

Im

pact: What sector(s) w

ill the action impact?

Cost to Im

plement: H

ow m

any resources are needed to support the action?

Im

plementer: W

ho is the appropriate actor for implem

entation?

O

ther Impacts or B

enefits: Who is im

pacted and how?

600-18

DR

AFT

CLIM

AT

E O

BJE

CT

IVE

S &

AC

TIO

NS

The following is a prelim

inary list of potential OB

JECTIVES and A

CTION

S for inclusion in New

ton’s Clim

ate Action. Please take any notes on priorities or concerns you

have related to this list during discussion and return to MA

PC for consideration during the plan developm

ent.

Priority A

rea O

bjective

Preliminary list of potential objectives

Action

Preliminary list of potential actions

Notes

Energy

Efficiency &

Net Zero

Buildings

Advance energy efficiency and

weatherization in existing hom

es and

businesses

Adopt a com

mercial property assessed clean energy (C

-PAC

E) ordinance to

support local financing of clean energy projects

Partner with the energy efficiency program

administrators to im

plement an

energy efficiency outreach program

Electrification of heating & cooling in

residential and comm

ercial buildings

Implem

ent a solarize plus or Heat Sm

art program for residents to encourage

adoption of air source heat pumps

Require high perform

ance or net zero

new construction for residential and

comm

ercial buildings

Adopt a building energy use disclosure ordinance for com

mercial and

industrial buildings of 20,000 square feet or greater

Require that all new

construction to meet LEED

performance standards

Adopt zoning m

easures to incentivize

high performance or net zero new

construction

Review

the draft Zoning Ordinance for opportunities to align the C

ity’s

zoning with clim

ate priorities and objectives

Evaluate opportunities to establish a net-zero building overlay district or an

eco-roof overlay

Expedite permitting for net zero construction, support w

ith engineering staff

to review proposals

Allow

for renewables w

ithin setbacks (including air-source heat pumps)

Clean Energy

Supply

Increase access renewable energy supply

Carry out an outreach cam

paign to encourage residents to opt-up to 100%

through New

ton Power Choice

Expand existing comm

unity shared solar programs and support new

ones

Pursue innovative energy delivery

systems (i.e. m

icro-grids, district energy)

Perform a heat m

ap analysis of potential locations in the City that are viable

for district heating and cooling

Coordinate w

ith utilities on repairing

large gas leaks

Request data from

National G

rid on the location of all leak prone gas

infrastructure in the City

Implem

ent a shared cost savings program for coordinated repaving of

streets (similar to W

orcester Cooperative Patching Program

)

600-18

Zero Emission

Mobility

Increase the availability of electric

vehicle charging stations

Create a strategic plan for increasing com

munity-w

ide infrastructure for

electric vehicles

Explore opportunities for public private partnerships to support installation of

electric vehicle charging stations in key locations

Incentivize residents to switch to electric

vehicles

Host an electric vehicle ride and drive

Explore partnerships with dealers to provide local discounts on electric

vehicles for residents and businesses

Improve infrastructure to support zero-

emissions transportation like biking and

walking

Create parking benefits district to raise funding for bike and pedestrian

investments

Support expansion of the Landline Trail & G

reenway N

etwork

Encourage Safe Routes to School and M

assRides program

ming

Increase access and connections to

public transit

Incorporate elements of bus rapid transit in local bus service

Advocate for com

munity transit needs during the M

BTA B

us and Com

muter

Rail planning process that are underw

ay and upcoming

Evaluate options to implem

ent a municipally operated shuttle to support first

and last mile connections for com

muters

Zero Waste

Reduce w

aste produced by residential

and comm

ercial sectors

Build public awareness of low

impact

consumer choices to reduce, reuse, and

recycle

Municipal

Climate

Leadership

Com

mit to a prescriptive net zero

requirement for all m

unicipal buildings

Perform deep energy retrofits for existing m

unicipal buildings

Install solar PV on all properties identified as viable in the m

unicipal solar

assessment

Convert fleet vehicles to all electric

options as cost-effective options emerge

on the vehicle market

Assess the suitability of all C

ity fleet vehicles for replacement w

ith full electric

vehicles, consolidation, and idle reduction technology

Create a vehicle replacem

ent plan for all cost-effective candidates identified

in the fleet assessment

Implem

ent idle reduction technology in eligible vehicles to reduce wasteful

use of fossil fuels

600-18

Implem

ent a robust public education

program to engage residents and

businesses on key areas of behavior

change

Notes on other A

ctions for consideration:

600-18

205-18

Newton Resolution to Eliminate Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Zero Carbon)

WHEREAS: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is heavily reliant on energy that comes from

fossil fuels that pollute our air, water and alter our climate; and

WHEREAS: Massachusetts communities are already feeling the impacts of climate change in

rising temperatures, increased risk of flooding, and more intense and frequent storms; and

WHEREAS: The City of Newton has been working to reduce its carbon emissions and to

promote clean energy, including participating in the Massachusetts Department of Energy

Resources Green Communities Program, supporting private and public solar installations,

promoting electric vehicles, promoting the use of renewable energy and converting to LED

streetlights, among other efforts; and

WHEREAS: Clean energy production brings many benefits to Massachusetts, including

improving health, reducing pollution, creating tens of thousands of clean energy jobs, and

retaining more of our energy dollars in the local economy; and

WHEREAS: Newton has been a leader in the fight against global warming, and has a

responsibility to continue to set a positive example for other towns and cities to follow; and

WHEREAS: Massachusetts can source 100% of its energy from clean, renewable sources by

harnessing the region’s abundant solar and wind resources, and by taking advantage of

innovations in energy efficiency, green transportation, energy storage, and other technologies;

and

WHEREAS: The transition to a zero carbon economy will promote employment opportunities

and economic growth in our communities, facilitate local control and ownership over energy

options and bring tangible benefits to low-income residents and others who have historically

been disadvantaged by our energy system; and

WHEREAS: Distributed, local generation of renewable energy enhances community resilience

against disruptions to vulnerable centralized energy systems caused by climate and national

security threats; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the City Council supports the goal of eliminating by 2050 all greenhouse gas

emissions in Newton that originate from the heating, electricity, and Newton-based and Newton-

serving transportation sectors, and from gas leaks. This effort will include households,

businesses, the municipality, and the utilities. It will involve a combination of efficency

measures, reducing demand, replacement of fossil fuels with renewable sources, and upgrading

the infrastructure; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the City Council supports the interim goal of reducing greenhouse gas

emissions to 30% below the 2018 levels by 2025. This can be achieved by reducing emissions

205-18

from gas leaks by 50%, electricity by 65%, motor vehicles by 15% and heating by 10%; and be

it further

RESOLVED: That the City Council supports the interim goal of reducing greenhouse gas

emissions to 55% below the 2018 levels by 2035. This can be achieved by reducing emissions

from gas leaks by 100%, electricity by 100%, motor vehicles by 50% and heating by 25%; and

be it further

RESOLVED: That the City Council supports the goal of having the municipality serve as a

leader in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by moving ahead of the residential and

commercial sectors as follows: reducing emissions by 35% by 2025 and 60% by 2035; and be it

further

RESOLVED: That the City Council urges the Newton Legislative Delegation in the State

Legislature to do everything in its power to remove the obstacles that Newton and other cities

face in pursuing their greenhouse gas emission targets, and to support and harmonize these

efforts; to enable Massachusetts to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from all sources by

2050, and to ensure that the benefits of eliminating the emissions are realized by

Massachusetts residents at all income levels; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the means to achieve the above goals include but are not limited to

municipal solar projects; energy efficiency upgrades; municipal aggregation; municipal fleet

replacement; installing public electric vehicle charging stations; adopting a Net Zero Action Plan;

constructing fully electric Net Zero schools and other municipal buildings; improving biking and

walking infrastructure; providing incentives for private renewable energy use for electricity,

transportation, and heating; promoting and participating in community solar projects; developing

a “Solar Ready” Ordinance; streamlining and standardizing permitting and inspection for

renewable energy systems and high performance buildings; planning future housing

developments that reduce demand for heating, cooling, electricity and private automobile trips;

and prioritizing and investing in public transportation; including setting specific, measurable,

attainable, realistic and timely goals for all of the above; and be it further

RESOLVED: That in setting the above goals the voices and interests of low income,

disadvantaged and/or vulnerable members of the Newton community are considered to ensure

that the benefits of a transition to a renewable energy economy are shared by all and any costs

or negative impacts do not fall disproportionately on any individuals or segment of the

community, i.e. that the principles of climate justice are central to Newton’s energy strategies;

and be it further

ORDERED: That the Mayor, or his or her designee, shall create a plan with interim targets to

demonstrate progress toward the above goals, and provide a report to the Council on an annual

basis on progress toward achieving these goals, and

205-18

ORDERED: That the Chair of the Newton City Council send this Resolution to elected officials,

including Governor Charlie Baker, State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Attorney General

Maura Healy, State Senator Michael J. Barrett, and State Representative William Smitty

Pignatelli, Senator Harriet Chandler, Senate President; Representative Robert A. DeLeo,

Speaker of the House; and all Newton legislators: Senator Cynthia S. Creem, Representatives

Ruth B. Balser, Kay Khan, John J. Lawn, Jr.; and Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward

Markey, and Representative Joseph P. Kennedy, and to take any other action relative thereto.

205-18

About This Resolution

Why We Need It

Scientists and government leaders around the world have recognized the existential threat

posed by global warming. There is widespread agreement that to avoid the worst consequences

of climate change, temperature increases need to be kept to less than 2oC (3.8oF) below pre-

industrial levels – the explicit goal of the Paris Climate Accords. Otherwise, coastal communities

being innundated by rising sea levels, storms of increasing frequency and severity, and

disruption to food supplies due to changing weather patterns will become all too common.

Because the Federal Government has reneged on the United States’ commitment under the

Paris Accords, the responsibility to take action is now in the hands of State and Local officials,

including the Newton City Council.

Why Zero Emissions by 2050

To meet the goals of the Paris Accords, the world will need to eliminate net carbon emissions by

2050. By choosing this date, we will be aligning ourselves with the Paris Accords, which was

designed based on scientific consensus and agreed to by every country in the world with the

exception of the United States.

Fighting Climate Change is Good for the Newton Economy

While opponents will seek to portray this as a decision between the economy and the

environment, it is a false choice. Fighting climate change presents a major economic

opportunity, especially for Newton.

• Keeping More of Our Money Here. Newton doesn’t produce any fossil fuels. As a result,

every dollar we spend on them, estimated at over $200M/year, goes elsewhere. As we

reduce what we spend on fossil fuels via clean energy and conservation, that money

stays in our community and in Massachusetts more generally.

• Clean Energy Jobs. Today, there are already over 100,000 clean energy jobs in

Massachusetts, a number which will grow as our share of clean energy increases.

• Growing the Innovation Economy: Since 2012 over $4B in venture capital has been

invested in Boston-area clean tech companies, creating thousands of high paying jobs. It

is well established that companies are formed close to the market for their products. Our

fight against climate change will bring more investment in the area. Otherwise, the jobs

will go to California and other places that are fighting climate change more aggressively.

Fighting Climate Change is Good for Our Health

Pollution from burning fossil fuels has been proven to cause cardiovascular disease, respiratory

disease, premature births, asthma attacks, heart attacks, premature deaths, and more. Phasing

out fossil fuels will save lives and billions in health care costs. A recent Harvard Study of

accelerating the phase out of fossil fuels measured the benefits for Massachusetts at $2.9B in

http://chge.hsph.harvard.edu/files/chge/files/carbonfeema.pdf

205-18

healthcare cost savings and 340 lives. Based on population, Newton's share of those benefits

comes to $38M and 5 lives. Furthermore, in addition to these quantifiable benefits, it will also

improve the quality of life for many in our community.

How the Interim Goals Were Set

The resolution includes interim goals of reducing emissions by 20% from 2018 levels by 2025

and 55% by 2035. These goals were set using an emissions reduction model with a small front-

end load, meaning that the emissions reductions in the first few years are a little bit larger than

the reductions in the later years.

This model was chosen as it takes into account that there are some comparatively easy steps

the City can take in the near term, such as setting a high default level for Newton Power Choice

that can deliver substantial reductions quickly while recognizing that over time, as those

opportunities become exhausted, the rate of emissions reductions will slow.

Figure 1: Model for Achieving Zero Carbon by 2050

Realistic Targets

How realistic is it for Newton to achieve the targets called for in this resolution? The answer:

Quite realistic.

In Figure 1, Newton’s carbon emissions are divided into 4 separate sectors – gas leaks,

electricity, motor vehicles and gas/fuel oil (heating), with the current share of emissions from

each source coming from the last Newton greenhouse gas emissions inventory in 2013. To

achieve the overal 2025 and 2035 interim targets, targets were set for each of the 4 sectors at

levels based on input from Newton energy experts Asa Hopkins (Principal Associate at Synapse

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2018

2019

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Gas Leaks Electricity Motor Vehicles Gas/Fuel Oil

205-18

Energy Economics, previously Director of Energy Policy and Planning for the State of Vermont,

PhD in Physics from CalTech) and Larry Aller (Managing Director, Bluewave Solar, previously

Partner at Redwood Ridge Consulting and Leader of Business Development, Strategy and

Regulatory Affairs at NextStep Living, MBA from Stanford)

• Gas Leaks: There are no technological barriers to eliminating emissions from gas leaks,

only political barriers. Today, the leaked gas is paid for by Newton residents as it is

included in our utility bills. Therefore, unless a leak is deemed to pose an immediate

danger to the public, the utility has no incentive to fix it. By putting the cost and

responsibililty back where it belongs, on the utilities, the City can reach the goal of

eliminating 100% of the emissions from this source by 2032 while saving residents

money.

• Electricity: Already, all of the technology required to go to fully renewable electricity is

available. It is estimated that today, it would cost the average Newton household $5 per

month to go to 40% green above the state mandate (53% total) using New England,

Class 1 renewable electricity. Given the cost reductions in renewable energy, by 2032,

the target date for eliminating all electricty emissions, that same $5 will likely enable

each household to reach 100% New England, Class 1 renewable electricity.

• Motor Vehicles: While still an emerging technology, electric cars are quickly gaining

traction. Already, there are over 30 fully electric and plug-in hybrid models available and

each day automakers are announcing plans for more. Furthermore, by 2023, electric

cars are expected to cost less than equivalent gasoline-powered models even before

fuel and maintenance cost savings are taken into account. The 2040 date for eliminating

emissions from motor vehicles that is built into the models for this resolution provides a

long window for the replacement of conventional cars and is in line with plans

announced by Britain and France, and considerably less aggressive than the plans

announced by India, Norway and others.

• Heating: Heating is the most challenging of the 4 areas, as it requires replacing the

installed base of heating equipment as well as new solutions to make it economically

competitive with gas. It is for this reason that heating reductions are back-end loaded. In

the early years, through 2035, reductions can be accomplished largely through

conservation and a modest transition to economically viable technologies such as heat

pumps. In the later years, to accomplish this plan would require residents to switch to

electric-powered heat sources as their equipment needs replacing (typically 15 to 25

year life). For this to happen, through a combination of technology (more efficient

equipment and insulation) and government-sponsored incentives (taxes on carbon

fuels), switching to electric heat will need to become an economically viable option. In

the event that this does not occur, future Councils, beyond 2035, will have the option of

revisiting this objective.

205-18

Figure 2: Reductions by Sector and in Total Emissions by Year

Source 2025 2035 2050

Gas Leaks 50% 100% 100%

Electricity 65% 100% 100%

Motor Vehicles 15% 50% 100%

Gas/Fuel Oil (Heating) 10% 25% 100%

Total 30% 55% 100%

Telephone: (617) 796-1020 • Fax: (617) 796-1051 • [email protected]

City of Newton

Ruthanne Fuller

Mayor

To: Public Facilities Committee

From: Louis M. Taverna, P.E., City Engineer

Subject: Discussion of Sewer Infiltration/Inflow (I/I) Mitigation

Since the early 2000’s, the Department of Public Works, through its Engineering Division, has

been implementing sewer infiltration/inflow mitigation for special permit projects,

comprehensive permit projects, and 40-B projects which contribute additional sewer flows into

the city’s sewer system. This policy for sewer infiltration/inflow (I/I) mitigation stemmed from a

March 1997 Administrative Consent Order (ACO) between the City of Newton and the

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Division of Water Pollution Control, and a

successor ACO of February 2000, which superseded the 1997 ACO. The February 2000 ACO

requires the City to mitigate excessive sewer I/I and to create a sewer I/I Abatement Plan. The

ACO leaves it up to the City to determine the methods by which excessive I/I is mitigated. Due

to our substantial work in reducing sanitary sewer overflows, this ACO has been recently closed.

The sanitary sewer system in the City of Newton transports wastewater to the Massachusetts

Water Resources Authority (MWRA) system. Flows are conveyed through City and MWRA

pipes, pump stations and other facilities for treatment and ultimate discharge at the Deer Island

Wastewater Treatment Facility. Particularly during intense rain events, the Newton sewer system

has insufficient capacity to accommodate the flows, thereby creating flooding and surcharges or

overflows at manholes or into buildings, particularly into below-grade plumbing fixtures.

Newton’s connections to the MWRA system, and the MWRA system itself are also capacity

limited, and intense rain events can cause sanitary system overflows that discharge pollutants,

including disease-causing bacteria to local surface waters such as the Charles River.

To mitigate both the local and regional impacts of insufficient capacity, long-standing policies of

the City of Newton, administered by the Department of Public Works (DPW) Engineering

Division, have regulated connections to the sewer system from private properties. The policies

are consistent with and informed by the City Ordinances, the permits, policies and guidance

issued by the MWRA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Massachusetts

Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), and applicable federal and state

regulations, including, but not limited to:

Newton Revised Ordinances, Chapter 29 – Water, Sewers and Drains

MWRA Municipal discharge permit # 24101388 issued to Newton on January 1, 2019

314 CMR 12.00: Operation, Maintenance and Pretreatment Standards for Wastewater

Treatment Works and Indirect Dischargers

MWRA Enabling Act, MGL Chapter 372 as Amended

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

ENGINEERING DIVISION OFFICE OF THE CITY ENGINEER

1000 Commonwealth Avenue

Newton Centre, MA 02459-1449

November 30, 2018


The City’s existing sewer infrastructure is old and has limited capacity. New developments can

and will substantially burden the system. Sewer I/I mitigation funds allow the City to clean and

re-line the sewer pipes and manholes in order to reduce the amount of I/I entering the sewer

system, thereby accommodating the increased demand on the City’s sewer pipes resulting from

various new developments.

Since 2000, the City has performed sewer I/I removal projects in many of the interceptor and

collector sewer pipes and manholes throughout the City. However, much work remains to be

completed. The City initiated a strategic sewer I/I removal plan in 2012, targeting the entire

sewer infrastructure city-wide.

This policy currently applies to all proposed developments subject to special permits,

comprehensive permits, and 40-B projects, regardless of the proposed sewer flow rate. The

revision expands this policy to other development projects.

__________________

Louis M. Taverna, P.E.

City Engineer


City of Newton

Ruthanne Fuller

Mayor

POLICY FOR SEWER INFILTRATION/INFLOW (I/I) MITIGATION FOR NEW CONNECTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING

CONNECTIONS TO THE MUNICIPAL SEWER SYSTEM UPDATED: December 1, 2018

The following summarizes, clarifies and updates the City of Newton’s policy for

infiltration/inflow mitigation for new connections and modifications of existing connections to

the municipal sewer system.

Purpose and Background

A. City & State Sewer System

The sanitary sewer system in the City of Newton transports wastewater to the Massachusetts

Water Resources Authority (MWRA) system. Flows are conveyed through City and MWRA

pipes, pump stations and other facilities for treatment and ultimate discharge at the Deer Island

Wastewater Treatment Facility. Particularly during intense rain events, the Newton sewer system

has insufficient capacity to accommodate the flows, thereby creating flooding and surcharges or

overflows at manholes or into buildings, particularly into below-grade plumbing fixtures.

Newton’s connections to the MWRA system, and the MWRA system itself are also capacity-

limited, and intense rain events can cause sanitary system overflows that discharge pollutants,

including disease-causing bacteria to local surface waters such as the Charles River.

To mitigate both the local and regional impacts of insufficient capacity, long-standing policies of

the City of Newton, administered by the Department of Public Works (DPW) Engineering

Division, have regulated connections to the sewer system from private properties. The policies

are consistent with and informed by the City Ordinances, the permits, policies and guidance

issued by the MWRA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Massachusetts

Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), and applicable federal and state

regulations, including, but not limited to:

• Newton Revised Ordinances, Chapter 29 – Water, Sewers and Drains

• MWRA Municipal discharge permit # 24101388 issued to Newton on January 1, 2019

• 314 CMR 12.00: Operation, Maintenance and Pretreatment Standards for Wastewater

Treatment Works and Indirect Dischargers

• MWRA Enabling Act, MGL Chapter 372 as Amended

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

ENGINEERING DIVISION OFFICE OF THE CITY ENGINEER

1000 Commonwealth Avenue

Newton Centre, MA 02459-1449



B. Infiltration and Inflow

Infiltration, generally groundwater, is water other than sanitary wastewater that enters the sewer

system through cracks and structural defects in the system. Inflow, generally stormwater, is

water other than sanitary wastewater that enters the system, either illegally or incorrectly,

through roof leaders, sump pumps, cellar drains, cooling towers, yard drains, driveway drains,

catch basins, and other storm drain connections. Infiltration and Inflow (I/I) causes a range of

problems including reducing the ability of wastewater treatment facilities to adequately cleanse

sanitary flows, increasing operations and maintenance costs for sanitary pumping equipment,

limiting capacity for sanitary flows, and creating sanitary system overflows.

The City of Newton requires I/I mitigation in order to deal with the increased demand on the

City’s sewer system. The City’s existing sewer infrastructure is old and has limited capacity.

New development can and will substantially increase the burden on the system and will impact

its capacity and capability. The purpose of the mitigation requirement is to decrease the burden

on the City’s overtaxed sewer system by ensuring that I/I is removed in sufficient amounts to

accommodate the increased demand on the City’s sewer pipes resulting from new developments.

Since 2000, the City has performed sewer I/I removal projects in many of the interceptor and

collector sewer pipes and manholes throughout the City. However, much work remains to be

completed. The City initiated a strategic sewer I/I removal plan in 2012, encompassing the entire

sewer infrastructure city-wide.

Reducing I/I is a requirement of the permits issued to Newton as well as policies and regulations

enforced by EPA, MassDEP and MWRA to which Newton is subject. In 2014, MassDEP revised

314 CMR 12.00, and in 2017 issued revised policies and guidance for I/I removal. Consequently,

the City’s stormwater, sewer system, and I/I management policies that have been employed since

the 1990s are subject to state review and enforcement.

I/I Mitigation Requirements

For all new connections to the City’s sewer system and for all existing connections where the

property is completely or substantially reconstructed (both residential and commercial), I/I must

be removed from the City’s sewer system at a minimum rate of four gallons of I/I removal for

each gallon of wastewater that will be discharged to the sewer system.

A property is “completely or substantially reconstructed” when: (i) a dwelling or structure is

razed; (ii) a dwelling or structure is renovated and/or gutted more than 50%; or (iii) a dwelling or

structure has an addition constructed that increases the footprint by more than 1,000 square feet

or increases the total square footage more than 1,000 square feet.

The City Engineer may require a higher removal rate per gallon of sewer flow in sensitive areas,

such as where there are frequent sewer overflow events, where overflows have the potential to

impact wetlands, water resources or nitrogen sensitive areas, or where the area is so burdened by

I/I as to be a hazard to public health, as confirmed by the City’s Department of Public Health.

The removal of I/I and/or payment of any monetary fee assessed is required prior to the issuance

of a building permit for the subject property.



Residential and mixed-use developments that include four or fewer residential dwelling units on

any parcel or contiguous parcels comprising a development site are not subject to the I/I

mitigation requirement contained in this policy, but must still comply with the City’s Water &

Sewer Service Renewal Policy, which further addresses the impact of development on the City’s

sewer system capacity and capability by requiring new water and sewer services to be installed

when a dwelling is razed or completely or substantially reconstructed. For example, while the

development of a single family home does not require the payment of any I/I mitigation fee, it

will require, in most instances, the developer to install new water and sewer services. A copy of

the City’s Water & Sewer Renewal Policy is attached hereto as Appendix A.

Calculation of Wastewater Flow

In accordance with the MassDEP policy for the calculation of wastewater flows (set forth in

Section 15.203 of Massachusetts “Title 5” (310 CMR 15), flow rate is based on the following:

For residential properties, the flow rate is based on the number of bedrooms and the

flow rate of 110 gallons per day per bedroom.

For commercial properties, the flow rate is based on the estimated generated flow for

the proposed use set forth in Title 5.

The calculation of wastewater flow is based on the gross flow generated by the proposed

development, without any discount for flow generated by an existing use. For the purpose of

encouraging the installation of water-efficient fixtures and equipment, whenever the

manufacturer's specifications for such fixtures and/or equipment proposed to be installed as part

of any development indicates a flow that is less than the standard set forth in Title 5 and/or

normally used by the City Engineer, the City Engineer uses the lower flow amount indicated in

the manufacturer's specifications and proposed by the developer.

The City Engineer is responsible for calculating the flows and fees for the use of any building or

portion thereof for which an application is submitted and provides applicants with a detailed

response to their application within 10 business days of its filing.

Achieving I/I Mitigation

The City of Newton DPW Utilities Division is administering the I/I removal program, including

sewer system rehabilitation and sewer cleaning and lining projects. Renovation and development

project applicants subject to the I/I Policy may elect to pay a fee based on the project’s I/I

mitigation requirement. The fee will be deposited into a dedicated account that funds those

projects.

The per-gallon fee is established annually based on the program costs to remove I/I. The revised

FY2018 I/I mitigation fee is $19.77. This fee is calculated by the City Engineer based on a

capital cost analysis report prepared by the City’s consulting engineer, attached hereto as

Appendix B.

Alternatively, development project applicants have the option of implementing the sewer system

capital improvement program, subject to the approval of DPW and in accordance with plans and



calculations approved by the City Engineer, and it shall be the applicant’s responsibility for

completing the sewer I/I removal project, prior to connecting into the sewer system.

Waiver of I/I Mitigation Fee by City Council

The City Council, upon petition from an applicant, may waive, in whole or in part, the I/I fee for

a particular property, provided that:

a) the City Council receives written recommendations of the requested waiver from the City

Engineer and the Director of Planning and Development;

b) the City Council determines that the waiver will benefit the health and well-being of the

public and is reasonably in the best interest of the City; and

c) the applicant has agreed, in writing, to make a voluntary payment to the City for general

development mitigation in an amount equal to no less than seventy-five percent (75%) of

the portion of the I/I fee being waived.

The City Council, in making its determination, and the City Engineer and the Director of

Planning and Development in making their written recommendation to the Council as applicable,

shall consider the following criteria:

a) the expected impact of the development on I/I;

b) whether I/I mitigation has previously been conducted in the general area; and

c) whether a greater need has arisen for mitigation of a different nature.

Effective Date

The effective date of this revised policy is January 1, 2019. The requirements of this revised I/I

Policy shall not apply to any building permit, special permit or comprehensive permit issued

prior to the effective date. For all developments that have not received any such permit as of the

effective date of the revision, compliance with the revised I/I Policy is required.

EXAMPLE CALCULATION – PARTIAL WAIVER

➢ I/I mitigation fee for Project A = $100,000

➢ City Council determines that 50% of the I/I mitigation fee should be waived

➢ Project A developer pays:

o $50,000 = non-waived I/I fee deposited into dedicated account for I/I projects

(50% of the I/I fee)

o $37,500 = general development mitigation payment

(75% of the waived amount of $50,000)

➢ Project A total payment is $87,500


Newton Citizens Climate Action Plan Acting Now to Secure Our Sustainable Future

April 2019

Revision/Update Information: The original version is dated March 19, 2019

This version is numbered 1.0–April 5, 2019

Prepared for: The Citizens of the City of Newton, The Newton City Council, and The Honorable Ruthanne Fuller, Mayor of the City of Newton

Newton Citizens Commission on Energy Newton, Massachusetts

ii ii

About the Newton Citizens Commission on Energy

The Commission was established on October 24, 1979 by city ordinance, which reads, in part:

Sec. 2-302. Purpose, powers and duties. (a) The commission shall develop a city-wide energy plan to encourage energy conservation and the use of alternative energy forms, and provide a plan to coordinate state and federal experts to provide for energy needs and emergencies.

(b) The commission's powers shall include the following:

The commission shall encourage energy conservation in Newton and may investigate methods of conservation and disseminate information thereon; may apply for and receive grants; act as a liaison between Newton and the state on energy matters; act as a clearing house for car and van pooling; conduct citizen education programs including programs regarding the availability of "peak load" pricing differential rates; make recommendations to the mayor and the board of aldermen [sic]; report on its activities to the mayor and the board of aldermen when so requested or on its own initiative; file legislation before the board of aldermen; and publicize programs and methods of energy conservation; provided that no expenses may be incurred by the commission without the prior approval of the mayor and the board of aldermen.

BY-LAWS

The Newton Citizens Commission on Energy, noted in these By-Laws as Commission, is established in accordance with City of Newton, Massachusetts, Board of Alderman Docket item #519-75 and article -XXIII of the Newton City Ordinances, enacted October 24, 1979.

ARTICLE I. Membership

Section A - Members

Regular members of the Commission are as established by Ordinance, and are hereinafter referred to as members.

Section B - Associate Members

Associate Members shall be persons whose interests are in the field of energy and conservation or related areas, and are hereinafter referred to as associates.

ARTICLE II. Officers

Only regular members may be elected officers of the Commission. The officers and their duties are as follows:

Section A - Chairman 1 - Preside at all meetings. 2 - Represent the Commission and act as official spokesman.

Section B - Vice Chairman 1 - Assume the duties of the Chairman in his absence.

Section C - Recording Secretary 1 - Keep recording of all meetings. 2 - Record all votes. 3 - Prepare a written summary of each meeting for distribution to members 4 - Receive requests for agenda items. 5 - Prepare and send a written agenda to members five days in advance of each

meeting.

iii iii

Acknowledgements

This plan was developed by the Newton Citizens Commission on Energy, NCCE, a nine-member body appointed by the Mayor, City Council, School Committee, Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce, and League of Women Voters.

Members

Halina Szejnwald Brown, Chair

James Purdy, Vice Chair

Michael Gevelber

Stephen Grody

Asa Hopkins

Jonathan Kantar

Jonathan Klein

Ira Krepchin

Puja Vohra

Ann Berwick (ex-officio)

Associate Members

Cory Alperstein

Fred Brustman

Edward Craddock

Brant Davis

Philip Hanser

These Newton residents donated their time, talent, and treasure to produce this plan. As a group, the authors offer decades of experience in many facets of the energy/environmental field, including teaching environmental science and policy, and mechanical engineering at the university level, and covering regulatory and policy analysis, design/build skills for high performance buildings, transportation planning, data analytics, and community activism.

The Commission would like to thank former NCCE Chair Eric Olson and Newton High Performance Building Coalition member Peter Barrer for work they did to establish a baseline inventory of Newton’s greenhouse gas emissions. We also thank Commission Associates Cory Alperstein, Edward Craddock and Philip Hanser, for their generous contributions of time, ideas and knowledge.

We are grateful to Councilor Deb Crossley for helping us to better understand the policy and political contexts of this plan, for her valuable technical advice regarding the building sector, her unwavering support for our cause, and her feedback on various drafts.

The Citizens Climate Action Plan also benefitted from the exchange of ideas and data with the staff of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, who were concurrently preparing a five-year plan under contract to the City. The NCCE received helpful advice from Newton’s Planning Department staff members Jennifer Steel, James Freas, and Claire Rundelli, and valuable data from Newton Accessor James Shaughnessy.

v v

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ............................................................................. ix

Origins of CCAP ................................................................................... xi

1 Introduction ...............................................................................1

2 Conclusions & Recommendation ............................................9 2.1 The Strategy ........................................................................................................ 11 2.2 A Path to Carbon Neutral Newton ....................................................................... 12

3 Residential Sector ................................................................... 17 3.1 Goals .................................................................................................................... 17 3.2 Newton’s Housing Stock ..................................................................................... 19 3.3 Strategy and Outcomes ........................................................................................ 20 3.4 Specific Recommendations ................................................................................. 23 3.5 Recommendations in Action ............................................................................... 31 3.6 Unresolved Issue ................................................................................................. 34

4 Transportation ......................................................................... 35 4.1 Goals and Rationale ............................................................................................. 35 4.2 Strategy for EV transition .................................................................................... 43 4.3 Specific Recommendations for EV Transition .................................................... 44 4.4 Strategy for Public Transport and Active Mobility ............................................. 46 4.5 Specific Recommendations for Public Transport and Active Mobility ............... 47 4.6 Unresolved Issues ................................................................................................ 51

5 Commercial Property Sector .................................................. 53 5.1 Overview/Background ......................................................................................... 53 5.2 Strategy and Outcome Overview ......................................................................... 55 5.3 City-Utility Partnership ........................................................................................ 56 5.4 Specific Recommendations for Existing Buildings ............................................. 58 5.5 Specific Recommendations for New Construction and Gut Renovations ........... 63

6 Implementation ........................................................................ 69 6.1 Envisioning Newton’s Future .............................................................................. 69 6.2 Priority Actions ................................................................................................... 71 6.3 Tracking Progress ................................................................................................ 72 6.4 The City’s Role ................................................................................................... 73 6.5 Resources............................................................................................................. 74 6.6 How to Begin? ..................................................................................................... 74

APPENDICES ........................................................................................... 76

A Real Estate Efficiency Program Initiative .............................. 77 Overview .................................................................................................................... 77 Background ................................................................................................................ 78

vi vi

The Accelerated Real Estate Efficiencies Program (REEP) ...................................... 83 Estimate of Financial Impact of REEP on Taxpayers ................................................ 89 Answers to Key Questions Asked .............................................................................. 92

B Residential Research & Discussion ..................................... 97 Modeling Assumptions .............................................................................................. 97 General Discussion .................................................................................................... 98 Further research, resources and ideas ...................................................................... 109

C Addendum to Transportation Chapter ............................... 113

D Selected Non-Residential Property Owners ...................... 117

E Glossary ................................................................................ 119

vii vii

Figures Figure 1: Impact of Electric Vehicle Adoption Rate on GHG Emissions .............................x Figure 2: Estimated Decrease in GHG Emissions in the Housing Sector .............................x Figure 3: Clean Electricity in Newton ...................................................................................3 Figure 4: Sources of GHG emissions in Newton (2013) .......................................................4 Figure 5: Newton Emissions Inventory (2013) ................................................................... 10 Figure 6: Impact of Electric Vehicle Adoption Rate on GHG Emissions ........................... 12 Figure 7: Estimated Decrease in GHG Emissions in Housing Sector ................................. 12 Figure 8: Sources of GHG Emissions in Newton (2013) .................................................... 17 Figure 9: Composition and Transformation of Housing Stock (2019-2050) ....................... 21 Figure 10: Estimated Decrease in Energy Consumption From Energy Efficiency ............. 22 Figure 11: Estimated Decrease in GHG Emissions in Residential Sector ........................... 22 Figure 12: Comparison of Energy Efficiency of EV vs. ICE engines ................................. 37 Figure 13: Estimated Adoption Rate of EVs in Newton [as percent of private vehicles] ... 38 Figure 14: Impact of EV Adoption Rate on GHG Emissions.............................................. 38 Figure 15: EV Purchases in Massachusetts ......................................................................... 41 Figure 16: EV License Plates in Newton............................................................................. 41 Figure 17: Summary of recommendations from Newton in Motion. ................................... 51 Figure 18: Histogram of Newton Commercial Building Sizes ............................................ 54 Figure 19: Summary of Commercial Buildings Goals ........................................................ 56 Figure 20: Institute for Market Transformation Inventory of Government Policies ........... 62 Figure 21: Zero Energy Performance Scale ........................................................................ 65 Figure 22: Average Property Tax Bill Increase for Non-Recipients ................................... 91 Figure 23: Median Property Tax Bill Incentive Award ....................................................... 91 Figure 24: Distribution of sizes of all dwellings in Newton ................................................ 99 Figure 25: Histogram of Newton Residences by Year of Construction ............................ 101 Figure 26: Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions .................................................................... 104

Tables Table 1: Decreasing Per Capita Energy Consumption ........................................................ 18 Table 2: Reducing Car Use in Newton ................................................................................ 42 Table 3: Strategies for City-Utility Partnership ................................................................... 58 Table 4: Breakdown of Large Properties ............................................................................. 60 Table 5: Detailed Breakdown of Large Properties .............................................................. 60 Table 6: Breakdown by Building Types .............................................................................. 60 Table 7: Overview of Newton’s Real Estate Taxation Procedure ....................................... 82 Table 8: Vendor Categories and Examples ......................................................................... 84 Table 9: Schedule of Incentives Available .......................................................................... 87 Table 10: Newton Household Classifications ................................................................... 100 Table 11: Relative Energy Use by Home Size and HERS Rating ..................................... 102

ix ix

Executive Summary

According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), avoiding climate change’s most catastrophic effects requires eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Business as usual is not an option at local, state or national levels.

The Newton Citizens Commission on Energy (NCCE) concludes that it is technologically and economically feasible to meet the IPCC targets in Newton, and that the City should adopt them as its climate policy goals. This Citizens Climate Action Plan (CCAP) provides a 30-year roadmap for achieving these targets, emphasizing actions that must be taken during the next two years as well as interim goals. It outlines the roles of Newton’s residents, businesses, government, and institutions. The Plan focuses on the three sectors responsible for nearly all of Newton’s GHG emissions: transportation, and buildings—residential and commercial. The Plan’s underlying principles are:

1. By 2030 all electricity in Newton to come from Class 1 renewable sources in New England.

2. Electrify 100% of transportation and heating systems, and power them with 100% Class 1 New England renewable sources.

3. In the residential sector, reduce energy consumption for heating by 20%. 4. In the transportation sector, reduce vehicle-miles traveled and energy

consumption by 15%. 5. Use natural asset replacement cycles (home heating systems, renovations and

additions, and vehicles) to increase efficiency and electrify with minimal incremental costs.

6. Motivate major employers to develop and implement their own CAPs.

Of the more than three dozen specific recommendations in the Plan, we identified eight that should be immediately implemented. These are:

1. Create Technical Support Service to help residents, businesses take next steps towards reducing energy use and electrification (heat pumps and electric vehicles (EV’s). Allocate staff.

2. Adopt a Green Property Tax initiative as a financial incentive for residential and small business energy retrofits.

Executive Summary

x x

3. Create a Green Ribbon Commission to motivate the largest commercial/institution building owners to develop their own CAPs.

4. Form an EV task force to design/implement an outreach campaign to encourage EV purchases.

5. Transition in stages to Passive House energy-use intensity in all types of new buildings. Benchmark and publish the energy performance of all buildings.

6. Provide preferential parking spaces for EVs throughout the City.

7. Expand the WiseWays mobility program to cover all residents.

8. Advocate with the State and utilities to encourage stricter building codes and rigorous efficiency programs.

Figures 1 and 2 summarize the cumulative impacts of these recommendations. The implementation cost will be borne almost entirely by Newton residents, businesses and institutions. But the City will need to provide incentives, outreach, technical support, and engage in partnerships. We call on the City to providing the human resources necessary to perform this job. For the immediate future, we recommend that the City engage: an organizational consultant to recommend how to organize and staff the implementation; and a communication consultant to develop a campaign to drive EV adoption.

Figure 1: Impact of Electric Vehicle Adoption Rate on GHG Emissions

Figure 2: Decrease in GHG Emissions in the Housing Sector

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Origins of CCAP

Recognizing the critical importance of climate change and its impacts on the City of Newton and the world at large, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, in her inaugural speech in January of 2018, called for the preparation of a Climate Action Plan (CAP). A group of volunteers (known informally as vCAP) met with the Mayor in March 2018. This meeting led to efforts to produce two documents: a five-year Climate Action Plan (CAP) prepared by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council staff working under contract to, and in cooperation with, the City; and this 30-year Citizens Climate Action Plan (CCAP), prepared by the Newton Citizens Commission on Energy. There was coordination between the two efforts, and their recommendations are generally consistent with each other.

The key differences between the two plans are in scope, planning horizon, goal setting, underlying analysis, and implementation plan. In contrast to the MAPC-City Plan, the CCAP Plan is based on extensive quantitative research, analysis, and modeling specifically for Newton conditions; it sets quantitative targets for 2050, with interim quantitative targets; recommends top priority actions; and performs technology assessments. It also, in contrast with the MAPC effort, focuses only on the transportation, residential and commercial sectors which are together responsible for 88% of all GHG emissions in Newton. It leaves out municipal operations, waste disposal and natural gas leaks, which together comprise 12% of emissions. The Citizens Climate Action Plan can be viewed as a prioritized road map, for implementing many of the recommendations in the MAPC-city CAP, with long term goals and short-term interim milestones.

The NCCE discussed preparation of the Citizens Climate Action Plan at monthly meetings in 2018 and began writing the plan in Fall 2018, with completion of a draft plan in March/April 2019. In addition to the standing monthly Commission meetings, the authors of the plan met countless times in informal working sessions and in a variety of member-configurations: in the Newton Library, private homes, local cafes, and Newton City Hall.

Origins of CCAP

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The NCCE member authors designed the plan to come as close as possible to meeting the recommendations in the International Panel on Climate Change Special Report (fall 2018), which requires carbon neutrality by 2050, with substantial progress toward an interim milestone by 2030. This goal is also consistent with the Massachusetts Global Warming Solutions Act.

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1 Introduction

The global challenge. Scientific evidence is mounting that the current rates of energy consumption and associated emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) are leading to profound changes in climate that, left unchecked, will lead to devastating consequences.

It is hard to overstate the urgency of the threat facing the world community, including Newton. According to the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, IPCC, the world authority on climate, to ward off the worst impacts of climate change will require reducing emissions by 60% from current levels by 2030 and 95% by 2050. In order to meet this enormous challenge, the use of fossil fuels must be rapidly eliminated in favor of renewable non-carbon sources; and the demand for energy must decline.

The local solution. This Citizens Climate Action Plan (CCAP) addresses the following two questions:

● What will it take for Newton to meet the recommended IPCC reduction targets for GHG emissions (60% from current levels by 2030 and 95% by 2050)?

● Are the necessary actions feasible to implement?

It is the opinion of the NCCE that it is technologically and economically feasible to significantly reduce the energy used in Newton and to eliminate its GHG emissions by 2050. The necessary technology is largely there in the building and transportation sectors, and further technological improvements are rapidly materializing. The NCCE recommends that the City of Newton adopt the IPCC targets for its climate action planning. This document presents a road map for achieving these goals, with emphasis on actions that must be taken during the next two years or so; and outlines the roles of its government, residents, institutions and businesses in setting various actions in motion. While reaching the IPCC goals is feasible, it will require tremendous political

Introduction

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leadership and an active, informed citizenry to implement policies and modify behavior to reach our goals.

At the same time, it is clear that IPCC targets can only be achieved through a two-pronged approach: significant reduction in the demand for energy in the private and commercial sectors; and near-complete replacement of fossil fuels with electricity generated from renewable sources. Neither of these approaches is sufficient in and of itself, but applied together they may enable the world to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. There are three key reasons why energy demand reduction must accompany the transition to clean electricity:

● Clean electricity is a scarce commodity and will continue to be so in the foreseeable future. We cannot waste it on inefficient houses, cars and appliances.

● Increasing the thermal performance of our buildings and hot water systems will allow us to decrease our need for energy, permitting us to more effectively use electric heat pumps instead of fossil fuel-based alternatives;

● Clean electricity is not carbon free. At present, the manufacturing of wind turbines and solar panels requires a great deal of fossil fuel energy—to mine and smelt the metals, manufacture plastics and other parts, transport, and manage the end-of-life of the equipment.

The role of cities. In the U.S., in the absence of national climate protection policies, states and cities have taken the initiative. Cities are in fact better equipped than states and the federal government to undertake certain necessary actions. For example, cities can mobilize citizens – through incentives, outreach, mandates, and removal of local barriers – to upgrade the energy performance of their homes, to switch to electric vehicles, and to consider less car-dependent lifestyles. Cities are also well positioned to advance the use of renewable electricity through community aggregation and to plan local land use and transportation toward reduced use of fossil fuel-based energy.

Newton has already taken a number of climate change actions. Through its Power Choice Program Newton has become a leader in Massachusetts by purchasing 60% of its electricity from Class 1 New England generated renewable resources (Figure 3).

Introduction

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Figure 3: Clean Electricity in Newton

The State’s Renewable Portfolio Standard calls for continuous growth in the amount of renewable energy supplied to the electric grid. Combined with Newton’s Power Choice Program, which calls for the purchase of 46 percent of its electricity from local renewable sources, in addition to the state mandated 14%, that trend will lead to the use of 100 percent green electricity in Newton by 2050.

This is a community plan. Approximately 88% of GHG emissions in Newton result from meeting the energy demand in the private and commercial/institutional sectors for buildings, electricity, and transportation (Figure 4). The remaining 12% comes from municipal operations (3%), natural gas leaks (8%), and waste disposal. This Plan focuses on the three sectors which are responsible for the great majority of emissions: residential buildings (both new and existing), transportation, and commercial buildings. In the past decade the City has made significant progress in reducing energy demand and GHG emissions from its own municipal operations and we trust that this trend will continue under the current leadership. And natural gas leaks and solarization of roofs are being addressed through several state-level initiatives and in coordination with the City.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050

Percent of Green Electrons in Grid

Aggregated +46

RPS

ScenarioCombined

Introduction

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Figure 4: Sources of GHG emissions in Newton (2013)

Almost 90% of the GHG emissions in Newton come from the energy consumed in building and transportation in both residential and commercial/institutional sectors.

Much of the work of achieving the goals of this CCAP will have to be undertaken by Newton residents, institutions and businesses. It will require capital investments up front, replacing the traditional building methods with new ones, getting used to different cars and alternative modes of mobility, and prioritizing consideration of the impact on GHG emissions of our daily practices, including what we eat, what we consume, and what and how we dispose of waste. Fortunately, much of the capital investments will be paid back over time in reduced energy use costs, increased durability (longevity), and better health and comfort. Investment in low carbon alternatives, whether better building envelopes, electric heating equipment, or electric vehicles will impart competitive advantage for early adopters who embrace such actions.

Between now and 2050, with or without the CAP, almost every resident and commercial facility will have to spend money to replace their heating equipment and the vehicles that they drive, and upgrade or replace built structures. The questions we are facing are these: Will we continue with conventional choices which have gotten us to the dangerous climate threats in the first place? Or will we choose the alternative trajectory: reduced energy use and a shift to electric heat pumps and electric vehicles powered by renewable energy sources? These are the profound questions of our time.

Introduction

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City government can make a significant impact on how easily and quickly we, the citizens and businesses of Newton, can change our GHG trajectory and find the path to decarbonization by 2050. The City can influence our choices and help Newton residents and businesses in a variety of ways:

● Persuade, Educate, Lead: o Provide incentives o Reach-out and educational programs o Improve access to information and resources, provide logistical

support o Lead by example o Organize and facilitate

● Advocate: o Within the City and in various City communities (business,

residential, village centers, etc. o At the State level regarding legislation and building codes, and

various issues affecting GHG reduction strategies ● Develop Technical Support Services throughout the various

departments of City Hall, aimed at empowering residents to make smart, informed choices regarding GHG reductions … whether it is securing and acting on a Mass Save audit, replacing a heating system, or considering the size, shape, and characteristics of a new home, addition, or renovation.

● Require consideration of GHG impacts in reviewing of all major initiatives and projects across City departments. A review by the Sustainability Office will be appropriate.

● Provide necessary resources and personnel ● Effect institutional changes aimed at incorporating the topic of GHG

emissions and energy use in all major projects and ordinances, and in the daily operations of the executive branch.

● Regulate o Benchmark energy performance, require accountability o Adopt ordinances and rules to support efforts of this plan o Institute zoning changes to encourage GHGe reduction strategies

● Reduce barriers ● Provide logistical support

Strategy for meeting the goals. In the residential sector, our goals by 2050 are 1) Reduce energy use for heating in homes by 20%, and 2) Reduce total vehicle miles traveled by private cars by 15%, and, 3) Totally replace internal combustion engine cars (ICEs) with electric vehicles (EVs).

Introduction

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We have identified a multi-element strategy for meeting these goals.

Reducing per capita energy consumption by 20% will require:

● Adopting very low energy use requirements for new construction ● Upgrading the energy performance of the existing housing stock by

20% ● Increasing the number of smaller and denser dwellings ● Transitioning to electric vehicles (which can be powered with clean

electricity and which also happen to use less energy to operate). ● Improving the public transit system and biking/walking infrastructure.

Phasing out fossil fuels in Newton will require that all:

● Vehicles be powered by electricity ● Buildings be heated via electricity (electric heat pumps) ● Other natural gas uses, such as cooking and clothes drying, be replaced

with electricity-powered equipment

And all the electricity powering these systems will have to be generated by renewable sources located in Newton and elsewhere in New England.

Underlying Analysis. This Citizens Climate Action Plan concerns itself with the three sectors that in aggregate contribute to 88% of GHG emissions in Newton: Residential, Transportation, and Commercial/Institutional. In contrast to the 2005 Newton Energy Action Plan, which provided broad ideas for reducing GHG emissions, the recommendations presented in this Plan are very specific. They are based on extensive research and quantitative analysis conducted over the past six months. The underlying research focused on:

● The characteristics of the housing stock and commercial/institutional buildings

● The likely trends in the growth and rate of building replacement and ownership change

● The current and forecast adoption rates of electric vehicles ● The demographic characteristics of Newton’s population ● The relative contributions of the proposed actions to reducing energy

use and GHG emissions ● The availability, performance, projected changes and the financial

aspects of energy technologies used in the building and transportation sectors.

Introduction

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● The feasibility of potential actions, including the City’s jurisdiction, the institutional aspects of Newton governance, and the anticipated public acceptance

Tracking Progress. The ultimate outcomes of the actions recommended in this plan will be decreases in energy use and GHG emissions. However, tracking the progress of each action in terms of GHG reductions may be impractical. This is because within each sector -- residential, transportation, and commercial -- multiple actions need to be taken simultaneously to achieve significant combined progress in GHG reductions, and therefore the outcomes cannot be linked to any specific actions.

For these reasons, progress needs to be tracked by following the outputs related to specific recommendations for action. At the same time, the annual update of the GHG emission inventory needs to continue. It will give us an overall assessment of progress toward the 2050 goals, provide feedback on the effectiveness of actions underway, and create the basis for course corrections.

To account for population growth or decline in Newton over the next 30 years, we recommend using tons of GHG emissions/capita as a common metric.

Long Term Success, Immediate Actions. Achieving the above targets will require undertaking initiatives on many fronts. Some initiatives will yield results quickly, others will produce results gradually over extended periods of time. Most of the recommendations in this plan will require immediate attention during the next two years or so if we are to meet the 2050 targets. The enabling ordinances, mandates, incentives, outreach programs, and other essential initiatives that are the bedrock of this plan, must be put in place expeditiously. It is these immediate actions – the essential investment in the future – that constitute the essence of the Newton Citizens Climate Action Plan.

The trajectory toward carbon neutrality will neither be smooth nor straight, and will certainly require course corrections along the way. A lot will change over the next three decades in the technology, costs, infrastructure, demographics, social norms and national and state policies. However, we provide here a 30-year plan that provides the basis for our actions now and which allows us to keenly focus in on the imperatives for the next 1, 2 and five (5) years. And as we implement this plan, we must measure and monitor and assess our progress, making adjustments along the way, but mindful of our goals. To aid in our prospects of success, this plan provides milestones, interim goals, and progress assessments at shorter time intervals.

Addressing other GHG emission sources. Newton’s GHG emission inventory, on which this Climate Action Plan is based, counts only direct use of

Introduction

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energy in the geographic area of Newton: electricity and fuels in the key sectors: buildings and transportation. It does not include the energy used for producing and transporting the material goods we use in Newton, the travel we do outside of Newton, and the food we consume. The GHG emissions associated with these aspects of Newton life are significant—estimated at between 50 and 100% of the impacts included in the Newton GHG emission inventory. We recommend that the next iteration of this Climate Action Plan takes into account these consumption-based emissions.

Investing in the future. In 1984 the Commonwealth undertook a massive and extraordinarily successful project to clean up Boston Harbor, the Charles River and other metropolitan region water resources. The cost of the project over 30 years was $5-6 billion, and it raised the water bills in the Boston Metropolitan area to among the highest in the country; businesses and households carried that burden. It was well worth it. The current estimates are that the benefits of the cleanup for the local economy are approximately 20 times higher than its cost.

Unlike the Boston Harbor Cleanup, the Newton plan to electrify its cars and buildings is unlikely to have a dramatic impact on electricity bills. But like the Boston Harbor project, the benefits from implementing the Newton plan will be greater than the costs. The benefits will include: reduced energy bills to home owners and businesses, higher home resale value, creation of well-paid jobs in connection with building upgrades, quieter streets, cleaner air, reduced traffic congestion, higher quality housing stock, and a contribution to preventing the disruptions from climate change.

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2 Conclusions & Recommendation

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change requires essentially eliminating carbon emissions by 2050, with the greatest reductions coming in the early years (60% from current levels by 2030 and 95% by 2050). Business as usual is not an option, whether on the local, state or national level. For that reason, this Citizens Climate Action Plan (CCAP) addresses the following two questions:

1. What will it take for Newton to meet the recommended IPCC reduction targets for GHG emissions?

2. Are the necessary actions feasible to implement?

Based on extensive research, analysis and modeling, the Newton Citizens Commission on Energy (NCCE) concludes that it is technologically and economically feasible to meet the IPCC targets, and that the City of Newton should adopt them as its climate policy goals. The required technology is currently available, most of the recommended actions are within the City’s control, and the dividends that will accrue in addition to helping to slow down climate change—personal savings on energy bills and higher home resale values, higher quality housing stock, quieter streets, cleaner air, and less traffic congestion—outstrip the investments required.

The plan focuses on eliminating the GHG emissions from the sources documented in the 2013 Newton Emissions Inventory (Figure 5). The inventory calculated emissions associated with direct use of energy – electricity and fossil fuel. It did not include the so-called embodied energy associated with production of food and material goods purchased by Newton residents, and energy associated with manufacturing and transport of construction materials for their houses, and with personal and business travel. These consumption-based emissions are substantial, comparable in magnitude to emissions from direct energy use. The next iteration of this Strategic Plan will need to account for these emissions.

Conclusions & Recommendation

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The CCAP presents a 30-year road map for achieving the IPCC targets, with emphasis on actions that should be taken during the next two to five years, and provides interim goals at various time intervals between now and 2050. It outlines the roles of its government, residents, institutions and businesses in setting various actions in motion. The Plan focuses on the three sectors that are responsible for 88% of Newton GHG emissions: residential buildings (both new and existing), transportation, and commercial buildings.

Figure 5: Newton Emissions Inventory (2013)

Much of the work of achieving the goals of this Plan will be undertaken by Newton residents, institutions and businesses. It will require capital investments up front, replacing the traditional building methods with new ones, upgrading the current housing stock, and getting used to different types of cars and alternative modes of mobility.

The City has an essential role to play in making these actions successful. These include:

● Providing financial incentives for residents, developing regulations, educating the public

● Reducing barriers to adopting GHG emission reduction measures ● Improving access to information, providing subsidies, incentives,

resources, and logistical support ● Adopting new ordinances and modifying existing ones ● Measuring and monitoring progress; holding people accountable ● Advocating at the community, regional, and state levels ● Adapting administrative procedures and conduct within the daily

business at City Hall, including: building permitting; interactions with homeowners; planning and development operations

● Requiring consideration of GHG impacts when reviewing all major initiatives and projects across City departments


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● Providing necessary resources and personnel to develop and manage the efforts discussed herein. We estimate that implementing this plan might cost approximately $10 M per year. Approximately 10% of the spending will come from the City itself, which represents 0.25% of its annual operating budget

● Affecting institutional changes aimed at incorporating the topic of GHG emissions and energy use in all major projects and ordinances, and in the daily operations of the executive branch

2.1 The Strategy This Plan was developed by applying the following six principles.

1. By 2030 all electricity in Newton will come from Class 1 renewable sources in New England.

2. Electrify 100% of our transportation and heating systems, and power them from 100% Class 1 New England renewable sources.

3. Reduce energy consumption in the residential sector by 20% through energy retrofits, high performance construction, and directing the growth toward smaller, compact dwellings in mixed-use settings.

4. Reduce energy consumption in the transportation sector by 15% through reduced miles travelled to, from, and in Newton.

5. Take advantage of natural asset replacement cycles (home heating systems, building renovations and additions, and vehicles) to increase energy efficiency and electrify with minimal incremental costs.

6. Work with major employers and property owners to motivate them to develop and implement their own Climate Action Plans in the commercial/institutional sector.


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2.2 A Path to Carbon Neutral Newton When translated to a wide range of specific actions recommended in this Plan, and fully implemented over the next 30 years, this strategy will produce the reductions in energy use and GHG emissions in the residential and transportation sectors shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 6: Impact of Electric Vehicle Adoption Rate on GHG Emissions Comparing Business-As-Usual with Accelerated Scenarios

Figure 7: Decrease in GHG Emissions in Housing Sector vs. BAU


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During 2019 the City should develop a detailed implementation plan. In order to set that plan on a trajectory toward carbon neutrality we identified eight top recommendations which should be implemented immediately, based on their estimated magnitude of GHG reductions, technical feasibility, ability to be widely adopted, and their importance in setting a groundwork for further major impact activities. These are, in no particular order:

1. Create an office of Technical Support Services to help residents, construction professionals, developers and businesses to access information about best practices, costs and benefits, technological options, navigating permitting requirements, government subsidies, and emerging new trends and technologies in the areas of buildings and electric vehicles. Allocate the necessary staff.

2. Adopt a powerful financial incentive for energy retrofits and electrification in the residential sector in the form of a Green Property Tax initiative. This initiative would reward homeowners who reduce their greenhouse gas emissions at no cost to the City (see Appendix A for details).

3. For the commercial sector, create a Green Ribbon Commission composed of the largest property owners in the City. Encourage them to develop their own CAPs, and to share best practices, learn the state-of-the-art, set measurable and ambitious targets on a path to carbon neutrality by 2050, measure their progress, disclose and benchmark energy performance of their properties, and hold each other accountable.

4. Form an EV taskforce to conduct a city-wide marketing/outreach campaign to promote the benefits and encourage the purchase of EVs. The campaign would cover the economics; environmental benefits; and the impact, such as quieter streets, on the quality of life in Newton. The City would partner with Green Newton to organize educational events and test drives.

5. Transition in stages to requirements for all new construction to meet Passive House performance standards. Starting in 2019 require that all new construction that calls for special permits performs at a PH standard for energy use per square foot and is fully electrified. Starting in 2022 require a PH performance level and full electrification of all built-by-right new construction and gut renovations. Require substantial efforts to reduce embodied carbon in all new construction. Benchmark and publish the energy performance of all buildings, including large commercial and mixed-use, and private


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residences. Begin immediately with publishing all HERS ratings on file since 2010 in assessor data base records.

6. Make it easier to park EVs and PHEVs. Provide preferential parking for EVs at city lots and curbs in high density residential and business locations. These spots will serve largely to raise awareness of and break down psychological barriers around EVs and PHEVs.

7. Evaluate and expand WiseWays/Newton, the mobility program for seniors, which the City is implementing at the time of this writing in early 2019, to cover all Newton residents. Require that all vans be powered by electricity. This system might provide first/last mile connections to public transportation hubs.

8. Advocate at the state level and with utilities for stricter building codes, more rigorous energy efficiency programs, disclosure of building energy performance, and subsidies for EVs and PHEVs.

For the immediate future we recommend that the City engage, for a short period, an organizational consultant who will translate our ideas and recommendations into a workplan within the context of Newton’s governance system and organizational chart. The consultant will investigate the internal capacity of City departments and City leadership, and make suggestions on how best to organize and use the existing talent. The consultant will write a job description for the leader of the overall climate implementation plan, and will make recommendations for additional staffing.

We also recommend that the City engage, as soon as possible, a communication consultant to develop a campaign to drive adoption of electric vehicles.

The implementation cost of CCAP will be borne almost entirely by Newton residents, businesses and institutions. But the City will need to provide incentives, outreach, technical support, and engage in partnerships. We call on the City to providing the human resources necessary to perform this job. For the immediate future, we recommend that the City engage: an organizational consultant to recommend how to organize and staff the implementation; and a communication consultant to develop a campaign to drive EV adoption.

Between now and 2050, with or without the CCAP, owners of almost every residence and commercial facility will have to spend money to replace their heating equipment and the vehicles that they drive, and upgrade or replace built structures. The questions we are facing are these: Will we continue with conventional choices which have gotten us to the dangerous climate threats


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in the first place? Or will we choose the alternative trajectory: reduced energy use and a shift to electric heat pumps and electric vehicles powered by renewable energy sources? These are the profound questions of our time. It is our hope that the City government, using this Plan as a guide, will be a major force leading our beautiful city to take the alternative path.

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3 Residential Sector

At 23%, residential consumption of gas and oil is the second largest (after transportation) energy-use category and GHG emitter in Newton (Figure 8). To eliminate those emissions from residential buildings we’ve developed a plan that covers both new construction and existing buildings and requires participation from residents, developers, contractors, and the City. Elements include education and outreach, incentives, and regulations. The result will be the elimination of the use of fossil fuels for home heating, and a decrease in per capita energy demand of 20 percent.

The analysis and recommendations included in the present chapter partially overlap with the Commercial Sector chapter, which includes large residential buildings in the definition of Commercial. The two sets of recommendations are consistent with, and reinforce, each other.

Figure 8: Sources of GHG Emissions in Newton (2013)

The burning of gas and oil to heat homes is the second largest energy use category in Newton according to a 2013 study.

3.1 Goals An ambitious plan to reduce energy demand and GHG emissions from the residential buildings sector by 2050 calls for the complete replacement of fossil

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fuels with electricity generated from renewable sources; and a 20% reduction in the energy demand for residential heating (Table 1). That plan covers the current 32,000 residential households in 25,700 buildings in Newton. About 77% of these structures were built before 1960 and many have poor energy performance. Over 99% are heated by fossil fuels.

Table 1: Decreasing Per Capita Energy Consumption

Year Reduction of energy

consumption through energy efficiency

improvements

Reduction of GHG emissions and use of

fossil fuels

2025 3% 7%

2030 8% 27%

2040 14% 64%

2050 20% 100%

Caption: CCAP strategies and tactics will help reduce energy consumption by 20% and eliminate the use of fossil fuels for home heating—all by 2050.

Our analysis shows that it is not only possible to replace the burning of fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy and cut demand by 20%, but also that those goals are within reach in a fiscally responsible manner. That conclusion is based on an analysis of the housing stock in Newton and the City’s demographics; the current and future estimates of the replacement rate of the current housing stock; the rate of home sales; assumptions about the increased rate of energy upgrades of existing homes; an assumed rate of electrification of heating; a push toward high performance standards for all new construction in Newton; and the assumption that future growth in the number of households will mostly be in large building complexes rather than single-family homes.

Meeting these goals will require the efforts of residents, developers and contractors, as well as City- and State-level participation. Newton citizens will have to invest in energy upgrades for their houses to a much greater extent than in the past; and developers and contractors will have to develop expertise in applying state-of-the-art building methods according to Passive House principles, and learn how to implement state of the art HVAC technologies. The City leadership will need to provide strong financial incentives and mandates; eliminate barriers, including the barriers in the state building code; and engage in a program of educating contractors and homeowners about the low carbon options for renovations, additions, and equipment replacement. State-level incentives will also help accomplish these goals.

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While the burden of capital investing in the housing stock will fall mostly on the residents and developers, the City will need to lead and support this transition through education, outreach, and legislative actions, all of which will require additional staff time.

3.2 Newton’s Housing Stock The strategy for dealing with residential buildings builds on an understanding of the Newton housing stock and its inhabitants. The relevant features include:

● 53% of households are in single family houses and 33% are in condos and 2-family houses (in equal measures).

● About 34% of single-family houses are smaller than 1,850 sf, which, when located on large lots, may make them attractive candidates for tearing down and replacing with much larger structures.

● About 90% of houses in Newton were built before 1970, and more than half were built before 1930. Many of these houses exhibit poor energy performance.

● About 100 homes are torn down annually and replaced with new construction. The new houses average about 4048 sf. At that rate by 2050 about 20% of houses will be replaced while 80% of today’s stock will still be in use.

● Approximately 650 homes change ownership annually1. At that rate, most houses in Newton will have changed hands by 2050.

● Because about 25% of Newton residents are over 65 years in age, the number of sales and replacements may increase in the future.

● Based on the current proposals for developments at Washington Street, Newton Upper Falls and Riverside, it is likely that further absolute growth in the number of dwellings will be in large multi-unit buildings. These units are much smaller (average 960 sf) than new 1-family (4048 sf) and 2-family houses (avg 2275 sf per dwelling).

● Approximately 250-300 homes per year are retrofitted with additional wall insulation2. This represents a 20-25% rate of follow up after Mass Save home energy audits.

1 From Assessor’s Office 2 Data from National Grid

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3.3 Strategy and Outcomes The characteristics described above, along with regulatory possibilities, lead to a multi-pronged strategy for meeting Newton’s climate action goals. The elements include:

● Taking advantage of the ongoing teardowns and gut renovations to partially replace the old housing stock with a much more durable and efficient one, using electric heat pumps for heating and electricity for cooking;

● Requiring that all new construction in Newton, including teardowns and gut renovations and regardless of type (from single-family to mixed use large buildings) perform at the energy efficiency level of Passive House;

● Treating each new construction project that exceeds the building code performance as a demonstration project and as a precedent-setter for a new baseline against which other projects will be judged (ratcheting effect);

● Increasing the rate of retrofits by a factor of 2-3 over the current rate; ● Taking advantage of the periodic necessity to replace fossil-fuel

powered heating units in existing housing to shift toward electric heating;

● Taking advantage of purchase and sale events to incentivize retrofitting and electrification of existing homes;

● Incentivizing upgrades in the housing stock through additional measures beyond the current Mass Save subsides, which have proven to mobilize only a small fraction of Newton residents. Below we propose two such programs: a revenue-neutral property tax system; and public disclosure and vigorous dissemination of energy performance data for all houses3;

● Eliminating barriers to energy upgrades through revisions in the zoning ordinance.

When fully implemented, by 2050 this strategy (with the specific tactical recommendations listed below) will produce a housing stock somewhat different from the current one (Figure 9), reduce energy consumption for space heating by approximately 20% (Figure 10), and eliminate GHG emission from Newton’s residential housing sector (Figure 11)4. Although the number of housing units in Newton will increase by 2050, GHG emissions will decrease

3 See Appendix A for details 4 See Appendix B for model assumptions

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thanks to the adoption of electric heat pumps and improvements in home efficiency. Figure 11 compares estimates of GHG Emissions in the residential sector with a business-as-usual scenario.

Figure 9: Composition and Transformation of Housing Stock (2019-2050)

Current trends, boosted by the CCAP strategy, will lead to a new distribution of housing types in Newton.

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Figure 10: Estimated Decrease in Energy Consumption From Energy Efficiency

Improvements

Energy consumption in Newton will decrease by 20 percent according to modeling done for the

CCAP.

Figure 11: Estimated Decrease in GHG Emissions in Residential Sector Compared with Business-As-Usual Scenario

Implementing the CCAP strategies can eliminate GHG emissions and the use of fossil fuels by Newton’s housing stock by 2050. Under the Business-as-Usual Scenario decline in GHG emissions will be driven primarily by market forces, though technical support

Residential Sector

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services will be needed to help contractors and homeowners choose the heating systems appropriate for their homes (See Appendix B for details of the model)

3.4 Specific Recommendations A number of specific recommendations have been developed for the implementation of the residential sector strategy of the CCAP, for new construction and for existing structures. The recommendations will require City staff time to design and implement. As the first step we strongly recommend that the City establish a full-time position or equivalent (for example, through engaging consulting services) for that purpose. The responsibilities of the position will be to interface with various city departments (i.e. Assessor, Permitting, Inspectional Services, Planning, Sustainability co-Directors, and others) and with the relevant committees on the City Council; to keep track of the state-of-the-art developments in building energy technologies and their financing, and energy policies in Massachusetts and beyond; and to assist with policy making and, especially, the implementation of this plan. These functions will become part of the responsibilities of Technical Support Services (see Chapter 6, Implementation).

In this recommendation we take cues from Santa Monica, CA, a leader in sustainability policies and a city of similar size of population, socioeconomic profile, and average home prices to Newton. With an annual budget of about $800B (twice that of Newton), Santa Monica has a large Office of Sustainability and Environment, with more than two dozen employees5.

3.4.1 New construction and gut renovations

A variety of recommendations covering education, training and regulations can help transform new residential construction practices to help achieve CCAP goals.

Education/training, outreach. For new construction, implementation begins with education/training and outreach:

● Institute vigorous and comprehensive education and training for developers, contractors and homeowners about high efficiency options for construction, renovations and engineering systems; and about low embodied energy options in construction. Embodied energy refers to the energy used in manufacturing and transporting the materials used in a

5 https://www.smgov.net/departments/ose/

https://www.smgov.net/departments/ose/

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structure. The City should take advantage of such programs on the state level and learn from other cities that have done them.

● Put in place a marketing campaign in order to communicate that high-performance construction and renovations can be achieved at low or no extra cost.

Today’s construction is much more energy efficient than in the past. An average new home built to code in 2018 has a HERS rating of 55, compared with a rating of 135 for homes built three or four decades earlier (the majority of Newton homes). Facilities built to Passive House (PH) standards, considered a costly luxury only a few years ago, can now be built at a cost of no more than 1-2% above the standard construction built to code6. That means great financial savings for the occupants through the life of the building, starting on day one. At least one home in Newton has already been built to PH standards – a 3,900 sf home called Newton Net Zero7 – and more examples elsewhere8.

Newton can learn from and follow the example of Santa Monica, California, which put in place an extensive outreach and education program for building professionals to accompany its new green building code requirements9.

The outreach program would include a web-page on the City website linking homeowners with information to help organize and fund home energy improvements and to better understand the potential returns on investments in high performing buildings and HVAC and lighting systems.

Drive the adoption of PH-standard of performance for all new construction. Given the volume of new construction expected, the City should drive the adoption of PH-standard of performance for all new construction through the following measures:

● Starting in 2022 adopt the requirement that all built-by-right houses perform to the Passive House standards and do not use fossil fuels. In the interim, between 2019 and 2022, at the permitting step for built-by-right homes, provide information about cost-neutral options available for building envelope and HVAC systems, including high efficiency electric heating (heat pumps). Require the contractor to consider building to the PH standard and with electric heating, including price

6 Communication from Fred Gordon, developer and owner of a 28-unit PH in South Boston 7 https://zeroenergy.com/newton-net-zero 8 https://www.greennewton.org/advocacy/10655-2/ 9

https://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Green_Building/ZNE_Guide_for_New_Construction_-_Residential.aspx

https://zeroenergy.com/newton-net-zero



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comparisons for the PH and non-PH construction. Charge significantly higher permit fees for construction that does not meet these standards.

● Starting immediately, use the special permit process to require PH performance levels and no use of fossil fuels for all new construction that requires such special permit.

● Revise criterion 5 for granting a special permit to explicitly require a minimum number of measures to reduce energy use and increase efficiency.

“In cases involving construction of building or structures or additions to existing buildings or structures, if those proposed buildings or structures or additions contain individually or in the aggregate 20,000 or more square feet in gross floor area, the site planning, building design, construction, maintenance or long-term operation of the premises will contribute significantly to the efficient use and conservation of natural resources and energy.”

x Adopt the Green Buildings Principles developed by Green Newton as criteria for evaluating merits of for large development projects seeking special permits10.

At the state level, where the authority lies for setting performance requirements and building specifications for all construction, the push for PH-level performance and electric heating is gaining strength. Until such a building code is adopted by the Bureau of Building Regulations and Standards, BBRS, Newton can drive its implementation through education, incentives and other legal means. An electric heating system will simply be part of the central air-conditioning, which is a standard feature of all new construction.

A look at the potential for new construction shows how powerful a high-performance requirement can be. In the period of 2016-2018 on average about 107 new homes were built annually in Newton, most of them replacing existing homes. Of these, about 85% were single family homes. As the population of Newton continues to age and moves out of single-family dwellings, the rate of such replacements might increase. 34% of all single-family homes in Newton are 1850 sf or less in size—a size that often leads to tear-down-and-replace development.

Assuming an average rate of 125 teardowns per year over the next 30 years (which is somewhat higher than the current rate of about 100), approximately 4000 homes (about 12% of total household dwellings in Newton) will be

10 https://www.greennewton.org/advocacy/10655-2/

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replaced. Those replacements provide an opportunity to facilitate a transition to a high-performance building stock of tomorrow.

The last three bullet points above are most appropriate for large mixed-use developments, such as the Riverside and Upper Falls proposals by, respectively, Mark and Northland Investment. We estimate that most of the growth in the number of dwelling units will be in such large developments. Demanding high-performance standards for these buildings is an opportunity not to be missed.

In the above recommendations we follow the example of the City of Somerville, MA, which in its zoning overhaul plan (released in October 2018) created a designation of Net Zero Building. The designation applies to smaller and denser dwellings with the gross floor area per dwelling unit at 850 sf (a change from either 1,500 or 1,125, depending on lot size). The definition of net zero includes the requirement for no on-site combustion for heating or cooking and an EUI that is 25% below ASHRAE 90.1 2010, or meets stringent requirements such as those in the PH standard11.

Require disclosure of energy performance ratings. Drive the disclosure of energy performance rating (HERS or EUI or cost of heating and cooling) at the point of sale. Require its publication in the Assessor’s property tax records if the legal department considers it within the City’s authority.

Public disclosure of energy performance and operating costs of buildings provides strong financial incentives for building to the PH-standard. Newton can facilitate its adoption on a voluntary basis. Home buyers are increasingly interested in energy performance of houses, and are willing to pay more for them12.

The public utilities in Massachusetts support the energy performance disclosure13 and we expect that it is only a matter of time before energy performance becomes a standard attribute of all buildings and HERS score and EUI become the metrics used by homeowners, contractors and developers.

11 See page 45; http://3pb8cv933tuz26rfz3u13x17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-

content/uploads/sites/2/2018/10/20181016-SZO-V3-Overview.pdf 12 https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/study-finds-that-energy-efficient-homes-often-command-

higher-prices/2012/07/19/gJQAF4MiwW_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.7a31c2267015 13 http://ma-eeac.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Exh.-1-Final-Plan-10-31-18-With-Appendices-no

bulk.pdf

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/study-finds-that-energy-efficient-homes-often-command-higher-prices/2012/07/19/gJQAF4MiwW_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.7a31c2267015


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Under the State’s 2010 Stretch code for energy efficiency, all new construction and major renovations in Newton receive a HERS rating. The City can support this trend by requiring public listings of HERS ratings, where available, in the Assessor’s database. That requirement may encourage other homeowners with well insulated homes to obtain a HERS rating and post it. That action will, in turn, put pressure on the owners of poorly insulated homes to upgrade them.

Encourage smaller dwelling-units, close to public transit. The City can promote construction of smaller units in proximity to public transit and other services by:

● Encouraging construction of more detached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on existing residential properties.

● Supporting construction of large multi-family residential and mixed-use buildings in appropriate locations.

Multi-unit residential homes are generally more energy-efficient than single family dwellings of comparable size. In addition, multiunit residences are generally smaller than single family homes which means they require less energy and also represent less embodied energy in construction materials and furnishings. Driven by this logic, the state of Oregon has in place a successful program to encourage ADUs (less than 800 square feet). In addition to reducing the energy consumption per capita ADUs might provide affordable housing for seniors who want to downsize14.

Encouraging construction of large mixed-use residential buildings in Newton will drive the new housing stock toward more compact and energy-efficient buildings. In addition, higher population density in mixed use settings that might include commercial and cultural enterprises and public amenities, also reduce the need for driving. Large residential projects also present an opportunity to implement advanced high efficiency construction methods, electrical heating, and solar panels.

Regarding ADUs, Newton should follow the example of Somerville Zoning Overhaul plan, which permits an accessory building type by right with the following qualifiers:

• One (1) permitted per lot, excluding triple deckers • Similar size to a Cottage “principal” building type • Only 1 or 2 stories in height

14 https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bds/36676

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bds/36676

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• Must be setback 60 ft from the front lot line • Must be separated from Principal Building by 10 ft • Site planned and constructed with life safety considerations15

3.4.2 Existing houses

Existing one and two-family homes, where about 80% of Newton residents will continue living between now and 2050, present the most difficult challenge for reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions. Understandably, upgrading these houses to higher efficiency and switching to electric heating is intimidating to many and can be costly. However, we see a path to success through a mix of the right incentives, education, and leadership.

Disclosure of energy performance ratings. Drive the disclosure of energy performance rating (HERS or EUI or cost of heating and cooling) at the point of sale. Require its publication in the Assessor’s property tax records.

According to the Assessor’s Office, approximately 600-650 homes change ownership each year without major rebuilding or total replacement. That means that over the next 30 years almost all one-, two- and three-family houses that are not torn down will change owners. Changing ownership presents an opportunity to encourage energy upgrades: improvements in building envelope, HVAC and electrification. With the right incentives and publication of a home’s HERS rating we can greatly encourage upgrading these homes. Until HERS is mandated, a vigorous campaign for its voluntary disclosure for recently upgraded properties, and adopting the practice of listing in the Assessor’s database (if within the legal authority of the City), may provide such an incentive. The resulting increase in the sale price of a home of about 2-3% would generate enough capital to install insulation and electrify the house16.

Our model estimates that increasing the rate of retrofits over the current one by a factor about 3, when combined with electrification of heat and PH standards for all new construction, will allow Newton to meet its 2050 GHG goals.

Require comparison of upgrade alternatives. Require that contractors present to homeowners a cost benefit analysis of alternative technologies and building envelope improvements, including replacement of fossil-fuel with


content/uploads/sites/2/2018/10/20181016-SZO-V3-Overview.pdf 16 https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/study-finds-that-energy-efficient-homes-often-command-

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electric heat. This can be done as part of the Mass Save program for energy assessments and retrofit projects.

Energy audits and current subsidies through Mass Save are an effective tool for modest upgrading of the energy performance of existing houses. They can also be a starting point for more substantial retrofits. During the 2017-2018 two-year period, 2115 energy assessments were conducted in Newton under the Mass Save program. There is no direct data on the follow-up of these assessments. But based on data provided by National Grid (for 2017 and 2018) homeowners in Newton implement 200 insulation jobs, and 280 improvements in heating systems annually (we do not know what types). A typical insulation work costs $3200, of which the homeowner pays only 25% ($800) while the rest is covered through the Mass Save program. It is an incredible value. Able Home Performance Inc., a Mass Save-approved contractor, estimates that wall insulation reduces energy consumption by up to 15% while air sealing (which is free to Mass Save customers) reduces it by 5%. A replacement of a 30-year-old furnace with modern high efficiency equipment (required to qualify for subsidies) reduces energy consumption by 20-25%. The homeowners who currently implement these projects through Mass Save should be encouraged, during the permitting process, to commit to more advanced insulation work and to switching to heating with electric heat pumps.

In short, increasing the current rate of insulation projects by a factor of 2 or 3, and using them, as well as furnace/boiler replacement as opportunities for switching to electric heat and installing more advanced insulation, will go a long way toward meeting the goals of the Citizens Climate Action Plan.

Provide strong economic incentives for retrofit projects. The transition to air heat pumps faces two challenges: the up-front capital costs of installation and the cost of electricity, which is higher than natural gas (although the much greater efficiency of heat pumps, and their dual functions as heating and air conditioning partly offsets these costs). In addition, some weatherization projects may be more costly than the generous Mass Save subsidies provide for. For these reasons, we need powerful economic incentives to mobilize Newton citizens to retrofit their homes. Based on the documented low rate of weatherization at the current time, the Mass Save incentives are clearly insufficient to increase the rate of retrofits by a factor of 2 to 3 as the goals of this Plan require.

We propose that Newton adopts such an incentive program in the form of a revenue-neutral property tax. The proposed Green Property Tax initiative would reward homeowners who reduce their greenhouse gas emissions at no cost to the City. A full write up of the proposal can be found in Appendix A. At

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its core, it would provide a financial incentive large enough to encourage the transition to electric heat and to significantly upgrade the building envelope. The advantages of the Green Property Tax initiative include:

9 Its economic impacts on homeowners, though highly visible and mobilizing to action, are small;

9 It is cost neutral to the City;

9 It is performance based: homeowners can choose their path toward reducing energy consumption

Another financial incentive for switching to electric heat pumps comes from the 2019-2021 energy-efficiency plan, mandated every three years by the Green Communities Act, developed by the Massachusetts utilities, and approved by the Department of Public Utilities on Jan. 29, 2019. It provides new tools for Mass Save and will give homeowners incentives to switch from oil and propane furnaces to electric heat pumps.

Education/training, outreach. Vigorously reach out to contractors and homeowners to generate awareness of the energy efficiency and low embodied energy materials and practices readily available to them. Facilitate access to all available State, Federal and utility incentive programs. These points are discussed in the first two bullet items in the new construction section.

By-right energy-saving improvements. Allow, by-right, the installation of energy-saving home improvements, such as vestibules, insulation wraps, solar installations, high efficiency heat pumps, and other measures.

Under the current zoning ordinance some energy-related improvements conflict with existing rules. Examples include the set-back requirements that may prevent adding vestibules to existing structures or adding exterior insulation to building envelope; or restrictions on roof solar installation in historic districts. Special permits required in such cases are a barrier to implementing these projects, and should be removed.

Newton should adopt an ordinance that allows energy saving home improvements under $15,000 to be installed by right. This recommendation is modeled on Somerville Zoning Overhaul17.


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Limitations on additions to existing homes. Require that additions that would increase the total area of a home do not increase the total energy use of the building. Require a HERS score of 25 or less for renovations and additions that add more than 250 sf to the house, and which require a special permit. In addition, require that total energy demand of the home does not increase, as measured by HERS score.

Newton homeowners add over 120 substantial additions to their homes every year. Because of the added floor space, and the associated added energy use, under current practice these additions are moving the city further away from its goals of reducing energy use and GHG emissions.

Substantial home additions are an opportune time to improve the building shell of the existing home; update and electrify the home’s heating, cooling, and ventilation systems; and optimize the energy performance of the new addition itself. Additions are also a time when homeowners have access to expert advice (from their engineers, architects, and contractors) and financing, and when the City has regulatory permit authority.

For these reasons, the City should require that the net impact of additions on the total energy consumption of the dwelling should not be greater – and preferably smaller – after the completion of the addition project. Any increase in the energy use resulting from the addition should be compensated by energy-efficiency improvements elsewhere in the structure.

Concentrate on the lowest performing homes. Focus on the homes with characteristics that suggest they are among the worst energy use performers. Reach out to those homeowners to encourage them to conduct energy audits followed by upgrades through the Mass Save Program. Help through education and analysis of available technologies, programs, subsidies, and cost-benefits. Provide staff to assist homeowners with options, analysis, and decision-making resources.

3.5 Recommendations in Action Ultimately, the goal of these recommendations is to make it easy and cost-effective for homeowners to switch to electric heat and undertake energy-efficiency projects. The following scenarios demonstrate how the individual recommendations come together to achieve these goals.

3.5.1 SCENARIO I

When their gas furnace fails, the owners of a typical Newton home call the HVAC company who has been servicing their furnace for the last 10 years.

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Upon inspection, the furnace repairman tells the owners that the furnace can be repaired, but the fix will be temporary and the furnace will need to be replaced very soon.

Not knowing much about furnaces, the homeowners google “replacing our furnace” and the first listing that comes up is the City of Newton’s site – “Replacing Your Furnace.” After reading through the information on the site, the homeowners still have questions, so they call the phone number provided on the site and a trained City representative schedules a call with them for the next day.

One of the major recommendations of that discussion calls for the homeowner to get a home energy audit before making a purchase because the size and cost of the furnace and the ongoing fuel costs can be reduced by as much as 25% through weatherization. A list of approved energy auditors makes it easy for the homeowner to move ahead with this. For this homeowner, the energy auditor finds that the house is in good shape overall, but by simply plugging air leaks they can reduce energy usage by 8%. The total cost for the project would be $2000, but Mass Save would pick up $1,500 of the total, meaning that the homeowner would pay only $500 for work that will save $200/year in energy costs.

With their newly retrofitted home, the homeowners go to the City website that will help them research and find a reliable, trustworthy electric heat contractor. They find that their current HVAC company is one of them and ask them for a proposal. In accordance with the Newton ordinance that an electric heat option must be considered as part of the permitting process to replace a furnace, the HVAC company, which has undergone training by the City on electric heat and installed several systems, provides two proposals, one for a gas furnace and the other for an electric heat pump.

The proposals themselves provide the homeowners with a complete picture of the costs of both systems including the installation costs, ongoing fuel costs, and the incentives and tax savings that the homeowner can expect from going electric.

Strictly based on the installation costs and the ongoing fuel costs, the gas option would be less expensive, costing $10,000 to install and $2,000 a year in fuel vs. $15,000 and $2,800 for the electric option. However, the estimated $900 annual property tax reduction due to GHG reductions (see Appendix A, Green Property Tax) and other incentives make the electric option slightly less expensive. Furthermore, in addition to providing heat, the central heat pump can also replace the home’s central air conditioning system. With one less piece

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of equipment to install and maintain, the decision to go electric becomes obvious.

3.5.2 SCENARIO II

A developer purchases an older, unrenovated 1,900 sf single-family home on a ½ acre lot in Newton Highlands for $970,000 with a plan to tear it down and replace it with a 3,900 sf. high quality modern home. With similar homes selling for $2.2M and estimated construction costs of $700,000 ($180 per sf), the developer can potentially make a profit of over $500,000.

Over the last several years, the developer has successfully built over a dozen homes in the area. Not wanting to change what has been a winning formula, she asks her regular architect to design a home for the property that is similar to the previous ones, including the use of gas heat and conforming to the Massachusetts HERS standard of 55.

The developer submits the plans to the City, and after reviewing them, the Plans Examiner meets with the developer to show her that under the City’s new green building plan, that the developer can actually make a little more money by changing the house to use electric heat and meet the Passive House standard.

The Plans Examiner explains that over the last year, nearly 20 new homes had been built to the Passive House standard (HERS 25) and outfitted with electric heat. While building to the PH standard added about 7% to the construction costs, the price premium these homes sold for more than made up for the difference.

In total, the electric heated Passive House would save the homeowner about $3,000 per year in energy costs:

● With City’s property tax plan, an emissions-free home would pay $2,300 per year less in property taxes.

● The annual cost to heat and cool a Passive House would come to under $1,000 vs. $1,700 for a HERS 55 house, a savings of $700 a year.

With the HERS rating, energy costs and property tax rates disclosed as part of the purchase process, the buyer could easily calculate that they could pay up to $70,000 more for the electric heated Passive House and still save money when compared to a similar HERS 55 property with gas heat.

With the house selling for $70,000 more and the Passive House only costing $50,000 more to build, the developer pockets an extra $20,000.

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3.6 Unresolved Issue This plan does not address the issue of increasing house sizes, which is pertinent to reducing GHG emissions. As shown in Appendix B, the average size of newly constructed houses in Newton has been increasing every year for several decades. Anyone driving though our city, especially in the southern part, will be struck by the growing number of 4000-5000 sf houses. The operating energy demand increases with house size, and so does the amount of carbon embodied in the building materials, so these mega-houses take us further away from the goals of this Plan.

Some may see the efforts to slow down or reverse this trend as an infringement on individual freedoms and consumer autonomy. We recommend that for the next update of this Plan the Newton community engages in a conversation about this issue.

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4 Transportation

As this document is being written in early 2019, transportation technology is undergoing rapid transformation, including the mainstreaming of electric vehicles for public and private use, the application of information technology to improve public transit, the introduction of autonomous vehicles, and the expansion of ride sharing opportunities. The lifestyle preferences and practical needs of younger people are also shifting toward less driving and less car ownership. It is therefore impossible to plan for the next 30 years with any measure of certainty. For that reason, this chapter, while keeping its gaze on the year 2050, makes recommendations initially for the next five years. We hope that five years out great strides in the electrification of all forms of transportation, and serious investments in new technology, make it worthwhile to revisit best practices and expectations for reductions in the transportation sector as a contributor to GHG emissions. In the near-term our strategy is to increase use of alternate forms of transportation and encourage the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). The conversion to EVs offers the greatest potential to reduce the City’s carbon footprint from transportation.

4.1 Goals and Rationale At 31% and nearly 300,000 tons of GHGs, private transportation is the largest single source of GHG emissions in Newton. Newton residents own nearly 58,000 cars,18 on average 1.7 cars per household. A typical Newton household

18 The number of Newton vehicles (56,661) and the average gas mileage, is obtained from MAPC Newton

Vehicle data set 2011-2014. This data set was filtered for only those cars registered to a Newton address. The number of annual new car purchases (6300 vehicles per year) was based on an average of values obtained from the Newton’s Assessors office. The average new car gas mileage was calculated from the fleet average mileage reported in the MAPC data base, considering that the change year to year was due to an increase in the mileage (e.g. mpg) from the new cars bought that year. The average car ownership period (9.2 years) is calculated from the total number of vehicles divided by the annual new car purchases.

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drives over 40 miles per day.19 This number has been relatively constant over the past six years. A large percentage of cars in Newton are gasoline-powered SUVs. In 2018 close to 70% of all vehicles purchases in Massachusetts were SUVs, light trucks and vans and most likely Newton is no different. These statistics explain the low average fuel economy in Newton: 23 miles/gal.20 According to MAPC approximately 5% of cars in Newton are hybrids (including plug-in hybrids) and 1% are battery electric.

The overall transportation goals for 2050 include:

x Replace most private, commercial and city vehicles powered by internal combustion engines (ICE), with electric vehicles (EVs), which will be charged with electricity generated by renewable sources. As we will show, the conversion of most vehicles to EVs is both feasible and the easiest and most cost-effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Newton.

x Reduce vehicle miles travelled (VMT) by private cars in Newton (and the associated energy consumption and GHG emissions) by 15%;

4.1.1 Transition to EVs

The first goal–transition from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EVs), which includes plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and battery driven cars (BEVs) -- has the greatest potential to reduce the City’s carbon footprint from transportation, with significant progress by 2030. The reasons are:

� Electric vehicles are approximately four to six times more efficient than Vehicles with IC engines (Figure 12), depending on vehicle type.

� This electric energy can be supplied from non-fossil-fuel-based, non-GHG-emitting sources of electricity (see Chapter 1, Introduction)

19 These estimates are based on Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles mileage data from odometer

readings during annual inspections: they include cars and other vehicles registered at Newton addresses. Through-traffic on the Massachusetts Turnpike, Route 128 and Rte. 9 is not included.

20 The exact percentages of SUVs, EVs and hybrids in Newton will be available from MAPC later in 2019. Current MA new and existing car vehicle distributions by type obtained from a compilation of data reported by Auto Alliance [https://autoalliance.org/in-your-state/MA/ ]. The mileage for new EV’s is obtained for models currently being purchased by Newton residents obtained from the MOR-EV data base.

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Figure 12: Comparison of Energy Efficiency of EV vs. ICE engines

Since the efficiency ratio of EV to ICE declines over time from approximately 6 to 3, the ratio used above is 4 for sedans and 2.7 for SUVs. For ICE it is assumed that fuel economy

increases owing to federal regulations.

Switching to Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Plug-in Hybrids (PHEV) can significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in the transportation sector, as shown below. Figure 13 shows the projected adoption rate of EVs between 2019 and 2050 under two scenarios: Business as Usual, (BAU) and Accelerated adoption of EVs. Figure 14 shows the GHG emissions from cars in Newton under the same two scenarios. The BAU scenario assumes that the adoption rate of EVs is driven only by overall market forces. In the accelerated scenario adoption of EVs is accelerated by adopting the recommendations in the Plan. Both scenarios build on the car purchasing behaviors of Newton residents (see Appendix C for details).

In the BAU scenario, the rate of adoption of EVs increases by 1% per year between 2020 and 2027, and after that by 3% per year. In the Accelerated scenario the rate of adoption increases by 1.5% per year between 2020 and 2024, and after that by 4% per year. These two figures show that in the Accelerated scenario EVs will represent between 10 and 20% of Newton cars between 2025 and 2028. They also show that in 2035 the Accelerated scenario will lead to 60% drop in GHG emissions, which is in accordance with the IPCC goals.

We estimate that the “critical mass” in adopting EVs is between 10% and 20% of all Newton vehicles. Until that point mostly the early adopters will purchase

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EVs. The early adopters are the individuals who are technology- or social standing-conscious residents, and for whom the current price differential between EVs and ICEs is not an obstacle. Most likely, the EV will be a second or third vehicle in that household. Once the critical mass is reached (between 2025 and 2028, as shown in Figure 13) most residents in Newton will become sufficiently familiar with EVs to consider buying them. These second-tier adopters are sensitive to the price differentials between ICE and EVs, which will decrease or possibly disappear by 2025.

Figure 13: Estimated Adoption Rate of EVs in Newton [as percent of private vehicles]

Figure 14: Impact of EV Adoption Rate on GHG Emissions

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In the Business-as-Usual scenario the market forces drive the transition to EVs, without interventions from the City (See Appendix C for details of the model).

The task of transitioning to an all-electric fleet in Newton is made easier by the following factors:

● Newton residents replace their automobiles about every 9.2 years [more often than average for the US (approximately every 12 years)]. Each year 11% of Newton vehicles are replaced. Each purchase event opens an opportunity to consider an EV. Between 2019 and 2050 all the private cars in Newton will be replaced more than 3 times.

● There are substantial federal tax credits (up to $7500, depending on the model) and state rebates ($2500) for EV purchases. Although their future is uncertain at the time of March 2019, strong support for these subsidies from car manufacturers, electric utilities and state government suggest that some types of subsidies will continue.

● Conversion to an EV can provide an economic benefit to consumers because of the greater EV efficiency, which could cut the cost of driving and maintaining the vehicle by half. Because vehicle charging often takes place during off-peak hours, the benefits are greatest if the utility charges less during off-peak hours. The economic benefits will depend on the relative prices of gasoline and electricity.

● The cost of EVs is trending downward and their travel range is increasing to the point where an EV’s driving range is comparable to that of a car with a full tank of fuel. Between 2010 and 2018 EV prices have gone down by 80% and by 2021 it is estimated that the cost will go down by 90% of the 2010 price21,22.

● The technology of EVs is improving very rapidly. It is widely forecast that technological changes in EVs during the next decade will greatly exceed those made during the preceding twenty years. This will result in longer driving range and continuing price declines.

● The variety of available EV models is rapidly increasing, and includes electric SUVs that are coming to the market at the time of this writing.

21 https://www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2017/09/18/the-future-of-electric-vehicles-in-the-u-s-part-

2-ev-price-oil-cost-fuel-economy-drive-adoption/#67192870345c); 22 https://about.bnef.com/electric-vehicle-outlook/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2017/09/18/the-future-of-electric-vehicles-in-the-u-s-part-2-ev-price-oil-cost-fuel-economy-drive-adoption/#67192870345c

https://www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2017/09/18/the-future-of-electric-vehicles-in-the-u-s-part-2-ev-price-oil-cost-fuel-economy-drive-adoption/#67192870345c

https://about.bnef.com/electric-vehicle-outlook/

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Since 70% of current new car purchases in Newton are SUVs, light trucks and vans, the availability of these types of models will be crucial.

● EV charging is becoming easier as the supportive infrastructure (charging stations, repair garages) are being put in place. Electric utilities are actively involved in this process. EVs can be fully recharged overnight on a home’s 120-volt/15-Amp circuit. With the more advanced charging technology currently available at Mass Turnpike plazas, the charging time can be shortened to 20 minutes.

● The interim technology in the form of plug-in hybrids (PHEV) is widely available and time-tested to alleviate concerns among more cautious drivers about new technologies, such as BEVs. At the time of this writing a minivan Chrysler Pacifica PHEV exemplifies the new model of large, fuel efficient, comfortable family car with an electric plug-in option.

● The trends and forecasts for EVs, nationally and internationally, indicate a robust growth in the adoption of EVs, (an upward curve rather than a linear trend). Some estimates predict that globally the market share of ICEs will go down from 70% in 2025 to 40% in 2030.

● Massachusetts state policy on transportation will emphasize de-carbonizing personal vehicles. The Governor’s Commission report The Future of Transportation in the Commonwealth recommends the goal of ending the sale of fossil-fuel cars and light trucks after 2040, and sets the stage for continued incentives for EV purchase. It also recommends a “Cap and Invest” plan modeled on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) with a fee collected on gasoline and invested in sustainable transportation, including EV charging and incentives to purchase EVs23. These state level policies will greatly help Newton in phasing in EVs.

Figure 15 shows the number of purchases of EVs and two types of PHEVs in Massachusetts between mid-2014 and early 2019. The growth rate for BEVs has been the fastest, especially in the second half of 2018. Based on the state’s MOR-EV incentive program, there is evidence that EV purchases are now “turning the corner” of the curve. This indicates that the strategic considerations described below are at a point where EVs will rapidly become acceptable by more than early adopters.

An indicator of the growing interest in EVs in Newton is the number of EV license plates. These license plates are voluntary “vanity plates”, so the actual number of EVs is most likely higher. The value of this data is that it shows the rate of growth, which is increasing (Figure 16).

23 https://www.mass.gov/orgs/commission-on-the-future-of-transportation

https://www.mass.gov/orgs/commission-on-the-future-of-transportation

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Figure 15: EV Purchases in Massachusetts

EV purchases in Massachusetts have accelerated since 2014, with BEVs leading the way. Growth is expected to continue to accelerate24,25

Figure 16: EV License Plates in Newton

The number of EV plates issued in Newton is on the rise. Because these plates are voluntary plates the

actual number of EVs is most likely higher than the numbers shown (Source: Newton Assessor’s Department)

24 Source: Massachusetts, Department of Energy Resources, Center for Sustainable Energy 25 https://mor-ev.org/program-statistics) (PHEV and PHEV+ refer to the battery capacity: <10kWh and

>10kWh, respectively)

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4.1.2 Reducing VMT

The second goal for the Transportation Sector—reducing VMT—will be achieved through improved public transportation and greater reliance on active mobility, such as walking and biking. The 2017 transportation strategy Newton in Motion provides a plan for achieving this goal26.

According to Newton in Motion, by 2040 Newton aims to reduce the percentage of car trips by commuters from the current 73% to 53% of total trips (Table 2).27 This amounts to a 27% reduction in vehicle miles travelled (VMT). This reduction will be achieved by increasing the number of trips by public transit from 13% to 23%, biking from 4% to 9% and walking from 1% to 6%. The Newton in Motion plan calls for improved public transit and biking/walking infrastructure, and for better information for Newton residents on the available options for individual trips. Pointing the way forward, many Newton residents already use alternative means of transportation.

Newton in Motion envisions an increase in walking, biking and using public transport, and a decrease in private car trips by commuters.

Table 2: Reducing Car Use in Newton

Commuting Mode 2017 2040

Automobile trips 73% 53%

Use Transit 13% 23%

Walk 4% 9%

Bike 1% 6%

Source Newton in Motion page 1-15

However, we estimate that more than half of the miles travelled within Newton each day are not associated with commuting, but rather with the mobility needs of everyday life: driving children to school and activities, shopping, visiting doctors, socializing, other leisure activities, and so on. Improving traditional public transit modes (buses and the T) as well as better bicycle and walking infrastructure will make little difference for these drivers. For these trips more innovation will be needed using personal platform IT technology (e.g. cell phones

26 http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/planning/lrplan/transportation_strategy.asp 27 Commuting trips are typically less than half the total number of trips a household makes, although they

tend to be the longest trips that people take; data for local trips are not available.

http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/planning/lrplan/transportation_strategy.asp

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and tablets) and possibly new types of technology (such as autonomous vehicles). These ideas will hopefully be tackled in the next iteration of the Climate Action Plan.

Assuming that less than half of the 40 miles driven daily by an average Newton household are associated with commuting in the Boston direction, we conservatively estimate that implementing the Newton in Motion recommendations will reduce total VMT in Newton by approximately 10% between now and 2050. With innovations in information technology and new types of public transport, we estimate that this number will go up to about 15% by 2050.

4.2 Strategy for EV transition The conversion of most vehicles to EVs is both feasible and the easiest and most cost-effective measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Newton. And there are many factors that can turn the current very low rate of EV ownership into a high one. But there are also formidable barriers to this transition.

4.2.1 Barriers ● Newton households, like the rest of Massachusetts and the country, like

large, heavy and energy demanding vehicles, and may not be attracted to the electric versions of these types of vehicles.

● At the present time most consumers are cautious about purchasing EVs, which are more expensive than ICE-powered vehicles and do not give the same driving range and ubiquitous and quick opportunities to refuel.

● Ownership of EV requires changes in daily routines. ● While dealers and car companies have developed greater market

awareness, for many reasons, they do not have significant incentive to push for strong growth of EV’s (since there is a smaller amount of service business which is a major profit center for dealers, and the sale engagement is more complex, reducing the benefit to sales staff).

For these reasons, in order for the transition to proceed at a rate necessary to meet the 2050 goals this process will require over the next 5 years a strategically designed facilitation on the part of the City and the activist community to accelerate EV/PHEV adoption.

4.2.2 Elements of the strategy

The Newton Citizens Climate Action Plan calls for the following strategy to accelerate the transition to EVs:

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● Take advantage of the periodic replacement of personal vehicles approximately every 9.2 years to encourage households to shift toward EVs and PHEVs.

● Incentivize conversions by advocating for rebates and tax credits at the state and federal level; and by favoring EVs for choice parking spots;

● Outreach and educate Newton residents by informing them about the tremendous potential of EVs to reduce GHG emissions in Newton, about EV technologies, prices, and availability of various subsidies.

● During the first several years of the EV campaign, focus on the following households: those with cars that are 7+ years old (using the Assessor’s data base); those that own hybrids, and owners of “sporty,” expensive, and technologically advanced cars.

● Negotiate with utilities to provide incentives for home charging stations, and possibly special rates (both in terms of distribution charges and energy charges, possibly through Newton’s municipal aggregation program).

● Remove the constraint posed by insufficient EV charging facilities away from home and in multifamily buildings by providing public charging stations and making the provision of charging facilities a condition for receiving special permits for new multifamily and commercial developments.

These efforts should be done in concert with a number of other cities and organizations. For example, the Green Energy Consumer’s Alliance (https://www.greenenergyconsumers.org/) has arranged special purchase rates with a number of dealers, and updates pricing available on a monthly basis. Other towns (Belmont, Weston, Wayland) have developed outreach programs that can be leveraged such as Mass Energize28. NGO’s have also developed programs such as those by Sierra Club, and Plug in America (https://pluginamerica.org/).

4.3 Specific Recommendations for EV Transition We have developed a detailed set of recommendations to help implement the EV strategy.

Make it easier to charge and park EVs and PHEVs. The City can do the following to ease difficulties parking and charging electric vehicles:

● Provide preferential parking for EVs at city lots and curbs in high density residential and business locations

28 https://www.massenergize.org/

https://www.greenenergyconsumers.org/

https://pluginamerica.org/

https://www.massenergize.org/

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● Expand the number of charging stations, placing them in highly visible location.

● Incorporate charging facilities into all new City managed solar canopies on municipal properties. Charging facilities should be incorporated in at least 15% of spaces beneath the canopies and parking in these charger-equipped spaces limited to EVs.

The City should not let cost stand in the way of installing charging stations. The free-standing charging facilities currently installed in Newton cost $26,000 each; they were financed with the money from the Volkswagen settlement. The marginal cost of adding charging facilities to the solar canopies will be similar per charging station. The City should pursue grant money for this purpose, but should also expend the resources necessary to reach an advantageous number of charging facilities.

● Require charging stations to be installed in all multi-unit residential buildings and large commercial buildings, enough to serve all the occupants. The City can use the special permit process for buildings 20,000 sf and larger as an implementation tool. In that respect, we follow the example of Somerville, MA, which, in its 2028 Zoning overhaul plan has provisions for greater access to charging stations.29

Lead by example. The City can set a good example by converting the municipal fleet to EVs as soon as possible. Members of Newton Citizens Commission on Energy should do the same.

Identify financial incentives for EV ownership. The current cost incentives for buying/leasing an EV or PHEV need to be extended at the state and federal level until the market will no longer need to be assisted. Newton should advocate strongly for these incentives to be continued.

Encourage EV conversion through campaigns, partnerships, advocacy and outreach. To encourage the adoption of EVs the City can pursue a variety of cooperative ventures including:

29 http://3pb8cv933tuz26rfz3u13x17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-

content/uploads/sites/2/2018/10/20181016-SZO-V3-Overview.pdf Accessory parking structures used for accessory parking must provide electrical capacity capable of supporting Level 2 EVSE to at least twenty-five percent (25%) of parking spaces, rounded up to the next whole number. Parking structures used for commercial parking must provide electrical capacity capable of supporting Level 2 EVSE to at least fifteen percent (15%) of parking spaces, rounded up to the next whole number, and at least five percent (5%) of parking spaces, rounded up to the next whole number, must have an operational Level 2 EVSE installed. EVSE capable of simultaneously charging two (2) vehicles is counted as two (2) Level 2 EVSE.

http://3pb8cv933tuz26rfz3u13x17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/10/20181016-SZO-V3-Overview.pdf

http://3pb8cv933tuz26rfz3u13x17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/10/20181016-SZO-V3-Overview.pdf

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● Partnerships with auto dealers to identify deals for EVs specific to City residents. Massachusetts Green Energy Alliance has negotiated such deals in the past. [add link] Partnering with EV manufacturers should also be explored by the City. Nissan, which currently offers a $5,000 rebate per vehicle if the City joins in their promotion, is an example to consider, but the downside of joining with a single manufacturer or dealer may not be advisable—being tied to one manufacturer can limit available choices and may weaken the City’s bargaining position.

● Partnerships with large employers, retailers and institutions to install charging stations

● Partnership with Green Newton to campaign for EVs and to organize an annual EV drive.

● Working with utilities to provide financial incentives to residents for fast charging stations, and discount electricity price for EV charging. A program of “giving back to the community” in exchange for greatly increased use of electricity should be explored.

● Conducting a city-wide marketing campaign to promote the benefits of EVs (economics, environmental and quality of life in Newton, such as quiet streets. Focus on the following households: those with cars that are 7+ years old (using the Assessor’s data base); those that own hybrids, and owners of “sporty,” expensive, and technologically advanced cars.

● On an ongoing basis, offer training, webinars, and workshops to increase the immediate impact of EVs.

● Advocate with the state legislature to extend and increase the state federal subsidies and incentives for buying EVs.

Track the progress of the EV transition. The City can monitor progress through the database of vehicles registered in Newton, which identifies the make, model, and year of each vehicle for assessing the excise tax.

4.4 Strategy for Public Transport and Active Mobility The key to the goal of reducing VMTs is reducing the total trips made in automobiles, especially those with single occupancy.

For Boston-bound commuters Newton has transit options that many cities in the U.S. could only dream of: two light rail lines (MBTA B and D lines), express buses, and the commuter rail. The use of MBTA public transit by commuters is limited by:

● Unfamiliarity with transit of many of our citizens, ● Limited access to the stations and express bus stops owing to limited

parking,

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● Distance from home to a transit stop, which for many residents is too large for walking.

Convenient and reliable cross-town service would be a major improvement in the ability of Newton residents to commute inbound on the Green Line and other MBTA services. But cross-town transit improvements would also serve some local trips, e.g. from home to village centers for dining and some shopping.

Strategy. The strategy for increasing use of public transit features two key elements:

● The pursuit of policies that increase the share of trips by public transit, ride pools and walking and cycling. That effort will require improving public transportation and active mobility infrastructure for commuters and non-commuters alike.

● Keeping track of, and taking advantage of, technological advances in communications, logistics, and car technologies in order to implement radical innovations in non-private car mobility.

4.5 Specific Recommendations for Public Transport and Active Mobility The specific recommendations for implementing the public transport strategy build partly on the Newton in Motion strategy prepared by the City and its consultant, completed in 2017 after extensive analysis and public outreach (Figure 17). Some of the recommendations listed below draw on that document.

Expand programs for seniors.

Expand the mobility programs for seniors, which the City is implementing at the time of this writing under a working name WiseWays/Newton, to all Newton residents. The new service provides an on-demand micro-transit service. Seniors can book a trip in real time with an app on their smart phone, by email or with a phone call. The system will create a route to pick up multiple passengers along the way. Prices are affordable. We recommend that all the cars used for this service be EVs, with an eye for adopting future technological advances. For example, it is possible that in several years these vehicles will be autonomous, thus saving a great deal of money for the city and making them widely accessible for all Newton residents.

Eliminate the first/last mile barrier

Partner with City of Boston to eliminate the “last mile” barrier to using public transportation by Boston-bound commuters. The last-mile issue refers to the

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challenge of getting commuters close to their destination to avoid having to drive. Boston is currently developing a plan for reducing the number of car trips entering the city, and should work with the surrounding communities with public transit connection to Boston to solve the “last mile” problem.

Improve local MBTA service on existing routes.

The key to increasing the use of public transportation is cross-town bus service that connects with the MBTA services to Boston. This will reduce the barrier caused by insufficient parking at Green Line and Commuter Rail stations and express bus stops. In particular, the 59 route stops at all the inbound rail and transit routes as well as village centers (Upper Falls, Newton Highlands, Newtonville, and Nonantum), shopping and restaurants on Needham Street and Four Corners, and the Newton City Hall and Newton Free Library. In addition, the 59 serves three major developments that are intended to be transit-oriented: Austin Street, Washington Place, and Marshall’s Plaza on Needham Street. The 52 bus serves Newton Centre and provides Green Line connections there.

The MBTA announced in January 2019 that route changes on the 59 bus route would be improved by consolidating split routes, resulting in better service on Needham Street where there is large potential ridership from apartment buildings and businesses. However, the overall schedule for the 59 Bus does not add service. Research shows that a 20-minute frequency is needed to induce more ridership. Beyond the tons of GHG directly saved, acceptably frequent bus service would – together with improvements that are planned on the Green Line – make transit ridership an important segment of all trips in Newton, and this allows independent travel by people who do not or cannot drive, for example older citizens, people with disabilities, and youth (who would otherwise be driven by parents).

The City should negotiate with the MBTA to provide 20-minute service on the 59 and 52 buses for their full length in Newton, and to extend service hours beyond 6:30 pm. This will capture a larger share of commuter trips, including both trips by employees working in Newton and Newton residents commuting to Boston and other inbound destinations.

Expand local services.

Expanded local services, through both the MBTA, the City, and public private partnerships will help to increase ridership.

● Expand local MBTA bus routes. Beyond improved service and longer hours on the existing MBTA bus routes, local service needs to be

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provided in other parts of the City like Auburndale and West Newton. Newton in Motion addresses these needs.

● Consider an on-demand ride service. A demand-responsive door to door service would be ideal, but would be very expensive for the City to operate. Some examples exist (like Acton’s MinuteVan shuttles that serve the commuter rail station and school campus), but they depend on grants and funding sources other than the municipal budget. As another example, The Ride, MBTA’s complementary paratransit service, is mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act, but it costs approximately $40 per trip on average. But a compromise scenario, with a public/private partnership offering on-demand ride pooling that might stop at main intersections, allowing access within walking distance of homes, and a wider range of destinations around Newton should be explored.

● Add fixed route shuttles extending service into underserved parts of Newton, such as Auburndale. In this recommendation we follow the example of Lexington, MA which has five fixed route shuttle loops connecting with the town center.

Promote biking and walking.

Continue with the progress made so far to accommodate and encourage biking and walking. Provide safety barriers for biking lanes; incentivize the bike share program participation by offering free rides to transit stops during rush hour; and in particular, promote biking and walking as ways to get to and from the stations and bus stops. Newton in Motion also includes strategies and recommendations for improving and increasing biking and walking in Newton. Biking and walking are key parts of providing “last mile” access to and from public transit, and they can serve many of the local trips taken by Newton residents. The recently introduced electric Lime bicycles is a strong step in the right direction.

Outreach.

Getting people to use non-automobile modes requires information and promotional outreach: uncertainty about these modes is a barrier to using them. The City has added a web page to Newtonma.gov that provides information on public transportation. Information on walking and biking should be consolidated with this page. Trip planning tools (e.g., Google Maps and the Transit app with realtime MBTA data) that were unavailable a few years ago now provide excellent information, not just for automobiles but also public transportation and walking. The Google Maps information is updated continuously to reflect any MBTA service disruptions, and a schedule explorer allows the user to choose the best service to get to a destination at the desired time. The walking mode provides distance and time estimates. The Transit app

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uses MBTA data to show the real time location of buses and trains and their arrival time at your stop and estimated time of arrival at your destination.

The City can promote increased use of these tools, and it can provide regular travel training at venues like the senior center and schools. An ongoing effort is needed to inform and encourage Newton residents to use public transportation, biking, and walking. Online and phone information resources should be made available by the City in the same manner that resources are dedicated to solid waste and recycling, but sharing information alone will not overcome barriers. Targeted outreach and incentives are necessary as well, with convenience an important consideration.

Address issues of cost. Address the issue of cost to riders by offering incentivizing discounts, free ridership times, free access for students and seniors, etc. to encourage use of public transit.

Continue with “complete streets” efforts. In recent years Newton has been implementing a ‘complete streets’ policy that accommodates biking and walking when major streets are reconstructed. The upcoming (in 2020-2022) reconstruction of Needham Street by MassDOT in coordination with the City will be a complete street. This policy should be applied to all major streets in Newton.

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Figure 17: Summary of recommendations from Newton in Motion.

4.6 Unresolved Issues This plan does not address the difficult yet very pertinent issue of SUVs. SUVs, which across the board have low fuel economy, represent approximately 70% of new car purchases in Newton. As a result, Newton’s average fuel economy is only 23 miles/gal. Replacing SUVs with sedans (preferably electric) would significantly reduce energy consumption, but to call for it might be viewed as an infringement on consumer autonomy. We recommend that for the next iteration of this plan Newton conducts a community-wide conversation about large vehicles like SUVs.

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5 Commercial Property Sector

This Chapter of Newton’s Citizens Climate Action Plan focuses on top priority strategies to pursue in the commercial sector in Newton. This chapter also lays out an implementation plan to support those strategies.

5.1 Overview/Background Newton’s commercial buildings are responsible for 25 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions. Of these emissions, about half are due to electricity use, and half are due to fossil fuel combustion in the buildings. These fuels are used primarily for space and water heating, as well as cooking.

In this section, we primarily address the choices that commercial building owners and builders make that impact on-site energy use and emissions. Therefore, the primary actions that Newton’s commercial and institutional building owners and developers can take, and where the City should focus its efforts, relate to energy efficiency and fuel choice in Newton’s buildings. The goal of this plan is to get building owners and builders to create well-sealed, well-insulated buildings with efficient zero-emission heating systems.

For the purposes of this chapter, we define commercial buildings, in accord with the International Energy Conservation Code, as anything that is not a detached one- or two-family dwelling, townhouse, or other residential occupancy three stories or fewer in height. That category includes large apartment or condominium buildings, commercial, institutional and municipal buildings are all included in this chapter. By using this definition our analysis and recommendations partially overlap with the Residential Sector chapter, which includes large apartment or condominium buildings. The two sets of recommendations are consistent with, and reinforce, each other. The present chapter provides a more detailed implementation plan regarding large residential buildings.

Non-Residential Property

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By addressing a transition of commercial vehicles from internal combustion to electric vehicles the present chapter also partially overlaps with the recommendations and implementation plan in Transportation chapter. The two sets are mutually consistent and reinforcing.

Newton is home to approximately 935 commercial buildings. Of these, over 800 are less than 50,000 square feet in size. However, just 31 of the city’s largest buildings and property owners cumulatively control half of the commercial square footage (Figure 18).

Figure 18: Histogram of Newton Commercial Building Sizes

Area [million ft2]

Number of Organizations

Portion of large building area

Large For Profit 6.2 23 47%

Large Nonprofit 6.0 7 45%

City (large bldg.) 1.1 1 8%

Sub-total 13.3 31 48% [of total commercial building area]

Total Commercial 27.6


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New commercial construction will likely generate the largest differences in Newton’s built environment within the next two decades. Developments at Riverside, along Needham St., and along Washington St. could produce the lion’s share of Newton’s additional housing units and commercial and retail space. These developments are not yet set in stone. Therefore, establishing expectations soon regarding the performance of these buildings will help to keep new buildings’ owners, and the City, from locking in infrastructure that would be out of date and need to be retrofit within a decade or two.

5.2 Strategy and Outcome Overview This Plan calls for the following strategies for reducing energy demand and GHG emissions in the commercial sector:

● For all existing building stock: o The City should set a goal of reducing emissions from existing

commercial buildings by 50 percent or more by 2030; o The City, led by the Mayor and with the assistance of the

NCCE and our electric and gas utilities, should convene as many of the large property owners as possible into a “green ribbon commission” or other process to share best practices, learn the state of the art, set measurable and ambitious targets, measure their progress, and hold each other accountable;

o The City should establish a building energy benchmarking and disclosure program so building owners, tenants, and the public at large can evaluate the energy performance of Newton’s existing commercial buildings; and

o The City should facilitate building owner and tenant participation in utility energy efficiency programs.

● For all new construction and gut renovations: o The City’s planning and zoning staff should use the special

permit process to encourage developers to build structures that are very efficient and all-electric. The City Council should set policy expectations that the goal is Passive House standards, with the very low energy use intensities published by the model Zero Code30 as fallback levels.

o The City Council should harness the ongoing zoning reform process to build a consistent and compatible vision for Newton that reduces building and transportation emissions, encourages

30 The ZERO Code is a national and international building energy standard for new building

construction that integrates cost-effective energy efficiency standards with on-site and/or off-site renewable energy resulting in zero-net-carbon buildings.

http://architecture2030.org/zero-net-carbon-a-new-definition/


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the use of public transit and other modes that reduce traffic and congestion, and aligns with the city’s values.

o The City Council should establish an expectation that no new buildings constructed after 2025 will use fossil fuels on-site.

o The Mayor, NCCE, and City departments should work with the state government and partner cities to advance a state building code that is compatible with and enhances these goals.

o The above strategies reflect the Green Building Principles developed by Green Newton as criteria for evaluating the merits of large development projects seeking special permits. The City should formally adopt the Guidelines as a framework for negotiating with developers.

The strategies and goals for the commercial sector are summarized

in Figure 19 and Table 3.

Figure 19: Summary of Commercial Buildings Goals

5.3 City-Utility Partnership Many cities engage directly with their utilities to improve the delivery of energy efficiency programs to their residents and businesses and to support their sustainability initiatives. This contact can benefit both cities and utilities. Cities gain additional resources to help meet their energy goals, while utilities achieve greater customer satisfaction and higher program participation and energy savings to further their policy objectives. The options for these partnerships range from formal funding agreements to informal marketing and outreach promoting energy efficiency programs. In addition to providing financial support for community efforts, utilities can offer access to energy usage data, technical expertise and support for energy

•Formation of Green Ribbon Commission for large buildings•Benchmarking Ordinance•City-Utility partnership for smaller

commercial buildings

Existing Buildings

Quantitative Goal: 50% reduction in energy use

•Harness special permitting process to achieve high reduction levels •City level advocacy for zero energy codes

New Construction

Quantitative Goal: Zero Energy Buildings, all

electric


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management strategies, and support for the development of an energy efficiency workforce.

The City of Newton should work collaboratively with Eversource (for electric) and National Grid (for gas) to create a formal partnership through a signed MOU that covers the following aspects of the CCAP goals as described in the table below:

● Enhanced energy efficiency in commercial buildings ● Transportation ● Data sharing needs


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Table 3: Strategies for City-Utility Partnership

Strategy Type of Support

New Buildings

Align special permitting resources with more stringent energy efficiency targets going beyond code that match with utility incentives. Work closely with utility to minimize documentation to support city permit and utility incentives

Small Existing Buildings

Prioritize, using utility data, community level targeting. Work closely with chamber of commerce/utility for joint programs.

Green Ribbon Commission support for large existing buildings

City and utility to identify top buildings to participate in green ribbon commission. Utility to develop individual MOUs with each large participating building and identify energy reduction goals. City staff to keep track of all partnerships and progress.

Benchmarking Support

Work with utility data to target and evaluate energy efficiency initiatives. Reward commercial owners who receive the most efficient ratings. Identify cost sharing for ‘training’ city staff and commercial facility managers to input benchmarking data.

Marketing Create joint education materials with utility to promote EE and EVs in City of Newton.

Improve access to utility data

Leverage existing data sharing platforms to provide digital energy data and develop clear guidelines for data sharing between city and utility.

Engage in joint efforts to provide aggregated whole building data to owners for better energy targeting.

Electric Vehicles

Work closely with Eversource to align its EV goals with the City’s goals for EVs. Work together to identify what type of support Eversource can provide in terms of charging stations and enhanced incentives to residents for EVs

5.4 Specific Recommendations for Existing Buildings In order to meet the City’s emission reduction goals, emissions from Newton’s existing commercial buildings must be reduced 50 percent or more


59 59

by 2030. That will require both increases in efficiency and a transition to efficient electric heating options. While new construction will be more efficient than Newton’s existing buildings, most of the commercial buildings that will exist in Newton in 2050 are already built—and even more-so for 2030. Therefore, Newton must engage with the owners of the city’s commercial and institutional buildings and help them make the right decisions as they invest to increase the performance and upgrade the heating systems in these structures to achieve the 50 percent goal.

5.4.1 Green Ribbon Commission ‘lite’/2030 District

Newton’s existing commercial and institutional building owners range from small businesses that own a single building, to large institutions and real estate firms that own and operate entire campuses or portfolios of commercial and multi-family real estate. A small number of building owners control a majority of Newton’s commercial building square footage. The City must engage with these building owners to improve the energy performance of their buildings. By 2050, these buildings should be zero-emission buildings, but interim targets and a collaborative approach can accelerate actions. We recommend that the Mayor convene representatives from each of Newton’s large building owners (including the City itself) and challenge them to cut GHG emissions from their buildings in half, or more, by 2030. The City should provide technical and administrative support to a collaborative of these building owners to share best practices, learn from leaders, and challenge each other to do better.

This effort could take the form of an ongoing “green ribbon commission” as has been used in Boston, and Newton could also create a “2030 District” to tap into a private-sector led national network of commercial building leaders. As stated on the 2030 District web site31, “2030 Districts are led by the private sector, with local building industry leaders uniting around a shared vision for sustainability and economic growth – while aligning with local community groups and government to achieve significant energy, water, and emissions reductions within our commercial cores.”

Analysis of Newton’s commercial properties over 100,000 square feet in size, reveals that 31 organizations account for 50% of the commercial area (Table 4).

31 http://www.2030districts.org


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Table 4: Breakdown of Large Properties

Area [million ft2]

Number of Organizations Percent of Total

Commercial 6.2 23 22% Non-profit 6 7 22% City 1.1 1 4% Sub-total 13.3 31 48% Total Commercial 27.6

A more detailed breakdown of commercial and non-profits reveals possible subgroups that are likely to face similar issues (Table 5).

Table 5: Detailed Breakdown of Large Properties

Use Type Area [million ft2]

Number of Organizations

Academic 5.1 5 Office 3.0 11 Apartments 1.3 5 Retail 1.4 5 Newton City (4 largest bldgs)

1.1 1

Hotel .5 2 Other non-profit .9 2

One way to divide these areas up might be in 3 clusters (Table 6).

Table 6: Breakdown by Building Types

Cluster Percent of Large Buildings Number of Organizations Academic 40% 6 Office 20% 11 Apartment & Hotel 15% 9

The Mayor should begin this process by inviting the leaders of these organizations to participate; and to designate individuals from their organizations, who will be responsible for building performance, to attend a kickoff meeting. Even if participation is not universal from the beginning, the first set of participants can develop the group’s framework, set goals, and share best practices. The City should ask each organization to set goals consistent with the City’s climate targets and identify the funds they will use to meet those goals. Combined with the benchmarking and disclosure recommended below, the group can identify leaders, and those requiring more assistance in meeting their goals. Two organizations with a large presence in Newton are already part of the Boston Green Ribbon commission (Boston College and the parent organization of Newton Wellesley Hospital), so might be willing to share what they learned in that process.


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As this group evolves, it should also develop partnerships with utility efficiency programs (for which it serves as a promising environment to identify program participants), as well as other business organization such as the Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce and Innovation District.

Implementation Plan for the City ● 2019: Mayor's office to convene a formal 'green ribbon commission'

with at least the city’s top 10 largest commercial property owners. o City and NCCE to finalize the list of large commercial

properties to target o NCCE and City to Conduct kick-off meeting with utility and top

commercial owners o City and NCCE to develop preliminary partnership goals with

utilities. Use 2030 District standards as a model to develop group goals

● 2020-2025: Keep track of progress through quarterly meetings with utility and participating owners. Provide guidance to financing tools to enhance deeper savings.

● City to develop an internal tracking system to track progress, coordinated with the benchmarking and disclosure program.

● Annually: Generate rewards for top performing properties. Identify additional properties to invite to join the commission.

5.4.2 Benchmarking and Disclosure

Newton’s commercial building owners and tenants should be able compare the energy performance of their buildings with similar buildings in Newton and elsewhere. To that end, Newton should require commercial buildings over a certain size threshold to report their energy use through Energy Star Portfolio Manager. The size threshold for mandatory annual reporting should start high (e.g. 50,000 square feet in a single building or campus) and fall on a known schedule until energy use in all buildings over 5,000 square feet is regularly reported and benchmarked. This kind of annual benchmarking and reporting requirement has been used in cities across the country (Figure 20), and is creating a national dataset for benchmarking and comparison.

US Department of Energy (DOE) funding is currently available to support local governments on benchmarking initiatives through the local Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) in the following ways:

● Meeting with city government officials or key stakeholders to understand the community’s vision and needs


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● Providing presentations to the different stakeholder groups (community members, town government officials, etc.) on topics including overviews of other city policies, impacts benchmarking policies have on the community, what to do with the data, and others. o See the benchmarking dashboard for impacts of policies around

the region. ● Drafting of model policies tailored to the specific needs of a

community o Example: South Portland’s policy is specific to a business

district in the City and will be rolled out to the entire community in the future

● Developing “How to Comply” guides or other supporting materials for the community, building owners, and others.

● Assisting with fitting benchmarking policies into the broader landscape of a town’s energy/carbon reduction goals.

Figure 20: Institute for Market Transformation Inventory of Government Policies

As part of the benchmarking effort, the Mayor should present annual awards to the best performing and most improved buildings in the City. The City and utility efficiency programs could also use the benchmarking data to identify buildings in particular need of assistance.

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fneep.org%2Fbenchmarking-dashboard%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cpvohra%40slipstreaminc.org%7C4d31bfb995a94bec7b2508d68dd87481%7C14e9186db92e4c6db3d654b54c168413%7C1%7C1%7C636852358153928417&sdata=hhWKWqXH92mwvULFaTgg6jLl81UFhXcx4uVk1Vp8%2F88%3D&reserved=0


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Implementation Plan for the City ● 2019: Lay the groundwork:

o NCCE and City staff work with NEEP and city stakeholders to craft a benchmarking and disclosure ordinance tailored to Newton’s needs;

o Pass the ordinance by late 2019; o Apply for DOE funding to support development and

implementation. ● 2020:

o Budget for the remaining funding required to launch the program;

o Require energy use reporting from buildings over 50,000 square feet;

o Mayor awards first “City Star” awards to top performing large buildings.

● 2021-2025: o Expand requirements to smaller buildings; o Annual awards for highest performance and most improved

buildings.

5.5 Specific Recommendations for New Construction and Gut Renovations

For new buildings and gut renovations, the City can take advantage of permitting and zoning processes on the local level; and advocate for more stringent energy codes at the state level.

5.5.1. Use the permitting and zoning processes to encourage very high performance in new buildings

Newton has the authority to require developers to meet certain conditions in the context of special permits. Developers require special permits if they will be building a structure that is not allowed by right. According to the City of Newton website, special permits are always required for multi-family housing and larger commercial projects.32 Newton should assertively use the special permit process to achieve conditions that get all new buildings and gut renovations as close as possible to the goal of Passive House levels of energy use, and meet that demand with all-electric systems. This goal may not be achievable for all new buildings today, although it is already achievable for most. In particular, there are numerous regional examples of

32 http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/planning/current/sppermits/default.asp

http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/planning/current/sppermits/default.asp


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multi-family all-electric Passive House buildings that offer quiet, high indoor air and environmental quality, and very low energy and emission intensity.

To the extent that Passive House performance is not achievable, City staff should at least strive to ensure that all buildings that require special permits meet the energy use intensity targets established for our climate zone in the model “Zero Code”. The Zero Code is a recognized model code that sets achievable levels of performance for buildings such that the remaining demand can credibly be met with affordable renewable energy, to produce net zero buildings. Part of this code establishes a set of required performance factors that take the form of building-use-specific improvements over the energy use intensity performance of a baseline building that meets the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2016. In our climate, the required levels are about a 40 percent improvement over the baseline building.

The energy requirements of Newton’s special permitting process should not be used to discourage development here. Instead, this process should also seek conditions that lower transportation energy use through reduced parking and greater walkability and connections to public transit. New construction that is accessible by transit in Newton generally displaces construction further out in Boston’s sprawl that is not as transit-accessible.

To ensure that buildings are actually built to the level required, and perform at that level over time, Newton’s Buildings Department should ensure that all new buildings track and report their energy use to the benchmarking and disclosure system in order to get their Certificate of Occupancy. This data will enable Newton to explore the use of an “outcome based” or “performance-based” approach to building energy requirements.

To prepare the construction industry in Newton and surrounding municipalities for the need to build very-high-performance buildings, eventually achieving Passive House across all building types, Newton should establish an official trajectory of increasingly stringent expectations. A three-year cycle of tighter and tighter expectations would coincide with the three-year cycle on which the model International Energy Conservation Code is updated, and on which Massachusetts updates its state code. Newton could model its approach on the Zero-Energy Performance Index (zEPI) scale to gradually build toward net zero standards (Figure 21).


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Figure 21: Zero Energy Performance Scale

(Source: Modified 2015 International Green Construction Code (IGCC), https://shop.iccsafe.org/2015-international-green-construction-coder-igccr-43415.html)

Any new building built with fossil fuel infrastructure will require extensive, and potentially expensive, retrofits to meet necessary emissions goals. While nearly every commercial or residential building designed and built today could cost-effectively achieve zero on-site emissions through all-electric construction, it may be premature to require such an approach today. However, Newton should set developer and building owner expectations today to plan for a fossil-fuel free future—by 2025, no new commercial building in Newton should be built with fossil fuel infrastructure, like natural gas connections and combustion heating systems.

It is already technically and economically feasible to heat many types of new commercial buildings with all-electric systems. Many commercial buildings require more cooling than heating capacity, even in our climate, due to internal loads from computers, lights, and occupants. Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) and other types of heat pump systems provide heating and cooling, and can even move heat from sources within buildings (like server rooms) to other places in the building that require heating, without drawing on the outside air.

The northeast and other cold climates have seen numerous examples of high-performance electrically-heated offices, schools, multifamily housing, and restaurants built over the last 15 years. These buildings can use either ground-source or air-source heat pumps.

https://shop.iccsafe.org/2015-international-green-construction-coder-igccr-43415.html

https://shop.iccsafe.org/2015-international-green-construction-coder-igccr-43415.html


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By setting a future date certain, Newton allows building developers, architects, building trades, and potential tenants to develop the skills and familiarity with technologies and building and design practices necessary to build all-electric buildings.

Implementation Plan for the City ● 2019:

o The City Council should adopt an explicit goal of Passive House and all-electric construction for new buildings to guide City staff as they negotiate with those seeking special permits. City Council should pair this goal with a trajectory of energy use expectations, beginning with the Zero Code levels and updating every three years toward net zero by 2030.

o The City should use its ongoing zoning update process to maximize the beneficial energy and climate benefits of developments in Newton. Link requests for new gas line connections to special permitting and the trajectory of the code cycle in future, with 2030 as end goal.

● 2020: o Buildings Department should require new buildings to

participate in the City’s benchmarking and disclosure program in order to get a Certificate of Occupancy.

5.5.2. Advocate for a stringent state energy code

Newton has the authority to adopt its own building code. However, that code would need state approval, which would be difficult to obtain and would likely not be worth the effort. Instead, Newton should advocate for the state’s baseline and stretch energy codes to be as aggressive as possible, as soon as possible. For example, the state’s stretch code should require net-zero-carbon construction for all new commercial buildings by 2030. Newton should also work together with other municipalities and advocates to push for state approval of a model net zero or all-electric energy code that these cities and towns could adopt if the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) does not move quickly enough toward a zero net carbon requirement in the stretch code.

Implementation Plan for City ● 2019:

o City staff and Commission members should participate in the voting process for the update to the International Energy Conservation Code.


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● 2020-2021: o City leaders should advocate to their state counterparts for a

stringent state building code and stretch code for the 2022 cycle. o If state leaders are reluctant to lead, NCCE and City staff should

identify partners in other municipalities to join in advocacy and consider developing a separate code to bring to the state building authorities for approval.

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6 Implementation

There is no magic bullet for reducing GHG emissions. Neither carbon pricing nor building large windfarms in New England, while absolutely necessary, are enough to facilitate a transition to a different housing stock, to different institutional and commercial buildings, and to alternative mobility modes and technology. Cities are in the best position to foster these kinds of changes because of their ability to interact with, and provide incentives for, the affected citizens.

The CCAP lists more than three dozen recommendations for actions, described in Chapters 3 to 5 of this report. They will, in aggregate, lead to significant reductions in energy demand and GHG emissions from the residential, commercial and transportation sectors in Newton. Such a large number of actions is necessary because of the complexity of the challenge. It will take a variety of incentives, rules, and outreach, partnerships, education programs, and technical support to help Newton residents and businesses retrofit their buildings, transition to electric homes and cars, and to leave their cars at home. It will take a variety of incentives, rules, outreach, education programs, partnerships, and technical support to help contractors and developers adopt cutting edge construction methods and equipment. In this section we envision the future that successful implementation will bring; highlight the highest priority items, which should be implemented immediately to achieve that vision; outline the City’s role; discuss the necessary resources and their sources; and recommend a way to start the process.

6.1 Envisioning Newton’s Future Newton is not acting in isolation to combat climate change. Our City is part of a region that is generally committed to preventing the worst consequences of climate change. Our future vision is not that of living in dark cold houses or chasing the construction industry away. Rather, it is a vision of a thriving

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city with high quality housing stock, less traffic congestion, quiet streets, cleaner air, and civic pride in what we will have accomplished together.

At least once over the next 30 years, every family in Newton will change their heating system, replace the family car two or three times, replace a roof, and in many cases paint their house, change siding, build an addition or remodel. When these moments of taking action come, two choices are before us: one is to continue business as usual and stay on the current trajectory of increasing GHG emissions and climate catastrophe. The other choice is to forge a new trajectory that has a reasonable chance of bringing us to carbon neutrality by 2050. Our extensive research and analysis, conducted over the past six months, suggests that the alternative path is entirely feasible. Once we are on that trajectory, the decisions about the heating system, roof, addition, car, place to live, will become self-evident.

Newton needs to achieve a culture-shift, both within the City operations and in the community, which will make it feasible to meet our goals during the timeframe required. This is no small task. We cannot simply dictate what will happen; individuals will be called upon to set different priorities and embrace change. A robust ongoing communications campaign will move us forward, and the City of Newton will need to invest the resources and expertise to bring this about by drawing on advanced methods of communication, including social media.

Our Citizens Climate Action Plan calls for residents and businesses in Newton to make substantial upfront investments for a carbon-free future. Over time, these investments will pay for themselves in savings on energy bills, higher building resale values, and a better business environment. The overall improvement in the quality of life in Newton will also take place. With electric vehicles and reduced vehicle miles travelled the streets will be quieter, less congested and less polluted with such unhealthy air contaminants as ozone, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and fine particles; indoor air quality will also improve when the combustion of natural gas for cooking is eliminated. Individuals with asthma will greatly benefit from these changes. And over time the likelihood of accidents such as the 2018 gas explosions in Lawrence and Andover will disappear.

Achieving carbon neutrality will not always be smooth or straight-forward, and will certainly require course corrections along the way. But without having the ultimate goal before us at all times, we will never achieve it. For that reason, there is no such a thing as 5-year or 10-year plan. There is only a 30-year plan with milestones and interim goals at shorter time intervals. But the next two years are critical for setting the right course and preparing the groundwork for the next ten years.

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6.2 Priority Actions During 2019 the City needs to develop a detailed implementation plan. In order to set that plan on a trajectory toward carbon neutrality we identified nine top recommendations that should be implemented immediately. These were selected by applying the following criteria:

9 Magnitude of GHG emissions reduction 9 Technical feasibility 9 Market adoptability: likelihood that residents, businesses,

and stakeholders can be mobilized to adopt necessary changes and take action

9 Importance in laying the groundwork for further major impact activities

These recommended actions are meant to be applied in tandem. For example, putting in place incentives for homeowners to implement energy retrofits needs to be combined with technical support that the Technical Support Services are intended to provide. In another example, establishing preferred parking spaces for electric vehicles needs to be combined with a campaign for electric vehicles, which will help Newton residents to make their EV purchases.

The top eight recommendations are listed below:

1. Create an office of Technical Support Services to help residents, construction professionals, developers and businesses to access information about best practices, costs and benefits, technological options, navigating permitting requirements, government subsidies, and emerging new trends and technologies in the areas of buildings and electric vehicles. Allocate the necessary staff.

2. Adopt a powerful financial incentive for energy retrofits and electrification in the residential sector in the form of a Green Property Tax initiative. This initiative would reward homeowners who reduce their greenhouse gas emissions at no cost to the City (see Appendix A for details).

3. For the commercial sector, create a Green Ribbon Commission composed of the largest property owners in the City. Encourage them to develop their own CAPs, and to share best practices, learn the state-of-the-art, set measurable and ambitious targets on a path to carbon neutrality by 2050, measure their progress, disclose and benchmark energy performance of their properties, and hold each other accountable.

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4. Form an EV taskforce to conduct a city-wide marketing/outreach campaign to promote the benefits and encourage the purchase of EVs. The campaign would cover the economics; environmental benefits; and the impact, such as quieter streets, on the quality of life in Newton. The City would partner with Green Newton to organize educational events and test drives.

5. Transition in stages to requirements for all new construction to meet Passive House performance standards. Starting in 2019 require that all new construction that calls for special permits performs at a PH standard for energy use per square foot and is fully electrified. Starting in 2022 require a PH performance level and full electrification of all built-by-right new construction and gut renovations. Require substantial efforts to reduce embodied carbon in all new construction. Benchmark and publish the energy performance of all buildings, including large commercial and mixed-use, and private residences. Begin immediately with publishing all HERS ratings on file since 2010 in assessor data base records.

6. Make it easier to park EVs and PHEVs. Provide preferential parking for EVs at city lots and curbs in high density residential and business locations. These spots will serve largely to raise awareness of and break down psychological barriers around EVs and PHEVs.

7. Evaluate and expand WiseWays/Newton, the mobility program for seniors, which the City is implementing at the time of this writing in early 2019, to cover all Newton residents. Require that all vans be powered by electricity. This system might provide first/last mile connections to public transportation hubs.

8. Advocate at the state level and with utilities for stricter building codes, more rigorous energy efficiency programs, disclosure of building energy performance, and subsidies for EVs and PHEVs.

6.3 Tracking Progress The ultimate outcomes of the actions recommended in this plan will be decreases in energy use and GHG emissions. However, tracking the progress of each action in terms of GHG emissions reductions may be impractical. That is because within each sector -- residential, transportation, and commercial -- multiple actions need to be taken simultaneously to achieve significant progress in GHG reductions, and therefore the outcomes cannot be linked to any specific actions. Furthermore, during the first 5 years the GHG reductions will be rather slow, very much within the error margin of the GHG emission inventory.

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For that reason, progress in the CCAP needs to be tracked by following the outputs related to specific recommendations. Examples of such outputs include: adoption rate of electric vehicles, adoption rate of Passive House building Certifications, number of Mass Save energy audits completed and energy reduction recommendations implemented; number of fossil fuel heating systems replaced with electric heat pumps powered with renewable energy.

At the same time, bi-annual updating of the GHG emissions inventory needs to continue. It will give us an overall assessment of progress toward the 2050 goals, provide feedback on the effectiveness of actions underway, and create the basis for course corrections. To account for population growth or decline in Newton over the next 30 years, we recommend using tons of GHG emissions per capita as a common metric.

6.4 The City’s Role The CCAP is a community plan; residents and businesses and institutions have the primary responsibility for making changes in their mobility modes, buildings and homes. The role of the municipality is to help Newton residents, businesses and institutions to get off the current business-as-usual trajectory and adopt a new path leading to carbon neutrality. The City can do that by:

● Providing financial incentives for residents, developing regulations, educating the public;

● Providing necessary resources and personnel to develop and manage the efforts discussed herein;

● Reducing barriers to adopting GHG emission reduction measures; ● Improving access to information, providing subsidies, incentives,

resources, and logistical support; ● Adopting new ordinances and modifying existing ones; ● Measuring and monitoring progress and holding people accountable; ● Advocating at the community, regional, and state levels; ● Adapting administrative procedures and conduct within the daily

business at City Hall, including: building permitting; interactions with homeowners; planning and development operations;

● Requiring consideration of GHG impacts when reviewing all major initiatives and projects across City departments;

● Affecting institutional changes aimed at incorporating the topic of GHG emissions and energy use in all major projects and ordinances, and in the daily operations of the executive branch.

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6.5 Resources The overwhelming majority of the cost of implementing CCAP will be borne by the residents, institutions, and businesses in Newton. The cost to the City will be primarily in the staff time for Technical Support Services and for developing several new policies and procedures we recommend. The job ahead will require more work to be carried out than can be handled by the current two co-directors of Newton’s Sustainability Office. We call on the City to match the investments made by Newton residents, institutions and businesses by increasing the human resources necessary to perform this job.

Newton may consider following the example of the City of Cambridge to generate the necessary additional funds. In its electricity aggregation contract Cambridge has an “adder” of 0.2 cents per kWh toward energy conservation projects. This “tax” generates $1.2 million annually. When Newton’s Power Choice contract comes up for renewal in 20 months the City may consider following the Cambridge example. Newton has also been very successful in obtaining grants for various climate-related projects, and we trust that the City will continue with these efforts. Finally, it is worthwhile to discuss with the utilities some form of partnership and cost sharing for the Technical Support Services

In addition to the above financial resources, Newton has access to non-material resources: the experiences and creativity of other communities also addressing the climate issue, both in Massachusetts and beyond. These are priceless resources that expand and grow richer every day, from cooking parties on convection stoves, to new techniques for retrofitting houses, to ordinances requiring solar installations on all large commercial roofs, to ordinances that leverage the investments homeowners often make before putting their houses on the market (currently under consideration in Cambridge). The new staff members in the Sustainability Office should keep track of these developments and learn from them.

6.6 How to Begin? We have developed a set of recommendations that, when implemented can achieve our GHG emission reduction goals. To begin the process, we recommend that over the next three months the City engage the services of an organizational consultant who will translate our ideas and recommendations into a workplan within the context of Newton’s governance system and organizational chart. The consultant will investigate the internal capacity of City departments and City leadership, and make suggestions on how best to organize and use the existing talent. The consultant will write a job description for the leader of the overall climate

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implementation plan, and will make recommendations for additional staffing.

We also recommend engaging the services of a communications consultant to develop, as soon as possible, a plan for driving the adoption of electric vehicles in Newton and to help the Newton community to come together around the implementation of this plan.

These small immediate up-front investments will have a huge payback, paving the way to meeting our goals and improving the overall quality of life in Newton.

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APPENDICES

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A Real Estate Efficiency Program Initiative

Newton has opportunities to encourage Newton property owners both to make their buildings more energy efficient and to use them in more self-sustaining ways. This appendix presents a homegrown initiative, called the “Accelerated Real Estate Efficiencies Program (REEP)”. Its primary objective is to encourage private investments in efficiency totaling $100 million or more during the next 10 years.

Overview The NCCE recommends that a specific Newton initiative, the “Accelerated Real Estate Efficiencies Program (REEP)”, be adopted by ordinance in order to create strong financial incentives for Newton residents to upgrade the energy performance of their homes. The program extends Newton’s current taxation procedure by further adjusting the annual calculation of the tax levy per parcel to reward each resident-owned property for achieving ever greater energy efficiency.

Under existing authorities, REEP mathematically derives a distribution of all properties’ measured energy consumption and offers a graduated schedule of financial credits to owners emitting the lowest amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Since credits are earned relative to all other Newton properties in a given year, the incentives are self-adjusting as owners achieve improvements. NCCE anticipates REEP will encourage private investment of between $100 million and $125 million, during the next 10 years, in improvement projects designed to reduce domestic residential energy consumption.

NCCE believes this initiative can be accomplished with no increase in cash costs incurred by the City of Newton and requiring nothing from the Commonwealth. NCCE models predict that REEP impels enough change to achieve or exceed the CCAP goal of 20% reduction in energy consumption in the residential sector by 2050.

Appendix A: REEP

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Background Sub-par Average Quality: New household formation in New England is slower than in the rest of the United States33. Anecdotal and broad statistical data34 suggest that the quality of existing housing stock and structures in retail and light industry use in the Northeast is older and renovated less often than elsewhere in the United States. Employers have had to compensate both for the perception of and fact of lower quality of available housing stock and the fact of higher expenses, when seeking to attract skilled workers to the region. And at least the perception of under-investment in upkeeping existing properties contributes to and drives the eventual rate of tear-down and replacement building on the same site.

Obscured Distinctive Value: In general, sellers and buyers of properties are free to transact purchase and sale agreements fairly. When weighing alternatives, buyers increasingly inquire about the energy efficiency of a building and its annual heating and cooling costs in price negotiations. One of the recommendations of this Plan (chapter 3) is to elevate this key piece of information by driving for a disclosure of energy efficiency of the house at the point of sale. However, in Newton, the energy efficiency of a building can be both difficult to determine and to compare to other properties for sale. Per project or per property case studies are used by successful proponents of more efficient real estate purchases35. However even then, a consistent metric of building efficiency is not readily available to buyers, nor available for use by sellers in promoting the virtues of structure(s)/dwelling on their properties. And while the calendar age of a building may serve as a proxy for such missing-but-otherwise-measurable data, this is imprecise, at best.

These factors weaken the incentives for home owners to upgrade the energy performance of houses.

33 http://nahbclassic.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=194717 and Figure 3 in the report 5-years prior

https://www.nahb.org/en/research/housing-economics/special-studies/archives/how-long-buyers-remain-in-their-homes-2009.aspx and http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/harvard_jchs_2017_remodeling_report_chap5.pdf

34 Interview of former Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank, Alan Blinder, see the last paragraph of

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-fed-is-not-in-the-mood-for-ferocity-says-former-vice-chairman-blinder-2018-04-24

35 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5447046ae4b0a3095e84ecec/t/5ace499c70a6adb3539a2ba7/1523468703538/CF_Fort+Hill+finalfinal.pdf

http://nahbclassic.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=194717

https://www.nahb.org/en/research/housing-economics/special-studies/archives/how-long-buyers-remain-in-their-homes-2009.aspx

https://www.nahb.org/en/research/housing-economics/special-studies/archives/how-long-buyers-remain-in-their-homes-2009.aspx

http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/harvard_jchs_2017_remodeling_report_chap5.pdf



https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5447046ae4b0a3095e84ecec/t/5ace499c70a6adb3539a2ba7/1523468703538/CF_Fort+Hill+finalfinal.pdf

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5447046ae4b0a3095e84ecec/t/5ace499c70a6adb3539a2ba7/1523468703538/CF_Fort+Hill+finalfinal.pdf

Appendix A: REEP

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The primary objective of the initiative is to encourage private investments into energy efficiency totaling $100 million or more during the next 10 years.

Previous Improvements & Attempts: Outside the United States, some local and national governments have mandated that real estate available for sale include a standardized house energy (efficiency) rating (a “HER”) in their marketing materials36. The existence of those country laws is credited to a European Union Energy Performance of Building Directive, dated December 16, 2002. In the Spring of 2018, similar legislation was introduced to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, but that bill37 neither advanced out of committee nor was reintroduced in a subsequent session38.

Enough time has elapsed and experience accumulated that economic analyses have measured the response to standardized efficiency ratings. For example, buyers and sellers in U.K. and Denmark39 enjoy better information and realize higher real estate prices for more energy efficient properties40.

In the United States, housing buyers similarly see energy efficiency as important to their purchase decision-making41. However, because the raw information is not properly collected and standardized, no similar economically sound evidence is readily available.

First Principles: Property ownership affords rights and freedoms to the holder of a real estate parcel. Property owners and possessors also undertake responsibilities, duties, and obligations. These include obligations to the local community for the care, upkeep, and condition of their property(s). These can also include responsibilities for the effects of actions taken on-premises or inactions on the part of an owner possessor. And these can also include responsibility to entities located off-premises.

36 Example discussion, see Koo, Han, Lee, Park; Development Of A New Energy Efficiency Rating

System For Existing Residential Buildings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.12.068 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421514000032)

37 https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H4371.html 38 https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/06/panelists_mass_home_energy_sco.html 39 https://www.copenhageneconomics.com/dyn/resources/Filelibrary/file/9/39/1490357966/copenhagen-economics-

2016-do-homes-with-better-energy-efficiency-ratings-have-higher-house-prices.pdf 40 https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/246914/ENEECO-D-13-

00679_main_doc_FF%20%282%29.pdf 41 http://eyeonhousing.org/2013/02/what-do-home-buyers-really-want/

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.12.068

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421514000032

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H4371.Html

https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/06/panelists_mass_home_energy_sco.html

https://www.copenhageneconomics.com/dyn/resources/Filelibrary/file/9/39/1490357966/copenhagen-economics-2016-do-homes-with-better-energy-efficiency-ratings-have-higher-house-prices.pdf

https://www.copenhageneconomics.com/dyn/resources/Filelibrary/file/9/39/1490357966/copenhagen-economics-2016-do-homes-with-better-energy-efficiency-ratings-have-higher-house-prices.pdf

https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/246914/ENEECO-D-13-00679_main_doc_FF%20%282%29.pdf

https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/246914/ENEECO-D-13-00679_main_doc_FF%20%282%29.pdf

http://eyeonhousing.org/2013/02/what-do-home-buyers-really-want/

Appendix A: REEP

80 80

Often, local governments have an enforcement right to seek corrective action from a property owner and to impose costs on such an owner, when there is a harm or a potential for harm to the public. As with enforcing local zoning ordinances, enforcement may be called for when a property’s condition is less than a locally-defined quality standard.

A consensus and case law exist that a residential owner’s obligations are enforceable where physical injury occurs to an abutting property or person. Regarding the effects of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution at a distance, The United States Supreme Court decided42 that Massachusetts had standing regarding emissions arising in Rhode Island and that the EPA’s “refusal to regulate greenhouse gas emissions presents a risk of harm to Massachusetts that is both ‘actual’ and ‘imminent.’”. Continuing, the Court found “Nor can EPA avoid its statutory obligation by noting the uncertainty surrounding various features of climate change and concluding that it would therefore be better not to regulate at this time.” and concluded “EPA has offered no reasoned explanation for its refusal to decide whether greenhouse gases cause or contribute to climate change. Its action was therefore ‘arbitrary, capricious, … or otherwise not in accordance with law.’”.

Citizens might reason by analogy that an individual property owner has standing and an interest in the regulation of greenhouse gases emitted by other Newton property owners. And, the City of Newton has a duty and should seek to regulate or effect such emissions.

Why Undertake Any Initiative, and Which One: Based on its current understanding of Climate Change, Commonwealth legislators, local elected officials, and the Newton citizenry desire government initiatives that can help reduce unnecessary emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHG).

One could argue that a real estate market with credible and timely energy efficiency information available to potential buyers and sellers would be both market efficient and in a government’s interest to ensure. While many agree, the timeframe for such market efficiency is long, measured in decades for same-house sales. The rate of new household formation and the rate of material reconstruction of existing households/housing stock43 suggest that the average energy efficiency of Newton’s residential real estate will not

42 See Massachusetts, et al., Petitioners v. Environmental Protection Agency et al., Decided: April 2,

2007, first in Section IV, then in Section VII of Justice Stevens’ Opinion of the Court https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/05-1120.ZO.html

43 http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research-areas/remodeling/lira

https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/05-1120.ZO.html

http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research-areas/remodeling/lira

Appendix A: REEP

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improve enough, for example, to meet a “carbon emissions neutral” standard by 2050.

Accelerating the already market-efficient decision making in the Newton housing market appears to be a societal good, in the public interest of Newton citizenry, and a reasonable use of governmental authority. Examples of such acceleration exist, variously by legislative initiative such as Community Choice Aggregation (CCA)44 in the Commonwealth, by Federally-backed state programs such as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)45 lien programs in California and 30 other states, and by government-business partnerships46 for more targeted sectors.

The REEP program proposed in this paper gives the municipality an opportunity to initiate potentially highly impactful action in the area where it has a jurisdiction and power.

Newtonian Pragmatism: The REEP has the following underlying characteristics:

● Voluntary participation: Requiring no mandate that a property owner or any agent thereof perform any new procedure, acquire any new license or permit, nor newly present to City government any information not currently made or to be made commonly available to the City. Compliance as to the particulars of participating and any consequences of participating or not may be specified; however, whether or not to participate shall remain voluntary.

● Net-Revenue Neutral: The City should neither enjoy new revenues nor have its revenues diminished by this program, as is necessary to remain compliant with Proposition 2½ (Mass. Gen. L. c. 59, § 21C). Similarly, no override shall be required of, nor enjoyed by, the City as a result of this program.

● Net-Expenditure Neutral: Requiring low-to-no additional expenditures in the City’s capital or operating budgets

● Within Existing State Authorities: Requiring no enabling legislation from Beacon Hill, nor unblocking decision from the Supreme Judicial Court

44 https://www.massclimateaction.org/community_aggregation 45 https://www.housingwire.com/blogs/1-rewired/post/35857-pace-loans-are-energy-efficient-improvements-

financially-worth-it 46 https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/energy-climate/efficiency/energy-efficiency-investment-fund/ Energy Efficiency

Investment Fund (EEIF) for commercial and industrial users

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Laws_of_Massachusetts

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/Chapter59/Section21C

https://www.massclimateaction.org/community_aggregation

https://www.housingwire.com/blogs/1-rewired/post/35857-pace-loans-are-energy-efficient-improvements-financially-worth-it

https://www.housingwire.com/blogs/1-rewired/post/35857-pace-loans-are-energy-efficient-improvements-financially-worth-it

https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/energy-climate/efficiency/energy-efficiency-investment-fund/

82 82

Table 7: Overview of Newton’s Real Estate Taxation Procedure

Item Current Proposed

Total Amount of City Revenues

Required in Fiscal Year+1 Set by Vote of Council

Real Property Value Assessments as

of Calendar Year-1 Assessor’s Office

Shifting of Property Tax Obligations from Residential Properties to

Commercial Properties

Set by Vote of Council47 (e.g., Commercial properties weighted as 175% of

Residential in FY201748)

Adjustment: Tax Assistance Programs49 for Various Eligible

Taxpayers in Furtherance of Commonwealth Law

Administered by Board of Assessors by Citizen Application

Adjustment: Tax Assistance Programs50 for Various Eligible

Taxpayers in Furtherance of City of Newton Ordinances

Administered by Board of Assessors by Citizen Application

Adjustment: **New** Real Estate Efficiency Incentive Program

None

Administered by Board of Assessors,

Analytic Oversight by Citizens Commission on

Energy

Net Adjustments Recalculate Effective Tax Rates for Properties

Not Adjusted

Board of Assessors (e.g., Commercial-Residential effective rates

weighting of 191.27% in FY2017 and 190.57% in FY201851)

Receivable Posting, Billing &

Collections City Treasurer’s Office

47 Classification Hearings. See http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/assessor/tax_class_booklets.asp 48 http://www.newtonma.gov/civicax/filebank/documents/86065

49 Chapter 59, Section 5 (M.G.L. c. 59, § 5) Clauses 17D (Disabled Veteran: Tax Exemption), 18 (Age & Infirmity & Financial Hardship: Tax Exemption), 22 (Elderly Surviving Spouse, Minor Child), 37A Blind Persons: Tax Exemption), 41C (Older Citizens: Exemption) or 41A (Older Citizens: Tax Deferral). See http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/assessor/programs.asp

50 City of Newton ordinances including Property Tax Work-Off Programs, Newton Elderly and Disabled Taxation Aid Fund, and Newton Water and Sewer Discount Program. See http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/assessor/programs.asp

51 http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/assessor/taxrate.asp

http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/assessor/tax_class_booklets.asp

http://www.newtonma.gov/civicax/filebank/documents/86065

http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIX/Chapter59/Section5

http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/assessor/programs.asp

http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/assessor/taxrate.asp

83

The Accelerated Real Estate Efficiencies Program (REEP) Purpose: The “Accelerated Real Estate Efficiencies Program” (REEP) is a City of Newton initiative to financially reward property owners, through modifications in real estate procedures (Table 7), for making the buildings on their properties become more efficient consumers of energy and be used in ways that emit fewer or no Greenhouse Gases (“GHGs”). The plan is designed to help property owners do better than average for themselves, for their neighbors at large, and for everyone who comes afterward.

Eligibility: For residential properties, REEP is available to natural persons who maintain their primary residence in the City of Newton. For commercial properties, REEP is available to legal persons who maintain their primary residence or place of business in the City of Newton. Persons exempt from state income or property taxes are ineligible. Properties owned, in whole or in part, by a beneficial recipient of a property tax exemption, reduction, deferral or financial aid, other than a Veterans’ benefit, are ineligible and are set aside in REEP calculations.

Participation: Participation is voluntary. Eligible property owners may opt-in to the program, or later opt-out, by completing an online form or filling-in a checkbox on a remittal form portion of their quarterly real estate property tax bill when making tax payment. Only participants will be eligible for the benefits described herein.

Prerequisites: To participate, property owners will opt-in and both submit and keep current a list of vendors for their chosen supplies of all variety of energy delivered to the property, or otherwise brought onto the premises, and converted to use there upon. Annually, owners will declare the measured amount of usage by source or provide billing account numbers and an assignment of a recurring right to access billing data or right to receive secondary billing information directly from their vendor. Such declaration is meant to be all inclusive (within the limits of administrative costs the City is willing to bear for the program). The categories of vendors that shall be included will be no less than those shown in Table 8.

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Table 8: Vendor Categories and Examples

ENERGY SOURCE & USE CATEGORIES

EXAMPLE OF VENDORS MAKING DELIVERY IN NEWTON

HEATING - NATURAL GAS

(PIPELINE) - PROPANE GAS (TANK) - OIL - WOOD PELLET

NATIONAL GRID

DEVANEY/HUGHES, PERFECTION PROPANE, KERIVAN-LANE

BIGELOW, DEVANEY/HUGHES, KERIVAN-LANE

HOME DEPOT, LOWES, NATIONAL LUMBER

LIGHTING & APPLIANCE - ELECTRIC

EVERSOURCE (NSTAR ELECTRIC/BOSTON EDISON)

AIR CONDITIONING - ELECTRIC

EVERSOURCE (NSTAR ELECTRIC/BOSTON EDISON)

DISTRIBUTED GENERATORS - PROPANE GAS (TANK) - SOLAR (NET

METERING) - AGRICULTURAL

KEYES NORTH ATLANTIC

EVERSOURCE (MassCEC PRODUCTION TRACKING SYSTEM)

OTHER (MassCEC PRODUCTION TRACKING SYSTEM)

Basis of Comparison: The data reporting the amounts of each energy source used at each property52 will be handled so as to calculate a mathematical distribution of properties using two measures53, as the bases for awarding incentives. Every participating property will automatically be eligible for an incentive award according to reported performance on either or both measures.

● Incentive Measure #1: The Energy Consumed Per Square Foot – The amount of each energy source used will be restated using a common unit of measure (e.g., BTUs), totaled, and be called “The Sum Total Energy Consumed” for each property. For comparison across all taxable properties in the City of Newton, The Sum Total Energy Consumed will be divided by the number of square feet of livable space above ground at all of the buildings in use at each property. The

52 Where gross metering of energy consumed at a property would result in an amount which, by kind, would

unfairly bias a property’s place in the distribution, e.g., at properties with electric charging stations for vehicles when more the exception than the rule, such non-standard use(s) may be declared and separately metered readings may be provided in each reporting period and may be relied upon in program calculations

53 A single incentive measure may be calculated, from the data element components cited, and used initially if implementation is constrained by data quality, availability or undue cost

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resulting quotient will be called the “Energy Consumed Per Square Foot”. (Note that basements are excluded. Attics and garages are treated54 as in the Assessors Database.). For year-to-year comparisons, the Energy Consumed Per Square Foot may be adjusted by the number of degree days (e.g., hourly ambient temperatures below 65°F for heating and above 75°F for cooling) in the reporting period, and then called “The Energy Consumed Per Square Foot Adjusted”.

● Incentive Measure #2: The Most Modest Emission of Greenhouse Gases Per Resident – The type and amount of each energy source will be multiplied by an average amount of Greenhouse Gas byproducts resulting from use of that source55 to become a common measure of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emitted on premises by source, and then summed. The resulting total will be called “The Greenhouse Gas Emission” of the property. When divided by the number of Newton residents living at the property for some or all of the year the resulting amount will be called the “The Greenhouse Gases Emitted Per Resident”.

Minimum Standard for Awards: As called for elsewhere56, the City of Newton will make its best professional effort to measure or estimate the total carbon dioxide output attributable to the residents of Newton and publish the results in a timely fashion. The portions of that published amount attributable to Commercial or Residential heating, cooling, and electricity will be the initial basis for the REEP’s calculation of a City-wide mean value for the Incentive Measure #1 and Incentive Measure #2 amounts. Incentive awards may be made only for properties performing better than average. Properties owned by program-eligible non-participants will be treated as if their performance on Incentive Measure #1 and #2 were at or greater than the mean for all properties in Newton.

Awards Available: A schedule (“Schedule of Incentives Available”) will be posted listing the property tax incentives available under this program for those participants that document achieved energy performance on Incentive Measure #1 and Incentive Measure #2 that is statistically and significantly better (i.e., a lesser amount) than the mean for properties participating. An Incentive Award is expressed as a whole integer percent of the participant’s property tax obligation net of adjustments under Massachusetts General Laws and City of Newton ordinances other than those that may pertain to the Accelerated Real

54 assuming no living or income-producing space is there, though space may be included on request if

heated. 55 https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-03/documents/emission-factors_mar_2018_0.pdf 56 http://newtonclimateaction.org/newton-report-card/

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-03/documents/emission-factors_mar_2018_0.pdf

http://newtonclimateaction.org/newton-report-card/

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Estate Efficiencies Program itself (“the Pre-Incentive Per Property Tax Obligation”).

The REEP administrator(s) shall use its discretion in applying the Schedule of Incentives Available to the classifications of or any aggregations of classifications of properties in the City, except that there will be no classification of property for REEP purposes that does not also exist as a classification in documents presented to City Councilors at the Classification Hearing in preparations for levying taxes in a given fiscal year.

The actual financial amount (the “Incentive Awarded”) under this REEP is computed for a property by multiplying the Pre-Incentive Per Property Tax Obligation for a resident or owner by the Incentive Award percentage. The total financial incentive earned under this program will be the sum of the amount of an Incentive Awarded for Incentive Measure #1 and of an Incentive Awarded for Incentive Measure #2.

In the first 5 years of this program, the “mean for properties participating” may be estimated57 from indirect data sources or aggregates58, in which case the standard deviation59 used in awarding incentives shall, by convention, be set at one-third of an estimated mean value. After 5 years, or whenever the number of participating properties exceeds 20% of the total inventory of properties in an eligible property class, or whenever 250 or more property owners have opted-in and both effectively and completely provided the energy source usage data required for participation, which ever may first occur, this “mean for properties participating” and the corresponding standard deviations shall be calculated directly from the source energy usage data available per property, and previously used estimates will not be used.

57 For example, https://shop.bsigroup.com/forms/PASs/PAS-20702013A12014/ 58 http://www.newtonma.gov/civicax/filebank/documents/91133 59 N.B.: statistics notation often symbolizes a Standard Deviation with the Greek letter Sigma and makes use

of the lowercase σ character (Unicode 03C3).

https://shop.bsigroup.com/forms/PASs/PAS-20702013A12014/

http://www.newtonma.gov/civicax/filebank/documents/91133

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The initial schedule shall be as shown in Table 9.

Table 9: Schedule of Incentives Available

Variation from the Mean60 Incentive Plan Award Factor

After 10th Plan Year 1st thru 10th Plan Year

Below mean, yet above -¼σ 1.0% 1.0%

-¼σ or below, yet above -½σ 3.0% 4.5%

-½σ or below, yet above -¾σ 4.5% 8.0%

-¾σ or below, yet above -1σ 6.0% 11.5%

-1σ or below, yet above -1¼σ 7.5% 15.0%

-1¼σ or below, yet above -1½σ 9.0% 18.0%

-1½σ or below, yet above -1¾σ 10.5% 21.0%

-1¾σ or below, yet above -2σ 12.0% 24.0%

-2σ or below 12.5% 25.0%

The elected City Councilors may, at any time, replace a then-in-force Incentive Plan Schedule. A newly authorized Incentive Plan Schedule will become effective in the first Fiscal Year for the City of Newton following the date of the Councilors’ vote unless a farther future date was specified in the passing vote taken.

Uses and Implications of the Incentive Plan: Citizens and property owners of Newton will be called upon to make improvements to their buildings and practices to improve their performance on each of the Incentive Measures and thereby enjoy a financial credit on their City property tax bill. The Incentive Plan intends that taxpayers will increasingly become aware of both the increase in their tax bill and the possibility that they might be rewarded for eliminating the reason for the tax increase.

To that end, the Mayor and Councilors shall be free to make public statements, from time to time, advocating and promoting that property owners can improve the efficiency of their holdings and enjoy an encouragement from the City when they do so. Similarly, City officials and employees shall be at liberty to

60 a lowercase Sigma character represents one standard deviation. a minus sign indicates values below the

mean.

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similarly encourage property owners to invest in improvements in energy use and efficiency.

Public Aggregates, Private Source Data: Under this program, when a resident or property owner discloses data required for participation in the REEP, the City of Newton shall be considered a Custodian of the raw data so disclosed. Ownership of the raw data elements descriptive of the energy source vendor and usage data will remain with their respective owners. Put another way, participants in the REEP are not putting details from their utility bills into the public domain for all to see. Rather, participants are allowing the City a defined use of certain data.

The City of Newton will have access to and certain use rights to the data provided under this program, including the right to derive and calculate new information from the raw data in isolation and/or in combination with other data. The City of Newton alone will own such derivations of a participant’s raw data.

Wherever energy usage information is to be published, for example as part of reporting on the program, information disclosed beyond those employees and advisors with a need to know will be anonymized so as to preclude a determination of which properties or which participants correspond, in the particular, with which information item or items disclosed. As part of its representation of the REEP, the City of Newton pledges that it will not sell, transfer or disclose to another party the raw data elements collected under the Incentive Program.

Term of This Program: This program will end after the end of the 30th fiscal year in effect or at the end of the City of Newton’s Fiscal Year 2050, whichever shall occur first.

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Estimate of Financial Impact of REEP on Taxpayers This section broadly outlines estimates of the financial effects of the Incentive Plan and proposed Schedule of Incentives Available (here as “Schedule”). The estimation is sharply limited by the information available. A large collection of data describing per property consumption of energy in Newton is not available at this time. One benefit of adopting the REEP will be the availability of precisely that unavailable data. In its place, broad aggregates of energy use are used to make broad bounding estimates of REEP’s impact. The actual effects will, necessarily, be different in amount.

This section estimates the number of participants over time and makes simplifying assumptions (e.g., the “evenness” of the distribution of energy performances for newly participating properties). The estimates, assumptions and Schedule are then multiplied to estimate the financial effects on individual taxpayers on average. Newton’s actual results will differ from these calculations, necessarily, as actual participation rates, property energy performances, and the like will differ from the assumptions used in these estimations.

Simplifying, we calculate using the FY2018 average assessed property value for each eligible property in the City participating and not participating. There were 26,382 Residential properties and, using a tax rate of $10.82 per $1000 of assessed value, an expected tax levy on them of $273,422,446, equal to an average tax bill of $10,364. We calculate assuming a normal distribution of energy efficiency performance among those properties and among participants newly opting-in in each time period. And we calculate using the proposed Schedule.

At 100% participation, the estimated Incentive Awarded for a participating property performing better than average on Incentive Measure #1 is $1,035 on average and $825 for the median. An additional average Incentive Award of $1,035 is for those properties performing better according to Incentive Measure #2. Thus, a total of $2,070 could be awarded for both measures. A property performing better than average on one measure would enjoy an average incentive amounting to 11% of its current property tax obligation or 22% if performing better on both measures.

Since the Incentive Program intends that the City neither enjoy an increase in tax receipts under the plan nor is penalized for Incentives Awarded, an amount equaling the total of the awards granted is shifted onto and shared among the non-participating or participating though performing worse than average

Appendix A: REEP

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property owners (“Shifted & Shared Amount”). Thus, properties less efficient than the average on Measure #1 or consuming more energy per person on Measure #2 would see an average increase of $1,035 for the one and a total of $2,070 for worse than average performance on both measures.

However, most properties’ performances will be somewhere in the middle and not at those extremes. An Incentive Awarded for a property on one measure would be offset to some degree by the Shifted & Shared Amount pro rata to that same property. At 100% participation, such an average award would be equal to the average offset, thus net to $0. However, 100% participation is not ever expected due both to participation being voluntary and to churn in the ownership of properties from one year to the next. Short of 100% participation, the program is significantly less costly for non-participants and those not earning an award, while being fully positive for each award recipient under this plan. The reason is that the benefits under the plan accrue to individual award recipients, while the costs of the awards are spread over all eligible owners not receiving an award, and the former number is less than the latter.

We use a Fisher Pry adoption curve to estimate reaching 10% program participation during the 3rd year, 50% program participation in Year 10, and an ultimate maximum participation (“saturation”) of 80% of all property owners.

Consistent with the above described Incentive Awarded potential of $2,070 creditable per recipient property, the estimated average tax increase imposed on all other property taxpayers starts at $30 in the first program year and increases with the forecast of increased participation in the Incentive Program, reaching $927 in Year 10 (Figure 22).

Looking at the median award to a participant, that increasing effect of Shifted & Shared can be seen as a decreasing net amount of a median award (Figure 23).

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2018 2023 2028 2033 2038

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91 91

Figure 22: Average Property Tax Bill Increase for Non-Recipients

Figure 23: Median Property Tax Bill Incentive Award

The plan includes a provision to self-terminate at the end of Newton’s fiscal year 2049 (i.e., June 30th of the calendar year 2050). In that eventuality, the total amount of Incentives Awarded in FY2050 would equal $0 and the total Shifted & Shared Amount would equal $0.

$30 $44 $63 $90 $129$183

$259$363

$504

$690

$927

$0$100$200$300$400$500$600$700$800$900

$1,000

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029

AVERAGE TAX INCREASE ON NON-RECIPIENTS OF AN INCENTIVE AWARD

$1,650 $1,650 $1,650 $1,650 $1,650 $1,650 $1,650 $1,650 $1,650 $1,650 $1,650

$795 $781 $762 $735 $696 $642 $566 $462 $321$135

-$102

-$61 -$88 -$126 -$180 -$257 -$366 -$517-$726

-$1,008-$1,380

-$1,854-$2,500-$2,000-$1,500-$1,000-$500

$0$500

$1,000$1,500$2,000

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029

NET MEDIAN INCENTIVES AWARDED PERRECIPIENT AND NON-RECIPIENT

2 Awards@Median 1 Award@Median 0 Awards

Appendix A: REEP

92 92

Answers to Key Questions Asked 1. How Is the Incentive Plan Different from a National Grid Home

Energy Report? First, there is no financial incentive in a Home Energy Report.

Second, information in and from the Incentive Plan is better than Home Energy Reports for 4 reasons:

x Uses one basis of comparison for all Newton properties – that is everywhere more than a National Grid selection of “100 similar homes within approximately 1 mile” which differs from one customer to the next and time to time

x All energy sources and uses are included – that is more than just focusing on heating by natural gas

x Adjusted for factors out of consumers’ control – variations in square footage, ceiling height, age of each home, number of occupants, degree days, and the like can affect the usefulness of peer group of 100 comparisons

x Greenhouse gas emissions – homeowners might consider switching a kind of energy source used (e.g., on a hot water heater) to one or more alternatives, though such decisions may be harder to justify or take using only information from single source reports

Finally, by organizing energy use information specific to individual properties into a readily-usable form, and by ensuring Newton planners and policy makers have analytic access to the information (which is not currently available), elected City officials and planners will be better able to act on behalf, of and to the benefit of Newton property owners and residents

2. Do property owners have to do anything, and does the Incentive Program impose any new deadlines? If property owners want to participate, they need to act to “opt in” to the Incentive Program. Owners may exercise their choice at any time. Participation takes effect immediately going forward (though not retroactively). Financial incentives under the plan become available at the beginning of the property tax cycle for the next fiscal year.

No action means no participation in the REEP. No participation means property owners do not have to submit any forms or information or allow the City any right of access to data on energy sources and uses.

Non-participants still need to attend to their other responsibilities as a property owner or resident.

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93 93

3. If we choose to participate, how soon will we get an incentive payment from the City? Incentives available under this program are determined at approximately the same time as are property tax obligations for each fiscal year.

Incentive amounts are earned quarterly and applied to each quarterly property tax bill by the City of Newton. Neither residents nor property owners will receive a separate check or direct deposit in the amount of an incentive earned. The Incentive Program does not include a “lump sum provision” which could change the date for receiving an incentive amount to another time or form of delivery other than as a credit on a quarterly property tax bill.

Participation is not transferrable from a seller to a buyer. As of the date of closing of a property sale, REEP participation by the previous owner and any award made to the previous owner will end. Acquirors are encouraged to participate by opting-in to the plan.

4. If we choose to not participate, will our property taxes remain the same as if the Incentive Program didn’t exist? Initially, “yes”. Increasingly over time, “no, they will increase” however gradually. As the number of participants becomes sufficiently large, the incentives awarded to the Most Efficient Energy Consuming and Most Modest Emitting Properties will become large and noticeable.

The suggested remedy for any property owner that is displeased with an increase in their property taxes, that might result from other property owners taking advantage of the REEP, is to:

a) participate in the Incentive Program; and

b) invest in making their property more energy efficient so that it too might become better than average as measured by the REEP

5. Doesn’t Proposition 2½ (now Mass. Gen. L. c. 59, § 21C) protect above-average energy consumers and greenhouse gas emitters from having to pay higher property taxes? No.

Proposition 2½ limits the amount of tax increase that a municipality can levy on its residents and property owners from one year to the next in the aggregate, excepting new growth and with various exclusions allowed. Its provisions apply in toto to the collection of all properties in a municipality and provide no tax increase limit to any individual property or owner thereof.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Laws_of_Massachusetts

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/Chapter59/Section21C

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94 94

The REEP neither uses nor relies upon any of Proposition 2½’s provisions, exclusions, nor its administrative procedures. The executive oversight and administrative procedures in place to effect Proposition 2½ remain unchanged. Proposition 2½ and this Incentive Program are wholly separate and independent of one another.

And, the REEP was specifically designed to not result in a net increase or decrease in tax revenue receivable by the City of Newton from owners of real property in Newton, either now or in the future.

6. What happens if we choose to participate but energy consumption on our property is greater than instead of better than average? Program participants who consume more than the average amounts of energy, according to Incentive Measure #1 and Incentive Measure #2, will not receive a financial benefit resulting from their participating in the REEP. Such participants will enjoy any non-financial benefits from the program, for example, including the information value and insights possible with comparative analyses from a well-understood peer group using clear and relevant metrics. There is no financial cost or penalty resulting from such property owners participating.

In the early years of the program, the worst-case property tax levied on a participating property will be no more than were that property not participating in REEP. In later years, program designers anticipate that such a participating property may be slightly more advantaged financially than were that property to never have participated in REEP from the start.

And though not receiving an incentive award in any one year due to consuming more than average, a property may be improved, consume less than average, and earn an incentive award in succeeding years.

So, it pays to participate.

7. Isn’t the program unfair because it creates new burdens for residents that aren’t wealthy or that are no longer gainfully employed? No.

The Incentive Program is focused on encouraging attention to be paid to responsibilities that every property owner has. Less-affluent or older property owners are, at least in terms of their rights and responsibilities derived from property ownership, no different than their more affluent or younger neighbors.

8. Do the incentives disproportionately benefit owners of larger properties? No.

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95 95

The Incentive Program benefits owners who have invested in making their properties more energy efficient and more modestly emit greenhouse gases. We all may, over time, come to understand that owners of larger properties have been faster in deciding and sponsoring improvement projects. Or we all may come to understand that it is the owners of the smaller properties that have been the fastest in reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. At this point, no one knows. Either way, the plan provides incentives for responsible action, then lets the benefits accrue to whomever chooses to act on behalf of greater efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The REEP rewards an owner’s investment choices rather than the size of her/his castle. And, everyone benefits when our neighbors waste less energy and emit fewer greenhouse gases.

9. Do the incentives disproportionately benefit owners of newer properties? The incentives disproportionately benefit property owners that have more recently invested in the upkeep and improvement of energy-related systems in their properties. Some newer homes were built with the latest and most efficient systems available on the market, and so enjoy the advantage. Some owners of older homes have been regularly investing in upgrading their properties to take advantage of the latest and most efficient systems, and so enjoy the advantage.

New construction, pre-existing house, or a “moldy oldie”, each property has its own unique history and moment in its lifecycle. The REEP is intended to reward the efficiency achieved by owners investing in energy-relevant updates and to encourage other property owners to likewise invest in making systematic improvements to their buildings.

10. Will the Incentive Program increase the number of tear downs in Newton? The REEP does not, in and of itself, seek to shorten the useful lifetime of buildings on taxpayers’ properties. The REEP does not, in and of itself, seek to shorten the house-as-home holding period. It will and is intended to shorten the renovation investment cycle by encouraging residents and owners to invest sooner, rather than further defer energy-related property update investments.

There is ample evidence that sales in the Real Estate Market respond positively to a prior owner’s investments in energy efficiency. Economic research outside Newton has shown that more efficient buildings attract higher sale prices, all other things being equal.

There are no guarantees. Should owners choose to not participate in the REEP and choose to not invest in updating energy-related systems

Appendix A: REEP

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on their properties, real estate market demand or prospective buyers’ willingness-to-pay-higher-prices for such less-attended to properties could “soften” or decline. And such a decline could be seen as shortening the useable life of any buildings on a property. To the extent true, that would be a result of an owner’s decisions more than a direct result of the REEP, per se.

Proponents of the REEP anticipate that a decrease in the number of tear downs may result as an indirect byproduct of the program. The reasoning is that, on average, houses would be in better condition over a larger portion of their lifetime, in the eyes of both seller and buyer alike. With fewer houses that are “too far gone” due to a lack of upkeep, the number that should be torn down earlier in their potential lifetime could decrease instead of increase.

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B Residential Research & Discussion

Modeling Assumptions Assumptions used in modeling energy use and GHG emissions from the residential sector: 2019-2050: Business-as-Usual and Accelerated Scenario. Where the assumptions in Business-as-Usual are different from Accelerated Scenario, they are indicated in bold font below.

Accelerated Scenario 1. The electricity supply in Newton gradually increases the renewable component, reaching 100% in 2030.

2. The entire residential housing stock (excluding apartments) is gradually electrified, reaching 100% in 2050 (for heating, cooking and other applications that currently depend on fossil fuels); In the BAU all replacements of fossil fuel furnaces and boilers with heat pumps will be much slower but will proceed due to the acceptance of these new technologies. It will increase to 450 events per year by 2045 and will stay that way until 2050. At that time, there will be 450 events per year. It is possible that this transition will be slower than our techno-optimistic assumption, which will slow down the BAU decline in energy use and GHG emissions.

3. The residential housing stock comprises three broad classes of houses: 10% are the worst performing (HERS 175), 70% are typical for Newton (HERS 125), and 20% are of better quality (HERS 75); The better quality buildings include houses built in the last 20 to 30 years and older homes that have undergone a major or gut renovations which brought their building envelope up to modern standards; 4. Between 2019 and 2050, the entire existing housing stock that is not replaced is electrified. In addition, all of the worst performing and about two-thirds of the typical homes go through an energy retrofit. In some cases, the electrification and energy retrofit occur simultaneously. In others, the home first undergoes a retrofit and is then electrified later. An energy event is defined

Appendix B: Residential Research

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as a home being electrified, undergoing an energy retrofit or both simultaneously. In 2019, there are 270 energy events. This figure climbs linearly to 800 in 2023 and remains that level through 2050; In the BAU scenario the rate of energy retrofits remains at the 2018 level of approximately 270 annually. 5. A retrofit entailing insulation of building envelope reduces energy demand by 25% in the worst performing homes and by 8% in typical homes; 6. Between 2019 and 2050, 100 houses per year are torn down, another 25 undergo gut renovations, and 15 more net new houses are built. These 140 new structures are made up of single-family houses (59%), condos (34%), 2-family homes (7%) and 3-family homes (1%). The average size of the single-family houses is 4,048 sf, condos is 2,275 sf, 2-family homes is 4,275 sf and 3-family is 5,173 sf. These statistics are based on the Newton data from the 2010-2018 period;

7. 3,000 additional household units are built: 2,400 apartments (average size 960 sf) and 600 as a mix of single-family, two-family and three-family structures (average size 3,404 sf);

8. The HERS rating of new construction is 25 (similar to the Passive house performance), starting in 2019 for the construction requiring special permits and in 2022 for all other construction; In the BAU scenario the HERS rating of all new construction will decline more gradually, reaching 25 in 2040. 9. Heat pumps operate at a COP of 3 (3 units of heat are produced for each unit of energy consumed). Gas furnaces/boilers operate at 95% efficiency (.95 units of heat are produced for each unit of energy consumed). Oil boilers operate at 85% efficiency.

General Discussion Newton has approximately 32,000 dwellings, 89% of which are single family homes, condos and units in two- and three-family homes. Most of these structures were built before 1960 and many have poor energy performance. Figure 24 shows the distribution of sizes of single-family homes in Newton. The average size of a single-family house is approximately 2,500 sf, with a wide variation ranging from less than 1,000 to 6,000 square feet or more. These may be likely candidates for tearing down and replacing.


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Figure 24: Distribution of sizes of all dwellings in Newton

Table 10 shows that 33% of all dwellings are part of two- and three-family structures or are listed as condos. Figure 24 shows the distribution of sizes of all dwellings in Newton. Contrary to its image as a city of large single-family stately houses, 34% of single-family homes are below 1,850 sf. The average size of units in two-family and larger condominium-types dwellings is 1,400 sf. Upgrading the energy efficiency of these structures may present different challenges than for single family houses, owing to their ownership features.


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Table 10: Newton Household Classifications

Age matters. Today’s construction is much more energy efficient than in the past. An average new home built to code in 2018 has a HERS rating of 55, compared to well over 100 for homes built before 1980. Homes built to Passive House (PH) efficiency specifications, which was considered a costly luxury only a few years ago, can be now built at a cost of no more than 1-2% above the standard construction built to code. The enormous residential and commercial complex recently approved for Winthrop Square in Boston will in fact be built to the PH standard (a decision made by the developer, without any mandates from the City), thus demonstrating that PH construction has entered the mainstream. See also the Green Newton website for more examples61.

The HERS rating is growing in popularity among developers and builders nationwide, and is being used to promote the attractiveness of new homes. It is only a matter of time before energy performance becomes a standard attribute of all buildings and HERS score and Energy Use Intensity (EUI) become metrics used by homeowners, contractors and developers. The City can support this trend by requiring public disclosure of HERS rating of all homes.

61 https://www.greennewton.org/advocacy/10655-2/

https://www.greennewton.org/advocacy/10655-2/


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The current trend of tearing down old houses with new ones presents an opportunity to drastically reduce energy demand through highly efficient building envelopes and mechanical systems. In addition, replacing gas with electric air-source heat pumps opens an opportunity to reduce energy demand because a heat pump is about 3 times more efficient than a typical gas furnace. Finally, GHG emissions can be eliminated altogether by using renewable electricity.

Figure 25: Histogram of Newton Residences by Year of Construction

Size matters. Figure 25 shows that since the 1950s and 60s the size of new single-family residential homes have been increasing every decade, reaching approximately 4,300 sf in the 2010s, almost double the size of homes built before 1970. The energy used increases with the size of a building, which partially offsets the gains in efficiency that have been achieved over time. Table 11 illustrates this point using hypothetical examples.

The relative energy savings from decreasing the HERS rating, uses a 2,000 sf house as a reference (these are approximate numbers, used mostly for illustration). For a 2,000 sf home going from a score of 130 to 25 (approximately PH standard) reduces the energy demand by a factor of 5.2. But when this same 2,000 sf house (HERS 130) is replaced with a 4,300 sf new dwelling (HERS 25), the reduction in the energy demand drops to a factor of 1.4 (5.2/3.7).

This leads to two conclusions: For Newton to make progress with an overall reduction in energy use, the energy performance of new construction must be very ambitious: to the PH level. The second conclusion is that from the energy perspective it will be much better if the teardown replacement structures are two-family houses rather than large single-family homes.

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

Before…

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010


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Table 11: Relative Energy Use by Home Size and HERS Rating

Replacement is an opportunity. It is reasonable to assume that over the next 30 years a significant proportion of Newton’s smaller homes – especially those located on large lots -- will be torn down and replaced with new construction.

In the period of 2016-2018 an average of about 107 new homes were built annually in Newton, most of them replacing teardowns. Of these, about 85% are single family homes and the rest are two- and three-family homes. As the population of Newton continues to age and chooses alternatives to single-family dwellings, the rate of teardowns might increase. Assuming an average rate of 125 home replacements per year over the next 30 years means that close to 4,000 homes (about 12% of total household dwellings in Newton) will be replaced. Based on the current statistics, the majority (about 85% of the new structures, e.g. 3,400) are likely to be large single-family dwellings of 4,048 sf average size. Approximately 15% of the teardowns (600 in total) will create 1,200 two-family condos. Based on the statistics since from 2010-2018 the average size of these new condos will be approximately 2,275 sf.

The energy performance of the replacement dwellings will be much higher than the buildings they replace. But the large size of the new structures (4,048 sf) partly offset these gains. From the energy use perspective, it would be more beneficial to replace the teardowns with two-family houses (or condos) than with single family houses. That would of course require in most instances a change in zoning in that particular street from single-family to multi-family. From a strictly energy perspective, it would be beneficial to eliminates single family zoning altogether from Newton, as Minneapolis, Minnesota, has done in 2018 (in the latter case the reason was not energy but the desire to eliminate social exclusion and racial discrimination).


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In short, the greatest opportunity for reducing energy demand in Newton through the house turnover process is to build very highly energy efficient houses.

Growth and large residential projects are an opportunity. This report assumes that 3,000 additional dwelling units will be created in Newton over the next 30 years to accommodate the growth of the population and to create more affordable dwellings. The minority of these (about 20%) will be single-family houses and two- and three-family condos (averaging in size at 3,400 sf) while about 80% will be units in large multi-unit residential developments (such as: Avalon, Washington Place, Austin Street and, still in a discussion phase, Riverside and Newton Upper Falls). During the decade of the 2010s, 16% of newly created household dwellings in Newton were apartments in such multi-unit large buildings, 960 sf average size.

Multiunit residential homes are more energy efficient foot than single-family dwellings of comparable size. This, and their smaller size relative to newly constructed single-family dwellings (960 sf on average), means that the overall housing stock in Newton will tend toward being more compact and energy efficient.

Higher population density in mixed use developments, including commercial and cultural enterprises and public amenities, also reduce the need for driving. The City can encourage such construction in appropriate locations. Large residential projects are also an opportunity to adopt advanced high efficiency construction methods, electrical heating and solar panels, and to reduce the dependence on natural gas by not requiring new connections to the existing gas lines.

From a political perspective, the City has more leverage to push for high energy performance construction in such large projects through the special permit process, and by designating certain areas as overlay zoning districts for, for example, PH construction.

Not all construction is created equal. For practical reasons (of methodology and available data) Newton’s GHG emission inventory covers only direct energy use in buildings: heating, cooling and electricity. But the building materials used for construction require a large amount of energy to be produced and transported: from mining of metals and minerals to cement production, to long distance transport, to manufacturing of insulation and other construction materials. This energy is referred to as “embodied energy” and is an integral part of the climate impacts from all the goods we use: from clothes to electronics, to house furniture, and to roof and wall insulation in buildings.


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Green Newton has recognized the embodied energy problem in house renovations and construction. Its Green Building Principles62 specifically call for minimizing embodied carbon in the choice of construction materials. With that in mind, Newton should help contractors with the choice of insulation material.

Are we outsourcing our climate impacts? In 2018 the State Department of Environmental Quality in Oregon published a greenhouse gas emission inventory that included the embodied energy of all the material goods purchased by Oregonians: “Consumption-based GHG Emission Inventory”63 (Figure 26).

When the results of the traditional inventory, such as the one performed in Newton (based on direct energy used in housing, transportation, commercial, etc.), were compared with the results of a consumption-based inventory it turned out that the consumption-based emissions were more than 60% higher. In other words, more than 60% of the emissions associated with Oregon’s economy and the lives of Oregonians had until then appeared on the balance sheet of the localities where the goods are manufactured, not where they are used64.

Figure 26: Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions

62 Special reference to Principle 2: https://www.greennewton.org/advocacy/10655-2/ 63 https://www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/programs/Pages/GHG-Oregon-Emissions.aspx

64 https://sustainableconsumption.usdn.org/climate/overview and https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/531984


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A similar report about the need to include in the inventory the embodied energy of goods was published in 2018 by C40, a global alliance of cities working toward sustainability (of which Mayor Walsh of Boston was the chair in 2018). The report Consumption-based GHG Emissions of C40 Cities65 showed that the embodied energy is a major contributor to the total GHG impact of all consumer goods, including houses, in most cities of the world.

Portland, Oregon, is a pioneering city that addressed consumption-based emissions in its 2011 Citizens Climate Action Plan66. Newton can learn a great deal from that excellent report. The organization Urban Sustainability Directors Network, of which Newton is also a member, developed a guide for helping their members to assess and mitigate consumption-based GHG emissions67.

These reports underscore the magnitude of the impacts of ever larger houses in Newton on the city’s GHG emissions. According to the research conducted by the Oregon DEQ the embodied energy of furnishings inside a house add approximately 30% to the embodied energy of the house itself; the larger the house the more of its material content. This energy consumption cannot be compensated by increasing the efficiency of the building envelope or the engineering systems.

Energy upgrades save money and reduce energy use. Assuming that approximately 12% of the current residential housing stock will be replaced by 2050, that leaves 88% of homes that need to reduce energy use and GHG emissions.

During the 2017-2018 two-year period 2,115 energy assessments were conducted in Newton under the Mass Save program. The follow up rate on these assessment with insulation projects has been approximately 20-25%. But based on the data provided by National Grid (for 2017 and 2018) homeowners in Newton annually implement 250-300 insulation jobs, and 280 improvements in heating systems (we do not know what types). A typical insulation work costs $3,200, of which the homeowner pays only 25% ($800) while the rest is covered by the Mass Save program. It is an incredible value.

Able Home Performance Inc., a Mass Save-approved contractor, estimates that wall insulation reduces energy consumption by up to 15%, while air sealing (which is free to Mass Save customers) reduces it by 5%. A replacement of a

65 https://www.c40.org/researches/consumption-based-emissions 66 https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/531984 67 https://sustainableconsumption.usdn.org/climate/overview

https://www.c40.org/researches/consumption-based-emissions

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/531984

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsustainableconsumption.usdn.org%2Fclimate%2Foverview&data=02%7C01%7CHBrown%40clarku.edu%7Cca5a31a3b59c4163f6ae08d69b650929%7Cb5b2263d68aa453eb972aa1421410f80%7C1%7C0%7C636867255588763369&sdata=Ay85pNXSJ2y5S3wV5ErRaP%2FjaQmAb5jHFrrcy7bRUZY%3D&reserved=0


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30-year-old furnace with modern high efficiency equipment (required to qualify for subsidies) reduces energy consumption by 20-25%. The homeowners who currently implement these projects through Mass Save should be encouraged, during the permitting process, to commit to more advanced insulation work and to switching to heating with electric heat pumps.

In short, increasing the current rate of insulation projects by a factor of 2 or 3, and using them, as well as furnace/boiler replacement, as opportunities for switching to electric heat and installing more advanced insulation, will go a long way toward meeting the goals of the Citizens Climate Action Plan.

Ownership change is an opportunity. A promising opportunity for motivating residents to upgrade their homes is a disclosure of HERS rating at the point of sale. On average, 800 single-, two- and three-family homes change hands each year. Some of these (about 100) are torn down and replaced. When teardowns are conducted by developers, two transactions are recorded with the Assessor’s office—the initial purchase and the final sale. Assuming that 150-200 recorded sales represents replacements, that leaves 600-650 homes simply changing ownership each year without major rebuilding. With strong incentives in place for installing insulation and new HVAC systems at the point of sale, over the next 30 years almost all houses could be upgraded. Mandated HERS rating at the point of sale may provide such an incentive.

Another factor—Newton’s population is aging. Currently about 25% of Newton residents are over 65. We expect that over the next decade many of them will sell their homes and look for smaller and maintenance-free dwellings. That means that the number of dwellings changing hands is likely to increase above the currently estimated 650. Establishing incentives for energy upgrades at the point of sale will increase in importance over time.

First principle for home renovations: Do no harm. Newton homeowners add over 120 substantial additions to their homes every year. Because of the added floor space, under current practice these additions are moving the city farther away from its goals of reducing energy use and GHG emissions.

Substantial home additions are an opportune time to improve the building shell of the existing home; update and electrify the home’s heating, cooling, and ventilation systems; and optimize the energy performance of the new addition itself. Additions are also a time when homeowners have access to expert advice (in the form of their engineers, architects, and contractors) and financing, and when the City has regulatory permit authority. For these reasons, the City should require that the net impact of additions on the total energy consumption of the dwelling should not be greater – and preferably smaller – after the


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completion of the addition project. The increase in energy use by the addition should be compensated by energy-efficiency improvements elsewhere in the structure.

Remove barriers to energy upgrades. Under the current zoning ordinance some energy-related improvements conflict with existing rules. Examples include the set-back requirements versus adding vestibules to existing structures or versus adding outside insulation to building envelope; and restrictions on roof solar installation in historic districts. The special permits required in such cases are a barrier to implementing these projects, and should be removed.

Electrify homes that have good efficiency performance. Electrification of homes, built on the assumption that electricity will be generated by 100% renewable sources, is the lynchpin of this Citizens Climate Action Plan. It is also the lynchpin of Climate Action Plans across the world. Some utilities are facilitating this transition, largely in response to the effective opposition to new gas pipelines. For example, Con Edison of New York announced on January 24, 2019, that as of March 15, 2019, it will no longer accept applications for new natural gas connections in the densely populated Westchester County north of New York City68. The future is clear: the housing stock in this area of the country will need to start transitioning to renewable electric heating.

We estimate that a rejuvenated housing stock will lead to a 20% reduction in energy consumption and associated GHG emissions, while the remaining 80% of GHG reduction will be achieved through electrification. It would be wasteful to install costly electric heating in homes with very poor energy performance, for three reasons. First, the system will require large capacity (and thus be more costly); second, operation of the system will be more costly; third, in the foreseeable future 100% renewable electricity will be a scarce resource, which we cannot afford to waste. Therefore, the process of transitioning to electric heat should start with well-performing dwellings.

During the past decade the efficiency and performance of air-source heat pumps (functioning as both heating and air-conditioning units) have greatly improved. A heat pump of today has a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of about 3. COP is the number of BTUs delivered to the house per BTU of energy put in to run the unit. That means that a heat pump is about 3 times more efficient than a typical gas-powered furnace, which means that it can deliver three times more heat per unit of energy it takes to run. In addition, a heat pump

68 https://www.coned.com/en/save-money/convert-to-natural-gas/westchester-natural-gas-moratorium/about-

the-westchester-natural-gas-moratorium

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also delivers air conditioning, thus eliminating the need to install costly central air-conditioning system. No doubt further improvements will take place in the future.

The financial side of heat pumps. At present, heat pumps are about twice as expensive to install as gas powered heating systems. Their operating cost per unit of heat is also more expensive: (about 1.5 times that of gas-powered furnace), partly because of the higher cost of electricity in New England. On the other hand, their greater efficiency (about three-fold relative to a modern furnace) and elimination of a need for separate central air-conditioning system reduces the capital and operating costs. On balance, the cost of heat pumps and gas-powered furnace are not much different. The Green Property Tax system described in Appendix A seeks to overcome the initial cost barrier of heat pumps as well as the costs of weatherization retrofits.

What gets measured gets managed. Home buyers nationwide are increasingly interested in the energy performance of their potential purchases. It is only a matter of time before energy performance of homes will become a standard consideration in purchasing decisions. The real estate agents in Massachusetts are responding on a volunteer basis by providing that information, when available, in the MLS listings. When this information is standardized (as in HERS ratings or the so-called Scorecard) and legally mandated, it will do more than answer the buyers’ questions: It will create strong incentives for the sellers to invest in the upgrades and then recoup the investment through the sale price.

Mandating the disclosure of a property’s HERS rating in real estate transactions is outside the Newton jurisdiction. However, the city can create a market demand for this information by educating residents and prospective residents and by listing in the assessor’s database the HERS ratings of the homes that have them. All homes built and significantly renovated since 2010 have a HERS rating, as required under the 2010 Stretch Code.

In the 2019-2021 edition of their 3-year energy efficiency plan, the Massachusetts utilities committed to rolling out a residential scorecard program in coordination with DOER by July 2019. The Residential Scorecard is another way of displaying the energy efficiency profile of a house. Although not based on performance, as HERS ratings are, this is an important step toward engaging home owners in thinking about the energy efficiency of their dwellings.69

69 http://ma-eeac.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Exh.-1-Final-Plan-10-31-18-With-Appendices-no-

bulk.pdf

http://ma-eeac.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Exh.-1-Final-Plan-10-31-18-With-Appendices-no-bulk.pdf

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The outstanding challenges. The current trends in new housing construction in Newton point toward (1) continuation of the current process of replacing old inefficient single-family homes with mostly very large single-family houses and a smaller percent of more modestly sized two- and three- family dwellings; and (2) an increasing number of multifamily dwellings. These trends open an opportunity to create a housing stock of the future that has a much smaller per-capita energy consumption and GHG emissions than the current building stock. The special permit process allows the City, through criterion 5 of the special permit review, to require high performance standards (such as a HERS of 25 and full electrification) for all new construction requiring such permits, and should be adopted as a default condition.

The challenge is that outside the special permit process Newton is legally prevented from requiring higher building standards than those specified in the Massachusetts Building Code. It is therefore imperative that Newton leaders actively participate in the state level initiatives aiming for higher energy performance of new construction. There are several such initiatives under way.

Another obstacle to creating high performing housing of the future is that many developers and contractors are not familiar with building to the PH performance standard without incurring cost overruns, or with the impacts of their choices of materials and design. Changing the standard practices in the conservative building sector – project management, choice of subcontractors, materials and building techniques – is a formidable but not insurmountable obstacle. The City can lead by:

● Instituting a vigorous and comprehensive education and training program for developers and contractors;

● Treating each project that exceeds the building code performance as a demonstration project and as a definer of a new baseline against which other projects will be judged;

● Requiring the developers and contractors to consider alternatives with high energy efficiency when planning projects; and putting the burden of proof on them to demonstrate that they are unable to adopt such measures; and

● Developing other incentives, such as expedited approval, and high permitting fees for projects with undesirable features such as low energy efficiency, and the use of fossil fuels for heating and cooking.

Further research, resources and ideas The research and analysis we presented in this chapter is not comprehensive. There are many programs around the country aiming for the same goals as the Newton Plan: to increase efficiency performance of existing and new


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residential buildings and to electrify heating. And the number is growing as the urgency for action is recognized by an increasing number of municipalities around the country.

We recommend that the implementation stage of the Newton Citizens Climate Action Plan include further review of programs being tried out around the country so that the steps that Newton will take are grounded in experience and learning while at the same time being most appropriate for the specific case of Newton.

Our research identified other municipalities with programs that merit further analysis. These are listed below by category.

General ● Two recent articles about State of California actions (spurred by passing

legislation)70 ● A California roadmap to building decarbonization71 ● Notably, the California Energy Commission’s “Integrated Energy

Policy Report”72 leads with decarbonizing buildings through electrification.

Planning and Voluntary Programs ● Citizens Climate Action Plans that prioritize building and transportation

decarbonization. These can be particularly useful if they set long-term, community-wide electrification targets and include analysis of the types of electrification retrofits that are suitable for the local building stock. (San Francisco, Emeryville, Richmond, Boulder CO, New York City, Washington DC, Boston MA)

● Incentive or rebate programs for air source heat pumps (ASHPs) and/or heat pump water heaters (HPWHs). (Burlington VT, Palo Alto CA, that may be developed instead of or in addition to state and/or utility programs, such as those offered by SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) and NYSERDA New York State Energy Research and Development Authority)

● Group purchasing programs or “thermalize” campaigns for ASHPs and/or HPWHs to help lower equipment and installation costs. (Somerville MA, Tomkins NY)

70 https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/california-regulators-get-serious-about-building-

decarbonization#gs.sqRvnBEi https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2019/2/15/18224470/california-climate-policy-decarbonize-building-sector

71 http://www.buildingdecarb.org/resources/a-roadmap-to-decarbonize-californias-buildings 72 https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/getdocument.aspx?tn=226392

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.greentechmedia.com%2Farticles%2Fread%2Fcalifornia-regulators-get-serious-about-building-decarbonization%23gs.sqRvnBEi&data=02%7C01%7CHBrown%40clarku.edu%7Cda10291bc224451c163b08d695a5c560%7Cb5b2263d68aa453eb972aa1421410f80%7C1%7C0%7C636860938062953188&sdata=7kuw4VvNDgxyzAWAzbR8raxr65W2GQdlL572kGvOIgI%3D&reserved=0

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https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2019/2/15/18224470/california-climate-policy-decarbonize-building-sector

https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2019/2/15/18224470/california-climate-policy-decarbonize-building-sector

http://www.buildingdecarb.org/resources/a-roadmap-to-decarbonize-californias-buildings

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fefiling.energy.ca.gov%2Fgetdocument.aspx%3Ftn%3D226392&data=02%7C01%7CHBrown%40clarku.edu%7Cda10291bc224451c163b08d695a5c560%7Cb5b2263d68aa453eb972aa1421410f80%7C1%7C0%7C636860938062963200&sdata=wGna986YWwb4GmmMFMeBpEzcjOvajwPYR27RYluHsQ4%3D&reserved=0


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● Outreach and assistance or Technical Support Services focused on helping customers connect with qualified contractors to install ASHPs and/or HPWHs. (Boulder CO, Cambridge MA, Boston MA, New York City)

● Voluntary leadership program for prominent local real estate owners/developers to pilot strategies and develop best practice tools and resources for real estate professionals. (New York City, Boston MA, Salt Lake City UT)

● Commercial PACE financing to help amortize the long potential paybacks of heating electrification (New York City, San Francisco)

Municipal Buildings and Operations ● Design standard for all-electric buildings for municipal projects ● Decarbonization/Fossil Fuel scoring criterion added to Capital

Improvements Program checklist and scoring (Oakland) ● RFP scoring criterion for creation/distribution of climate disinformation

for city RFPs Codes and Mandates

● Green Building Ordinance (specifically in CA, a Reach Code for electrification such as those developed by Marin County or Santa Monica)

● PEV Infrastructure or “all-electric ready” new construction requirements (Oakland, SF, Fremont)

● Electrification as a CEQA mitigation measure (Fremont) ● Energy or GHG performance retrofit requirement designed to

encourage electrification (which could be developed through local building codes, the energy code, and/or the air code). (Washington DC, New York City)

● Ban or moratorium on new natural gas infrastructure development (could be accomplished by leveraging land use/zoning ordinances, utility franchise agreements, community activism, etc.) (Northampton MA, Easthampton MA, Amherst MA; New York City/Con Edison)

Additional resources

HeatSmart seeks to increase the adoption of small-scale clean heating and cooling technologies in participating communities through a competitive solicitation process that aggregates homeowner buying power to lower installation prices for participants. The next round should be open at the end of 2019 https://www.masscec.com/heatsmart-mass

Commercial Solar Advisor https://www.masscec.com/commercial-solar

https://www.masscec.com/heatsmart-mass

https://www.masscec.com/commercial-solar


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Mass Solar Loan Program- especially for seniors and homeowners below 80 SMI https://www.masssolarloan.com/-

Good solar PV cost info https://www.masscec.com/solar-costs-performance

MassCEC Internship Program- for clean energy companies in Newton and college students https://www.masscec.com/clean-energy-internship-program

Solar Hot Water rebates https://www.masscec.com/solar-hot-water

Mass Save Additions and Renovations Program https://www.masssave.com/en/saving/residential-rebates/renovations-and-additions/

DOER’s MVP Program https://www.mass.gov/guides/home-mvp

Additional Ideas:

Mass Save Renovations and Additions program https://www.masssave.com/en/saving/residential-rebates/renovations-and-additions/

Provides up to $10K for homeowners renovating or adding space to include other house energy upgrades which they have a contactor in.

City could require anyone pulling a renovation or addition permit to get the Free Energy Assessment before the permit is approved. Wouldn’t necessarily have to do the recommended work, but then all would be informed of what is possible, incentives, payback, and 0% financing.

Commercial Solar Advisor Service. MassCEC has a free service for any commercial building owner to help them consider Solar PV. The service helps them get acquainted with approximate costs and opportunities for their roof, payback, financing options, what is a good price, who does commercial installs in their area, and help in comparing bids that may not always be apples to apples. City of Newton could require anyone pulling a roof permit for a commercial program to have at least one call with the Commercial Solar Advisor before approving a roof permit. https://www.masscec.com/commercial-solar

Help push for legislation to allow submetering of VRF heat pumps. This is a big barrier to widespread use of VRF in commercial multi-family projects. In Massachusetts we are not allowed to submeter electricity, so an owner who installs a central VRF system is not allowed to submeter and bill tenants for the heating and cooling they use. (This is allowed regularly in many other states, most notably New York). City of Cambridge seems interested in pushing this idea.

https://www.masssolarloan.com/-

https://www.masscec.com/solar-costs-performance

https://www.masscec.com/clean-energy-internship-program

https://www.masscec.com/solar-hot-water

https://www.masssave.com/en/saving/residential-rebates/renovations-and-additions/

https://www.masssave.com/en/saving/residential-rebates/renovations-and-additions/

https://www.mass.gov/guides/home-mvp

https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.masssave.com%2Fen%2Fsaving%2Fresidential-rebates%2Frenovations-and-additions%2F&data=02%7C01%7Chbrown%40clarku.edu%7C9993e81f7ad841c8397008d6b2b89796%7Cb5b2263d68aa453eb972aa1421410f80%7C1%7C0%7C636892903226972686&sdata=p5YjaoprlK%2F%2BRur8cr%2BWp2dXQgHdQ9IiG4htnkfomZg%3D&reserved=0

https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.masssave.com%2Fen%2Fsaving%2Fresidential-rebates%2Frenovations-and-additions%2F&data=02%7C01%7Chbrown%40clarku.edu%7C9993e81f7ad841c8397008d6b2b89796%7Cb5b2263d68aa453eb972aa1421410f80%7C1%7C0%7C636892903226972686&sdata=p5YjaoprlK%2F%2BRur8cr%2BWp2dXQgHdQ9IiG4htnkfomZg%3D&reserved=0

https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.masscec.com%2Fcommercial-solar&data=02%7C01%7Chbrown%40clarku.edu%7C9993e81f7ad841c8397008d6b2b89796%7Cb5b2263d68aa453eb972aa1421410f80%7C1%7C0%7C636892903226982694&sdata=0rbeZdU09%2F%2BafKxoaJYq05xrgkTqY5TsrAMRs5baCA8%3D&reserved=0

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C Addendum to Transportation Chapter

EV Model

Model used to estimate the rate and effects of a transition from ICE to EV.

1. The total number of vehicles in Newton is 57,661 and on average, there are 6,300 new vehicles bought per year (and the same number retired). The average length of use of a car is 9.2 years before a replacement car is bought. The average miles driven per year for all Newton cars is 531 million, which has been relatively constant during the past several years.

2. The number of EV’s is based on the percentage of new car purchases that are EV, when an existing car is traded in. According to the Massachusetts MOR-EV data base the number of EVs and PHEVs combined in Newton is 693. In 2018 the percentage of sales that are EV plus PHEV was 4.2% of new car sales, which represents approximately 265 cars (6300*0.042 = 265).

3. For the Business as Usual scenario, the model assumes that for 2019-2026, the growth rate of EV plus PHEV purchases increases by 0.75% each year, and starting in 2027, it increases by 2.25% for each year. For the first 7 years, the sales % of EV/PHEV increases by 0.75% each year, and starting in year 8, increases by 2.25% for each year.

4. For the Accelerated Scenario, for the 2019-2022, the growth rate increases by 1.5% per year and starting in 2023 it increases by 4% per year.

5. In the U.S. average fuel economy for current new internal combustion (ICE) cars is 25, and is assumed to increase by 0.5 mpg per year, until new ICE cars reach 38 mpg, and thereafter will remains constant (based on the current product mix). The current Newton fleet has average fuel economy of 23 mpg. These figures are used to calculate the GHG emissions for non-EVs.

6. EVs are assumed to travel 4 miles per kWh. As such, they use 17% less energy than ICE vehicles at 23 mpg, and 30% less at 40 mpg.

Appendix C: Transportation Addendum

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7. Each car is assumed to have the same average use life as at present (9.2 years), and when traded in, it is replaced as per the % sales of EV’s/ICE in that year.

8. The reduction in GHGs depends on the percentage of electrical power coming from non-carbon emitting sources. This is currently being done through the Newton Power Choice aggregation program, which includes buying enough RECs to bring the total level of Class 1 renewable power to 60% in 2019. This percentage can be increased with each subsequent aggregation contract by adding 46% to the Massachusetts Renewable Portfolio Standard, which is 14% in 2019 and increases 2% per year until 2030 and 1% per year thereafter.

9. Forecasts and prices were publicly sourced: a. https://www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2017/09/18/t

he-future-of-electric-vehicles-in-the-u-s-part-2-ev-price-oil-cost-fuel-economy-drive-adoption/#44469986345c

b. https://www.jpmorgan.com/country/CL/EN/research/electric-vehicles

c. https://drivegreen.greenenergyconsumers.org/form_cars.php#allelectric

Better Bus Connections

The key to increasing the use of public transportation in Newton is cross-town bus service that connects with the MBTA services to Boston. This addition will reduce the barrier caused by insufficient parking at Green Line and Commuter Rail stations and express bus stops.

The MBTA will do a Better Bus network redesign starting in Fall 2019 that will include possible improvement of service frequencies on the 59 and 52 bus routes. Research shows that 20-minute frequency is needed to induce more ridership. Beyond the tons of GHG directly saved, acceptably frequent bus service would – together with improvements that are planned on the Green Line – help increase transit ridership as a percentage of all trips in Newton, and reduce vehicle miles traveled. Improved bus transit also accommodates independent travel by people who do not or cannot drive, for example older citizens, people with disabilities, and youth (who would otherwise be driven by parents).

As ridership grows, the City should work with the MBTA to extend service hours beyond 6:30 pm. This will capture a larger share of commuter trips, including both trips by employees working in Newton and Newton residents commuting to Boston and other inbound destinations.

https://drivegreen.greenenergyconsumers.org/form_cars.php#allelectric

https://drivegreen.greenenergyconsumers.org/form_cars.php#allelectric


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Improvements are also needed on express bus routes and commuter rail.

Just as cyclists vary in how much they ride and under what conditions, public transit riders vary from an occasional trip on the Green Line, to regular commuting by public transportation, to utilization of public transportation for most trips. Encouragement efforts should aim to get people to progress in their transit use.

The WiseWays/Newton transportation system for seniors that was announced by the Mayor in March 2019 uses shared-ride technology to bring people to healthcare and other facilities used by seniors, including transit stations. This service has the potential to provide first-mile/last-mile connections to MBTA radial transportation. It should be evaluated and potentially expanded to include all users.

Active Transportation

The City has been making steady progress on accommodating and encouraging biking and walking. Bike lanes have been added to Beacon, Walnut, and Centre Streets, and the MassDOT design for Needham Street reconstruction includes bike accommodation at sidewalk level. These efforts need to continue. These active (i.e., muscle-powered) modes are synergistic with public transportation, and together they make up a healthy lifestyle and a culture that makes driving a smaller part of our lives. Sidewalk improvements and sidewalk snow removal have also been City initiatives in recent years.

Traffic Management and Roadway Design

Traffic management and roadway design can further the goal of increasing the share of trips other than automobiles. Roadway design is an important element that is in the control of the City. Complete Streets are designed to share the cross-section with cyclists, pedestrians, and people who use wheelchairs. The Newton in Motion transportation strategy (2017) contains specific recommendations.

Travel Information

Getting people to use non-automobile modes requires information: uncertainty about these modes is a barrier to using them. The City has added a web page to Newtonma.gov that provides information on public transportation. Information on walking and biking should be consolidated with this page. Trip planning tools (e.g., Google Maps) that were simply unavailable a few years ago now provide excellent information, not just for automobiles but also public transportation and walking. The information is updated continuously to reflect any MBTA service disruptions and a schedule explorer allows the user to


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choose the best service to get to a destination at the desired time. The walking mode provides distance and time estimates.

The City can promote increased use of these tools, and it can provide regular travel training at venues like the senior center and schools. Research shows that travel training can overcome a major obstacle to leaving the car at home.

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D Selected Non-Residential Property Owners

Owner Name Square Feet Use Category TRUSTEES OF BOSTON COLLEGE LASELL COLLEGE HINES GLOBAL REIT CHS COMMERCIAL OWNER LLC AVALON UPPER FALLS LLC UNIVERSITY OF MA BLDG AUTHORITY ATRIUM WELLNESS CENTER II LLC BOSTON ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART INC CHESTNUT HILL SHOPPING CENTER LLC CHSP NEWTON LLC CHAPELBRIDGE PARK ASSOCIATES AVALON AT CHESTNUT HILL INC THE MAY DEPARTMENT STORES CO AG-JCM WELLS AVE PROP OWNR LLC JCHE COLEMAN & GOLDA LP MALL AT CHESTNUT HILL LLC NORTHLAND OAK ST LLC K F REALTY ASSOCIATES NEWTON-WELLESLEY HOSPITAL CHESTNUT HILL SHOPPING CENTER LLC ABP BORROWER INC 300 NEEDHAM STREET LLC TAURUS ONE NEWTON PLACE LLC BH NORMANDY OWNER LLC JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER KESSELER WOODS LLC MAURUURU PROPERTIES LLC DIV WASHINGTON LLC FESSENDEN SCHOOL WHITE THOMAS J TRS

1,037,813 615,679 568,936 407,078 406,926 396,300 381,685 333,452 314,714 300,109 296,263 270,941 264,843 263,492 229,240 228,483 202,431 200,440 200,400 195,731 187,452 181,975 178,976 176,027 168,999 158,872 158,256 148,208 144,388 143,122

Academic Academic Offices Medical Offices Apartments Academic Medical Offices Academic Retail Hotel Offices Apartments Retail Offices Apartments Retail Offices Retail Other Non-Profit Retail Offices Retail Offices Hotel Other Non-Profit Apartments Offices Offices Academic Offices

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E Glossary

ASHP Air-source heat pump Building envelope The portion of a building that separates the interior from the exterior, consisting of foundation, roof, walls, doors and windows.

BEV Battery electric vehicle, operates only on electricity

Btu or British Thermal Unit A unit defined as the amount of energy required to heat 1 lb. of water 1 degree Fahrenheit. It is often used to compare energy-use from different sources (e.g. electric and gas).

CBEI Consumption-Based GHG Emission Inventory. The inventory of GHG emissions which includes both direct energy use in economic activities within particular geographic boundaries as well as embodied energy of goods and services used in that region. It includes goods, energy and services imported into the region and excludes goods, energy and services generated within the region but used for economic activities outside of it.

COP Coefficient of performance, a measure of the performance of electrically-powered heating and cooling equipment. It is defined as the ratio of energy output per unit of energy input.

EE Energy efficiency, achieved by such measures as weatherization and high efficiency heating systems

Embodied energy The energy required to produce, maintain and dispose of any material good through its entire life. It includes energy use to obtain and process raw materials (including metal mining), transport, marketing, sale, use and end-of-life disposal. Embodied energy may account for as much as 40 percent of a building’s life-time energy consumption, with 60 percent going into operational energy73 —heating, cooling, lighting etc.

EUI Energy use intensity, a measure of a building’s energy efficiency, typically given in units of energy per square foot per year (kBtu/sf/year).

73 https://www.metropolismag.com/architecture/sustainability-glossary-embodied-energy/

https://www.metropolismag.com/architecture/sustainability-glossary-embodied-energy/

Appendix E: Glossary

120 120

Calculated by dividing the total annual energy consumption by the total floor area of the building

EV Electric vehicle, operates only on electricity

GHG or Greenhouse gases Gases having a potential to absorb radiation reaching the earth from the sun and warm up the earth’s troposphere. The most common GHG is carbon dioxide, CO2. Other gases, such as methane, with a different global warming potential per unit volume than carbon dioxide are normalized to CO2’s global warming potential and expressed as GHG equivalents.

Green Newton Building Principles Green Newton, a local environmental advocacy group has published a four-part set of Green Building Principles74: minimize building operating energy; minimize embodied carbon; buildings must be all-electric and off the natural gas grid; and minimize the carbon footprint for transportation to and from the building.

HERS Home Energy Rating System75, a nationally recognized measure of a home’s energy performance—the lower the number the better. The HERS process includes measurements of air leakage, insulation effectiveness, and other variables. It results in a HERS score and provides the homeowner with a detailed report about energy problems in the house.

HPWH Heat pump water heater

ICE Internal combustion engine, used in most of today’s conventional vehicles.

kWh or Kilowatt-hour The standard unit for measuring electricity use; a 100 watt bulb that is on for 10 hours would consume 1,000 watt-hours of electric energy, or 1 kWh. Electricity is billed in terms of $/kWh.

LCA or Lifecycle Assessment A scientific method for studying the impacts of producing, using and disposal of a material good or service through its entire life. It is used to estimate embodied energy, environmental pollution, and other desirable and undesirable effects.

PH Passive house (German: Passive House) refers to a defined set of principles and procedures for constructing ultra-efficient buildings, both residential and commercial structures. The concept originated in Europe and has been institutionalized in Germany through Passive House Institute. To obtain PH certificate a building undergoes rigorous testing. In the US, the concept is disseminated through Passive House Institute US, PHIUS76.

74 https://www.greennewton.org/advocacy/10655-2/ 75 http://www.resnet.us/hers-index 76 http://www.phius.org/home-page


http://www.phius.org/home-page

Appendix E: Glossary

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PHEV Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle – similar to a regular hybrid, but with a bigger battery pack that can be charged up by plugging in to a regular electricity supply.

VMT Vehicle miles of travel

The Amherst Zero Energy Town Buildings Bylaw Summary for ECAC, by Andra Rose, for meeting on 6/5/19

○ Applies to all new large projects (new buildings and new additions, but not

renovations) built by and for the Town. ■ Large projects are those with a Total Project Cost of $2,000,000 or more.

○ Explicitly requires high energy-efficiency standards for the building itself, aside

from its renewable energy sources. ○ With minor exceptions, it requires that renewable energy match at least 100%

of the building’s energy needs and that renewable energy systems be purchased by the Town.

■ The bylaw requires that renewables be installed up to the point where they cost 10% of the cost of the energy-efficient new building and/or addition. After that point, the town may acquire green power in various ways through third party providers, or if that is more expensive, may simply purchase conventional power from the grid.

○ With minor exceptions, it requires that no fossil fuels be burned to supply

building energy. ■ Allows fossil fuel powered:

● emergency generators ● ‘Process Energy’ like municipal sewage and water treatment and

pumping ● ‘Specialized Equipment’ – essential non-building equipment that

has no reasonable electrically powered alternative like welding equipment.

○ Compliance requirements are consistent with regulations for public-sector

finance and procurement. ■ It allows Zero Energy projects to achieve compliance before

construction based on the sophisticated modeling of the projected building’s energy use.

■ Compliance with the bylaw is determined at the end of design, with the architect’s certification, and with independent Peer Review, that the building is ‘Zero Energy Capable’, as defined in the Bylaw.

1

I. Introduction Overview

Founded in 2010, the New England Municipal Sustainability Network has grown from 5 to 20 municipalities across New England working toward climate change initiatives and sustainability goals. Each municipality is represented by one staff member working in sustainability efforts. The Sustainability Institute at the University of New Hampshire acts as the “backbone,” “organizer,” and “conductor” of the Network.

The Network is at a more critical juncture now than ever before and is seeking to

streamline its vision due to a lack of support from the federal level. After a recent evaluation, the Network collectively agreed to work toward the outlined goals in the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCM) Framework. In adopting a framework, the Network leadership can point to specific guidelines and action items for the member municipalities to follow. The NEMS Network communities are currently at different levels of compliance, and one aspect of this project will include measuring progress and articulating next steps toward this goal. The GCM framework has 4 steps: an official political commitment, a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, a target for emission reduction, and a plan for carrying out the target. Each of the four steps includes an action item for both adaptation and mitigation efforts. While adaptation focuses on coping with the effects of global warming, mitigation involves adopting strategies to avoid greenhouse gas emissions. The specificities of the framework and its requirements will be further described in the research methods section of the paper.

After discussing the research methods utilized in assessing the Network’s progress toward the Global Covenant of Mayors framework and sustainability initiatives overall, an analysis of the findings will be presented. The final section will discuss next steps and recommendations.

II. Methods for Investigation

Throughout this project, municipal staff representatives of the NEMS Network were interviewed to identify key opportunities and barriers, and to measure the progress toward the Global Covenant of Mayors. Part of the work in this project also included using survey skills and qualitative research methods to adapt the survey and compile results. The survey included questions regarding each municipality’s top priorities and barriers, updates surrounding their current sustainability initiatives, and about the different towns’ progress toward compliance with the Global Covenant of Mayors Framework. A copy of the survey questionnaire is attached in Appendix A. The available notes from the last two years of biannual Network meetings from the last two years and previous monthly Steering and Development Committee meetings were also used.

2

Using this information, qualitative data from the interviews was analyzed to make recommendations about key priorities and themes. To identify opportunities and the most popular initiatives, the frequency of adopted initiatives and their implementation status was tracked across the Network. Similarly, an assessment of the different barriers mentioned was conducted. Due to guidance from advisors, the prevalence of funding and staffing barriers was one focus, though other popular barriers also emerged. The results of these analyses are discussed in the “findings” section.

It should be noted that the work completed this summer builds on the projects conducted by previous University of New Hampshire Sustainability Institute (UNHSI) fellows, Jackson Massey and Derek Bolivar. In the summer of 2017, Jackson Massey’s work evaluated different frameworks for the NEMS Network to adopt and ultimately recommended the Global Covenant of Mayors. During the same time frame, Derek Bolivar conducted a project to evaluate the current state of the NEMS Network in terms of commonly adopted sustainability initiatives. Derek’s work was updated to identify emerging priorities. The resulting spreadsheet is discussed in “Emerging Priorities” and attached in Appendix B.

Communications materials were also created to demonstrate the Network’s impact, including the graph measuring the NEMS Network progress toward the GCM, available in the “findings” section, as well as case studies in LED Lighting and the intersection of Equity and Sustainability. The materials produced, along with this report, will be used on the newly launching NEMS Network website, which will help to increase visibility and demonstrate the breadth of the organization’s work to fundraisers and other stakeholders.

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III. Global Covenant of Mayors Framework

A pertinent aspect of this project is the Global Covenant of Mayors framework and its four outlined steps: an official commitment, a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, setting a target to reduce the emissions tracked in the baseline year of the inventory, and either a climate action or resiliency plan. Compliance is complex and set on a timeline based on the date of official registration with the Covenant. There are official reporting requirements that must be submitted to the GCM to signify the completion of each step. While the NEMS Network is not requiring municipalities to officially register, which can be politically and financially difficult for certain areas, the members are encouraged to satisfy the three other steps: a greenhouse gas inventory, targets to reduce emissions, and an action plan to carry this out.

The Global Covenant of Mayors further describes the four steps and their requirements.1

1 Global Covenant of Mayors (2015, July). Compact of Mayors: Compliance Definition. Retrieved from: https://www.globalcovenantofmayors.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Compact-of-Mayors_Definition-of-Compliance.pdf

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IV. Findings Progress Toward Global Covenant of Mayors Compliance: Overview

Currently Boston is the only locality in the NEMS Network to reach full official compliance with the GCM framework, while the other 19 municipalities are at varying levels. The progress toward compliance was measured through 2019, as municipalities either had already completed steps, had completion scheduled for 2018, or stated 2019 as the projected year for completion. None of the municipalities had projected end dates past 2019.

Approximately 45% of municipalities are projected to be officially committed to the

Covenant by 2019, while 70% are projected to have completed both community-wide and municipal greenhouse gas inventories. 70% are projected to have targets set to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and 80% will have either an Adaptation or Action plan by 2019. This calculation includes whether a municipality has an action or adaptation plan, though official GCM compliance requires comprehensive plans in both. Complete information detailing each municipality’s progress toward each step is attached in Appendix C and discussed in the following section by step.

Figure 2: Progress Toward Global Covenant of Mayors Compliance

Across NEMS Network, through 2019

It should be noted that most of the municipalities (76%) are focused on both adaptation and mitigation planning, while 19% are focused only on adaptation and 5% only on mitigation. There are a multitude of reasons why 24% of the municipalities are focused on one or the other, instead of the preferred course of action in pursuing both. For example, a town might not have the resources to pursue action in both categories, or one of the categories of efforts might be more important for their community. Only one municipality of the 24%, Groton, went into detail about why their town is focused only on mitigation, naming resistance by the public to pursuing adaptation initiatives. The fact that the GCM requires efforts in both should be clearly conveyed to municipalities, though some might experience difficulty in doing so.

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Figure 3: Breakdown across the NEMS Network between adaptation and/or mitigation

Global Covenant of Mayors Progress: Step by Step Official Commitment The first step of the Global Covenant of Mayors framework is an official commitment to carry out the framework. Essentially, it is political in nature and allows a city to announce and publicize its commitment to the GCM and preparing for climate change. However, official registration does also equip the community with resources from the GCM.

In the NEMS Network, approximately 8 out of 20 municipalities, or 40%, are officially committed to the Global Covenant of Mayors as of 2018. One municipality is currently gathering more information and expressed serious interest in joining the framework. If this occurs, approximately 45% of the Network will be in compliance by 2019. No other municipalities currently expressed intent to commit to the framework in an official capacity in the near future, though this may change and should be revisited.

Figure 4: Official Commitment to the GCM Across the NEMS Network

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Greenhouse Gas Inventory

The second step in the GCM framework is a greenhouse gas inventory, which is complex and requires a mixture of data cleanup, data modeling, and several software tools. Acquiring the data itself can be extremely difficult, so the overall inventory is an expansive and tedious process. Across the NEMS Network, 12 municipalities are currently finished. 1 municipality is currently in progress with an inventory projected to finish in 2019. 7 municipalities are not in compliance with the inventory requirement: including 4 that are incomplete (either consisting of only a municipal-wide inventory/only a community-wide, or data before 2005) and 3 that have not started or planned to start. Overall, 60% are currently finished with inventories as of 2018, while 70% will be completed as of 2019.

Figure 5: GHG Inventory Progress Across NEMS Network

It should be noted that this data varies from the year 2006 to 2017. Updates to several of the inventories would be required to officially reach compliance with the Covenant. One suggestion for the future is to ensure that municipalities which are not committed to the GCM in an official capacity are updating data every three years. Setting Targets

The third step of the GCM, setting a target, requires communities to evaluate their completed greenhouse gas inventory and to establish a goal for reducing emissions. Currently, 3 municipalities do not have a target in place, while 3 municipalities are in the process of establishing one, leaving 6 municipalities without targets in total. The other 14, or 70%, have established a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These goals vary, from short-term targets for 2020, spanning to long-term targets for 2050. In addition, some municipalities, namely Burlington, Boston, Northampton, South Portland, and Providence, set both short-term

7

and long-term goals. In the case of these towns, I utilized the long-term goal. The targets that have been set by the 14 municipalities are detailed below. The progress of the 3 municipalities in the process of establishing targets should be monitored as well.

Figure 6: Progress Toward Establishing Targets Across the NEMS Network

Figure 7: Detailed Breakdown of the Goals from NEMS Communities with Established Targets

Municipality Target(s)

Arlington, MA Carbon Neutral by 2050 (pending, but likely to pass)

Boston, MA 25% reduction by 2020, 50% by 2030, Carbon Neutral by 2050

Cambridge, MA Carbon Neutral by 2050

Medford, MA Carbon Neutral by 2050

Northampton, MA 80% reduction by 2050

Provincetown, MA 20% reduction by 2020

Somerville, MA Carbon Neutral by 2050

Portland, ME 80% reduction by 2050

South Portland, ME 80% reduction by 2050

Lebanon, NH 80% reduction by 2050

Portsmouth, NH 26-28% reduction by 2025 (Paris Accord)

8

Providence, RI 10% reduction by 2020, 45% reduction by 2035, Carbon Neutral by 2050

Burlington, VT 20% municipal reductions by 2025, Carbon Neutral by 2030

Figure 8: Timeline of Targets Set by the NEMS Network

Identifying Climate Hazards and Creating Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments

In order to complete the adaptation component of the target step, the GCM also requires hazards reporting and a vulnerability assessment. In terms of identifying hazards, 16 of the 20 NEMS Network communities, or approximately 80%, will have obtained hazard information by 2019. 13 communities have already identified the hazards, while 3 are in the process of doing so.

9

Looking at the vulnerability assessment data, 15 of the 20 communities, or 75%, will have made significant progress or completed their assessments by 2019. One municipality has an assessment as one section of their Hazard Mitigation Plan, while 9 have completely conducted vulnerability assessments in their municipalities. 5 municipalities have not completed a climate change vulnerability assessment or did so before 2004, while 5 are current in the process of conducting assessments.

Figure 9: Progress Across the NEMS Network Toward Identifying Hazards

Figure 10: Progress Across the NEMS Network Toward Conducting Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments

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Establishing a Plan: Climate Action and Adaptation/Resilience Plans

The fourth and final step toward compliance is to create a plan to act on the greenhouse gas reduction targets. Communities are required to participate in both adaptation and mitigation efforts and create both a climate adaptation and climate action plan.

5 communities either have not conducted a climate action plan or the data is from before

2005, 8 are currently in progress, and 7 will be completed by the end of 2018. Regarding adaptation plans, 7 municipalities have not established a plan, 10 are in progress, 1 is planned to begin in 2019, and 2 are completed.

Only 6 communities have both a climate action and adaptation plan in 2018 (about 30%),

though there will be an additional community with both by 2019 (raising the total to 35%). 9 municipalities are currently in the process of updating their plans, with no official end date (though for the purposes of the graphic, I counted these municipalities as finishing by the end of 2019, which should be revisited). 4 municipalities have not conducted or initiated a climate action or adaptation plan, or it is outdated: Greenfield, MA; Lebanon, NH; Arlington, MA; and Keene, NH.

Ultimately, 80% of municipalities will have either an adaptation or action plan by 2019,

though to be officially compliant, communities will need both. Though only 35% of communities will have both an updated adaptation and action plan by 2019, it is encouraging that 9 communities are currently in the process of updating their plans. The progress of these communities should be consistently monitored, while the 4 communities without any progress in this area should be supported to begin planning as soon as possible.

Figure 11: Progress Across the NEMS Network Toward Creating an Adaptation and/or Action Plan

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The Performance of High-Population Municipalities

Because many smaller communities seemed to be facing large barriers in their sustainability work, it was suggested to analyze the Global Covenant of Mayors progress across the Network by municipality population size. The municipalities were divided into two groups: populations of under 50,000 and at or above 50,000 (high population). This left 7 communities in the “high population” category: Boston, Cambridge, Cranston, Medford, Portland, Providence, and Somerville.

When separating the municipalities in this way, there was a clear difference in progress.

The communities with high populations all had conducted greenhouse gas inventories, set targets, and had an action or adaptation plan in progress or completed. 5 of the 7 communities had officially committed to the Global Covenant of Mayors framework. Of the 2 communities that had not, one currently has a very conservative government structure and lack of public support (Cranston) and the other (Portland) is already committed to a different framework (Climate Mayors). Graphics displaying the progress of the high population communities, in addition to a side-by-side comparison of the high population community progress versus the overall progress, are shown below in Figures 12 and 13.

Many factors may be contributing to this discrepancy and in the future, it may be possible

to conduct a quantitative analysis analyzing the variables involved. In almost all of the high population municipalities in the NEMS Network, the populations and government bodies are fairly liberal which, by itself, may be allowing them to accomplish more. In addition, high population areas are more likely to have larger operating budgets and staff dedicated to sustainability and climate change adaptation/mitigation. At the same time, it is important for larger municipalities to continue their higher levels of progress, as they are also responsible for addressing a larger amount of emissions.

Figure 12: Progress Toward GCM Framework: High Population Communities Projected through 2019

12

Figure 13: Progress Toward GCM Framework

Overall NEMS Network vs. High Population Communities

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

OfficialCommitment

GHG Inventory Target Plan

Progress Toward Global Covenant of Mayors Framework

Projected through 2019

Across NEMS Network

Municipalities with Populations of 50,000+

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V. .Emerging Priorities from the NEMS Network Interviews

During the interviews, many common themes emerged in terms of sustainability initiatives separate from the GCM. With the identification of these priorities, the NEMS leadership can provide guidance and connect towns working on similar initiatives. This peer-learning can ease implementation and accelerate progress.

Firstly, LED Lighting initiatives are very popular throughout the Network due to their financial incentive and ease of implementation. In fact, 100% of the member municipalities are either in the planning process, in progress, or finished with an LED lighting project. Because of the payback over the long term, this initiative is also feasible for towns struggling to convince town leadership to invest in sustainability projects. Many representatives have also discussed with each other how to initiate this process and there has been a large amount of resource sharing. LED Streetlights are currently more popular than LEDs in municipal buildings, though a significant amount of towns are also moving to implement the latter.

Resiliency Initiatives have emerged as a priority for certain towns, especially those close

to water sources. Recent storms have caused damage in many towns, and municipalities are thinking through ways to plan for the future. Provincetown discussed the lasting damage of the storms this winter. Other towns, such as Cranston and Portsmouth, are currently undergoing work on resiliency related to flooding: Portsmouth is hosting a UNHSI Fellow working on Coastal Resilience, while Cranston just received a federal grant from FEMA for flood buyouts. Green storm water upgrades are also a popular initiative in other towns throughout the Network, with 12 municipalities in progress and 4 in the planning stage. Currently, resiliency and adaptation efforts are a focus for 95% of communities, while only 5% are focused strictly on mitigation efforts.

Equity and Environmental Justice initiatives throughout the Network range from

affordable, sustainable housing options in many towns to applying a racial justice lens to sustainability projects. Providence established a racial justice committee to meet with their environmental committee, while Cambridge has a discounted bike share program. Other cities have initiatives focused on training specifically. For example, Boston recently launched a Climate Leaders Initiative, which educates and empowers leaders from various communities throughout the city to spread information related to sustainability to their networks. The city of Somerville currently trains all staff on racial justice and applying the lens to their work as well. Sustainable housing for low-income families is popular throughout the Network, with 2 communities in the planning stage, 9 communities in the process of implementation, and 1 community with full implementation.

Other popular project topics throughout the Network include electric vehicle

implementation, community gardens, bike shares, and building upgrades. A chart tracking commonly adopted initiatives across the Network is available in Appendix B.

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VI. Overall Barriers A discussion of the prominent barriers facing communities in terms of their sustainability work is important in order to identify resources and next steps. I will first discuss opportunities and barriers of the GCM work, and then present barriers that were experienced in broader sustainability initiatives. Official GCM Commitment: Opportunities and Barriers

Although all member municipalities are working toward the goals of the GCM in some capacity, it is worth examining the opportunities and barriers to official commitment. Ideally, all municipalities will eventually register for the framework, and in doing so, will demonstrate specific, measurable plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This section provides a discussion of what the 8 registered communities see as reasons for officially committing, and conversely, what the other 12 communities view as barriers.

Opportunities to Commitment

Currently, 8 communities in the NEMS Network are registered for the Global Covenant of Mayors. In asking each of the municipal leaders what they viewed as the benefit of joining, the answers varied considerably. The most common reason for officially registering was to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and climate change efforts. Many of the eight municipalities mentioned that official commitment demonstrated leadership on the local level in this regard. Similarly, several of the communities mentioned that they felt an official commitment sent a positive message to the rest of the world. Only one of the communities explicitly mentioned the tangible resources that are made available upon official registration (ClearPath). In addition, one other community mentioned that the official commitment can also make grant applications more competitive, as it shows their plans to work toward a specific, measurable goal. It is worth noting that of the 8 registered communities, 5 have populations over 50,000 and significant resources already to become involved in sustainability efforts, which made the process to commitment much easier.

Barriers to Commitment

Of the remaining 12 municipalities, several prohibitive barriers were mentioned. First and foremost, cost was predictably mentioned. The plans and reporting requirements required by the Covenant are somewhat extensive and often carried out by consultants. Related to cost are staffing and time constraints. Many municipalities already discussed limited staffing and an overload of work. Additional reporting and mandates would be extremely difficult to carry out at current levels. Some of the municipalities are already signed onto other frameworks, such as the Climate Mayors, STAR Communities, Cities for Climate Protection, Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance, Green Climate Cities, and the Metro Boston Climate Preparedness Commitment. An additional framework to follow would require further reporting commitments and resources. Finally, in towns that are struggling with public support and political will, a publicized commitment to the Covenant would not be viable. Even in one town that defines itself as fairly progressive, the requirements of the Covenant were too complex for the Mayor to support.

15

Overall, the complexity of the Global Covenant of Mayors was seen as both an asset and

a barrier. While it is helpful at times to have comprehensive requirements to guide communities across the world, which vary in government structure, location, and resources, the specificity can be confusing and limiting. One community mentioned that the requirements from the GCM for just the greenhouse gas inventory span over 200 pages of information. In terms of overall compliance, there are mandatory action items by year, depending on the date of registration. This also creates a barrier in knowing that many of the communities in NEMS will never have the resources and political will to officially commit.

The complexities of the GCM also create a dynamic where specialized consultants often

carry out the work, which can be expensive and difficult for less resourced communities. This in turn may perpetuate a cycle where municipalities with more resources are able to accomplish more, while smaller or less resourced communities struggle. Finally, some of the communities, especially those in Massachusetts, are currently registered for more than one framework. Meeting the requirements and reporting mandates for all of them can be tedious and hard to keep track of, and at times duplicative. Overall Barriers to Sustainability Initiatives Several of the barriers to commitment to the GCM overlap with barriers experienced in everyday sustainability initiatives. Municipal representatives were asked what the top three barriers were to implementing sustainability projects and the most common responses are detailed below.

Financing sustainability projects has emerged as a top barrier to implementing everyday initiatives. Many towns, especially smaller towns or towns with less supportive government leaders, have trouble securing and finding funding streams. One town mentioned that financing within the town is limited, so the grants that are available determine the projects that are initiated. However, even in towns that feel that they have a strong grasp of funding sources, a few representatives have discussed managing grants as a tedious and burdensome process. Grant tracking spreadsheets were discussed as one resource to share throughout the Network, and further, a resource sharing platform was suggested. The newly launching NEMS Network website could act as a potential place for this.

Directly related to financing concerns is staffing. Several representatives have discussed

that they have limited capacity in their current projects due to a small staff. To quantify this gap, a few municipalities talked about needing at least one more full-time staff person dedicated to sustainability work. In other municipalities, there is not a dedicated staff member to sustainability work, and instead, the responsibilities are shared between departments such as Public Works, Community Development, Energy, and Planning. Beyond technical staffing, one municipality viewed this gap in terms of skill gaps, rather than staffing itself. For this reason, a few of the municipalities, especially those located near universities, have hosted undergraduate or graduate interns. With municipalities that strictly need support on a specific project, applying for a UNHSI Fellow is another option.

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Political Barriers are an additional issue for certain municipalities. Two municipalities

have discussed needing to disguise sustainability initiatives through financial incentives, such as with LED lighting or energy savings. Political barriers seem to coincide with a lack of community support for initiatives, which can be especially difficult. For towns with this dynamic, officially registering for the Global Covenant, or even dedicating resources to the preliminary steps in the framework, will be a real challenge.

State codes related to both solar arrays and building updates were also mentioned as a

barrier to implementing projects. Permitting regulations also slowed some projects, to the point in one municipality where a grant application was lost. While codes and regulations might be in place to protect the environment in some cases, it can paradoxically slow progress on sustainability initiatives.

Declining lack of support from federal leadership, and decreasing availability of

federal funding for environmental and sustainability projects, was also widely discussed by representatives. Interestingly, some municipalities mentioned that although it is positive that more and more towns are becoming involved in sustainability initiatives, this creates a more competitive dynamic for grant funding from the federal and state levels.

In terms of data and reporting, many of the sources are not streamlined which seems to

be an overarching issue in sustainability work. Many communities expressed frustration in obtaining data from utility companies and even other departments. This can slow a project down substantially. Even after receiving the data, without specialized tools and software, it can also prove difficult to “clean” the numbers to conduct an analysis. Looking just within the NEMS Network community data, it was difficult at times to analyze for themes when many of the initiatives and goals set forth are carried out in a unique way.

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VII. Recommendations and Next Steps

In order to continue the progress of the Network, the leadership should become aware of these prominent barriers and seek to address them. The following section details specific recommendations for the Network moving forward.

Bath, Maine, Cranston, Rhode Island, and Greenfield, Massachusetts are the three

municipalities that have not yet initiated an inventory. I would recommend for all three to apply for a UNHSI Fellow for the Summer of 2019 to commence this work, as the GHG Inventory is a vital step to pursuing GCM compliance. Similarly, I would recommend for the municipalities that utilized data before 2015, or that only have a community-wide or municipal-wide inventory, to apply for a Fellow to begin updates. For example, Arlington, Massachusetts has an inventory from 2005, so it might be beneficial for their community to apply for a Fellow to update the data.

In addition, less than half of the NEMSN communities plan to commit to the Global

Covenant of Mayors Framework by 2019 (45%). Provincetown mentioned that it would be very possible to join with their progressive and receptive community. Keene also discussed hoping to learn more about the framework, and specifically recommended emission reduction targets through the GCM. Providing additional information and support to these representatives to encourage registration would be beneficial.

A few of the communities expressed that there is a lack of political will and receptiveness

from the public toward sustainability initiatives. For these municipalities, and even those with more support, I would recommend an examination of best practices in community engagement and deliberative dialogue principles. Within the NEMS Network, certain municipalities with more resources, such as Somerville, Boston, Medford, and Northampton, have engaged in comprehensive engagement efforts. For example, Somerville hosted a UNHSI fellow this summer to produce a comprehensive educational pamphlet for their Climate Action Plan to distribute in several neighborhoods throughout the city. Sharing their processes and resources would also prove beneficial. Community education events, town conversations with more dialogue, and interactive publicized materials are examples of low-cost methods to increase engagement and community buy-in.

Staffing and applying for funding emerged as major barriers facing many NEMS Network

communities. One specific resource that was mentioned in an interview included specialized grant tracking and project management documents. Another idea for lessening this resource gap was to continue sharing the methods, process, and results of sustainability projects from more resourced municipalities in a database or online platform. The NEMS Network website might have an internal platform for this purpose moving forward.

If a Fellow continues this work next summer, I would suggest factoring in the size of the

community in measuring the overall impact, such as through total emission reductions or percent reductions by sector. To update the timeline of compliance with GCM, I would suggest checking all of the “in process” steps to hopefully include projected years of completion. The GCM is currently updating the requirements for compliance as well and this information should be clearly conveyed to the member municipalities. Appropriate changes should also be made to the

18

NEMSN GCM compliance materials. Finally, it might be useful to write case studies about the work of the newly developed working groups.

I would also suggest establishing adjusted guidelines for GCM compliance for the

communities that do not currently have the resources to officially commit. This will also be useful for tracking purposes, as some of the data was counted as compliant even though it was from several years ago. One suggestion was to ensure that data in the greenhouse gas inventories, or established plans, are not more than three years old. Communities might also be encouraged to carry out the steps of the Covenant, but with less specific reporting requirements. This should be a conversation for the Network leadership in the near future.

VIII. Conclusion Since its inception in 2010, the NEMS Network has utilized peer-learning and resource sharing to maximize their impact on sustainability work throughout New England. The Network’s decision to pursue the Global Covenant of Mayors framework has allowed for a streamline vision, a mechanism to measure its progress in greenhouse gas emission reductions, and guidelines for communities to aspire for. While the Network has overall made great strides in meeting the four steps of the GCM framework, especially those communities with populations over 50,000 residents, there is still more work to be completed. The municipalities identified in this report with the most need of resources should be contacted and supported to ensure that the Network meets its full potential. Separate from the GCM, the Network has accomplished 100% involvement with LED Lighting, while several communities are also focused on resiliency and green infrastructure upgrades, community gardens, electric vehicles, bike shares, commercial/building upgrades, and the intersection of equity and sustainability. It became clear that despite continued progress, the many communities in the Network are facing prominent barriers, such as staffing, funding, and political concerns, in addition to complexities in the GCM framework itself. The recommendations in the report outline next steps for the NEMS Network leadership in hopes of informing the ongoing progress.

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Appendix A Survey Questions

NEMSN Profiles/Network Assessment Research Project Semi-Structured Interview Questions Overview What have been your top successes in the past 2-3 years? Given the range of your priorities, which do you consider to be your top priorities right now? How important are metrics to identifying the progress of the program and policies? What resources are needed to complete your strategies and priorities? Are they currently available to you? If not, do you know where/how to obtain them? What level of staffing is needed to accomplish your current projects? What are your top 3 barriers that you consider to be beyond the control of the municipality, which have limited your ability to implement sustainability initiatives? How does your municipality engage with the community on sustainability projects? Do you feel that your town has been receptive to sustainability initiatives? Global Covenant of Mayors: Has your town thought about committing to the Global Covenant of Mayors framework? If yes, what do you see as the potential benefits? If not, what would be the restricting factors? Sustainability Initiatives: Does your town have targets, published plans, and/or reporting on any of the following topics:

• Solid waste reduction and recycling • Food and agriculture • Transportation • Storm water • Energy • Land use/development • Equity and economics • Community Engagement

The following are some of the most commonly adopted initiatives in NEMSN. For each of them, has your town: a) not yet considered b) started planning c) in progress d) fully implemented

• Curbside composting • Zero waste policy

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• Community gardens • Complete streets • Bike share/rail trail • Green storm water upgrades • Building upgrades – municipal or commercial • Municipal energy aggregation • Solar array installations • Sustainable housing for low-income families • LED conversions: streetlights or municipal buildings

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Appendix B Overall Initiative Implementation Across NEMS Network

Overall NetworkInitiative Not Yet Considered Planning In Progress Completed N/A - Did Not Discuss TotalsCurbside Composting 10 2 4 1 17Zero Waste Plan 8 6 2 1 17Community Gardens 3 12 2 17Urban Agriculture & Local Food Programs 2 2 11 1 1 17Bike Share/Rail Trail 2 7 4 4 17Green Stormwater Infrastructure Planning and Upgrades 4 12 1 17Commercial/Municipal Building Upgrades 1 16 17Municipal Energy Aggregation 3 6 2 4 2 17Solar Array Installations 6 7 2 2 17Mixed-use Develop 3 7 3 4 17Urban Infill 1 2 7 3 4 17Electric Vehicles 12 1 4 17Sustainable Housing For Low-Income Families 2 2 8 1 4 17LED Lights: Streetlights 1 7 9 17LED Lights: Municipal 7 7 2 1 17

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Appendix C Progress Toward Global Covenant of Mayors Framework

Official Commitment Municipal GHG Survey Community GHG Survey Set Target(s) Conducted Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment CT--Groton 0 2013-2014 2013-2014 20 by 2020 (municipal) 0MA--Amherst 0 2017 2017 0 In ProcessMA--Arlington 0 2005 - outdated 2005 - outdated 0 by 2050 (pending) 2018MA--Fairhaven 0 In process In process in process Hazard mitigation plan 2017MA--Greenfield 0 0 0 0 0MA--Provincetown 0 2017 0 20 by 2020 2016ME--Bath 0 0 0 In process 2016ME--Portland 0 2016 2010 80% by 2050 2015ME--South Portland 0 2016 2016 reduce 17% by 2017; 80% by 2050 In ProcessNH--Keene 0 2015 2015 0 2004NH--Lebanon 0 2010 0 80% reduction by 2050 0NH--Portsmouth 0 2006 2012 Paris Accord - 26-28% below 2005 level by 2025 2014RI--Cranston 0 0 0 In process 2014MA--Boston 1 2015 2015 25% reduction by 2020, 50% by 2030, 0 by 2050 2017MA--Cambridge 1 2012 2012 0 by 2050 2016, finalized 2017MA--Dedham 1 2017 2018 - in process In process In ProcessMA--Medford 1 2017 2015 0 by 2050 In ProcessMA--Northampton 1 2017 2017 80% reduction by 2050, 100% renewable w/o date; 100% decarbon after 2050 In ProcessMA--Somerville 1 2016 2016 0 by 2050 2017RI--Providence 1 somewhat incomplete 2015 0 by 2050; 10% reduction 2020; 45% by 2035 Hazard mitigation plan - update 2018VT--Burlington 1 2013 2013 20% municipal reductions by 2025; 10% airport; 10% community; net zero by 2030 0

Town of Amherst

Massachusetts

Master Plan

Adopted by the Amherst Planning Board

February 3, 2010

Acknowledgments

Town of Amherst

Acknowledgments

COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING COMMITTEE

2006-2010, Planning Amherst Together

James Wald, Chair [Vice-Chair], Historical

Commission

Eric Nakajima, [Chair] Housing Partnership / FHC

Cheryl Zoll, [Chair] At Large

Alisa Brewer, [Chair] School Committee

Harvey Allen, Conservation Commission

Marilyn Blaustein, Finance Committee

Cyrus Cox, At Large

Rob Crowner, Public Works Committee

Yuri Friman, At Large

William Gillen, Chamber of Commerce

Rosemary Kofler, Council on Aging

Douglas Kohl, At Large

Joanne Levenson, At Large

Jim Oldham, At Large

Larry Orloff, At Large

Anita Page, Jones Library Trustee

Barry Roberts, Town Commercial Relations

Committee

Alan Root, At Large

Carol Rothery, At Large

Bob Saul, Agricultural Commission

Claude Tellier, Community Development Committee

Frank Wells, Public Transportation

Walter Wolnik, At Large

Stan Ziomek, LSSE Commission

NON-VOTING REPRESENTATIVES

Larry Archey, Hampshire College

Jim Brassord, Amherst College

Bob Francis, University of Massachusetts

Aaron Hayden, Planning Board

Hwei-Ling Greeney, Select Board Liaison

Larry Shaffer, Town Manager

AMHERST PLANNING STAFF

February 2010

Jonathan Tucker, Planning Director

Christine Brestrup, Senior Planner

Jeffrey Bagg, Senior Planner

Nathanial Malloy, Associate Planner

Sue Krzanowski, Administrative Assistant

Michael Olkin, GIS Administrator


Niels la Cour, Senior Planner *

Amy Lash, Planning Intern

Ryan Lundergan, Planning Intern

Maureen Pollock, Planning Intern

AMHERST PLANNING BOARD

February 2010

Jonathan Shefftz, Chair

Jonathan O‘Keeffe, Vice-Chair

Ludmilla Pavlova-Gilham, Clerk

Denise Barberet

Bruce Carson

Rob Crowner

Richard Roznoy

Stephen Schreiber

David Webber


Kathleen Anderson

Paul Bobrowski

Christopher Boyd

Adrian Fabos

Rod Francis

Aaron Hayden

Richard Howland

David Kastor

Susan Pynchon

Leandro Rivera

Mary Scipioni

Eduardo Suarez

AMHERST SELECT B0ARD

February 2010

Stephanie O‘Keeffe, Chair

Alisa Brewer

Aaron Hayden

Diana Stein

Gerald Weiss


Anne Awad

Hwei-Ling Greeney

Robie Hubley

Rob Kusner

* Lead staff person

Table of Contents

Town of Amherst

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1.1

2. Goals and Policies ................................................................................................................................ 2.1

3. Land Use .............................................................................................................................................. 3.1

Land Use Policy Map ..................................................................................................................... 3.24

4. Demographics and Housing ................................................................................................................. 4.1

5. Economic Development ....................................................................................................................... 5.1

6. Natural and Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................... 6.1

7. Open Space and Recreation ................................................................................................................. 7.1

8. Services and Facilities.......................................................................................................................... 8.1

9. Transportation and Circulation ............................................................................................................ 9.1

10. Implementation ............................................................................................................................... 10.1

Appendices

A. Implementation Matrix

Supporting Documents

A. Existing Conditions and Trends Report

B. Ideas for the Future

C. Community Choices Public Meeting Results

D. Community Survey Results

1. Introduction

Town of Amherst 1.1

1. Introduction

A. General

Town Meeting voted funds for Amherst‘s Master Plan in 2006. The

effort was led by the appointed Comprehensive Planning Committee (CPC)

with at-large members and others from town committees and civic groups.

The CPC worked closely with the national consulting firm of ACP–

Visioning and Planning in order to facilitate the process, known as Planning

Amherst Together, and to develop the draft Master Plan that was presented

to the Planning Board for its review and adoption.

A Master Plan is a community‘s ―blueprint‖ for its future. As such, it is

the broadest policy document a community can have to guide decision-

making on long-term physical development over a period of decades or even

generations. The Town of Amherst‘s Master Plan addresses a variety of

topics including land use, housing, economic development, natural and

cultural resources, parks and open space, community services and

facilities/utilities, transportation, and implementation.

Although a Master Plan is required under Massachusetts state law, the

Town of Amherst hasn‘t prepared a Master Plan since 1969. While Amherst

has undertaken many innovative planning projects over the past 38 years,

none of these studies were comprehensive in nature and none were formally

adopted.

This Plan—the first in nearly 40 years—was based on significant public

input throughout the planning process. This input was integrated with

research on the community‘s existing conditions and anticipated trends for

the future. It was the charge of the Comprehensive Planning Committee

(CPC) to understand these findings and deliberate on appropriate

recommendations for the future. This Master Plan represents the

community‘s best effort to balance competing interests and complex and

intertwined issues.

B. Organization of the Report

M.G.L. Chapter 41, Section 81D of Massachusetts law requires a local

planning board to develop a master plan for its community. (See

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/41-81d.htm.) The law requires the plan

to be consistent in its policies, forecasts, and standards. It also outlines a

series of elements that must be addressed in the plan. Accordingly, this

Master Plan for the Town of Amherst is organized based on the following

structure:

Chapter 2: Goals & Policies - Addresses the overarching vision,

goals, and priorities for the community as developed through the

interactive public process.

Chapter 3: Land Use – Describes the proposed distribution,

location, inter-relationship, and character of land uses in the

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/41-81d.htm

1. Introduction

Town of Amherst 1.2

community. This chapter provides a land use map and identifies

specific planning initiatives to guide future development in

Amherst.

Chapter 4: Demographics and Housing – Outlines housing needs

and objectives, including approaches for the preservation of existing

housing stock and development of new units that will diversify

Amherst‘s housing choices. Strategies to promote affordability

represent a key component of this element.

Chapter 5: Economic Development – Identifies policies to support

expansion of the Town‘s economic base and provide for further

employment opportunities.

Chapter 6: Natural and Cultural Resources – Provides a number

of strategies designed to protect and enhance the Town‘s significant

natural, cultural, and historic resources.

Chapter 7: Open Space and Recreation – Outlines information

about significant open spaces and recreational facilities in Amherst,

and provides policies and strategies to support the protection,

management, and expansion of such areas.

Chapter 8: Services and Facilities – Analyzes existing and

forecasted needs for public services and facilities in Amherst, and

provides policies to guide their expansion.

Chapter 9: Transportation and Circulation – Examines existing

and proposed circulation and transportation systems. This chapter

emphasizes the importance of expanding alternative and public

transportation options and reducing reliance on the private

automobile.

Chapter 10: Implementation – Identifies specific actions that are

necessary to achieve the objectives of the Master Plan. Steps to be

taken by the Planning Board, the Master Plan Implementation

Committee and the Town boards/committees and departments

responsible for specific areas of Amherst‘s public interest include

developing action plans that identify appropriate responsible entities

and establish timelines for completion of strategies.

Appendix

A. Implementation Matrix – This checklist of Master Plan strategies

is to be used by those responsible for developing action plans.

Supporting Documents

The following supporting documents were prepared as part of the master

planning process. Copies can be obtained from the Amherst Planning

Department or and can be accessed through the Town‘s webpage:

A. Existing Conditions and Trends Report. This report compiles

research and analysis that formed the technical foundation of the

Plan.

1. Introduction

Town of Amherst 1.3

B. Ideas for the Future. This represents a complete list of ideas

collected from the public, and organized by topic.

C. Community Choices Public Meeting Results. This report details the

results of the Community Choices event held in early 2007, which

was designed to gather feedback from the public on the draft goals

and land use principles.

D. Community Survey Results. This document represents a

compilation of the survey responses arranged numerically.

2. Goals and Policies

Town of Amherst 2.1


A. Overview

Amherst is a highly desirable community in which to live, work, study,

and play. It also is a town experiencing change. While change at some level

is inevitable, both the rate and character of change in Amherst have been

significant in recent decades. The key questions before the community—and

the essence of the master planning effort—are ―What kind of community do

we want Amherst to be in the future?‖ and ―What do we need to do about it

today?‖

This Master Plan is an attempt to capture the community‘s aspirations

and confront the challenges that Amherst faces. The community struggles to

maintain its quality of life in the face of fiscal challenges exacerbated by

diminishing state tax support. A significant amount of land in Amherst is

permanently protected. Development of remaining unprotected open space

continues, primarily for expensive single-family housing. Demographic

changes and University expansion put pressure on housing and Town

services. Land costs and housing costs continue to rise. These and other

interrelated issues impact the lives of individual residents as well as the

future of the community as a whole.

By addressing issues of growth and development, this Plan also seeks

to preserve and enhance the character of Amherst community life—

fundamental civility, access to public resources and decision-making,

cohesive neighborhoods, ongoing cultural activities, and the preservation of

longstanding community-defining traditions in the face of the change and

fluidity imposed by a highly transient population.

This Master Plan—Amherst‘s first in nearly 40 years—seeks to create a

framework for addressing the challenges and realizing the aspirations of the

Amherst community. The Plan uses words, maps, and illustrations to

describe shared expectations for the types, location, and intensity of future

development. It also outlines an implementation schedule for the actions

necessary to achieve the Plan‘s objectives.

In using this document—and especially when implementing its

recommendations—there are two very important points to keep in mind:

Dynamic Nature of a Master Plan: This document is not intended

to be forever fixed. It will require diligence to continually monitor

the relevance, priorities, and progress of this Plan. Members of

Town boards and committees, elected and appointed Town officials,

members of Town Meeting, and all interested citizens will be

responsible for keeping abreast of the needs of the Town, for

bringing new ideas to those responsible for implementing the


Town of Amherst 2.2

Master Plan, and for ensuring that the Plan is being used effectively.

The Implementation Chapter prescribes specific actions that will

help the Town evaluate, interpret, and amend the Plan. Adoption of

this Master Plan is the beginning, not the end, of the process.

Need for Action: There are many pressing needs in the community,

and growth and development pressures continue. Many of the

priorities identified in this Plan beg for action sooner rather than

later. For example, the Town‘s regulatory tools need to be

comprehensively reviewed and updated to protect and create the

kind of physical environment desired by town residents.

B. Process Highlights

The Comprehensive Planning Committee encouraged a high level of

public participation in the Planning Amherst Together master planning

process in an effort to develop a community consensus on hopes and

expectations for the future of Amherst. Planning Amherst Together was a

multi-step open community-based planning process involving hundreds of

Amherst citizens taking advantage of multiple opportunities to share and

discuss their ideas about how to maintain and build on Amherst‘s best

qualities. Planning Amherst Together considered the crucial issues

confronting Amherst. It built upon past planning efforts, provided new

technical information, and created multiple opportunities for public input

and guidance.

A timeline of major activities can be found in the table below.

Table 1.1 Planning Amherst Together – Timeline of Major Activities

Activity (* signifies a public involvement activity) Timeframe

Public Idea Gathering Meetings * - Several large public

brainstorming sessions to identify community needs, concerns,

and desires.

Fall 2006

Technical Research, Drafting of Existing Conditions and

Trends Report – Staff and consultant data-gathering.

Summer/Fall 2006

Work Group Workshops * - Groups of citizens assigned to

focus on specific aspects of the community in open sessions.

Winter/Spring 2007

Community Choices * - Priority setting meetings. March 2007

Community Survey * - A professionally-conducted survey of

community preferences.

Summer 2007

Develop Draft Master Plan

Last Call* - Mailing to Town Meeting members

Summer 2007

Aug./Sept. 2007

Open House * - Review of the initial draft master plan. October 2007

Revise and Finalize Master Plan – Work by a CPC

subcommittee.

November 2007 –

Nov. 2008

Planning Board Review and Adoption* Nov. 2008 - (TBD)


Town of Amherst 2.3

The resulting Master Plan records and synthesizes the intentions of the

hundreds of community residents participating, spells out priorities and

actions, and identifies implementation and public decision-making

procedures through which future priorities and actions can be identified and

pursued in a timely and responsible fashion.

C. Key Directions for the Community

This section summarizes the key directions that the community has said

it wants Amherst to go in the foreseeable future. Taken together, these

directions constitute the vision inherent in this Plan. These directions arise

from public sentiment expressed throughout the Planning Amherst Together

process, an analysis of the Plan‘s objectives and strategies, and the

deliberations of the CPC. Although the Master Plan consists of distinctive

elements, these key directions highlight the principal shared themes found in

the following chapters.

Sustainability is a primary integrating goal of the Amherst community

and this Master Plan. A broadly-accepted definition of sustainability first

appeared in Our Common Future, a 1987 report commissioned by the

United Nations:

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the

present without compromising the ability of future generations to

meet their own needs.

The goal of sustainability underlies each of the key directions for

Amherst‘s Master Plan:

Maintain Amherst’s existing community character. The

preservation of Amherst‘s community character will require a

variety of different approaches, including protecting and promoting

adaptive reuse of historic buildings and landscapes, focusing

development in already-developed areas, creating design standards

that ensure new development is in accord with existing

neighborhood character, protecting critical conservation lands and

farmland, and promoting the local agricultural economy. The

residents of Amherst have a strong interest in maintaining the

character of their community for years to come, and the use of

appropriate tools such as form-based zoning and conservation

easements will help to ensure that this goal is achieved.

Encourage vitality in the downtown and village centers.

Amherst‘s downtown and village centers should be a focus for the

community‘s economic life, cultural vigor, and social activity.

Vitality in these areas can be pursued through a variety of

initiatives, including encouraging additional housing development,

economic investment, expansion of cultural facilities, promotion of

a mix of uses, and improvements to the public realm (parks,


Town of Amherst 2.4

streetscapes, and public squares). These initiatives will lead to a

more walkable community, allow for more day-to-day interactions

among residents, and attract more visitors to the community while

enhancing Amherst‘s growing tourism industry.

Balance land preservation objectives with more intensive

development in appropriate areas. Perhaps the most significant

theme that surfaced throughout the Planning Amherst Together

process is the need to protect the Town‘s significant open spaces,

including wildlife habitats, farmland, recreational lands, scenic

vistas, and environmentally sensitive areas. Conservation of large

tracts of land will require trade-offs in other areas. For example, in

order to deal with rising land prices that can result from reducing

the supply of buildable land, higher density development must be

allowed and incentives must be developed to direct more growth

and increased economic activity to the appropriate areas. A mix of

uses should likewise be promoted to encourage a more walkable

community and bring residents closer to jobs, shops, and services.

This Master Plan tries to address these trade-offs, striking a balance

between land preservation and the need for intensified responsible

development in Amherst.

Provide housing that meets the needs of all residents while

minimizing impacts on the environment. Amherst values its

economic and cultural diversity. Sustaining this diversity now and

into the future will require addressing the needs of large segments

of the population, including both renters and homeowners, that are

financially strained by rising housing costs. It is critically important

to encourage a broad mix of housing types with a full range of

initiatives designed to preserve, develop, and/or replenish the

community‘s low and moderate income affordable housing

inventory. Housing strategies must also ensure that the mix of

housing in the Town meets the varying physical needs of all

residents and is affordable to the broadest spectrum of a growing

community while minimizing the impact of housing development

on the environment.

Provide community services to meet the needs of all residents.

Amherst is becoming an increasingly diverse community in terms of

ethnicity, age, income, education, physical ability, and in many

other ways. Amherst‘s services and facilities must keep pace with

the population‘s changing needs, including maintaining its

historically strong schools, planning for needed fire department,

public works, school, library, and recreation facilities, and

providing critical social support services.

Diversify and expand the economic base. Amherst should pursue

policies and regulations that encourage the diversification and


Town of Amherst 2.5

expansion of its economic base in a manner consistent with the

community‘s character and desires. This will generate fiscal

benefits for the community, provide revenue to pay for community

services, create more private sector job opportunities for residents,

and reduce dependence on the University and colleges as the

economic engines of the community.

Enhance Town/Gown relations and cooperation. The Town of

Amherst and the educational institutions that are located within its

boundaries have a symbiotic relationship. The University and

colleges are major employers and provide economic support to local

businesses; they also enhance the cultural opportunities available to

Amherst residents. On the other hand, Amherst taxpayers provide a

wide variety of public facilities and services to the large student

population, with limited opportunities to obtain fiscal support for

these services through local fees or taxation. A central theme of this

plan is the need to enhance cooperation between Amherst, the

University, and colleges in order to more equitably share the costs

and benefits of this symbiotic relationship.

Promote an ethic of sustainable environmental and energy

practices in all Town activities. Amherst citizens have a high

degree of awareness regarding environmental and energy issues.

This Plan details ways to protect natural resources, conserve energy,

reduce reliance on the private automobile, promote healthier

lifestyles, and encourage green building techniques. Public outreach

and education will be a key component in supporting this ethic of

sustainability throughout the community. Requiring greater

sustainability in Town policies, regulations and practices can

enhance Amherst‘s ability to provide jobs, housing, security,

education, and the other elements of a good life. This can set the

tone for the community, help ensure environmental justice, and

serve as an example for local businesses and developers.

D. Policy Foundation for the Plan

The policy foundation of the Plan was shaped by an extensive

community involvement and planning process. The Master Plan has three

key layers of policies: goals, objectives and strategies. Goals are the broadest

policy statements that state a desired outcome in general terms. Objectives

indicate a more specific policy direction and help organize strategies.

Strategies are detailed actions necessary to initiate or complete an objective

– such as a project, program or policy. There are multiple objectives for each

goal and multiple strategies for each objective.


Town of Amherst 2.6

Goals and Objectives

This Plan includes goals, objectives, and strategies which are described

in detail in the following seven chapters and summarized in Chapter 10:

Implementation. The goals and objectives are listed below.

Land Use: A sustainable, attractive town with a vital downtown and viable

mixed-use village centers well connected to livable and diverse

neighborhoods and campuses, and interwoven with protected open space,

natural resources, and active farmland.

Preferentially direct future development to existing built-up areas.

Create vital downtown and village centers (areas of mixed use,

including retail, commercial, and residential elements) that are walkable,

attractive and efficient.

Preserve key un-developed lands.

Protect key farmland and farming in Amherst.

Identify and inventory key locations for business development, and

adopt land use regulations that can help broaden the Town‘s business

tax base while avoiding inappropriate businesses, big boxes, heavy

industry, etc.

Guide new housing growth so as to minimize impact on Amherst‘s open

space and small-town rural character.

Identify appropriate locations for future municipal recreation facilities.

Create a process/committee/mechanism for sorting competing public

and private interests in public projects and on individual properties.

Honor the historical/cultural character and beauty of neighborhoods.

Utilize ―greenways‖ and walkways to tie neighborhoods, public spaces,

etc. together and make it easier for Amherst residents to walk or bicycle

to more destinations.

Demographics and Housing: A mix of housing that meets the physical

needs of and is affordable to the broadest possible spectrum of our

community, and that minimizes the impact on the environment.

Encourage a greater mix of housing types, sizes, and prices serving a

wider range of income levels than is currently available throughout

Amherst. Encourage the development of economically diverse

neighborhoods.

Preserve and expand the number of affordable and moderately priced

rental and ownership units in the housing stock.

Revise the zoning code to promote infill development in strategic

locations.

Increase the opportunity for infill development and the location of

housing development near services.

Encourage the production of housing in an environmentally sound

manner, with respect to design, siting, materials and resource use.


Town of Amherst 2.7

Encourage housing that meets the needs of special populations.

Improve housing and services for people in the area who are homeless.

Support the creation of taxable student housing that will lessen the

pressures on residential neighborhoods.

Build and sustain the Town‘s capacity for regulatory oversight over

Amherst‘s housing stock, and pursue ways to enhance security.

Economic Development:To strengthen, diversify and grow the economic

base and employment opportunities in the town, through smart development

in the downtown, village centers, and commercial zones. Initiatives will be

focused on clusters of businesses, mixed services, high technology/clean

industries, cultural attractions, education, tourism and agricultural resources.

Such development will maintain, improve and sustain quality of life,

ecological consciousness and social values.

Support sustainable growth of existing businesses and attract new ones

while protecting environmental values.

Support ―relocalization‖ of the Amherst economy.

Promote downtown as a key cultural, commercial and entertainment

center of Amherst.

Broaden and leverage partnerships with UMass and the Colleges.

Improve regulatory environment to encourage business development.

Create an Integrated Economic Development Program.

Encourage physical and technological infrastructure that support

business & industrial growth.

Develop the current and future workforce to enhance economic

opportunities.

Advocate for changes to state tax regulation in order to allow a

reformulation of the town‘s tax structure.

Natural and Cultural Resources: Preserve the town‘s historic fabric and

agrarian and academic heritage, and protect the quality of our natural

resources, to ensure a vibrant, diverse, sustainable community.

Promote the preservation, appreciation, and sustainable use of our

historical and cultural resources for residents and visitors.

Provide support for a rich variety of cultural opportunities, and activities

for all groups and individuals in the community.

Conserve land in sufficient quantity and quality to meet agricultural,

recreational, and wildlife needs.

Apply principles of environmental sustainability town-wide.

Open Space and Recreation: Protect and enhance our rural character and

agricultural viability, and provide and develop multi-use and multi-

generational recreational opportunities that bring townspeople together.


Town of Amherst 2.8

Protect land parcels that provide significant value for agriculture,

watershed protection, trail systems, habitat, and biodiversity attributes.

Improve the economic viability of the farm community within Amherst.

Provide accessible, well-maintained recreational facilities that meet the

changing needs of the community.

Institutionalize a process for rationalizing competing public land use

interests.

Services and Facilities: To provide excellent, cost effective, accessible

facilities, services, and programs reflecting values respectful of our ages and

our diversity, which, through collaboration, contribute to a high quality safe,

civil, healthy, and sustainable community.

Deliver high quality public safety services.

Deliver high quality education from pre-school through grade 12.

Provide high quality facilities, services, and programs that serve the

needs of all the people of Amherst.

Maintain and enhance Town infrastructure and facilities consistent with

best practices.

Anticipate, plan and budget for large projects in response to growing

demand on Town services.

Take a leadership role in promoting environmentally sound practices in

services and facilities.

Strengthen partnerships with colleges and University and improve

coordination of services and facilities.

Incorporate emerging technologies, such as wireless networking

technology, into future infrastructure planning.

Transportation: A balanced, inclusive, accessible, safe, environmentally

responsible transportation and circulation system that serves users of public

transit, pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers, and that is connected within and

among different modes both in town and to the region.

Plan for an integrated Town-wide transportation system.

Actively promote alternative modes of transportation.

Increase the frequency, connectivity, and utility of public transit services

to meet the needs of residents throughout the community.

Observe transportation demand management principles in local planning

and regulation.

Within the context of community transportation demand management

planning, provide for adequate parking to support existing and desired

new development in the downtown and elsewhere.

Improve the flow of traffic on major roadways and residential streets to

reduce congestion and improve safety.

Engage in traffic management initiatives with businesses and employers.


Town of Amherst 2.9

Aggressively pursue funding strategies for achieving transportation

goals.

Implementation: Once the Master Plan has been finalized, the community

will need to shift its energies towards successfully implementing the

strategies it has identified.

Provide resources for implementing the Master Plan.

Monitor and evaluate implementation of the Master Plan.

Involve a wide variety of stakeholders in implementation.

Develop appropriate regulatory tools to implement the Master Plan.

Require concurrence of Town actions with the Master Plan.

Update the Master Plan at least every five years.

Other Plans Incorporated by Reference

The key directions, policies, objectives, and strategies in each chapter of

this Master Plan build upon decades of previous community planning efforts

by Amherst citizens. This Plan incorporates and implements aspects of past

strategic plans and policy documents, as well as current reports and studies

guiding the ongoing activity of Town boards/committees and departments.

This Master Plan has been developed to be consistent with all applicable

current regional and state plans and policies regarding community planning.

Specific policies or recommended actions in past plans and documents

may have been superseded or may upon review be found to be in conflict

with the provisions of this Plan. Under the provisions of MG.L. Ch. 41,

Secion 81D, intepretations of this Plan, as well as necessary amendments

between Plan updates, shall be made by the Planning Board following public

review according to procedures established under this Plan (see Chapter 10,

Implementation).

E. Priority Implementation

The following actions represent the initial priorities for implementation

of this Master Plan for members of Town boards and committees, elected

and appointed Town officials, Town staff, Town Meeting members, and all

interested citizens.

Undertake the following additional community planning steps:

Complete the comprehensive inventory and evaluation of lands,

resources, services, and facilities in Amherst under each element of this

Plan, to provide a responsible basis for future planning and public

decision-making.

Conduct a public process using the completed inventory and evaluations, to determine and map the following general categories of

geographic areas in Amherst:


Town of Amherst 2.10

~ Areas to Protect – Areas dominated by critical community resources

(environmental, historic, cultural, etc.) requiring significant protections

from development.

~ Areas to Develop – Areas available and suitable for infill,

redevelopment, and/or more intensive new development for housing,

commercial activity, public facilities and infrastructure.

~ Areas of Compromise – Areas that include a closely-woven mixture of

critical resources and developable lands, so that meeting the

community‘s urgent needs for both preservation and development will

require a carefully planned approach of balance and compromise.

Based on the results of the above process, comprehensively revise and

coordinate Amherst‘s development regulations—zoning bylaw and map,

subdivision regulations, local wetlands regulations, health regulations,

etc.—to reflect the key directions of this Master Plan, to ensure desired

future patterns of development, and to improve consistency, efficiency,

and fairness in Amherst‘s growth regulations.

Undertake the following specific planning projects and action steps:

Create a ―Green Infrastructure‖ Plan: Build on the work embodied in

the Climate Action Plan to address future growth patterns, and

comprehensively assess and amend existing community plans, policies,

and regulations according to principles of environmental sustainability

by increasing energy efficiency and reducing Amherst‘s carbon

footprint. See LU.1.E, LU.1.G, and Objectives NC.4 and S.4.

Create and assertively implement a strategic Economic Development

Plan for Amherst that is consistent with community values, assigning

responsibility for this task to a new or existing standing Town

committee with appropriate staff support. See Objective E.6.

Update the Affordable Housing Plan in a manner consistent with this

Master Plan, and fund and implement priority actions to improve the

mix of housing available to Amherst residents. See Chapter 4.

Develop and implement a Transportation Plan which supports

Amherst‘s land use, housing, economic development, and other public

interests in a manner consistent with this Master Plan and its intentions

for community sustainability over time. See T.1.A.

Pursue and refine agreements for increased cooperation and sharing of

service burdens with Amherst‘s educational institutions, nearby towns,

and appropriate regional entities. See Objective S.7.

Create a representative master plan implementation committee to

monitor and assist with the implementation of this Plan. See Chapter

10.

Provide sufficient operating and capital funding and staff resources to

accomplish priority implementation steps. See Objective IM.1.

3. Land Use

Town of Amherst 3.1

3. Land Use

A. Goal

A sustainable, attractive town with a viable, mixed-use

downtown and active village centers that are well

connected with livable and diverse neighborhoods and

campuses, and interwoven with protected open space,

natural resources, and active farmland.

B. Overview

This Land Use chapter represents the fundamental

element of the Town of Amherst‘s Master Plan. Policy

decisions about the community‘s land use, including zoning

code revisions, will directly impact all other elements of

this plan. Several key ideas recur throughout this chapter,

including: the protection of Amherst‘s unique landscape

through the preservation of significant natural, scenic, and

agricultural lands; the importance of directing future

growth towards existing built-up areas such as the

downtown and village centers; improving the Town‘s fiscal

health through strategic land development; and the need to

guide new development in a manner that respects the

Town‘s history and existing community character.

C. Existing Conditions

The assessment of the Town‘s existing land use

conditions is the result of technical research, as well as

discussions with the CPC and Town Staff. This section

summarizes the key land use conditions:

Current land use patterns: Dominant land uses

include residential (23 percent of land area)

protected agricultural (18 percent), conservation

(18 percent), and land owned by Amherst‘s three

institutions of higher education (16 percent). The

Town has a relatively small amount of land (3.6

percent) designated as commercial, retail, or

industrial zones.

Land consumption outpacing population

growth: Recent trends indicate that development

of single family dwellings in Amherst has been

consuming relatively more land per new residence

Relevant existing and past plans and

policy documents:

• Valley Vision 2, Pioneer Valley

Planning Commission [Sept. 2007]

• Build-Out Analysis and Future

Growth Study [2002]

• Atkins Corner Sustainable

Development Master Plan – Action

Steps for a Better Amherst

[November 2000 – February 2002]

• Final Report of the Select

Committee on Goals (SCOG) [1973]

3. Land Use

Town of Amherst 3.2

to accommodate new residents. This is an indicator

of ―sprawl‖. Since the year 2000, the total

developed land area in Amherst that consists of

residential lots larger than ½ acre grew by 65

percent, while Amherst‘s population remained

relatively stable.

Land preservation priorities: Preservation of the

community‘s unique rural landscape is a key

priority in Amherst. Approximately half of the

Town‘s land currently enjoys some form of

protection from development, and a significant

percentage (4,850 acres, or 27.3 percent) of the

community‘s total land area (17,762.5 acres) is

permanently protected. Amherst‘s principal tool

for managing growth has been 40 years of an

aggressive conservation land acquisition program

resulting in Town ownership of over 1,700 acres of

open space, and development limitations of other

kinds on an equivalent additional area. The

continued protection of these significant land areas

will help the community retain its rural character,

even as growth occurs.

Increasing land values and affordability

concerns: Due to the nature of supply and

demand, land prices will continue to rise as more

demands are placed on finite land resources.

Increasing land values drive up housing costs in

the community, leading to growing concerns about

housing affordability. Other demographic trends

such as the shift towards smaller households place

additional pressure on the housing stock, as more

units are needed to house the same population.

Need for intensified development: Ultimately,

the preservation of land in Amherst must be

coupled with the intensification of development in

appropriate areas of the community. More land can

be conserved if higher density development is

directed to the downtown, village centers and

specific districts and neighborhoods.

Need to protect community character: The

Amherst community takes pride in the historic

character of its developed areas. Even as higher

density development occurs, design standards can

3. Land Use

Town of Amherst 3.3

help to ensure that such new development is in

accordance with the character and needs of the

community. Design standards can also be used to

support the development of well-connected,

pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use neighborhoods.

Need to revise zoning codes: Revision of

Amherst‘s current zoning is necessary in order to

address the land use needs listed above and to

facilitate implementation of the strategies

described in the following section.

The Objectives and Strategies and the Land Use Plan

Map discussed in the remainder of this chapter provide a

coherent framework for approaching Amherst‘s future land

use and reconciling the need to preserve land while

supporting growth that benefits residents and businesses

alike.

D. Objectives and Strategies

This section describes the objectives and strategies that

will support the Land Use goals for the Town of Amherst.

OBJECTIVE LU.1 – Preferentially direct future

development to existing built-up areas.

The following strategies recommend ways to manage future

growth so as to take full advantage of the Town‘s existing

infrastructure, and reduce sprawl.

STRATEGIES

LU.1.A Inventory and identify existing developed

areas that are appropriate for density increases and

redevelopment.

Certain portions of the downtown, village centers, and

specific districts and neighborhoods may be appropriate for

higher densities of development. The Town should update

its regulatory code to ensure that such development is

permitted and encouraged, particularly as infill and

redevelopment initiatives are pursued.

LU.1.B Evaluate built-up areas on the basis of their

character, quality, and priority, and then identify

areas to:

3. Land Use

Town of Amherst 3.4

A. Emphasize preservation (historic areas of the

downtown, village centers, and other specific

dustricts and residential neighborhoods - key

resource areas).

B. Emphasize adaptive reuse (particularly high

quality historic areas of the downtown).

C. Allow a varying combination of preservation

and redevelopment (other village centers,

transitional or neighborhood business areas).

D. Allow more extensive development and

redevelopment with a balance of incentives and

controls (highway commercial corridors,

research parks, etc.).

E. Encourage denser development of

appropriate scale and design (village centers and

downtown).

The Town should create a refined conceptual

development framework that focuses most new

development and infill on its existing built-up areas,

including downtown, village centers, and specific districts

and neighborhoods. Depending on the character and

historic quality of particular areas, the Town can emphasize

different approaches in terms of preservation, adaptive

reuse, infill, and redevelopment strategies.

New zoning, development/design regulations, and

density incentives must take into account the potential

impacts of strong student housing pressures, including the

issue of absentee landlords. In campus-edge

neighborhoods in particular, new regulations should be

undertaken in tandem with other regulatory or program

efforts. These could include strengthening code

inspections, revising existing rental registration regulations,

and encouraging alternative student housing efforts (see

H.7.B, H.8, and S.3.F).

LU.1.C Use flexible zoning techniques, such as form-

based codes, to promote mixed-use development.

Rather than focusing on the separation of land uses,

form-based codes guide the creation of healthy mixed-use

communities where building form, public space, and

streetscape design take top priority. (See sidebar at left.)

Unlike typical zoning practices, form-based ordinances

allow the community to specify the various "types" of

Form-based Codes

Form-based codes supplement the

conventional zoning approach of

segregating and regulating land use

types by focusing on the desired form

(design) of an area once its

development is complete, and

creating regulations to guide new

development toward that desired end

result.

The design outcomes for specific

areas are identified through a design-

focused public participation process.

Form-based zoning regulations create

“regulating plans” tailored to specific

areas and can be effective in helping

to create vital, mixed-use areas.

3. Land Use

Town of Amherst 3.5

buildings, streets, and open spaces that will be featured in

the plan. The objective is to create a setting that

accommodates diverse uses over time, but is highly specific

in terms of physical form. Using tools such as form-based

codes, Amherst can increase the flexibility of development

regulations, promote a mix of uses, and ensure that its

desired character is retained.

LU.1.D Undertake rezoning efforts that direct more

intensive development to appropriate areas and limit

development in key resource areas.

The Town should engage in a comprehensive review

and update of its zoning bylaw and map to ensure that the

regulations reflect the community‘s vision for future

development, as captured in the land use principles that

preface this chapter. Permitted densities may need to be

increased in built-up areas like village centers, and reduced

in key resource areas or in agricultural zones.

LU.1.E Revise existing zoning to encourage and

include incentives for well-designed, energy-efficient

infill/redevelopment projects.

Incentives such as density bonuses and more flexible

dimensional regulations should be available for infill and

redevelopment projects that demonstrate specific

characteristics of high quality, sustainable design.

Infill and redevelopment projects provide many

benefits to the community, but can often cost more when

considering the expense of cleaning up a polluted

brownfield site (see LU.5.F) or redeveloping and

adaptively reusing an historic structure. Accommodating

parking needs is also a big hurdle to overcome in infill and

redevelopment projects. Incentives that promote infill and

redevelopment while protecting existing historic character

and protecting residential neighborhoods should be built

into the development standards. Specifically, minimum lot

sizes for residential districts and parking standards for all

districts should be re-evaluated.

The Town should also develop incentives to encourage

energy-efficient development. For example, density

bonuses could be offered to development projects that are

LEED-certified and/or which meet other appropriate

standards. (LEED is one national benchmark for green

3. Land Use

Town of Amherst 3.6

building established by the US Green Building Council –

see http://www.usgbc.org/ for more information.)

LU.1.F Establish programs to encourage economic

development in existing developed areas (e.g.,

Economic Opportunity Area (EOA) type programs).

Economic development can be encouraged in

predetermined areas through the creation of additional

Economic Opportunity Areas. These EOAs should already

have sewer, water and other necessary utilities, except

where it serves the community‘s interests to extend those

services. By encouraging infill and redevelopment, the

need for additional infrastructure investments can be

minimized; therefore, developments within the area will

help the region and the community economize on utility

infrastructure.

LU.1.G Reduce energy use by encouraging new

residences near supporting goods and services and

transit.

A better integration of land uses can help to reduce the

need for car travel. When residences are in close proximity

to shopping, services, jobs, parks, public transit facilities,

and other public amenities, residents spend less time

driving and consume fewer energy resources. Energy

consumption is further reduced when streets are designed to

be more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly.

LU.1.H Create mechanisms for transfers of

development rights (TDRs) from key resource areas

and agricultural lands to village centers, downtown,

and other specific districts and neighborhoods where

denser development is more appropriate.

Property ownership can be described as a bundle of

specific rights to use and control land (including mineral

rights, timber rights, air rights, development rights, etc.),

which the government can constrain to varying degrees. In a

transfer of development rights, the right to develop a parcel of

land is severed from the land itself, and can be bought, sold,

and transferred elsewhere. The original land is subsequently

protected from development, the property owners are paid the

value of the development rights, and developers who

purchase those rights can move them and use them to build at

3. Land Use

Town of Amherst 3.7

higher densities in a different location, where such density is

desired and appropriate. Amherst should explore the

implementation of a TDR program in order to manage future

growth.

OBJECTIVE LU.2 - Create vital downtown and village

centers (areas of mixed-use, including retail,

commercial, and residential elements) that are

walkable, attractive and efficient.

Through infrastructure investment, incentives, and improved

regulations, the Town should foster increased economic, cultural

and social activity in the downtown and outlying village centers

by encouraging a variety of mixed-uses including live-work

units. These areas should foster interactions through attractive

public spaces and the creation of a walkable environment.

STRATEGIES

LU.2.A Change zoning to allow denser residential

occupancy near existing services and public transit.

Residential development near or in combination with

shops, services, and public transit can greatly contribute to

a more vital community, particularly when streetscapes are

designed to promote walking and biking. Such

development can reduce energy consumption, help build a

sense of community, and improve community health

overall. Residents are more likely to interact on the street

and enjoy public spaces when they can walk or bicycle to

many of their daily destinations.

LU.2.B Encourage increased upper floor residential

development in downtown and village centers to

support a vital economic and social setting.

The Town should review and update its development

ordinances to encourage additional upper floor residential

development in the downtown and village centers.

LU.2.C Support the development of live/work spaces

(e.g. artists‘ lofts, high tech small business offices).

Live-work units may take variable forms including

renovated lofts and mixed-use townhouses. This type of

housing encourages adaptive reuse of older buildings, leads

to lower car emissions for workers who no longer need to

3. Land Use

Town of Amherst 3.8

commute, reduces start-up costs for small businesses, and

can help revitalize local economies. The Town should

encourage the development of live/work spaces throughout

the Amherst community. For more information on the

subject see the Live Work Network at

http://www.liveworknet.com.

LU.2.D Build a permanent farmer‘s market facility.

Developing a facility in which Amherst‘s current

seasonal farmer‘s market could operate year-round in

downtown Amherst could benefit the community in a

variety of ways. It can help support the economic viability

and sustainability of local agriculture, serve as a

community gathering place, and provide a new attraction to

draw visitors from the broader region.

LU.2.E Develop more public art in downtown and

village centers.

Public art helps celebrate and enhance the unique

character of Amherst‘s downtown and village centers. The

Public Arts Commission could involve the Amherst

community in a public process to identify additional

locations where they would like to see public art

installations, host design competitions, recruit artists to

contribute more public art to the community on a

permanent or temporary basis, and seek to establish

mechanisms for funding ongoing maintenance of

permanent public artworks.

LU.2.F Use downtown green spaces more intensively,

adding play spaces to encourage people of all ages to

congregate.

Public green spaces are significant assets to urban

areas, particularly when they are well-loved and frequently

used by community members. Amherst should examine

whether additional amenities, activities, or events could be

provided in order to enhance the use of downtown green

spaces by all members of the community.

LU.2.G Create music/dance/meeting venues

downtown.

Entertainment venues such as music venues,

nightclubs, theaters, and restaurants can greatly increase the

http://www.liveworknet.com/

3. Land Use

Town of Amherst 3.9

vibrancy in the downtown by attracting visitors and

creating downtown activity well beyond working hours.

LU.2.H Promote sustainable tourism in Amherst.

The Amherst community should examine opportunities

for increasing sustainable levels of tourism in town. New

marketing initiatives that highlight key attractions or offer

―visitor‘s packages‖ can help attract more tourists,

contribute to the local economy, and invigorate the

downtown area. The character of new tourism marketing

initiatives should be evaluated on an ongoing basis to

ensure that the levels of public use of Amherst‘s tourism

resources remain sustainable over time, avoiding damage or

degradation of those resources or the community‘s overall

quality of life.

OBJECTIVE LU.3 - Preserve key undeveloped lands

The Amherst community places a high value on its unique

landscapes and natural resources. The following strategies

recommend ways to identify, evaluate and preserve the Town‘s

most critical natural resources.

STRATEGIES

LU.3.A Update inventories of key natural resources

in Amherst and publish the results.

The Amherst community should develop an updated

inventory of key natural resource areas using data and input

from the Town, conservation organizations, and

landowners.

LU.3.B Evaluate resource lands on the basis of

environmental quality, risk, and connectivity.

Once a natural resources inventory is completed, each

parcel should be assessed for its value based on designated

criteria of environmental quality, relative risk of loss or

degradation, and connectivity, and priorities should be set

for future conservation efforts.

LU.3.C Identify areas to preserve, areas where a

varying combination of preservation and

development should occur, and areas to allow

development with only modest controls.

3. Land Use


Once conservation priorities have been set, the

Amherst community should determine how to manage the

remaining inventory of natural landscapes. Certain areas

may be deemed appropriate for future development, while

other areas may be appropriate for more limited

development. Regulations can be established to ensure that

the most significant natural resources and environmental

features on a given site are preserved.

LU.3.D Purchase the most critical natural resource

properties.

The Town and local conservation organizations should

continue to work together to purchase those properties that

represent Amherst‘s highest conservation priorities.

LU.3.E Revise growth management regulations—

zoning, subdivision regulations, health regulations,

etc.—to protect environmental resources and scenic

viewsheds.

The Town should comprehensively review and revise

its zoning and subdivision ordinances to ensure that growth

management regulations are aligned with growth needs and

land preservation priorities. Regulations should seek to

preserve the environmental and scenic value of Amherst‘s

significant rural landscapes.

LU.3.F Revise zoning overlay districts for aquifer,

watershed, and farmland resources. Create a zoning

overlay district for critical forest resource areas.

Overlay districts can be used to help conserve a variety

of vulnerable natural resources, including aquifers,

wetlands, and forest resources. Overlay zones further refine

underlying zoning (through buffers, setbacks, clustering

requirements, etc.) in order to protect these resources. The

Town should revise existing overlay districts and develop

new overlay districts to ensure that the community‘s

regulatory code is in line with its environmental protection

priorities.

3. Land Use


OBJECTIVE LU.4 - Protect key farmland and farming in

Amherst.

The following strategies describe ways to maintain the

viability of Amherst‘s agricultural community through updates

to land use regulations.

STRATEGIES

LU.4.A Provide incentives to encourage

sustainable/green farming and forestry practices.

Encouraging sustainable agriculture and forestry

can preserve the fertility of the soil over generations,

contribute to a sound local economy, and create positive

impacts on the community and the region.

The Amherst community should identify and

implement incentives to encourage the use of farming

practices that conserve and protect the water supply, retain

wildlife habitats, and maintain high soil quality. Land use

regulations can help to play a role in promoting these

sustainable practices.

Amherst should consider providing financial incentives

(preferential tax assessments, rebates, etc.) to property

owners who can demonstrate that they consistently use and

harvest land resources in sustainable ways.

LU.4.B Revise and expand farming overlay districts,

and create new forestry districts.

Current farmland conservation overlay zoning districts

regulate new residential development in critical farmland

areas in order to preserve agricultural land uses, protect

prime soils, and prevent other uses from negatively

impacting farming activities. This zoning limits the amount

of new development that can take place on the land, and

maximizes the amount of protected ‗common land‘ that

must be permanently set aside when development occurs.

Similar forest lands overlay district protections should be

considered.

The Planning Board should work with the Agricultural

Commission, Conservation Commission, Tree Warden, and

Public Shade Tree Committee to revise existing

regulations, create new overlay districts, expand existing

districts, and continue to explore ways to refine and expand

resource protection zoning.

3. Land Use


LU.4.C Create regulations that protect and support

farmers‘ interests.

Barriers such as costly permits, lengthy approval

processes, zoning restrictions, and legal disputes can limit a

farm‘s business options and hinder profitability. The Town

should update its ordinances in order to remove these

barriers and enhance agricultural sustainability. It can

eliminate policies that impede farming interests, such as

restrictions on accessory farm businesses. Through the

Right to Farm bylaw, the Town can encourage the

incorporation of nuisance disclaimers into sales contracts

for non-agricultural development within agricultural zones,

in order to reduce conflict and litigation between farmers

and neighboring residential communities.

LU.4.D Continue to acquire APRs (agricultural

preservation restrictions), and buy development

rights on critical farmland.

Agricultural preservation restrictions (APRs) are

voluntary programs that offer owners of "prime" and "state

important" agricultural lands an alternative to selling their

land for development purposes. The APR program pays

farmers the difference between the fair market value and

agricultural value of their land in exchange for permanent

deed restrictions. These deed restrictions preclude any

development that would have a negative impact on the

land‘s agricultural viability. The community should seek to

promote additional APRs in the Amherst region.

OBJECTIVE LU.5 – Identify key locations for business

development and adopt land use regulations that can

help broaden the Town’s business tax base while

avoiding inappropriate businesses, big boxes, heavy

industry, etc.

The Amherst community has a clear sense of the types of

businesses and industries that it would like to attract to the

community. The Economic Development chapter of this plan

highlights a number of strategies for encouraging the growth of

target industries. This objective and accompanying strategies

look at the role that land use regulations can play in enabling

future economic growth.

3. Land Use


STRATEGIES

LU.5.A Identify and inventory areas suitable for

different kinds of commercial development in

Amherst.

The community should develop an inventory of the

lands most suitable for targeted economic development in

Amherst. This may include small lots for retail and mixed-

use development in the downtown and village centers, or

larger lots in selected outlying areas appropriate for

research and technology firms or light industry.

LU.5.B Amend the zoning regulations to encourage

business development in appropriate undeveloped

and under-developed areas.

Increasing permitted business densities in appropriate,

strategic locations where existing natural resources are

not of high quality or of critical importance can help to

limit sprawl and reduce development pressure on critical

rural lands. In areas targeted by the community as

appropriate for future development, zoning amendments

should be pursued to allow for higher densities.

LU.5.C Encourage commercial and mixed-use

development in downtown and village center business

districts.

In order to reduce development pressures on scenic

rural landscapes, the Town should create a favorable

regulatory environment that removes obstacles and

provides incentives for compact, well-designed

development in the downtown and village centers.

LU.5.D Revise and expand zoning districts to

accommodate clean, sustainable industry.

Certain categories of industry are desirable for

Amherst because they can bring skilled, well-paid, high-

demand jobs to the community and enhance and diversify

the economic tax base. Zoning districts should be

expanded and/or new districts created to facilitate this type

of economic development.

LU.5.E Identify and inventory existing and potential

areas appropriate or already zoned for the

development of busines parks, then extend or

3. Land Use


improve the infrastructure necessary to make these

parks viable.

Provide existing and potential new business parks

with necessary infrastructure in appropriate areas for

clean businesses, research companies, professional

offices, information- or technology-based firms and

other appropriate business uses.

LU.5.F Inventory areas needing environmental clean-

up, including known brown-fields sites, and assess

their suitability as sites for commercial or mixed-use

development.

Brownfields are abandoned or underutilized properties

that have real or perceived environmental contamination

that constrains redevelopment potential. While federal

funding and tax incentives are available to address these

problems, municipalities often must take the lead in

guiding the clean up and redevelopment of these sites. The

Town should inventory its brownfield sites, prioritize the

clean-up of those areas that are suitable for commercial or

mixed-use redevelopment, and seek resources for

undertaking rehabilitation and development of these sites.

LU.5.G Consider outright Town purchase of the most

critical properties to spur appropriate development

and redevelopment. Then use public ownership as a

development incentive, as well as a control.

Once an inventory has been completed, the community

should consider whether any of the lands targeted for

economic growth are in need of special attention in order to

attract private investment and appropriate development. In

some cases the Town may need to purchase the properties

outright, or obtain development rights or easements for

critical areas.

Amherst has a long history of obtaining property

rights—particularly APRs and conservation easements—in

order to protect critical resources and slow or control

growth in specific areas of Town. Public ownership of land

can also be used as an active incentive where development

is desired—it allows the community to reduce land costs

for development, offering transfer of a property to a

developer at a very low cost in exchange for the developer

providing public amenities. Ownership allows the

3. Land Use


community full control over the nature and design of the

resulting development.

LU.5.H Organize and coordinate administrative

procedures to ensure that the permit process itself

does not represent an unreasonable impediment to

desired development.

Having identified the kinds of business development it

desires, the Town should encourage their development. The

permitting process should be expedited for these businesses

by implementing coordinated review procedures for

development plans, while continuing to ensure that such

companies protect the health and welfare of local

populations and ecologies, and respect historic character.

OBJECTIVE LU.6 - Guide new housing growth so as to

minimize impact on Amherst’s open space and small-

town rural character.

Any new growth in Amherst should be designed to protect

the Town‘s natural resources and preserve its existing character.

The following strategies recommend how development and

design regulations could be used to ensure that future growth is

in accordance with the Town‘s land use principles and

harmonious in terms of design.

STRATEGIES

LU.6.A Revise growth management regulations—

zoning, subdivision regulations, health regulations,

etc.

These regulations can be used to protect environmental

resources and preserve scenic viewsheds and to help

determine the nature, location, and design of future housing

development. Zoning and subdivision ordinances should be

updated to reflect the Town‘s vision for future growth and

development. Health regulations can be developed to better

govern private septic and well systems, which are required

for residential development in some of the Town‘s

remaining undeveloped outlying areas beyond the reach of

our public sewer/water systems.

3. Land Use


LU.6.B Increase density of residential units in

specified areas when strict design and planning

guidelines are met.

Amherst can develop incentives to encourage

developers to adhere to planning and design guidelines.

Density bonuses and dimensional flexibility are ways to

encourage development located in appropriate areas and

that meets desired planning and design standards.

OBJECTIVE LU.7 – Identify appropriate locations for

future municipal recreation facilities.

Certain lands owned by the Town of Amherst may be

suitable for providing additional recreation amenities in the

community, such as parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, passive

recreation lawns, and natural areas.

STRATEGIES

LU.7.A Inventory and evaluate Town-owned lands

that are not dedicated or restricted to an exclusive

public use.

Town-owned parcels that are currently vacant should

be inventoried and evaluated to determine if they are

suitable for the development of new recreation

opportunities. Criteria used in the evaluation may include

the land‘s accessibility, population served, environmental

constraints, and potential for filling specific recreation

gaps, among others.

LU.7.B Identify appropriate locations for new

recreation to occur in concert with planned new

conservation, school, fire department, public works,

and/or other planned municipal facilities.

For each new Town project or facility, the recreational

needs of the neighborhood and community as a whole

should be considered as a potential shared use. See

LU.8.A.

LU.7.C Begin multi-year design and capital budget

planning for new recreation facilities.

Following completion of the evaluations above

(LU.7.A, LU.7.B), the community should target and pursue

3. Land Use


the most appropriate lands for additional development of

recreation facilities.

OBJECTIVE LU.8 - Create a process, committee,

and/or administrative mechanism for sorting out

competing interests on individual properties.

From time to time, different interest groups – such as the

Town, residents, property owners, colleges, University, and

developers – may need to negotiate competing interests on a

particular piece of land. The following strategies suggest

approaches for reconciling these different interests regarding

land use regulations and development options.

STRATEGIES

LU.8.A Develop an administrative land use review

process for all Town projects.

The Town should take the lead in demonstrating how

to coordinate the community‘s diverse interests in the

development or redevelopment of public land by imposing

on itself a mandatory process to mediate, prioritize, and

coordinate competing proposals for various municipal land

parcels for proposed new Town projects. This internal

review process should involve all of the appropriate Town

departments and boards/committees representing major

public interests. Every proposed use of an existing or

proposed new public property should be reviewed for the

full range of potential public uses and interests

(conservation, housing, recreation, historic preservation,

infrastructure, etc.), and multiple joint uses of property

should be encouraged wherever feasible.

LU.8.B Revise the community‘s development

regulations to more fully incorporate diverse public

interests.

Zoning, subdivision regulation and other development

regulations are intended to represent and protect both the

public and private interests in the rational and orderly

development of land. These regulations should be revised

to ensure that multiple public interests are better

represented in and provided for through new private

development.

3. Land Use


LU.8.C. Require community charrettes as part of the

permitting process, to encourage public participation

in design.

For development projects above certain thresholds of

scale or impact, charrettes could be a required step in the

permit process. Community charrettes are an excellent tool

for integrating public input into the design process.

Through a series of public meetings, design workshops, and

open houses, stakeholders and the public can engage in an

interactive approach to creating development principles and

an illustrated vision for a particular piece of land.

Charrettes result in design solutions that effectively

negotiate a variety of competing community interests.

LU.8.D Educate the public about land use regulation

(zoning).

Public education will be a key component to updating

Amherst‘s land use (zoning) regulations and engaging in

future design and planning initiatives. Coordinated efforts

by the Planning Board and other Town committees, will

foster a broader understanding of the rationale behind new

zoning amendments, including how such revisions reflect

the community‘s land use principles.

OBJECTIVE LU.9 - Honor the historic/cultural character

and beauty of neighborhoods.

The Amherst community should undertake a variety of efforts

to preserve the historic character of its neighborhoods. Historical

information and design standards can play a significant role in

ensuring that new development, redevelopment, and infill projects

will retain the desired character of the community.

STRATEGIES

LU.9.A Identify design standards that will preserve

existing town character, and develop an enhanced

design review process.

Design standards are important when considering the

character of the downtown and village centers. Amherst has

had an advisory design review process in place since

October 1983. Standards should be developed that capture

the existing character of these areas and require future

buildings to reflect a similar character in terms of height,

3. Land Use


bulk, relationship to the streetscape, and appropriate

architectural styles and building materials. The Design

Review Board could serve an important role in reviewing

and advising on potential development options in areas

outside of its current downtown jurisdiction. Form-based

codes can also be used to ensure that future development

adheres to desired community characteristics.

LU.9.B Create neighborhood design standards.

Design can serve to preserve historic small-town

character, ensure that new development complements

historic buildings, and create an accessible, pedestrian-

friendly environment. In addition to addressing

fundamental issues such as building height, width, and

setbacks, design guidelines can also focus on elements such

as signage, materials selection, streetscape improvements,

and landscaping.

Specific standards should be developed to encourage

new development and neighborhood infill development that

reflects and enhances existing neighborhood character.

These standards should be made a part of the Town‘s

development regulations, and incorporated into each of the

residential zoning designations. Special neighborhood

overlay districts can also be considered to preserve and

promote the design qualities unique to specific

neighborhoods.

LU.9.C Identify design standards that minimize

environmental and visual impacts in natural areas,

and amend design regulations to incorporate those

standards.

The Amherst community should identify specific

design standards that would best guide development

occurring on or adjacent to scenic landscapes, and

incorporate these principles into existing development

permit regulations. Design elements may address issues of

siting, height, bulk, required setbacks, and appropriate

building materials, among others. A design review process

can also be created to ensure that new development does

not detract from Amherst‘s scenic resources.

LU.9.D Promote the use of buffer zones to minimize

the impact of new buildings on nearby key resources.

3. Land Use


Buffer zones can be designed to limit potentially

negative visual, auditory, and ecological impacts of

development. The Amherst community should work to

identify the minimum size and design requirements for

buffer zones surrounding important natural features such as

watersheds, habitats, scenic landscapes and areas for

traditional recreation.

OBJECTIVE LU.10 – Utilize “greenways” and walkways

to tie neighborhoods, public spaces, etc, together and

make it easier for Amherst residents to walk or bicycle

to more destinations.

Greenways are protected corridors of natural green areas,

often established along rivers and streams, which can generate

numerous benefits for a community. In addition to protecting

natural resources and maintaining habitat and wildlife travel

corridors, greenways provide opportunities for outdoor

recreation. Through the careful planning and installation of trails

and bikeways, greenways can provide transportation corridors—

a great way for residents and visitors to explore the region,

access major recreational areas, and connect community

members to nearby shops, jobs, and centers. In these ways,

greenways promote healthier lifestyles and a more active

community; they also help protect wildlife habitats and

environmental resources. Greenways and trails should be an

integral component of the community‘s transportation system.

STRATEGIES

LU.10.A Create connected, walkable centers and

neighborhoods.

The downtown core, village centers, and residential

neighborhoods should be designed to appeal to pedestrians

and offer a safe, convenient, and attractive network of

sidewalks and pathways for traveling from place to place.

LU.10.B Create walkways to connect businesses and

residences – create walkways between buildings.

The Town should require new developments to be

pedestrian friendly, and to safely connect residents to

destinations within a development and to needed goods and

services nearby. Sidewalks and pathways should be

expanded to create connections between residential areas,

3. Land Use


commercial areas, and employment centers. Where

feasible, existing informal pedestrian connections across

vacant land or through village center alleys should be

formalized as public walkways.

LU.10.C Develop a Town-wide plan mapping future

greenways, sidewalks, and bike lanes, and amend

land use regulations to help implement the plan.

In coordination with the Transportation Plan developed

under Strategy T.1.A, the Town should thoroughly review

and map potential sites for establishing and extending

greenways. Regulations and programs can then be pursued

to protect planned greenway lands from future

development. Greenways and trails should, where

appropriate, effectively connect to the Town‘s sidewalk and

bike lane systems and to public transit stops, all of which

can be mapped and planned for in a coordinated fashion.

Provisions can be made to ensure that all new

developments include sidewalks, bike lanes, and

appropriate connections to the greenway system.

LU.10.D Update the subdivision and zoning

regulations to require road and pedestrian

connections among different neighborhoods, districts,

and corridors.

Connectivity is a priority development principle to

promote and improve on mobility throughout the

community. Development regulations need to reflect this

principle, and should require both vehicular and pedestrian

connections whenever feasible.

LU.10.E Continue to work with land owners to

establish easements for greenways.

As part of its ongoing outreach program regarding the

acquisition of open space and trails, the Town should

continue to maintain close contact with residents,

businesses, farmers, and local governments that own

parcels of land which have been targeted for future

greenway use. Regular communication should be used to

educate landowners about the importance of greenways,

offer incentives for the granting of easements, and discuss

other ways to protect open space for the public good while

respecting private property rights.

3. Land Use


E. Land Use Policy Map

The attached Land Use Policy Map represents, in a

general manner, the land use development intentions of

the community of Amherst as expressed in this Master

Plan. This map is consistent with decades of

community-based planning expressing the

community‘s preference to preserve and enhance its

traditional New England settlement pattern through

control of new development.

The majority of new residential and commercial

development will be selectively directed into existing

built mixed use centers and associated densely-settled

neighborhoods. New infill and redevelopment in

existing historic downtowns, village centers, and

established neighborhoods will have to abide by

rigorous and sensitive design and density controls

intended to preserve and enhance existing character.

Existing outlying farmlands, riparian (stream-related)

corridors, and woodlands are predominantly shown on

the Map as permanently preserved lands or as lands

targeted for potential preservation or for carefully-

limited development. Some selected outlying areas—

usually but not always near existing or proposed new

centers—would be targeted for carefully controlled

non-residential commercial development.

Areas designated as ―centers‖ on the Land Use

Policy Map are deliberately broad and generalized, and

include the existing mixed-use downtown and village

centers, the densely settled residential neighborhoods

associated with and surrounding those centers, and

other adjacent areas within ¾ mile (approximately 15-

20 minutes walking time) of the geographic center of

existing or proposed centers. These areas also include

potential new centers and neighborhoods. Areas within

these ―centers‖ should not be understood as

automatically representing areas targeted for new or

infill development—as shown, for instance, they also

include areas already preserved or slated for potential

future preservation.

Amherst has yet to complete a center-by-center

and neighborhood-by-neighborhood geographic

planning process to create new zoning districts and

3. Land Use


new development regulations for those areas.

Accordingly, the ―centers‖ shown on the Land Use

Policy Map are meant only to indicate their general

existing or potential location. Likewise, areas shown

for potential future non-residential development or

preservation are not unequivocal statements of future

community intent. In many places, areas of potential

development and preservation overlap, indicating

where the community has expressed an interest in both,

but has not yet resolved how to balance those interests.

Following the completion of the geographic

planning and rezoning process called for in this Plan,

development regulations will change, and some of the

areas designated for development will be developed

and others designated for preservation will be

preserved. Others will experience compromise

solutions. Some will not change at all. The Land Use

Policy Map does not represent community decisions on

these questions. It only indicates where the community

has expressed specific strong interests for preservation

and/or development, and, in the process, identifies

those areas where the community will need to

coordinate and reconcile its sometimes competing

interests.

3. Land Use


Land Use Policy Map

4. Demographics and Housing

Town of Amherst 4.1


A. Goal

A mix of housing that meets the physical needs of and is affordable to

the broadest possible spectrum of our community, and that minimizes

the impact on the environment.

B. Overview

The presence of higher education institutions in Amherst has a

significant impact on the character of the Town‘s population, as well as its

housing needs. The Town has a relatively young, well-educated population,

and a relatively high percentage of residents living in multi-family housing

or group quarters. Affordability is a concern in Amherst, and as more

demands are placed on finite land resources, land prices will continue to rise.

A number of themes recur throughout this chapter, including: the desire for

more diverse, moderately priced and affordable housing types; the strategic

placement of housing near necessary goods and services; the promotion of

environmentally-sound housing design; and the desire to create

economically diverse neighborhoods that meet the needs of all populations,

from students to families to seniors.

In this chapter the concept of affordability is addressed in two different

ways. The term ―affordable‖ refers to federal and state definitions of

affordable housing (for purposes of housing subsidies) for individuals and

households earning up to 80 percent of the median income for this region.

However, ensuring a supply of housing that is affordable for middle income

households—which do not qualify for state and federal housing programs

and subsidies, yet are increasingly finding themselves priced out of the

Amherst housing market— is also a concern. The term ―moderately priced

housing‖ refers to housing accessible to such middle-income households.


This section summarizes key points related to current demographics and

housing:

Population growth trends: Amherst‘s population grew at a remarkable

pace from 1940 to 1980, increasing five-fold from 6,410 to 33,229

residents. Growth continued in the 1980s at a much slower pace.

Between 1990 and 2008, the population increased only slightly

from 35,228 to 35,962, an increase of only 734 persons, or about 2

percent.

Influence of higher education on demographics: Amherst‘s

population growth is closely linked to the growth in student

enrollment. With over 25,000 students living in Amherst and

surrounding communities, the presence of higher education

Relevant plans and policy documents:

• Affordable Housing Plan [2008

update]


Town of Amherst 4.2

institutions has a significant impact on the town‘s demographics.

Amherst‘s population is relatively young, with a median age of 21.8

years in 2000. This is far younger than the median age for the

county, state, or nation. The population is also very well-educated,

but has a relatively low median income.

Higher education and housing trends: A significant proportion of the

town‘s population (35 percent) lives in group quarters. In

comparison, the statewide proportion of residents in group quarters

is 3.5 percent. Amherst also has more renter-occupied housing

units (59 percent) than owner-occupied units (41 percent). This is

the opposite of what is typically found in the county, state, and

nation.

Housing unit development outpacing population growth: Despite a

relatively static population between 1990 and 2008, the number of

housing units in the Town increased by seven percent (610 units)

during only the first decade of that period. Among these new units,

50 percent (337 units) were multi-family, (representing a 7.3

percent increase in this type of housing stock). Detached single-

family homes accounted for 44 percent of new housing

development (an increase of 13.5 percent).

Affordability concerns: Housing in Amherst is more expensive than

the average cost of housing in the rest of Hampshire County,

costing about nine percent more for rental units and 24 percent more

for home prices. About 53 percent of renting households and 18

percent of homeowner households are financially strained by

housing costs (meaning they pay over 30 percent of their monthly

income on housing costs). Only slightly more than 10 percent (11.2

percent) of Amherst‘s housing stock is affordable and eligible for

listing on the state‘s Subsidized Housing Inventory. This protects

Amherst from Comprehensive Permit applications that could

override the community‘s zoning regulations and allow potentially

inappropriate residential development. Maintaining a balance of

affordability in Amherst‘s housing stock represents the

community‘s commitment to economic equity and diversity and

ensures local control over new development.

Projected housing needs: Projections of population growth and

demographic changes for Amherst vary, but it is clear that the

community‘s housing needs are changing, and local housing policy

needs to anticipate and accommodate those changes.

The Objectives and Strategies discussed in the remainder of this chapter

provide a coherent framework for meeting Amherst‘s future housing needs

with a focus on creating more diverse, moderately priced and affordable

housing options in proximity to goods and services.

Note on Census Data:

The population and demographic

information provided in this section uses

the most recent census data available

for Amherst from the 2000 United States

Census, as adjusted by a correction in

2008. Other annual census programs

such as the American Community

Survey (ACS) only focus on geographic

areas with a population greater than

65,000, and do not account for residents

living in group quarters. Therefore the

ACS does not provide reliable data for

communities like Amherst, which have

significant student populations.


Town of Amherst 4.3


This section describes the objectives and strategies that will support the

Housing goals for the Town of Amherst.

OBJECTIVE H.1 - Encourage a greater mix of housing types, sizes,

and prices serving a wider range of income levels than is currently

available throughout Amherst. Encourage the development of

economically diverse neighborhoods.

The following strategies recommend ways to diversify housing stock in

Amherst, increase housing choice, and establish neighborhoods that bring

different groups of people together. Future housing development should strive to

meet the needs of all community members, including low- and middle-income

households, and should avoid the creation of enclaves of poverty or wealth or

uniform concentrations of housing types (single-family, multi-family units, same

design/size, etc.) in segregated enclaves. Development incentives, regulations,

zoning, and favorable financing are a few of the tools that can be used to spur

mixed income, diverse housing development.

STRATEGIES

H.1.A Create more flexible development regulations using a range of

prices as the key criterion.

Flexible subdivision regulations and zoning bylaws typically use

performance standards encouraging a project to meet certain desirable

community criteria, such as preservation of environmentally sensitive areas

or provision of affordable housing. In this case, developers who provided for

and formalized a range of housing prices that included affordable and/or

moderately priced homes could receive a bonus in the number of homes

permitted in the project. These regulations or bylaws could also provide

developers who meet the standards with the additional incentive of greater

flexibility in site planning.

H.1.B Base the density of building units within a development on a

formula for the total allowable square footage for all units combined,

rather than a total unit count, with the goal of seeing a greater

number of smaller units instead of fewer larger homes.

The community should support the development of smaller housing

units in the interest of diversifying Amherst‘s housing stock. Current zoning

looks only at the total number of homes possible on a given property, rather

than the size of those individual homes. One way to encourage smaller

homes is to permit more homes to be developed on a single site, provided

that the combined square footage of all homes is no greater than would be

the case with fewer large homes. Market forces would favor the creation of


Town of Amherst 4.4

more saleable units. Smaller homes will help the community ensure more

diversity in housing size and affordability, while also helping to meet its

energy goals.

H.1.C Use dimensional regulations to encourage the construction of

smaller homes and smaller lots.

Higher-density small lot developments have lower infrastructure costs

per unit. Smaller homes also tend to have lower materials cost, greater

affordability, and a smaller environmental impact. Amherst‘s current

dimensional requirements date from the 1970s. An examination of the

existing lot and house size distribution in historic neighborhoods could allow

revised regulations to both honor historic patterns and meet modern needs.

H.1.D Develop design guidelines for multi-family dwellings, such as

town houses and duplexes, integrated into the context of existing

neighborhoods.

With the proper design standards in place, multi-family dwellings can

increase community acceptance of a diversity of housing types. Design

standards can be used to guide the development of multi-family dwellings so

that they reflect the character of the neighborhood and will be more easily

accepted by neighboring residents.

H.1.E Revise zoning regulations to make it easier to create attached

and detached accessory apartments and duplexes out of existing

owner-occupied housing stock in all residential zoning districts.

Creative zoning techniques can be utilized to maximize the housing

stock available, including more moderately priced housing types. Accessory

apartments and duplexes can take a variety of physical forms and offer many

benefits, providing rental income for homeowners, enhancing moderately

priced options within the housing market, and increasing dwelling densities

while maintaining neighborhood character. Efforts must be made to address

the fears of neighborhood residents regarding the effects of student residents

living in these units.

H.1.F Allow two-family houses by right in all residential zoning

districts.

In order to diversify housing stock, the Town should permit the

development of two-family homes by-right with appropriate conditions in all

residential areas. Two-family homes typically lead to cost savings for

developers and buyers. Design and landscape standards should be used to

ensure that two-family homes reflect the character of the neighborhood and

will be more easily accepted by neighboring residents.


Town of Amherst 4.5

H.1.G Reduce or eliminate lot size requirement differences for one-

and two-family homes.

Current zoning requires two-family homes to be situated on larger lots

than single-family homes. This limits development opportunities for

duplexes, and leads to a less efficient use of land. With proper design

standards in place, two-family housing can be effectively integrated into any

single-family neighborhood, without the need for significantly larger lots.

OBJECTIVE H.2 - Preserve and expand the number of affordable and

moderately priced rental units and housing stock.

Along with the creation of new affordable and moderately priced housing

units, the preservation of existing affordable housing stock is critical to the

success of an affordable housing plan. The following strategies recommend ways

to preserve and expand affordable housing options in Amherst.

STRATEGIES

H.2.A Increase the percentage of affordable and/or moderately

priced units required in new developments.

The Town of Amherst should assess its affordable housing needs and

future growth projections, and develop appropriate amendments to the

existing inclusionary zoning housing requirements to meet those needs. For

example, working with developers and housing advocates, the community

could explore increasing the currently required percentage of affordable

units for all new housing developments greater than 10 units. Additional

incentives could also be provided to encourage developers to further

increase the percentage of low-income affordable and/or moderate–income

affordable workforce housing.

H.2.B Create incentives to make it financially attractive for

developers to build affordable and moderately priced units.

The Town of Amherst should offer development incentives to spur the

creation of affordable and moderately priced units in larger housing

developments. With incentives such as tax breaks or a density bonus, the

construction of affordable and moderately priced housing becomes more

economically feasible for the developer.

H.2.C Create a formal process for the Amherst Housing Authority

and/or the Housing Partnership/Fair Housing Committee to evaluate

the potential for a set-aside of land for affordable units when the

Town is acquiring conservation or other new land, and when the

Town is disposing of Town land.

When the Town of Amherst acquires or sells a parcel of land intended

for residential or mixed-use development, it should seek input from local


Town of Amherst 4.6

housing agencies to consider the possibility of a portion of the site being

used for affordable and moderately priced housing. See LU.8.A.

H.2.D Develop a fast-track subdivision, site plan, and building

permit process for qualified affordable and moderately priced

housing developments.

Encourage more diverse housing development by reducing red tape and

allowing for more by-right housing options. Deliberate efforts should be

made to expedite approval procedures for projects that incorporate a certain

percentage of affordable and/or moderately priced units. By streamlining the

development process for qualified projects, permitting costs will be lowered

and affordable housing supply will be better able to keep up with demand.

H.2.E Waive, reduce and/or rebate fees, including water and sewer

connections and permitting fees, for affordable housing units.

Reducing developers‘ infrastructure fees is another way to reduce

construction costs and promote affordable housing development. The Town

should consider waiving or reducing standard development fees for

residential projects that incorporate a significant percentage of affordable

units above and beyond existing requirements.

H.2.F Look for ways to preserve family rental housing options and

strategies to preserve affordable and moderately priced units whose

affordability restrictions are expiring, including development of

funding streams to purchase existing rental housing stock and

placing permanent affordability restrictions on these units.

Rental housing can run the risk of either deteriorating or becoming too

expensive for low- to middle-income households. Amherst must address

these issues in order to preserve its affordable housing stock. The

community should work with local housing advocates to develop programs

that preserve affordable and moderately priced rental units, particularly

larger units that are appropriate for families.

H.2.G Expand on the current practice of acquiring Affordable

Housing Restrictions (AHRs—similar to APRs) through purchase or

donation of a deed restriction on a housing unit so that it becomes

permanently affordable.

Massachusetts law already recognizes (and Amherst has already

obtained) AHRs. These are deed restrictions which permanently limit the

resale value of a residential home and keep it affordable. The Town of

Amherst should continue to aggressively pursue and expand on this practice.


Town of Amherst 4.7

H.2.H Provide financial assistance to facilitate and expand home

ownership for low- and moderate-income households, including first

time home-buyers.

Currently, the Town of Amherst has Community Preservation Act and

Community Development Block Grant funds that can be used to provide

mortgage subsidies to eligible households. Funding can be requested on an

annual basis from these and other funding sources.

H.2.I Partner with the Amherst Housing Authority, local

community development corporations (CDCs), non-profit

organizations, and other groups to expand affordable housing in

Amherst.

Public-private partnerships are central to affordable housing

development. Developers of affordable housing may be not-for-profit

community development corporations, faith-based organizations, or even

for-profit companies. Successful projects rely upon the availability of

favorable funding and financing opportunities, and frequently draw upon

resources provided by the federal government, local governments, or

philanthropic institutions. The Town should collaborate with local housing

development groups to create more affordable and moderately priced rental

and ownership housing, including units which can accommodate larger

households.

Specifically, Amherst should:

Work with CDCs to develop new family rental housing with

more than 2 bedrooms.

Work with the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity to

encourage the creation of sweat-equity ownership housing for

low-income households.

Work with a housing trust and/or other non-profits to expand

funding opportunities for affordable housing.

Create public/private partnerships with the owners of larger

tracts of property willing to invest in limited or mixed

development projects that include low-income affordable and

moderate-income workforce housing.

H.2.J Lobby the State legislature to create a state-level matching

fund program for the purchase of land to be used specifically for

low-income affordable and/or moderate-income workforce housing

and for increased funding for existing affordable housing programs.

The most significant obstacle to the creation of affordable housing is the

cost of land. The state of Massachusetts already provides incentive

payments or matching funds to promote certain types of development. For

example, towns that adopt Chapter 40R zoning districts to promote smart

growth and provide at least 20 percent affordable housing are eligible for


Town of Amherst 4.8

financial incentives ranging from $10,000 for 20 units to $600,000 for 501

or more units developed. The Amherst community should lobby the State

legislature to develop a similar matching fund/incentive payment program

for acquiring (and thereby reducing the cost of) land for affordable housing

development.

(See http://www.mass.gov/envir/smart_growth_toolkit/pages/mod-40R.html

for more information on Chapter 40R.)

H.2.K Support the development of affordable and moderately priced

units that have equity-building provisions.

Equity-building programs should be pursued to help low- and middle-

income families become homeowners. Such provisions will help Amherst

maintain a strong, economically diverse community in the long-term.

OBJECTIVE H.3 - Increase the opportunity for infill development and

the location of housing developments near services.

Appropriately-designed infill development can promote neighborhood

revitalization, produce higher densities that lead to a more efficient use of land

and infrastructure, and bring residents closer to necessary goods and services.

The following strategies suggest ways to promote additional infill development

in Amherst.

STRATEGIES

H.3.A Revise the zoning regulations to promote infill development in

strategic locations.

Outdated zoning regulations can hinder infill development. The Town

should modify zoning district lines and zoning setback/dimensional

requirements, and evaluate building form (design) standards to provide for

development that diversifies the housing stock while respecting the

architectural and landscape character of existing neighborhoods and the

community. It should also create a mechanism whereby small infill homes

are allowed on some lots in exchange for an affordable housing deed

restriction.

H.3.B Increase residential densities in the downtown and village

centers.

The zoning for the downtown and village centers should be revised to

allow for more downtown housing and higher residential densities. By

increasing relative densities and allowing small businesses and residences to

coexist, the Town can create more walkable neighborhoods that provide

residents easy access to jobs, goods, services, and public transit. Intensified

residential development above ground-floor shops and restaurants can help

to create a more vibrant downtown community. An integrated mix of uses

http://www.mass.gov/envir/smart_growth_toolkit/pages/mod-40R.html


Town of Amherst 4.9

coupled with a pedestrian-friendly environment can also generate positive

impacts in terms of reducing traffic, commute times, and energy

consumption.

The community should:

Intensify upper story housing development by revising zoning to

eliminate unit count and total residential area limitations.

Rezone Limited Business (B-L) areas near downtown to General

Business (B-G) or another appropriate district to make it easier

to create multi-family residential units and residential units in

conjunction with businesses.

H.3.C Revise zoning regulations to encourage mixed-use, multi-

family development projects.

The Town‘s zoning regulations should be revised to remove

impediments to building mixed-use or multi-family development projects.

Such development should be permitted by right in targeted areas. Attention

to design and the adoption of design standards (See LU.1.C and LU.9) can

ensure that new development fits the desired scale and character of the

community.

H.3.D Address the impacts of the student housing market in any

revisions of zoning and other regulations.

New zoning, development/design regulations, and density incentives

must take into account the potential impacts of strong student housing

pressures, including the issues which arise as a result of absentee landlords.

In campus-edge neighborhoods in particular, new regulations should be

undertaken in tandem with other regulatory or program efforts. These

should include:

a. Increasing the capacity for code inspections and enforcement (see

H.8 and S.3.F);

b. Reevaluating, clarifying, and strengthening existing zoning and

rental registration regulations (see LU.1.B, LU.9 and H.7.B);

c. Encouraging the provision of alternative student housing (see E.4.E

and H.7) , and;

d. Working with the colleges and University to address student

behavior (see S.3.G and S.7.D).

OBJECTIVE H.4 - Encourage the production of housing in an

environmentally sound manner with respect to design, siting,

materials and resource use.

New housing development provides the opportunity to promote

environmentally friendly design. The following strategies suggest ways to

promote the growth of ―green‖ housing in Amherst.



STRATEGIES

H.4.A. Modify Amherst‘s cluster development zoning regulations to

require higher-density clustering of housing in the more rural parts

of Town to achieve a smaller development footprint and greater

retention of open space.

Greater density on the developed part of the land allows more common

and open space to be retained. A revised development calculation could

allow for a few more units, but less overall impact due to a significantly

more compact development footprint.

H.4.B Adopt Low Impact Development standards for all new

residential developments.

Low Impact Development (LID) represents a sustainable storm-water

management strategy that uses appropriate site design techniques in order to

protect environmental resources. The Town of Amherst should consider

requiring LID standards in all new residential development. More

information is available at www.lowimpactdevelopment.org.

H.4.C Provide incentives for developments that meet energy

efficiency standards in new buildings.

Incentives such as tax rebates on costs related to making buildings

energy-efficient can encourage developers to build more environmentally

sustainable buildings, which benefit the environment and the general health

of the community. See LU.1.E and NC.4.A.

OBJECTIVE H.5 - Encourage housing that meets the needs of

special populations.

Housing options in Amherst should meet the needs of all residents,

regardless of age or ability. Development of incentives, regulations, zoning, and

favorable financing are a few of the tools that can be used to spur housing

development that meets the needs of special populations.

STRATEGIES

H.5.A Encourage the production of affordable units for seniors.

Nationwide, an aging population is creating an increased need for

housing for seniors. Eighty-two million Baby Boomers are moving to the

empty-nest stage of life and are looking for more compact housing types.

Amherst should take steps now to promote the development of smaller,

affordable housing options that will be appropriate for a growing senior

population and allow its residents to ―age in place.‖ This could be

accomplished using the same zoning mechanisms proposed herein that are

intended to create smaller housing options and more accessible housing.

http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/



H.5.B Encourage the production of assisted living units for seniors

that will also include affordable units.

The Town of Amherst should encourage the development of affordable

assisted living units in the community. The Town should partner with social

service organizations and developers of assisted living facilities to identify

potential sites for this type of development. The zoning code should also be

revised to remove any impediments to this type of development.

H.5.C Develop incentives for developers to build accessible units.

Incentives such as tax rebates on costs associated with making the units

accessible can encourage developers to improve accessibility and create

housing for residents with special needs. Such incentives can offset the

developer‘s additional design and construction costs.

H.5.D Provide incentives to developers to encourage ―visitability‖

throughout housing developments where accessible units are built.

The Town should provide incentives for universal accessibility in

design, on the basis that not only the accessible units occupied by disabled

citizens need to be accessible, but that disabled residents should be able to

visit their able-bodied neighbors without having to face obstacles such as

stairs, etc.

H.5.E Promote development of diverse kinds of retirement housing

that produce property tax revenue exceeding the cost of municipal

services to such developments.

Actively promote Amherst‘s growing reputation as a highly desirable

retirement community by providing a variety of housing opportunities that

appeal to the growing number of Baby Boomers now reaching retirement

age.

OBJECTIVE H.6 Improve housing and services for people in the

area who are homeless.

The following strategies address the needs of Amherst‘s homeless

population, as well as those at risk of becoming homeless.

STRATEGIES

H.6.A Study the need for housing and support services for homeless

persons in Amherst.

Study the size and character of Amherst‘s homeless population with a

view to possibly develop local or regional private/public mechanisms for

providing needed housing and support services.



H.6.B Work with regional efforts currently underway to address

homelessness.

There is a Western Massachusetts Homelessness Task Force currently

working on a set of initiatives to address homelessness in the region.

Amherst should participate in and support this regional initiative.

H.6.C Support and broaden the base of providers of services within

the Town. Improve access to services elsewhere in the region.

Local agencies are currently providing food, clothing, and a safe

community for the homeless in Amherst. There is currently an absence of

case managers to assist residents who are on the verge of falling into

homelessness. There is also an absence of case managers to assist the

homeless in finding needed services, such as counseling, drug treatment and

job training.

H.6.D Increase the amount of housing available to people of very low

incomes.

Currently there are virtually no opportunities for housing within Town

for those people with very limited means. A sustained effort should be made

to maximize the availability of various forms of housing vouchers and

housing programs to create opportunities for this income group.

OBJECTIVE H.7 – Support the creation of taxable student housing

that will lessen the pressures on residential neighborhoods.

The large student population places additional pressure on the Amherst

housing market. Well-designed and well-located private student housing will

lessen the pressure on surrounding neighborhoods.

STRATEGIES

H.7.A Explore the creation of special zoning districts or zoning

overlay districts in certain areas suitable for private student housing.

These overlay districts can be designed to incorporate shops, services,

and transportation infrastructure to meet the student population‘s needs.

Districts should be designed to minimize impacts on nearby residential

neighborhoods. See also E.4.E.

H.7.B Develop design standards for private student housing zones.

Design standards should be developed for the student housing overlay

district to ensure that such development is aligned with existing community

character and is compatible with surrounding neighborhoods.



OBJECTIVE H.8 – Build and sustain the Town’s capacity for

regulatory oversight for Amherst’s housing stock, and pursue

ways to enhance security.

Amherst residents have a right to live in housing that is safe, secure, sanitary,

and well-maintained. The community‘s ability to ensure this basic right depends

on the resources the Town commits to inspection, enforcement and coordination

of building, fire, accessibility, and health codes, and to community policing. In a

community with extremely low vacancy rates, a young and transient population,

and high housing demand, there will always be a temptation for property owners

to cut corners, to ignore time-consuming permit procedures, to defer

maintenance, and to increase the number of residents or tenants beyond safe

levels. Amherst‘s ability to ensure building safety code compliance and a basic

sense of personal safety and security, especially in large apartment complexes, is

a matter of fundamental public safety.

STRATEGIES

H.8.A Fund code inspection departments and programs adequately.

It will not matter how many innovative housing regulations and

programs Amherst creates if it does not fund the personnel and resources

necessary to enforce those regulations. Appropriate funding for code

inspections personnel and programs in all affected Town departments is a

critical, base-level investment in the safety and quality of life for Amherst

residents.

H.8.B Formalize collaboration between inspecting departments and

public safety personnel.

Often the first Town representatives making contact with a property and

noticing potential problems are public safety officers (police, fire/EMT) or

public infrastructure (DPW) personnel. Existing collaborative arrangements

between these departments and code inspectors should be examined,

reinforced, and formalized. The potential for integrating public

safety/infrastructure reporting with the Town‘s permit-tracking system

should be explored.

H.8.C Organize and coordinate crime prevention and conflict

resolution activity through community policing.

To prevent and reduce criminal activity and anti-social behavior,

including gang activity, set up and improve lines of communication between

tenants, property managers, and police. Encourage social service agencies to

facilitate the development of tenant-run organizations that can organize

mutual support systems, ensure access to appropriate social services,

organize neighborhood watch groups, and assist in preventing and resolving

conflicts. See also S.1.B.

5. Economic Development

Town of Amherst 5.1


A. Goal

To strengthen, diversify and grow the economic base and employment

opportunities in the town, through smart development in the downtown,

village centers, and commercial zones. Initiatives will be focused on

clusters of businesses, mixed services, high technology/clean industries,

cultural attractions, education, tourism and agricultural resources.

Such development will maintain, improve and sustain quality of life,

ecological consciousness and social values.

B. Overview

The presence of institutions of higher education in Amherst has had a

significant impact on the economy of the Town. In fact, the University of

Massachusetts, Amherst College, and Hampshire College are Amherst‘s

greatest source of employment. These institutions offer stable employment

levels and have low turnover. In the past, there have been a limited number

of private sector jobs available in Amherst that were not connected to the

educational institutions. In the last decade or so, however, there has been a

marked increase in the number of small consulting firms and ‗hidden tech‘

businesses using Internet technologies to take advantage of the information

resources of Amherst. A number of themes recur throughout this chapter,

including: the desire for industrial research parks and encouragement of

business development; the improvement and development of the downtown

and village centers; the broadening of partnerships with the colleges and

University; and the desire to attract, encourage, and retain technological,

information-based, and creative businesses within Amherst.


The University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute has prepared a full

assessment of the Town‘s economic profile and conditions. The complete

Existing Conditions and Trends report can be found in Appendix A. This

section summarizes the report‘s key points related to economic

development:

Employment is concentrated in educational services: The

employment base of Amherst is stable, but relatively narrow as

compared to the rest of the Pioneer Valley and Massachusetts.

Employment is concentrated primarily within educational services,

including the University of Massachusetts, Hampshire College, and

Amherst College. Of the 14,121 jobs in Amherst in 2006, 58.2

percent of them were in educational services. UMass Amherst is


Atkins Corner Sustainable

Development Master Plan –

Action Steps for a Better

Amherst [November 2000 –

February 2002]

Downtown Action Plan [2002, as

augmented by TCRC 2007

review]

Town Center Streetscape Design

Guidelines Manual [2001]

Overall Economic Development

Plan: Five Year Update [1999]


Town of Amherst 5.2

the second largest employer in western Massachusetts, with about

5,500 employees—over 1500 of those employees live in Amherst.

Local businesses are dependent on educational institutions: The

retail sector within Amherst is extremely reliant upon expenditures

from the students, faculty, and staff at the University and Colleges.

This is not surprising, given the Town‘s large student population

and the economic significance of these institutions.

Modest but steady growth in retail sales: A significant proportion of

retail sales in Hampshire County (11.6 percent) occur within

Amherst. The U.S. Economic Census for 1997 and 2002 shows that

Amherst has experienced modest but steady growth in many retail

sectors between those years. The concentration of retail sales in

Amherst are: Food and Beverage stores; Sporting Goods, Hobby,

Book and Music stores; Building Materials and Garden Equipment;

Gasoline Stations; and Non-store Retailers (such as mail-order

businesses).

Real estate rental rates: Retail space in Amherst ranges from $8.50 per

square foot to $14.50 per square foot. By comparison, nearby

Northampton has retail rentals ranging from $12 to $30 per square

foot, depending on the location. These somewhat comparable

figures indicate that Amherst is a desirable, although less robust

retail location as compared to Northampton.

Limited job growth: The jobs which exist within Amherst, specifically

those related to educational services, are relatively stable and grow

during times of political consensus on the value of higher education

(such as the UMass 250 Plan). Other job sectors in Amherst,

particularly traditional businesses such as retail and service

businesses, are disproportionately small for a community this size,

and are much more vulnerable to economic down-cycles. Despite

the recent growth in information-based business and consultancies,

the relative shortage of non-academic job opportunities and growth

limits the opportunity for college and high school alumni to stay in

the community following graduation, and hampers the community‘s

efforts to support economic and social diversity.

Reliance on tax-exempt institutions: The majority of the Town‘s

private sector rely on income generated by patrons from the

University and Colleges. These educational institutions are tax-

exempt. With relatively static commercial development in Amherst,


Town of Amherst 5.3

the fiscal burden for providing municipal services rests heavily on

the Town‘s residential property owners.


provide a coherent framework for meeting Amherst‘s goals for economic

development. They focus on a variety of initiatives, including creating

vibrancy in the downtown and village centers, as well as attracting more

businesses in the research, technology, and creative industries.



Economic Development goal for the Town of Amherst.

OBJECTIVE E.1 - Support sustainable growth of existing businesses

and attract new ones while protecting environmental values.

Smart growth principles (see www.smartgrowth.org) should be used to

support sustainable business growth while preserving Amherst‘s character and

protecting the environment. The following strategies address issues of zoning,

infrastructure, and economic policy that can attract targeted industries to

Amherst.

STRATEGIES

E.1.A Develop zoning that encourages sustainable high-density

mixed-use and residential development within the village centers and

downtown.

Higher density, mixed-use development can be encouraged to enhance

and revitalize the village centers and downtown. Connecting and integrating

residential areas with businesses and retail uses that provide goods, services,

and jobs reduces infrastructure costs and transportation impacts. It creates a

mutually-supportive environment in which residents have easier access to

services and businesses have better access to a substantial customer base.

E.1.B Market and promote Amherst to targeted business.

The community should identify the specific types of businesses or

industries that it would like to attract to Amherst, and the kinds of growth it

wants to see. The Town should work with the business community and other

stakeholders (UMass, colleges, property owners, adjacent communities) to

conduct a comprehensive market study to identify specific businesses and

industries currently missing from the community that might strengthen

Amherst‘s overall economic fabric. Incentives and marketing tools should

then be developed to promote the community and attract the desired types of

businesses and industries.

http://www.smartgrowth.org/


Town of Amherst 5.4

E.1.C Make downtown/village centers vital, attractive, and

convenient to use.

Several kinds of strategic improvements should be pursued in the

downtown and village centers to create a mutually supportive mix of retail,

professional, and residential uses, and an attractive, enjoyable environment

for residents and visitors.

Marketing Studies - The Town should work with the businesses and

property owners in the downtown and village centers to conduct targeted

market studies specific to those areas to identify missing goods and services

and then act to attract specific types of desired businesses.

Regulations - Development regulations should be revised to encourage

downtown and village center upper floor residences.

Physical Improvements - Attention should be paid to pedestrian

amenities, streetscapes, public spaces, parking, wayfinding signs, public art,

and other improvements to attract more people to the downtown and village

centers.

E.1.D Increase the amount of suitably zoned research park, business,

and commercial areas that are provided with appropriate Town

infrastructure.

The Town should evaluate its zoning map and infrastructure plans to see

if appropriate lands are available and readily usable for desirable economic

growth. New areas may need to be provided with key infrastructure in order

to make Amherst a more competitive destination for business investments.

E.1.E Increase land zoned for professional, light industrial and

commercial use.

Amherst has a relatively small amount of land area zoned for business

activity. The Town should identify and increase the overall acreage of land

in Amherst zoned to allow professional and light industrial areas, as well as

commercial centers.

E.1.F Provide incentives for high priority, targeted development.

The Town should identify its development priorities, design a package

of incentives, and undertake pre-development activities to facilitate

development in these areas. These priorities should include evaluating and

developing professional research park areas, identifying and redeveloping

brown-fields sites, as well as pursuing mixed-use infill and redevelopment

projects in downtown and village centers, and carefully expanding those

centers. To accomplish this, Amherst could seek out state grant programs,

provide density bonuses, provide infrastructure improvements, and/or

explore tax incentives.


Town of Amherst 5.5

OBJECTIVE E.2 – Support “relocalization” of the Amherst economy

Many communities around the country are recognizing the value of their own

local economies and are engaging in ―local first‖ initiatives. Locally-owned,

independent businesses tend to re-circulate a higher percentage of their profits

within the local economy, and are more invested in the community‘s future.

Locally grown produce and locally made products require substantially less

transportation and consume fewer energy resources than those brought in from

other states or countries. This reduces Amherst‘s environmental footprint while

supporting local markets.

Promoting a sustainable local economy also helps Amherst maintain its

distinctive community character.

STRATEGIES

E.2.A Hire an Economic Development Director.

The Town should create the permanent position of Economic

Development Director to work with the Chamber of Commerce, local

merchants, professionals, farmers, tradesfolk, artisans, and government to

foster and coordinate economic development efforts in Amherst.

E.2.B Support and expand initiatives to market local products,

support local businesses, and services.

One of the first responsibilities of an Economic Development Director

would be to work with the community to develop specific ways to support

and encourage local business. Examples might include:

An Amherst Grown/Amherst Made sticker might be made available to

local businesses through the Chamber of Commerce, to help shoppers

identify local products.

Amherst‘s longstanding Farmer‘s Market on the Town Common is a

sound local economic tradition that should be replicated in new and

innovative ways. An indoor facility allowing year-round operation of a

downtown or village center farmers‘ market should be explored. An

outdoor marketplace should be considered for Kendrick Park.

Downtown sidewalk vending could be encouraged with appropriate

regulation.

Existing programs that offer discounts to downtown business patrons

who can demonstrate that they shop at other local businesses should be

expanded and replicated in Amherst‘s outlying village centers and

commercial areas.

E.2.C Explore a reloadable cash-substitute "Amherst Card" that

could be used for local shopping, entertainment, dining, parking,

transit, and event or attraction admission.

An ―Amherst Card‖ could be used by residents and visitors to easily

navigate parking, transit, and shopping, and other activities in the


Town of Amherst 5.6

downtown. The Town should work with representatives from the colleges

and business community to determine the feasibility of the card, potential

market, security issues, and costs.

OBJECTIVE E.3 - Promote downtown as a key cultural, commercial

and entertainment center of Amherst.

Downtown Amherst is a great asset that can be better utilized as a cultural,

commercial, and entertainment center. The following strategies suggest ways to

enhance the downtown as the vibrant heart of the community.

STRATEGIES

E.3.A Conduct a broad market assessment of the downtown to better

target businesses and visitors.

As part of a marketing study (see E.1.C), the community should conduct

an assessment of existing assets and current needs in the downtown in terms

of the ―creative economy‖—the arts and cultural, commercial, and

entertainment opportunities. The Town‘s Economic Development Director,

working with the Chamber of Commerce and Promoting Downtown

Amherst (PDA), should identify key aspects of the downtown and market

and enhance them in order to attract more businesses and visitors.

E.3.B Explore cooperative business, promotional and marketing

ventures that reinforce local investment and control.

In addition to expanding cooperation between the Chamber of

Commerce, Promoting Downtown Amherst, and the Town, the business

community and the Town should explore the creation of Business

Improvement Districts (BIDs) to enable greater private investment and

participation in the improvement of the downtown business district and

village centers.

E.3.C Resolve parking needs and improve accessibility to and

circulation within downtown.

The Town should investigate a variety of transportation strategies to

meet parking needs and improve circulation in the downtown. Initiatives

may range from developing an off-street parking facility, to maximizing on-

street parking opportunities, to investing in public and alternative

transportation infrastructure that can reduce the number of cars on the road.

Signalization and other traffic circulation issues should also be examined.

E.3.D Develop downtown and the Town‘s natural resources as

tourism destinations by leveraging existing cultural, historical,

entertainment and education resources, providing inviting

streetscapes and developing new attractions.


Town of Amherst 5.7

Tourism provides a net economic benefit to the community by bringing

outside dollars into Amherst. The community should examine ways to

further enhance the attractions and amenities found in the downtown and

surrounding natural areas in order to emphasize tourism as a key component

of the Town‘s economy, while planning for ways to protect these important

resources and mitigate the impacts of tourism. See NC.1.

E.3.E Capture ―secondary (follow-on) market‖ of visitors to colleges

and university.

UMass and the Colleges attract a large number of visitors throughout the

year (families, prospective students, conference attendees, etc.). The Town

should collaborate with educational institutions in order to market local

attractions and amenities and fully capture the follow-on tourism market

associated with these schools.

OBJECTIVE E.4 - Broaden and leverage partnerships with UMass

and the Colleges.

The Town, UMass, and the Colleges should pursue mutually beneficial

partnerships in order to promote economic development, undertake research and

technology enterprises, and create more learning and job opportunities for

college and university students.

STRATEGIES

E.4.A Develop and implement a shared town-gown strategy for

economic development to achieve common goals.

The Town, the business community, and the University and Colleges

should work together to develop a set of shared economic development goals

that can be effectively pursued through town-gown partnerships.

E.4.B Promote economic development projects at the University and

colleges that produce tax revenues for the Town.

Through partnerships between the Town and the University and

colleges, it is possible to create economic development projects that will

produce additional revenues for the Town and benefit all Amherst residents.

E.4.C Establish the real cost of the University and colleges to the

Town and negotiate fair compensation.

The Town provides a variety of public services that support the

University and colleges. An external, impartial fiscal analysis should be

undertaken to examine the real costs and benefits that these institutions bring

to the Town. Once this is established, agreements can be made to ensure that

the Town is compensated fairly.


Town of Amherst 5.8

E.4.D Encourage and assist UMass in its efforts to create a research

park that provides for commercialization and business expansion of

university/college research, including incubator space for companies.

Economic development stakeholders should work with UMass to design

a research facility that provides space for research, high-tech firms, and

start-up companies. Such a facility would provide the opportunity for

collaborative relationships between the business and University community,

and could catalyze further economic development in the Town.

E.4.E Explore development of taxable student housing in

appropriate locations.

Providing private, student-village housing for UMass students would

generate tax revenues and reduce pressure on rents for affordable housing

elsewhere in Town. Such housing should be well-designed and appropriately

sited to respect the context and values of the surrounding Amherst

community. See also LU.1.B and H.7.

E.4.F Share university, college and Town facilities and resources for

mutual benefit.

The Town, University, and colleges should identify and evaluate

existing assets and facilities that could be shared to further enhance quality

of life in the community and attract additional economic activity.

OBJECTIVE E.5 - Improve the regulatory environment to encourage

business development.

The following strategies suggest how the Town should review and update its

regulatory processes in order to attract new businesses to Amherst.

STRATEGIES

E.5.A Re-examine administrative permit procedures and regulatory

by-laws, streamline business regulation and expedite permitting to

provide regionally competitive, responsive and timely services to

businesses.

A transparent, streamlined, and responsive business permitting process

can greatly improve Amherst‘s competitiveness in attracting new businesses.

Targeted industries and businesses should receive extra guidance and

support during the permitting process.

E.5.B Allow pre-permitting in targeted development zones.

In appropriate target areas, establish basic requirements for appropriate

uses, site planning, and design, so that projects which meet those Town

requirements can obtain approvals through a streamlined permit process.


Town of Amherst 5.9

OBJECTIVE E.6 - Create an Integrated Economic Development

Program.

Amherst‘s economic development stakeholders should work together to set

strategic priorities and identify who will take the lead in all aspects of the Town‘s

economic growth and revitalization.

STRATEGIES

E.6.A Organize and develop financial and staff resources to support

the Town‘s economic development program and strategic plan.

In order to ensure that economic development activities are successful, a

basic level of staffing and funding is required with specific responsibility for

coordinating initiatives, tracking their progress, and publicizing successes.

Sufficient staff resources can ensure that Amherst stays on track in working

towards its economic goals.

E.6.B Assign a permanent committee to help oversee development

and implementation of a comprehensive economic development

strategic plan.

A Town committee should be assigned responsibility for working with

an Economic Development Director to oversee ongoing implementation of

Amherst‘s economic development strategic plan. Membership of this

committee should represent the Amherst‘s diverse economic development

interests and organizations.

OBJECTIVE E.7 - Encourage physical and technological

infrastructure that support business and industrial growth.

The Town should invest in infrastructure and technological advancements that

enable business attraction and retention.

STRATEGIES

E.7.A Improve and expand internet communication/broadband

(including wireless availability) throughout the Town, including

high-speed connections (Internet2 and other state of the art

technology).

Many communities around the country are pursuing technological

advantages that can give them an edge in attracting and retaining businesses

and enhancing quality of life for residents. Amherst should undertake steps

to ensure that all areas are covered by high-speed internet providers. The

Town should also examine the possibility of offering expanded free wireless

connection in strategic locations, such as the downtown.



E.7.B Support growth of burgeoning technology and creative

economy businesses, including development of necessary facilities.

The Town should target investments to attract innovating industries such

as technology firms and ―creative economy‖ businesses that have a focus on

arts, culture, and design. Amherst can create targeted business attraction and

retention programs that incorporate tax incentives, workforce development

assistance, and infrastructure and service amenities.

OBJECTIVE E.8 - Develop the current and future workforce to

enhance economic opportunities.

Current Amherst employment opportunities do not adequately support those

interested in occupations (trades and other professions) other than education. Key

issues underlying this objective are the need to address socio-economic balance

in Amherst and the potential costs (social justice aspects) of not taking action.

There is the concern that long-time residents and their children are being driven

out of Amherst in search of work and, eventually, other places to live. The

following strategies examine how education, training, and mentoring

opportunities can be used to enhance Amherst‘s workforce base and increase the

Town‘s economic prosperity.

STRATEGIES

E.8.A Provide internships in local businesses (including agricultural)

to high school and college students.

Internships are a highly successful means for students to gain valuable

work experience while also discovering possible career paths. Internships

provide benefits to both the employer and the student while spurring future

economic development, since interns are often considered as prospective

employees.

E.8.B Create a network of advisors to mentor new businesses in

Town ranging from the virtual company to ‗bricks and mortar‘

businesses.

The Town should work cooperatively with local business owners and

merchants and with the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce to develop

mentoring programs that help increase the likelihood of success of new

businesses in the area.



OBJECTIVE E.9 - Advocate for changes to state tax regulation in

order to allow a reformulation of the Town’s tax structure.

Based on current state laws, property taxes are the primary—and nearly

the only—way local municipalities can collect revenue. Most other taxation is

controlled by the State. The rates are also capped at a 2.5 percent increase from

year to year unless a town-wide override referendum is passed by the voters.

There are some efforts currently underway to convince the state legislature to

allow municipalities other ways to collect revenues, such as meals and lodging

taxes. The Town should advocate for an alternative tax structure.

STRATEGIES

E.9.A Link and partner with other municipal and state-wide

advocacy groups to promote significant relief of property taxes.

Property taxes are a major burden on homeowners in Amherst. Through

partnerships with other municipal and State advocacy groups, there is a

greater opportunity to make change and relieve homeowners of the property

tax burden, which is lowering their quality of life.

6. Natural and Cultural Resources

Town of Amherst 6.1

6. Natural and Cultural

Resources

A. GOAL

Preserve the Town’s historic fabric and agrarian and academic

heritage, and protect the quality of our natural resources, to ensure a

vibrant, diverse, sustainable community.

B. Overview

The Amherst community takes great pride in and identity from its

natural and cultural resources. The town‘s character is defined by a rural

landscape with high aesthetic value that accommodates natural, wildlife, and

recreational areas as well as agricultural activities. The community is

actively engaged in efforts to preserve these areas and protect them from

development. The Town is also home to a rich cultural environment, with

three institutions of higher learning, as well as numerous historically

significant structures. A number of key themes surface throughout this

chapter, including: the desire to enhance cultural activities and events for

residents and visitors alike; the potential to explore more Town-Gown

collaborations; the importance of strategic land conservation; the need to

protect historic resources; and the desire to promote an ethic of sustainability

throughout the Amherst community.


An assessment of the Town‘s existing conditions has been drawn by the

consulting team based on technical research, as well as discussions with the

CPC and Town Staff. The complete Existing Conditions and Trends report

can be found in Appendix A. This section summarizes the report‘s key

points related to natural and cultural resources:

Natural features: Amherst‘s undulating glacial topography adds to the

aesthetic value of the Town and offers areas of hiking and

recreation, as well as wildlife habitat. The widely varied soil

composition in Amherst is a product of its recent geological history,

including glacial Lake Hitchcock, which covered a majority of the

Connecticut River Basin. Soils suitable for prime farmland uses are

also highly suitable for urbanized development, so clear growth

management policies are necessary to retain natural and agricultural

landscapes. Other areas are rocky or marshy, and the town is

drained by several small rivers and major streams that are an

important part of the industrial history of Amherst.

Farmland preservation: Of Amherst‘s 2,566 acres of farmland, 1,841

acres are protected under Agricultural Preservation


Town of Amherst 6.2

Restrictions (APR). Farmland acreage not currently under APR is

considered vulnerable to potential land development.

Conservation areas: According to the Town‘s Land Use Map, 2,573

acres of Amherst‘s land are protected for conservation purposes due

to efforts by the Amherst Conservation Commission, the

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and

Amherst citizens.

Water resources: The Massachusetts Department of Environmental

Protection identifies approximately 53 acres of water bodies

covering the Town, including the Mill and Fort Rivers, which are

major tributaries of the Connecticut River. Lawrence Swamp

is a significant wetland in Amherst and a habitat for rare species.

All of the Town public water supply wells are located in the

Lawrence Swamp Aquifer. Implementation of Best Management

Practices is essential to protecting the quality of the Town‘s water

supply.

Historic resources: Amherst has participated in the National Register

of Historic Places since 1966. Nine districts and nine other

individual properties are listed on the National Register. The

community is interested in developing a complete inventory of its

historic resources and pursuing additional historic and archeological

preservation activities under the provisions of the 2005 Amherst

Preservation Plan.

Town/Gown cultural resources: Amherst College, Hampshire College,

and the University of Massachusetts have museums, galleries, and

performance spaces that significantly contribute to the menu of

cultural activities in the Town. The community is interested in

pursuing opportunities to further enhance cultural collaborations

throughout the local arts community.


provide a coherent framework for preserving and enhancing Amherst‘s

natural and cultural resources in a manner that will help the community

retain its natural character and celebrate its cultural assets for years to come.



Natural and Cultural Resources goal for the Town of Amherst.


Town of Amherst 6.3

OBJECTIVE NC.1 - Promote the preservation, appreciation, and

sustainable use of our historical and cultural resources for residents

and visitors.

Historic and cultural resources foster a connection to the Amherst

community, generate a sense of pride among its residents, and attract visitors to

the Town. Appropriate protection and celebration of these resources will ensure

that the community‘s heritage and unique character are preserved and passed on

to future generations. Implementation of the 2005 Amherst Preservation Plan and

the following strategies will preserve important community character for

Amherst‘s future while acting as a crucial form of local economic development.

STRATEGIES

NC.1.A Regularly update the inventory and map of Amherst's

historic resources and ensure that they are available to the

Inspections Services Department and other permitting staff when

reviewing permit applications. Using the Town‘s computerized

permit-tracking system, link demolition permit requests with the

historic resource information available for that property.

The Town of Amherst and local preservation organizations should

collaborate to update the Town‘s inventory and GIS mapping of historic

resources and make the map accessible to the public. Checking the historic

status of a building or property should be made an automatic administrative

step in any permit process.

NC.1.B Increase historic preservation protections in Amherst‘s

zoning regulations, in order to encourage preservation, restoration,

and rehabilitation of historic and archeological resources.

A special historic overlay district is one example of a measure that could

provide specific development and design regulations above and beyond

regular zoning in order to protect areas of historic and architectural

significance in the Amherst community. Such measures could allow certain

land uses by right or offer incentives if the proposed use met minimum

historic standards. An overlay district or other measures could be applied to

existing National Historic Register districts, areas that have been proposed to

receive National Historic Register designation, and other historic resources

indicated by the Amherst Preservation Plan or deemed significant by the

Amherst Historical Commission.

NC.1.C Establish new local historic districts to provide enhanced

protections for our most significant concentrations of historic

resources.

Amherst has several National Historic Register Districts, but no local

historic districts—a specialized regulatory district enabled under state law

(MGL. Ch. 40C). The National Historic Register Districts only provide


Town of Amherst 6.4

protections if federal or state funds are involved in any development

proposal or project that will affect the historic property. Currently, the Town

zoning regulations include a Demolition Delay Bylaw that allows the

Historic Commission to delay by up to 12 months the demolition of an

historic property. The Town should develop separate local historic districts

that contain regulatory language capable of protecting historic resources in

ways that zoning cannot.

NC.1.D Preserve historic properties through direct acquisition and

the use of historic preservation restrictions.

Amherst has long used outright purchase or the acquisition of

interests in property—easements, deed restrictions, etc.—to preserve

important conservation lands and, more recently, affordable housing.

Purchase of interests in the most critical historic properties in Amherst

should follow this model.

NC.1.E Encourage preservation, restoration and rehabilitation/

adaptive reuse of historic buildings and outbuildings through a

variety of financial and other initiatives

The Amherst community should make use of appropriate incentives to

promote the restoration and reuse of its historic buildings. A variety of tools

should be used to encourage the preservation, reuse, and rehabilitation of

historic buildings. These could include, among others:

Tax incentives and abatements

Federal funding assistance or tax credits

A low-interest revolving loan program for rehabilitating historic

buildings

Shortened project review time, and

Permitting of additional uses in certain designated historic

structures, among others.

A non-profit organization such as the private non-profit Amherst Historical

Society could take the lead on instituting a revolving loan or historic trust

program that will provide owners of historic properties with additional

financing opportunities to support historic renovations and rehabilitations.

NC.1.F Complete, expand, and improve the existing wayfinding sign

system, to mark historic districts and village centers, and to

encourage tourism.

An improved system of wayfinding and historic site signs is needed for

tourists and visitors, and can also be essential for increasing overall public

awareness about—and thereby protecting—Amherst‘s historic resources.

The Historical Commission, Design Review Board, Department of Public

Works, Chamber of Commerce, and the Town/Commercial Relations


Town of Amherst 6.5

Committee, among others, should engage in a collaborative initiative to

update, enhance, and fund the wayfinding sign system in Amherst.

NC.1.G Develop outreach tools (tours, print publications, web sites,

etc.) to disseminate knowledge of Amherst‘s history among the

public.

Building public awareness of the unique historic resources of Amherst

and the benefits of protecting them in terms of quality of life, community

character, and economic benefits is a critical step to securing the support of

the general public, property owners, and elected officials in the pursuit of

historic preservation initiatives. The Amherst community should develop

outreach tools such as bus and walking tours, brochures, websites, and

workshops in order to build public awareness about Town history.

NC.1.H Work with the Chamber of Commerce to encourage

sustainable cultural tourism.

Thoughtful development of cultural tourism can help preserve

Amherst‘s unique character while strengthening and diversifying the local

economy. The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce publicizes a Visitor‘s

Guide that provides a variety of information about local historic and cultural

attractions. The community should continue to work with the Chamber to

expand its efforts to promote cultural tourism in the community.

NC.1.I Develop a street tree inventory and shade tree replacement

plan to ensure that this important element of Amherst‘s historical

landscape will be sustained over time.

A tree inventory should be undertaken to gather accurate information on

the health and diversity of Amherst‘s community forest, including its street

trees and shade trees. This inventory, which can be conducted through

collaboration among the Department of Public Works, Tree Warden, the

Public Shade Tree Commission, and community volunteers will help the

community develop and prioritize its tree maintenance and replacement

activities, and will form the basis of a community forestry management plan.


Town of Amherst 6.6

OBJECTIVE NC.2 - Provide support for a rich variety of cultural

opportunities, and activities for all groups and individuals in the

community.

Amherst has been a community unusually rich in the arts throughout its

history. This represents not only a source of community culture and character,

but an important opportunity to promote the creative economy as an element of

Amherst‘s economic development. In developing community support systems

for the arts, the Town should work closely with the colleges and University,

which represent a significant source of venues, artists, and other resources. In

addition to better supporting cultural activities for the community at large, such

collaboration could help improve town-gown relations and expand cultural

interactions.

STRATEGIES

NC.2.A Create an inventory of local organizations and resources in

all fields of the arts and arts-related cultural endeavors.

An inventory of arts-related organizations and resources in Amherst and

on the campuses should be developed and made available to the community

at large. This can serve as a first step to better use of these resources and

fostering additional town-gown collaborations among local artists and arts

and cultural organizations. Amherst College, for instance, has already

established young artists programs in collaboration with the high school.

NC.2.B. Inventory and assess performance, assembly, and exhibit

venues within the community (including open air spaces, meeting

rooms, etc.).

The community should undertake a complete inventory of performance,

assembly, and exhibit spaces available in the community and on the

campuses. The inventory would assess issues such as space size, capacity,

location, and availability for bookings from outside organizations. By

synthesizing this information the Amherst community can encourage full

use of its existing cultural facilities.

NC.2.C Work with Five Colleges Inc. to organize opportunities for

joint programming and promotion of cultural events between the

community, the colleges and University.

A cultural event committee with representation from the University,

Colleges, Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Committee, and

Cultural Commission, among others, should be established to identify and

encourage joint programming opportunities that will enhance town-gown

interactions and take full advantage of the community‘s cultural resources.

NC.2.D Create a clearinghouse to compile and disseminate

information on cultural resources and events through a variety of


Town of Amherst 6.7

outlets (e.g., web site, brochures, broadcast media, Internet kiosks,

etc.).

A single clearinghouse should be established through a public, non-

profit or private entity (Chamber of Commerce?)to facilitate cultural

publicity efforts, reduce overlaps in community and campus event

scheduling, and help community members, campus residents, and visitors

access complete and up-to-date information about cultural activities. This

clearinghouse can be translated into a calendar of events that is appropriate

for publication and distribution through websites, brochures, newspapers,

magazines, etc.

NC.2.E Develop a Visitors‘ Center in the Town center that provides

information and amenities such as public restrooms, publicity

materials, and a calendar of events.

In collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, a Visitors‘ Center

should be created to serve as a first stop for visitors to Amherst. The Visitor

Center should be located in an easily accessible, clearly designated location.

It can offer maps and a variety of 24 hr./day visitor information regarding

community and campus cultural events, attractions, shopping, restaurants,

lodging, etc. The need for such a center has long been discussed, but its

complexities have made it difficult to achieve. Amherst‘s ability to

welcome visitors and to sustain successful levels of historical/cultural

tourism depend on the community‘s ability to overcome past obstacles and

make this center a reality.

NC.2.F Increase the amount of civic and/or public space in the Town

center through incentives and zoning.

Attractive public streetscapes and civic spaces are important to the

quality of life in Amherst. As larger developments occur downtown,

developers should be required to provide attractive, publicly accessible

gathering spaces and civic facilities. Both incentives and zoning updates can

be implemented to achieve this result.

NC.2.G Provide incentives to building owners to increase space for

locally-produced public art and performances (e.g., public

acknowledgement, density bonuses, opening-hour extensions).

Providing public art can be an effective way to develop community

identity, feature the work of local artists, and convey a unique sense of

place. As public improvements are funded and constructed, public art should

be incorporated. In addition, a variety of incentives can be devised to engage

private property owners in the development and enhancement of public art

and public performance spaces.

NC.2.H Establish a revolving loan/trust fund to support public art

and resident artists.


Town of Amherst 6.8

Many communities, cultural institutions, and colleges throughout the

country develop resident artist programs as a way to enhance community

culture, support working artists, and educate the public about the arts. The

Amherst community should consider ways to establish a revolving loan/trust

fund to support additional public art and bring resident artists into the

community. The fund and associated programs can be developed in

collaboration with local arts organizations and the University and colleges.

NC.2.I Sponsor design competitions for streetscape fixtures (bus

stops, furniture, recycling bins, etc.)

Streetscape design is of central importance to creating a quality public

realm. Well designed amenities such as street lights, bus stops, benches,

garbage and recycling bins, etc., can be used to enhance community

character and create a distinct sense of place. The Amherst community

should sponsor design competitions in order to generate new ideas for

creating attractive, unified streetscapes in Amherst. This initiative can be

targeted to local architects, artists, landscape architects, planners, industrial

designers, etc., as well as students in affiliated departments at the University

and colleges. The competition could also be extended outside of the

community as appropriate.

OBJECTIVE NC.3 - Conserve land in sufficient quantity and quality

to meet agricultural, recreational, and wildlife needs.

Open land does a lot of work for Amherst. Keeping critical tracts of land

undeveloped is important for maintaining and protecting wildlife, water

resources, recreation opportunities, local farm production, and the region‘s

unique rural character. A range of land conservation tools can be used to protect

such areas and corridors, including transfers of development rights, donated

conservation easements, and land acquisition by public or not-for-profit agencies.

STRATEGIES

NC.3.A Identify and permanently protect highest-quality habitats in

coordination with state agencies.

In conjunction with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental

Affairs, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and

the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the Town should

identify its most significant wildlife habitats and undertake measures to

permanently protect and appropriately manage these lands.

NC.3.B Identify and permanently protect lands buffering Amherst

water supply wells and reservoirs from development. Apply

appropriate conservation mechanisms to protect Amherst‘s water

supply lands.


Town of Amherst 6.9

In order to protect water quality in Amherst, the community should

identify and protect lands that buffer significant water resources such as

surface reservoirs, wells, and aquifers. Several conservation tools can be

used to protect such areas, including transfers of development rights,

donated conservation easements, and land acquisition by public or not-for-

profit agencies. One example is the Water Enterprise Fund, which takes in

fees from an annual water bill received by all users/property owners, and

pays for upkeep and expansion of the water supply system, including

purchase of watershed lands.

NC.3.C Identify and permanently protect lands containing priority

soil types for agricultural and other resource-based activities (e.g.,

farming, forestry).

Healthy soil is important to maintaining a healthy community. Quality

soils control water runoff, filter pollutants, sustain plant and animal life, and

cycle nutrients. Amherst should identify its priority soil areas and institute

land protection initiatives to ensure that these soils remain healthy and safe

from erosion. Information on soil quality and conservation is available from

the National Resources Conservation Service at http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/.

NC.3.D Identify and permanently protect important wildlife

corridors from development in order to connect fragmented habitats

and facilitate local and regional wildlife movement.

The Town should seek to identify and permanently protect its most

significant wildlife corridors. Major wildlife crossings along roadways

should be clearly marked in order to protect humans and animals alike.

NC.3.E Revise the Open Space and Recreation Plan to prioritize

areas most suitable for land protection and/or development.

The community should ensure that the next update of the Open Space

and Recreation Plan (OSRP) accounts for all of Amherst‘s major green

infrastructure resources, including open space, natural resource areas,

wildlife habitats, agricultural lands, recreational lands, and greenways and

trails. In addition to recommending key lands for future protection and

conservation, the OSRP can also help identify areas that are more

appropriate for future development.

NC.3.F Create additional incentives in the permit process for

development projects that preserve meaningful areas of viable open

space/habitat contiguous to undeveloped or protected portions of

land on adjacent properties.

The Town should establish method(s) for evaluating development

projects under any revised zoning regulations to provide incentives for

projects that demonstrate good development practices furthering the

community‘s goals (affordable housing, protecting farmland, etc.) and that

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provide disincentives for projects that do not further the community‘s goals

or which result in undesirable development.

NC.3.G Actively manage Town-owned conservation land as wildlife

habitat.

Develop programs which ensure that Town-owned conservation lands

are actively managed in order to restore and enhance wildlife habitats for

both game and non-game species. A variety of information related to habitat

management can be found through the Wildlife Habitat Council

(www.wildlifehc.org).

OBJECTIVE NC.4 - Apply principles of environmental sustainability

town-wide.

Sustainable environmental practices should be shared with the public and

actively promoted to foster a sense of stewardship in the community. The

following strategies suggest approaches for how everyone – including residents,

businesses, Town government, the University and colleges, and the development

community, among others – can get involved in creating a more sustainable

community.

STRATEGIES

NC.4.A Establish an incentive program for green building design

standards for new and renovated municipal, commercial, and

residential development.

The US Green Buildings Council has developed the Leadership in

Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system to

serve as a national benchmark for green building design. There are other

emerging new energy and environmental standards which may also be

appropriate for consideration. The Town should research these standards,

and then adopt appropriate building and site development regulations tied to

incentives (density bonuses, etc.) to help ensure that new development,

redevelopment, and renovations are aligned with sustainable energy and

environmental practices. More information is available at

http://www.usgbc.org/.

NC.4.B Create zoning regulations and local tax incentives to

encourage or, where possible, mandate cluster subdivision design,

construction of energy-efficient buildings, green/sustainable site

design, and use of renewable energy sources (solar, wind, thermal,

photo-voltaic, etc.).

Tax abatements, accelerated permitting processes, and other incentives

such as technical assistance grants should be used to encourage more

environmentally-friendly development in Amherst. Initiatives should

promote green building design, the use of renewable energy sources, and

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more sustainable project design (such as well-connected, mixed-use, higher

density cluster subdivisions, traditional neighborhood developments, and/or

infill projects).

NC.4.C Implement a program of education and incentives to

promote green lifestyles among Amherst citizens.

Public outreach efforts and incentive programs can be used to present

clear messages and persuade residents to take steps towards creating a

greener community. Residents should be encouraged to adopt energy-

efficient technologies in their homes, and incorporate environmentally-

friendly practices into their everyday lifestyles (such as choosing alternative

transportation methods in order to reduce personal automobile travel).

NC.4.D Place dedicated recycling receptacles in public spaces in the

downtown and village centers to facilitate and encourage recycling.

Recycling receptacles should be designed to be attractive and easily

visible, and should be strategically placed in public spaces in the downtown

and village centers. This will help residents and visitors recycle even when

they are away from home.

NC.4.E ―Green‖ the schools as a means of both implementing and

teaching sustainability.

Where feasible, the Amherst community should encourage:

Green building design standards for school renovation projects and

furnishings.

Use of organic/local produce and fresh foods in the school

cafeterias.

Student use of buses and other alternatives to the personal auto.

Collective transportation for private schools.

Increased recycling efforts.

Educating students about sustainable choices in areas ranging from

nutrition to the environment.

By pursuing some of the initiatives recommended in this strategy,

Amherst‘s schools can reduce their environmental impact, enhance

environmental curriculums, and help to cultivate a culture of sustainability

throughout the community. Students, parents, and ultimately all community

members will benefit from greater attention to green building, responsible

transportation options, sustainable food choices, and recycling efforts.

NC.4.F Develop and promote a green motto for Amherst (―Amherst

goes green‖ or the like). Under this initiative, give out

rewards/awards/plaques for lifestyle choices.

The Amherst community should develop a ―green identity‖ that

incorporates a green motto, communications strategy, and programming

initiative. This approach can be used to educate the public and galvanize



community support for and engagement in environmental initiatives.

Celebratory events and awards can be used to spur widespread community

involvement.

7. Open Space and Recreation

Town of Amherst 7.1


A. Goal

Protect and enhance our rural character and agricultural viability, and

provide and develop multi-use and multi-generational recreational

opportunities that bring townspeople together.

B. Overview

Amherst has for many years acted on its commitment to preserve the

community‘s unique landscape and character. The Town has been steadily

acquiring critical lands for conservation since 1963. Today, a total of 4,849.5

acres, or 27.3 percent of Amherst‘s land area, is permanently protected land.

The Town is committed to protecting more land, to preserve the

community‘s open space and provide adequate recreational opportunities as

new growth occurs.

Several recurring themes appear throughout this chapter, including: the

desire to support local farming; the need to increase the amount of existing

open spaces and expand the trail system through innovative land use policies

and zoning; and the desire to create new and successful recreational facilities

to improve the quality of life in the community. Fulfilling many of this

Plan‘s recreation objectives will require a shift in priorities in the Town‘s

budget.


This assessment of the Town‘s existing open space and recreation

conditions was developed by the consulting team based on technical

research, as well as discussions with the CPC and Town staff. The Town‘s

own plans and studies, including but not limited to the draft 2007 ―Open

Space & Recreation Plan,‖ ―Amherst Comprehensive Planning Study:

Defining Village Boundaries and Open Space Preservation Strategies,‖ and

the ―Town of Amherst Community Development Plan‖ were closely

consulted. This section summarizes the current open space and recreation

conditions:

An extensive network of parks, open space, and recreation

resources: The amount of open space and recreational resources

within Amherst is already extensive. Highlights include the Mount

Holyoke Range State Park and an 80+ mile network of hiking trails

that traverses the Town.

A variety of land protection approaches: For 40 years, Amherst has

used outright purchase, acquisition of easements and deed

restrictions, and development regulations to protect many kinds of

land—including parks, open space and recreational facilities—and

to preserve critical conservation lands, wildlife habitat, water


Town of Amherst 7.2

supplies, scenic views, agricultural lands, and the community‘s

historic landscapes. Permanently protected lands include Town

conservation areas, Agricultural Preservation Restriction farmland,

recreation areas and schools, private land trusts, conservation

restrictions, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and

Recreation land, and open land required to be provided by private

developers during the permitting process. Currently, the Town‘s

regulations encourage development in existing developed areas,

while preserving farmland and conservation lands in the outlying

areas.

Land preservation priorities: Several areas of Amherst have been

identified as priorities for continued conservation efforts. Those

areas are Pulpit Hill, the Cushman Brook green belt corridor, the

Plum Brook green belt corridor, the block of farmland in the

northwest corner of Amherst, consolidation of existing blocks of

partially-protected farm and conservation lands, and the Holyoke

Range.

A trail system: Currently, Amherst has more than eighty miles of

maintained trails. The trail system includes approximately fifty

different trails designed to accommodate diverse users.

A need to protect the region‘s natural attractions: Amherst is

located within the Pioneer Valley—the middle stretch of the

Connecticut River valley in western Massachusetts. Amherst‘s

landscapes offer a great variety of natural recreational activities

including fishing, hunting, hiking, skiing, boating, and cycling. This

wealth of natural habitat should be preserved, managed, and

promoted as a natural and economic asset that serves as a

sustainable resource for the community, tourists, and visitors.

Recreational leadership: A variety of organizations contribute to

the recreational activities in Amherst, including the Leisure Services

and Supplemental Education Department, a wide range of private

groups, public schools, colleges, and the university.


provide a coherent framework for approaching Amherst‘s future of open

spaces and recreation. They reconcile the need to preserve land to support

local farms and natural habitats while also providing a variety of recreational

areas for the enjoyment of the community at large.



Open Space and Recreation goal for the Town of Amherst.


Town of Amherst 7.3

OBJECTIVE O.1 - Protect land that provides significant value for

agriculture, watershed protection, trail systems, habitat, and

biodiversity.

Amherst has a highly valued rural landscape and a commitment to preserving

open spaces. Continued efforts should be made to conserve and expand habitats,

watersheds, trail systems, and agricultural lands in order to protect native plant

and animal species and maintain the area‘s unique character. The following

strategies recommend how this can be achieved.

STRATEGIES

O.1.A Continue to identify key conservation, recreation, and

agricultural land parcels for future acquisition or protection.

The community should continue to work to identify and prioritize

significant land parcels that should be acquired by the Town or otherwise

protected. Potential acquisition targets need to be inventoried and assessed

for their environmental, recreational, and scenic value, as well as their

potential vulnerability to development pressures and connection to existing

protected parcels and greenways.

O.1.B Match these parcels with public and private programs that

will support acquisition and/or protection.

The Town of Amherst has played a very active role in acquiring

conservation lands. In addition to public acquisition of lands, the Town

should continue to work with private conservation organizations such as

land trusts to further open space protection efforts.

O.1.C Augment the public trail and transportation system with

permission from private landowners.

The Town should continue to maintain close contact with residents,

businesses, and those that own parcels of land that have been targeted for

future greenway or trail expansion. In addition to better connections between

conservation and recreation areas, private trail connections can provide

access for pedestrians and bicyclists between residential, commercial, and

institutional destinations and public rights-of-way and public transit

stops, as a means of encouraging sustainable transportation. Regular

communications should be used to educate landowners about the importance

of greenways and trails, and offer incentives for the granting of easements.

O.1.D Use zoning bylaws to encourage design that protects and

enhances the landscape.

Zoning regulations can be used as an important tool to reduce human

impact on natural areas. Types of creative zoning include open space offsets,

transfers of development rights, and preservation banks, among others.

These approaches retain a large percentage (or all) of a development site as


Town of Amherst 7.4

natural or open space in exchange for allowing higher density development

in a more appropriate area. Regulations should also be established to ensure

that when development is proposed adjacent to ecologically significant

areas, it adheres to dimensional and design standards that minimize impact

on the natural environment.

OBJECTIVE O.2 - Improve the economic viability of the farm

community within Amherst.

The Town should support the economic viability of the local farm

community by continuing to develop and pursue policies that sustain and support

the agricultural economy.

STRATEGIES

O.2.A Define priority agricultural districts and continue to acquire

and otherwise preserve land within these districts.

Farmers today are facing a variety of new challenges. As their profits

decrease and speculative land values increase, they face more pressure to

sell off all or part of their farmland. The Town should continue to identify,

prioritize, and protect its most significant agricultural lands in order to

sustain the local farming community, preserve open space, and retain its

unique rural character.

O.2.B Employ Town policies to improve the economic viability of the

farm community.

A variety of policies can be adopted to improve the economic viability

of the farm community, including: preferential tax treatment and

streamlining the permit requirements for accessory farm businesses or small

scale farm-related commercial uses on agricultural lands which will enhance

farmers‘ profits and preserve the land for future agricultural activity.

OBJECTIVE O.3 - Provide a supply of accessible, well-maintained

recreational facilities that meet the changing needs of our

community.

All residents of Amherst should have access to parks, greenways, and other

outdoor recreation facilities, within walking distance of their homes. Parks and

recreational facilities should be designed to accommodate a variety of users and

activities.

STRATEGIES

O.3.A Develop shared-use agreements between the regional school

department and the Town that clearly define access to and

maintenance responsibilities for recreational facilities.


Town of Amherst 7.5

In order to more effectively meet the recreational needs of school

children and community members alike, the Town and the regional school

district should consider developing joint agreements in order to take

advantage of shared recreational facilities, and split the responsibility for the

upkeep and maintenance of these facilities.

O.3.B Improve handicapped access to existing recreational facilities

and conservation trails.

There is great diversity among the users of Amherst‘s recreational

facilities, and accessibility must be considered when developing or

renovating such facilities. The Town should ensure that all of its parks and

recreation facilities are in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA) accessibility requirements. American Trails (a national non-profit)

provides suggested design standards that can make conservation trail

facilities more accessible to all users. (For details, see

http://www.americantrails.org/resources/accessible/index.html.)

O.3.C Develop new, well-designed recreational facilities.

The Town needs to identify changing recreation needs so it can develop

attractive new facilities to meet them. By seeking public input, unmet

recreational needs can be identified, unnecessary overlaps eliminated, and

collaboration among private and public providers of recreation can be

coordinated. Following this analysis of needs, new recreational facilities

should be planned, funded and constructed to meet the community‘s

growing needs. These facilities will need to meet strict design,

development, and maintenance standards to ensure that they are safe,

attractive, and compatible with surrounding neighborhoods.

O.3.D Acknowledge and support the original plan to use the old

landfill for recreational purposes.

The original capping/closing documents for the old Town dump

included significant language committing Amherst to reusing the landfill site

for recreation purposes. Creative reuse of the site should be explored,

including an opportunity for some multi-purpose development (transfer

station, DPW headquarters, etc.) along with ball fields, trails and picnic

sites.

O.3.E Support the Kendrick Park Committee and a juried design

competition to develop a vision for Kendrick Park.

Kendrick Park is a three-acre site located in the north end of downtown

Amherst that is intended to become a landscaped park. The Design Review

Board, the Planning Department, and a representative Kendrick Park

Committee should initiate a process that seeks public input in identifying a

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Town of Amherst 7.6

vision for the park, and then undertake a public design process to develop a

final park design.

O.3.F Identify land where recreation and conservation uses can exist

side by side, providing opportunities for mutually supportive

activities, as at the Mill River Recreation Area.

Recreation and conservation are often seen as mutually exclusive

activities in Amherst. Since the 1970‘s (when the Mill River Recreation

Area and Greenway were created), Amherst has looked for creative ways to

preserve land while expanding opportunities for passive and active

recreation. The Mill River Recreation Area and Groff Park are excellent

examples of projects that combine the best elements of natural resource

protection and recreation (water, picnic areas, trails, ball fields, parking,

pavilions, sanitary facilities, etc.). Using this model also gives Amherst the

advantage of seeking funding from multiple state and federal agencies. In

identifying properties suitable for new outdoor recreation facilities, priority

should be given to locations where the new facilities can be directly

connected to existing or new conservation areas and trail systems, to

maximize opportunities for both active and passive recreation.

O.3.G Inventory old and potential new ―pocket parks‖ and develop

a plan for their restoration or development to better serve the

public‘s use.

Over the decades, a variety of small, informal private and public

neighborhood parks have been developed in Amherst. Examples include

Kiwanis Park on Stanley Street, Cow Field (the ball field at the former

North Amherst School), Markert‘s Pond in Orchard Valley, and the

greenbelt at Pomeroy Court. The current uses and capacities of these parks

should be examined and plans developed for their restoration and

improvement. New potential neighborhood or urban parks and path systems

should also be identified and plans made for their acquisition and

development.

O.3.H Publicize national and state recreation standards to inform

Amherst citizens about the relative shortfalls in Town recreational

facilities.

The National Recreation and Park Association establishes and publishes

standards that indicate how different types of park facilities should meet the

needs of varying populations in a given geographic radius. The Town should

compare its existing park facilities to these standards and to similar

recreation facilities elsewhere in Massachusetts to identify shortfalls, and

work with the public to generate support for developing new or improved

existing recreation facilities. The Town should work to better inform the

public about the importance of greenways, including the benefits they


Town of Amherst 7.7

provide in terms of recreation, alternative transportation, environmental

protection, local economic contributions, improved community health, and

increased property values.

O.3.I Assign increased budget priority to the management and

upkeep of existing conservation and recreation properties.

Planning for future open space and recreation needs will be of little

value if Amherst is not willing to adequately fund management and

maintenance of the conservation lands and recreation facilities it already has.

O.3.J. Actively manage conservation lands to ensure areas of

appropriate size, enhanced wildlife habitat, and assured access

supporting a full range of traditional outdoor recreation and

activities, including: fishing, hunting, trapping, gathering, etc.

Traditional outdoor recreation offers citizens a deep and lifelong

connection to the land, and continues to be an important component of

Amherst‘s landscape, culture, and economy. Town policies regarding the

management of conservation lands, habitat, and watershed forests should

seek to ensure and enhance these recreation opportunities while carefully

managing their impacts.

O.3.K Encourage increased recreational program (LSSE) use of

Town conservation trails and areas.

Outdoor recreation is a healthy, low-impact supplement or alternative to

organized field sports. LSSE should work to create and expand recreation

programs that make increased use of Amherst‘s extensive conservation

areas.

OBJECTIVE O.4 – Institutionalize a process for rationalizing

competing public land use interests.

Historically, each Town department has coordinated and overseen

identification and coordination for the purchase of land and development of

projects under their own separate areas of responsibility, under the direction and

guidance of their respective Town boards/committees. The result has been that

each area of public interest has operated largely independently of other equally

important public interests. The Town is in need of an institutionalized process

that can address, coordinate, and resolve competing public interests in any given

parcel.

STRATEGIES

O.4.A. Develop an administrative land use review process for all

Town projects.

gy.


Town of Amherst 7.8

The acquisition and development of properties for open space and

recreation purposes should be pursued in coordination with other important

public uses. The Town should establish and employ the administrative land

use review process proposed under LU.8.A to coordinate open space and

recreation land projects with other public interests, including but not limited

to: community housing, preservation of historical and cultural resources,

transportation, public works, and responsible economic development.

8. Services and Facilities

Town of Amherst 8.1


A. Goal

To provide excellent, cost-effective, accessible facilities, services, and

programs reflecting values respectful of our community diversity, which,

through collaboration, contribute to a high quality, safe, civil, healthy,

and sustainable community.

B. Overview

This chapter examines Amherst‘s Town services and facilities, as well

as its infrastructure and public utilities. The Town has a strong interest in

continuing to provide high-quality services including police, fire, public

education, libraries, and social services, among others. Alternative funding

sources and creative partnerships need to be pursued to ensure that these

services continue to meet the high standards of community members. From

an infrastructure standpoint, many of the utilities within Amherst (such as

water, sewer, and stormwater systems) were designed and built for future

capacities and currently remain in good condition with excess capacity. The

community‘s infrastructure priorities focus on issues of proper maintenance,

strategic extensions, and integration of new environmentally sound

technologies.

The remainder of this chapter is divided into the following two sections:

C. Existing Conditions provides a brief summary of Amherst‘s

current services and facilities, including its public utilities.

D. Objectives and Strategies details the policy guidelines developed

through the Planning Amherst Together public involvement

process.


An assessment of the Town‘s existing utilities and facilities conditions

has been drawn by the consulting team based on technical research, as well

as discussions with the CPC and Town Staff. The Sewer Extension Plan

Draft Report (CDM 2004) and Facility Plan Update Water Supply and

Distribution System (Tighe&Bond 2001) provided information to aid in the

assessment of the existing water and sewer systems.

This section summarizes the key points related to the existing condition

of Town services and facilities:

Public safety: The Amherst Police Department has full time police

officers and coordinates with the dispatch center. The Amherst Fire

Department has a force of fulltime firefighters/EMTs, call


Five Year Plan, Joint Capital

Planning Committee [ongoing

update]

Climate Action Plan [October

2005]

Department of Public Works

Policies and Procedures

Water Facilities Plan, Tighe &

Bond [2001]

Sewer Facilities Plan, Camp

Dresser McKee [1991]

Sewer Extension Master Plan

[2004]

Fire Station Study Committee,

Report to Select Board [Sept. 18,

2006], including Site & Building

Assessment Study Caolo &

Bienek Associates, Inc.

Open Space & Recreation Plan

Most current planning

documents for Police Dept.

Long Range School Facilities

Planning, Amherst,

Massachusetts, NESDEC [Sept.

2007]

Long Range Plan for Amherst

Town Libraries, 2007-2010 [2007]


Town of Amherst 8.2

firefighters and student firefighters dispatched from two fire

stations. There are mutual aid agreements between the Amherst and

UMass police, and between Amherst and neighboring communities

regarding emergency medical response.

Public schools: There are approximately 1,400 students in the Amherst

elementary schools (grades K-6, plus a small preschool program):

Crocker Farm, Fort River, Mark‘s Meadow, and Wildwood. After

6th grade, Amherst students attend the Amherst-Pelham regional

schools, which bring together approximately 1,785 students from

Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury, and Amherst (about 75% of the

total), at the regional middle school (grades 7-8) and the regional

high school (grades 9-12). Amherst‘s public schools have a

reputation for both academic excellence (with high college

enrollment rates) and diversity (elementary students include native

speakers of over 30 languages and over 40% students of color).

General government: The Town provides a wide variety of basic

government services including policy and day-to-day management,

voter registration/elections, construction and business permitting,

long-range development and conservation planning, community

financial management (assessment, taxation, collections, borrowing,

etc.), and health and safety inspections. Most general government

services are housed in the Town Hall.

Community services: Amherst provides a wide range of community

services including health services, recreation programs, information

on childcare and early education, emergency assistance to low-

income families, and support services for seniors, children, and

veterans. Many of these services are housed in the Bangs

Community Center.

Libraries: Amherst has three public libraries: the Jones Library in the

downtown, the Munson Library in South Amherst, and the North

Amherst Library. The library system receives a combination of

public and private funding, with strong private support. These

libraries receive over 350,000 visitors annually, and contain more

than 210,000 books and 24,000 audio-visual items. As part of the

regional lending library system, Amherst sends nearly 43,000

books/year to other communities. The Jones Library and its Special

Collections section are a destination for historians, genealogists, and

Emily Dickinson/ Robert Frost scholars and enthusiasts.


Town of Amherst 8.3

Public works: The Department of Public Works has a full time staff

and the equipment to maintain the Town‘s roadways, traffic control

equipment, street lighting, water, waste and drain systems,

recreation areas and most of the Town‘s buildings, parks, and

grounds.

Water, sewer, drainage, and solid waste/recycling: The Town‘s

municipal water system provides, and the sewer system disposes, of

up to 3 million gallons of water each day, servicing 93% of the

homes and all of the businesses in Amherst. The Town operates a

waste/recycling transfer station. These systems are self-supporting

through fees and enterprise funds. Each system has some capacity

for supporting growth.

Buildings and facilities: The Town owns and maintains about 600,000

sq. ft. of facilities in 65 structures. The oldest was built in 1800 (the

DPW shed), the newest in 2003 (the new animal welfare facility).

These include libraries, school buildings, a parking garage, fire

stations, an old trolley barn now housing DPW offices, the Police

Station, waste treatment plants and the Town Hall. The Town also

maintains other public and recreational facilities; pools, a golf

course, ball fields, historic commons, ornamental parks, and

cemeteries, as well as accessory buildings and structures such as

comfort stations, storage barns, playground equipment, and foot

bridges.

Other infrastructure and Town lands - The Town owns and

maintains 98 miles of roadway, sidewalks, bike lanes and other

public ways, and is also responsible for numerous bridges and

culverts, and two closed landfills. Amherst maintains over 80 miles

of conservation trails and actively manages numerous conservation

and watershed properties to preserve habitat and mitigate the

impacts of human use.


provide a framework for meeting Amherst‘s future services and facilities

needs.



Services and Facilities Goal for the Town of Amherst.


Town of Amherst 8.4

OBJECTIVE S.1 - Deliver high-quality public safety services.

Maintaining safe and secure communities is important to residents, businesses,

and local governments alike. These strategies suggest ways in which the Town of

Amherst can enhance the provision of public safety services, reduce crime, and

improve overall perceptions of public safety.

STRATEGIES

S.1.A Support high-quality police, fire/EMS and dispatch services

that are adequately staffed with trained and properly equipped

personnel.

Adequate funding and staffing for police, fire, and EMS services is critical

to keep residents safe. As the community continues to change and grow,

expansion of these services is necessary. Different avenues of funding and

service delivery should be investigated to ensure the desired quality level.

S.1.B Pursue grant funding to enable community policing and bike

patrols and other opportunities to bring citizens and law

enforcement together.

Community policing is based on the philosophy that greater interaction

between police officers and residents can help deter crime and enlist the

support of residents in promoting community safety. More foot and bike

patrols can lead to familiarity and trust between police and local residents

and help to create safer communities. See also H.8.C.

OBJECTIVE S.2 - Deliver high-quality education from pre-school

through grade 12.

The Town of Amherst is home to four elementary schools and is part of a

regional middle and high school system. The following strategies identify ways to

improve educational opportunities and enhance educational facilities in the

community.

STRATEGIES

S.2.A Support high-quality schools that are adequately staffed and

properly equipped.

Adequate funding and staffing for Amherst‘s schools is essential to

maintaining a high-quality education for the community‘s children, strong

property values, and overall quality of life. Amherst is in competition with

other communities for the best teachers, for instance, and, to maintain their

historic excellence, Amherst‘s schools need appropriate levels of staffing, as

well as supplies, textbooks, and equipment adequate and up to date.


Town of Amherst 8.5

S.2.B Provide adequate funding for school renovations and new

facilities as recommended by the School Committee, school

administration, and the Joint Capital Planning Committee.

Investments in physical facilities must be made in order to maintain a

high standard of quality education in the community. The School

Committee, school administration, and the Joint Capital Planning

Committee have developed a set of recommendations regarding

renovations of aging facilities and additional facilities required; adequate

funding from the Town is necessary to ensure the completion of these

projects.

S.2.C Identify appropriate land parcels for a potential new

elementary school.

In selecting the location of a new elementary school, the Town should

determine which sites would best meet the needs of its changing

populations. Ideally, a new school should be easily accessible and serve

multiple functions within the community, such as offering space for

recreational opportunities and other activities. Such long-range planning is

needed because the future of the Mark‘s Meadow Elementary School,

UMass-owned and located on the UMass campus, is in doubt. The Town

will continue to pay for repairs to the building under the 2007 Agreement

with the University.

OBJECTIVE S.3 – Provide high quality facilities, services, and

programs that serve the needs of all the people of Amherst.

A diverse population base necessitates diversity in the services and programs

provided within the community. To provide these services, the Town needs to

provide adequate personnel and material resources to keep Amherst‘s citizen-driven

participatory government functioning.

STRATEGIES

S.3.A Maintain basic general government services at a high level of

quality.

Demand for government services in Amherst is high. As Amherst

becomes an increasingly attractive community for residents and visitors, the

demands on general government services will increase. Amherst values and

practices a strongly participatory form of citizen government. To sustain

this, we need to fund and provide the resources Town staff need to support

the more than 50 citizen committees that help to make Amherst government

work, as well as the day-to-day work of registering voters, managing Town

finances, enforcing health and safety codes, and reviewing and controlling

new development.


Town of Amherst 8.6

S.3.B Continue to use Community Development Block Grant

(CDBG) funds and other available sources of revenue to help low

and moderate-income families pay for childcare services.

Access to affordable childcare is a necessity for many working families.

The Town should continue to use Community Development Block Grant

funds and other available funds to make childcare services more affordable

to low and moderate-income families.

S.3.C Support the expansion of medical facilities in Amherst in

order to provide access to more comprehensive health care services.

a. Continue to assist Hampshire HealthConnect in maintaining a

satellite site which assists Amherst residents in finding free or low-

cost health care.

b. Support multi-cultural education and outreach to Amherst residents

on health care issues.

c. Encourage Cooley Dickinson Hospital to move forward on a

proposed urgent-care facility on University Drive.

Providing affordable, accessible, quality health care is a growing

challenge throughout the United States. Hampshire HealthConnect, has

helped Amherst residents to find free or low-cost health care. The medical

community, public health officials, and policymakers should work together

to identify options for low-cost health care, reduce the number of uninsured

residents, and improve communication and outreach so that all members of

the public are fully informed about existing health care options.

S.3.D Help support social service agencies by encouraging

communication, coordination, collaboration, and accountability.

Seek funding to support priority services for Amherst residents in

need.

Inter-agency collaboration can lead to more efficient and effective

provision of social services in Amherst. When allocating funding,

priority should be placed on those programs that meet the needs of low-

income residents and other citizens in need.

S.3.E Expand senior services to meet the needs of a growing senior

population.

The demographic trends for Amherst show significant aging of the

population in the coming years from both the aging of the resident

population and an influx of retirees drawn by the community‘s high quality

services and quality of life. Amherst should carefully consider this

demographic trend and look for ways to expand and improve senior services.


Town of Amherst 8.7

S.3.F Increase local enforcement of Massachusetts building and

safety codes and Town regulations requiring maintenance of rental

housing.

The Town should improve its enforcement of health and building codes

to ensure that rental housing stock is safe and complies with state and local

maintenance regulations. Housing support services can be offered to

residents who report unsafe housing conditions.

S.3.G Support the activities of the Human Rights Commission.

The Human Rights Commission has a leadership responsibility in

helping the community celebrate diversity, build civic pride, and promote a

sense of tolerance and respect among all residents and visitors. A variety of

programs – including communications strategies and community service

activities – can help in promoting Amherst as a respectful and civil

community.

The Commission could develop and implement programs and actions that

promote a respectful and civil community, such as:

a. Providing increased opportunities for community service and

volunteer work for all Amherst residents, including students, that

will encourage and reinforce a sense of civic pride.

b. Supporting and encouraging multicultural events and activities.

c. In all Town actions and public settings, promoting respectful and

civil behavior by example, and through prompt responses to

disrespectful or uncivil behavior.

d. Promoting education and training to encourage tolerance.

e. Fostering a culture of neighborhood civility by involving student

residents in neighborhood activities and organizations.

S.3.H Maintain high-quality library services.

The Town of Amherst should maintain and enhance its library system

by ensuring adequate hours, offering a wide selection of books and other

media, hiring and training staff as needed, improving building facilities, and

investing in technological improvements.

S.3.I Support LSSE and its program of recreation and leisure

activities for Amherst residents of all ages.

Recreation opportunities and leisure activities contribute to the quality

of life in Amherst. In accordance with the objectives and strategies

addressed in Chapter 7, Open Space and Recreation, the Town should

support the improvement, expansion, and maintenance of recreational

facilities, athletic programs, and cultural events for residents of all ages. The

Town should:


Town of Amherst 8.8

a. Provide activities for youth that support a physically healthy,

socially-responsible lifestyle.

b. Develop an inventory of available community facilities and public

meeting space (e.g., Library community spaces, school buildings).

c. Develop a multi-purpose community/recreational facility (see LSSE

Master Plan).

d. Explore possible uses of the old landfill for recreation or other

purposes. See O.3.D.

e. Construct public restrooms at Kiwanis Park, Plum Brook soccer

fields and other public areas.

S.3.J Improve the distribution of information about Town

government to all Town residents.

In addition to the Town website, print media such as newspapers, public

access television, flyers distributed to homes, and village center postings

should be used to circulate Town notices and information.

S.3.K Explore the use of an information and referral system such as

First Call For Help, through which people can get answers to

questions about services, programs, and facilities in the Town.

First Call For Help is a hotline available in some communities that

offers confidential information and directs callers to local providers of health

and social services. The Town should explore whether such a referral system

would be appropriate for Amherst. The feasibility of the program may be

enhanced if the Town collaborates with neighboring communities and the

hotline encompasses a broader geographic area.

OBJECTIVE S.4 Maintain and enhance Town infrastructure and

facilities consistent with best practices.

To function effectively, the Town needs and expects well maintained facilities.

Infrastructure should be kept in good, environmentally-sound repair to assure the

safety and well-being of the community. The Town should plan, budget, and act to

maintain the quality and soundness of its buildings, facilities and infrastructure.

STRATEGIES

S.4.A Maintain and repair roads sidewalks, bike paths, and bike

lanes consistent with established plans.

The DPW‘s Pavement Management System prioritizes repairs needed

for roads and sidewalks based on the existing conditions and should

explicitly include bike lanes (even when part of an established roadway) and

bike paths.


Town of Amherst 8.9

S.4.B Maintain wastewater facilities according to the 1991

Wastewater Facilities Plan, and update the plan as needed.

The wastewater treatment plant facilities should be maintained to ensure

the quality of the effluent meets the required Federal and State standards.

Septic Systems should be tested to meet Title V requirements. All

maintenance and improvements made to the facilities should be in keeping

with the 1991 Wastewater Facilities Plan.

Activities that pose a threat to the drinking water quality include septic

systems and wastewater effluent. Source Water Assessment and Protection

Reports (SWAP) are conducted by the Massachusetts Department of

Environmental Protection (DEP) to assess the activities that impact the

quality of drinking water sources, such as groundwater wells, surface water

and aquifers. The Town should plan for routine inspections and strategic

spot-checking to ensure that individual well water and septic systems meet

necessary safety standards, and that affected ground water resources are

protected.

S.4.C Maintain and update water facilities as appropriate to ensure

high water quality standards according to the 2001 Facility Plan

Update – Water Supply & Distribution System.

The DPW should use the Tighe & Bond Facility Plan Update - Water

Supply & Distribution System (2001) as a guide to make upgrades and

improvements to the water system and facilities as recommended. This plan

should be updated every five to ten years to ensure the most accurate water

demand projections are utilized for future design projects. The DPW should

continue water quality testing per the Environmental Protection Agency

requirements to provide high water quality to its customers.

S.4.D Study and plan for future utility extensions.

Amherst‘s town-owned utilities include public water, sewer, and storm

drain systems, as well as street lighting. In some places (downtown

Amherst) it includes wireless computer installations. The Town should

coordinate its utility planning to ensure that future extensions are aligned

with the community‘s land use, growth management, economic

development, and environmental protection principles. Future sewer

extensions should direct development to appropriate areas that have been

designated for growth. Where possible, the Town should seek utility

extension reimbursement costs from private developers.

S.4.E Plan for and make improvements to the Town‘s storm water

and drainage systems.

The DPW should implement a Stormwater Capital Improvement Plan

that prioritizes stormwater and drainage projects and upgrades based on the

.



need, age, and quality of the infrastructure. This plan should include

existing and future areas that require stormwater treatment, such a grass

swales, detention swales, ponds and infiltration structures prior to recharge

of groundwater. This planning should be coordinated with new local and

federal floodplain and flood way mapping.

S.4.F Continue to practice Integrated Water Resource Management.

This management should include, but not be limited to, the following

areas:

a. Water conservation and leak detection.

b. Wastewater reuse for irrigation of athletic fields.

c. Implementation of a Stormwater Management Plan and water

quality Best Management Practices.

d. Reduction of inflow/infiltration in the wastewater collection system

e. Watershed and aquifer land acquisition.

S.4.G Establish a program for capital maintenance of the Town‘s

buildings and facilities, and infrastructure.

The Town should anticipate and budget for the capital maintenance

needs of: 1) its 65 buildings and many non-building facilities; pools, parks,

public spaces, recreational field, etc., and 2) its infrastructure, roads, bridges,

utilities, etc. Since the Town can expect to use its buildings and facilities

over the decades, a program anticipating capital improvements should be

established. Typically 2%-5% of the replacement value of buildings and

facilities or infrastructure needs to be budgeted each year for capital

maintenance.

S.4.H Establish objectives for increased recycling of the waste

stream and the use of life-cycle costing in municipal capital

investments.

In accordance with the Climate Action Plan (see S.6.A), the Town

should establish specific programs and objectives intended to significantly

increase recycling of Amherst‘s waste stream and should also use life-cycle

costing in its funding and construction of capital projects.

OBJECTIVE S.5 Anticipate, plan, and budget for large projects in

response to growing demand on Town services.

The community is expecting increased levels of service from the Town in many

ways. Some of these services cannot be provided for with the existing infrastructure.

The Town needs to plan for and secure the resources necessary to meet the episodic

demands of major projects.

.



STRATEGIES

S.5.A Support and implement recommendations and priorities of

the Joint Capital Plan and secure adequate funding to support the

Plan to avoid and reduce the backlog of deferred maintenance.

Funding for the Joint Capital Plan, other new sources of funding and

fees need to be used to reduce and prevent the backlog of capital

maintenance. The Town should attempt to adhere to the longstanding policy

objective of allocating 10% of every annual tax levy to support the

community‘s capital needs.

S.5.B Improve Fire/EMS response time to all areas of Town

consistent with national standards with careful consideration of the

Fire Station Study Committee report.

The Town should provide adequate service to all areas of Town in

accordance with national standards. The recommendations of the Fire

Station Study Committee can be found at the Amherst Fire Department

webpage at: www.amherstma.gov/DocumentView.asp?DID=29.

An in-house study for recommended staffing-level improvements (Final

Report of the Amherst Fire Department Re-Organization Study Committee,

2003) is available at: www.amherstfirefighters.org/files/fire-

reorgreport.pdf.

S.5.C Support improved and expanded recreation and leisure

facilities for Amherst residents.

Recreation is a vital and necessary aspect of individual physical and

mental health and an important component of community social life.

Amherst has acquired no new recreation properties or facilities in decades,

while demand for those facilities has steadily increased. See S. 3.I.

Priorities include:

a. Planning for, siting, and developing a multi-purpose

community/recreational facility (see Open Space & Recreation

Plan).

b. Exploring possible uses of the old landfill and other underdeveloped

parcels for recreation use.

S.5.D Create a new or renovated Department of Public Works

facility.

The existing DPW garage and office building was originally built

around 1900 as a trolley barn. Despite some recent additions and

improvements, this facility suffers from long-deferred maintenance and will

need to be extensively renovated to adequately support the DPW‘s work and

meet modern building code requirements.

http://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentView.asp?DID=29

http://www.amherstfirefighters.org/files/fire-reorgreport.pdf

http://www.amherstfirefighters.org/files/fire-reorgreport.pdf



S.5.E Identify and secure land for new cemetery space.

The Town should assess its need for additional cemetery space, and take

the necessary steps to identify and acquire new cemetery lands.

OBJECTIVE S.6 Take a leadership role in promoting

environmentally sound practices in services and facilities.

The Town has a significant opportunity and responsibility to promote and

demonstrate meaningful environmental policies and programs that help ensure a

sustainable future for the community.

STRATEGIES

S.6.A Support the principles of the Town‘s Climate Action Plan

(2005) and implement its strategies.

The Town of Amherst developed a Climate Action Plan (see

http://www.amherstma.gov/index.asp?NID=681) in an effort to limit local

greenhouse gas emissions and reduce Amherst‘s role in global climate

change. The plan outlines Amherst‘s goals and strategies in a variety of

areas, including energy use, facilities, transportation, waste management,

and land use. Future updates to Town facilities and services should reflect

the principles found in this document and incorporate appropriate

sustainable technologies.

S.6.B Provide incentives for use of alternative sources of renewable

energy (e.g., wind, solar, local biomass, thermal, fuel cells, etc.).

Identify programs that will facilitate use of alternative energy

sources through public and private partnerships.

The Amherst community should explore opportunities for public/private

partnerships that would promote the use of alternative energy sources.

Residents and businesses should be encouraged to change to alternative

energy sources and providers where possible. Federal and State funding

opportunities to encourage renewable energy investments should also be

examined.

S.6.C Explore ways of reducing energy consumption and

implementing environmentally sound practices in public buildings

and facilities.

In order to play a leadership role in promoting environmentally

responsible development and reducing energy consumption, the Town

should undertake steps to incorporate green building technologies into new

public buildings and facilities. Existing buildings should be adapted to

incorporate more energy-efficient technologies. Where appropriate,



adaptive reuse of existing buildings and facilities should be accorded

preference over the construction of new facilities.

S.6.D Establish a permanent standing Town committee to oversee

community energy policy.

Convert the ad hoc Amherst Energy Conservation Task Force (formed

to develop the Climate Action Plan) into a permanent Amherst Energy

Committee capable of working with staff and other Town boards/committees

to initiate, coordinate, and implement community energy policies and

actions.

S.6.E Maintain street lights and upgrade the lighting system to be

more energy efficient and implement ―Dark Sky‖ concepts to reduce

light pollution.

The DPW plans to update all outdated street lights in Amherst.

Upgraded street lights will feature energy efficient ―dark sky‖ fixtures that

reduce light pollution.

S.6.F Encourage good health practices including regular physical

activity through sound infrastructure design, public policies, and

education.

Amherst can encourage healthy lifestyles among its residents through

appropriate design of community infrastructure, community activities and

educational programming, and land management practices which encourage

and facilitate walking, biking, hiking, team sports, outdoor recreation, and

other non-motorized forms of daily activity.

OBJECTIVE S.7 Strengthen partnerships with colleges and

University and improve coordination of services and facilities.

The Town, the colleges, and University should strengthen their established

partnerships through improved and expanded collaboration in the provision of

services and facilities for their mutual benefit.

STRATEGIES

S.7.A Support mutual aid agreements between the Town and the

University and colleges.

A number of recent mutual aid agreements focus on campus and

community safety. Community members should continue to support this and

other cooperative efforts between the Town, colleges, and the University.

S.7.B Develop programs such as public health emergency planning

and coordinate community service activities.



Positive town-gown interactions can greatly contribute to safety and

quality of life in Amherst. Planning for public health incidents or emergency

response needs must be coordinated with educational institutions to ensure

overall community safety. Additionally, the community as a whole can

benefit from community service activities that promote healthy interactions

between Town residents and college and university students.

S.7.C Coordinate shared use of existing facilities at Amherst and

Hampshire Colleges and the University of Massachusetts.

The Town should continue to work with the University and colleges to

discuss opportunities for joint recreational facility agreements. Sharing

facilities, such as recreation fields, facilities, and performance and

exhibition spaces, can maximize the use of existing resources and promote

positive interactions between students and local residents.

S.7.D Continue town-gown collaboration regarding inappropriate

and disruptive student behavior.

University and college communities experience unique challenges

regarding student behavior and its effects on the community at large.

Collaborative efforts should continue among all community members,

Amherst police, campus police, and security services to ensure that noise,

drug, and alcohol problems are effectively addressed. The Town should:

a. Work with the colleges and University to address noise, drug and

alcohol abuse and other problems.

b. Encourage neighborhoods to work with police and with each other

to control disruptive behavior.

S.7.E Negotiate payments from the colleges, University, and

neighboring municipalities for their share of the cost of public safety

services.

The Town of Amherst is home to a substantial student population, and

often provides public safety services to address needs related to that specific

population. Agreements should be reviewed periodically.

OBJECTIVE S.8 Incorporate emerging technologies such as

wireless networking technology into future infrastructure planning.

The Town has made important strides in the use of new technologies. Free

wireless internet access has been provided downtown. In addition, the Town has a

very sophisticated GIS (geographic information system) program. The Town needs

to maintain its competitive edge through acquiring and utilizing emerging new

technology.



STRATEGIES

S.8.A Develop a single Town website/portal that provides citizens

and businesses access to all Town services and information.

The Town should work to consolidate its resource and information

systems in an easy-to-use, web-based format. Currently, the Town, the

schools, the Jones Library, the Police Department, and Leisure Services all

maintain separate websites.

S.8.B Provide Town departments seamless access to technology

systems while in the field (e.g., Inspection Services, DPW, public

safety).

Wireless technology can transform the work of Town departments and

employees, allowing for direct access to data and information systems from

any location. This is particularly important for employees who conduct a

significant portion of their work in the field.

S.8.C Improve and expand internet communications throughout the

Town to connect citizens and promote business retention and

growth.

Amherst should undertake steps to ensure that all areas are covered by

existing and new high-speed internet providers. The Town should also

examine the possibility of extending free wireless service in strategic

locations.

9. Transportation and Circulation

Town of Amherst 9.1


A. Goal

A balanced, inclusive, accessible, safe, environmentally responsible

transportation and circulation system that serves users of public transit,

pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers, and that is connected within and

among different modes both in Amherst and the region.

B. Overview

Improved safety, accessibility, connectivity, and environmental

awareness are important transportation priorities. This plan seeks to expand

public transit service in a manner that is more efficient, user-friendly, and

environmentally sound. The plan aims to develop policies that would reduce

dependency on the private automobile, better organize parking in the

downtown and village centers, improve traffic flow on major streets, and

promote traffic calming in residential areas. Finally, the plan encourages

more walking and biking by improving the pedestrian and bicycling

infrastructure in Amherst. The objectives and strategies outlined in Part D

address each of these transportation issues.


This section summarizes some key points related to current

transportation and mobility in Amherst.

Commuting patterns: Approximately 32 percent of working residents

travel outside of Amherst for employment purposes. Average

commute time is 18 minutes, which is the shortest average commute

in the region. A relatively large percentage of workers travel by

bicycle or foot (26.1 percent), but this figure has decreased from

1990 (31.4 percent). However, the number of residents carpooling

and working from home increased during the 1990s.

Roadways: There are a total of approximately 144 miles of roadway in

Amherst of which 7 percent are State owned and maintained, 68

percent are Town owned and maintained, 11.5 percent are owned by

local institutions, and 18 percent are unaccepted roadways. The vast

majority of Amherst‘s roads (86 percent) are functionally classified

as local roads.

Transit and ridesharing: The Amherst region has an extensive transit

service, as well as a ridesharing program known as MassRide. The

Pioneer Valley Transit Authority provides the primary fixed route

bus and para-transit services for Hampshire and Hampden Counties.

Amherst is also served by private bus lines and Amtrak. The future

of the latter is in doubt.


Corridor Study: University Drive,

State Route 9 to Amity Street

[“University Drive Corridor

Study”] [December 2003]

Lincoln & Sunset Traffic Study

[Nov. 2006]


Town of Amherst 9.2

School transportation: The Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools

provide pupil transportation to and from the elementary and

regional middle and high schools in Amherst and out-of-district

special education programs and sites, as well as for other school

activities. The regional school system has its own fleet of buses and

vans driven by its own employees whose duties include other,

school facilities-related tasks, and also contracts out some of its

transportation responsibilities to private local bus companies.

Alternative transportation network: Amherst has an extensive

network of sidewalks, bicycle lanes and pathways, and nature trails.

Walking, hiking and biking are an integral part of community life

and an increasingly viable alternative transportation choice.

Parking: An April 2008 Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC)

parking study indicates that downtown Amherst‘s total supply of

widely-distributed private and public parking is adequate to meet its

current needs, but that significant management adjustments are

needed to ensure public access to that parking.

Recent policy amendments: Transportation regulations and policies in

the zoning and subdivision regulations have been recently amended,

and generally provide for new transportation infrastructure design

and construction that is consistent with the community‘s scale and

character. In other words, new transportation infrastructure such as

roads and sidewalks are better designed to fit the specific context

they are serving, whether it‘s the Town center, village centers, or

rural areas.

Future transportation issues: Some key future mobility issues for the

community are ensuring and improving continued rail service,

emergency response times, projected increases in traffic volumes,

and circulation changes related to potential future development in

rural areas of Amherst and in abutting communities for whom

Amherst serves as a regional center for employment and services.


provide a coherent framework for meeting Amherst‘s future transportation

and circulation needs with a focus on improving connectivity, enhancing

alternative and public transportation options, and reducing congestion on

Amherst‘s roadways.



Transportation goal for the Town of Amherst. For further details regarding

implementation, please see Chapter 10.


Town of Amherst 9.3

OBJECTIVE T.1 Plan for an integrated town-wide transportation

system.

The Town should create a coordinated plan for current and future

transportation in Amherst, to organize transportation activities and allow the

community to respond with least disruption to a transition away from petroleum-

based transportation technologies.

STRATEGIES

T.1.A Create a Transportation Plan.

Develop a coordinated plan for transportation in Amherst, integrating

provisions for the maintenance, improvement and, where appropriate,

selective expansion of the current roadway system, public transit alternatives

including connections to passenger rail service, bicycle paths/lanes/facilities,

sidewalks and other pedestrian paths, conservation trails, and other

connections. See also Objective LU.10 and associated strategies.

OBJECTIVE T.2 Actively promote alternative modes of

transportation.

Promoting alternatives to automobiles will encourage healthy lifestyles and

help alleviate congestion within Amherst while cutting down on air pollution.

The following strategies indicate how Amherst should expand and enhance

alternative transportation infrastructure so that more residents can travel to and

from destinations in Amherst conveniently and safely without the use of a private

car.

STRATEGIES

T.2.A Establish community-oriented transit using appropriately

sized buses and vans to complement existing services.

The UMass Transit system offers student-operated bus and

transportation options with a focus on routes that serve the educational

communities. Amherst should examine ways to provide broader community-

oriented transit throughout the town and throughout the year.

T.2.B Designate and maintain bicycle lanes of at least four feet in

width on all major arterial and commuter roadways.

Stripe and mark lanes at least annually.

Incorporate new bicycle lanes in the repaving design of roads that

currently lack sufficient width for bicycle lanes.

Install "Share the Road" signage where bicycle lanes cannot be

designated.

Remove, repair, or replace impediments such as grates, rough

pavement and potholes, overhanging mailboxes and brush, etc.


Town of Amherst 9.4

Regularly sweep away sand and broken glass from bicycle lanes

and intersections.

Ensure that crosswalks, railroad crossings, stormwater/sewer

covers, and other roadway features are bicycle-safe.

T.2.C Under the Transportation Plan, create an integrated town-

wide system of new and expanded sidewalks and bicycle routes

linking together the community‘s existing transportation system and

providing access throughout Amherst.

Require new developments to link to existing pedestrian

connections.

Develop and integrate a town-wide network of sidewalks, connector

footpaths, bicycle paths and multi-use trails.

Design and implement streetscape improvements for downtown and

village centers.

Ensure that all bus stops are safely accessible to pedestrians.

Expand and improve the following specific sections of the

pedestrian sidewalk network:

- South East Street (Colonial Village to College Street)

- East Pleasant Street (Village Park to Eastman Lane)

- East Hadley Road (South Pleasant Street to Columbia

Drive)

- Pomeroy Village (West Street, Pomeroy and West Pomeroy

Lanes)

- Old Farm Road (Cross Brook to Pine Grove).

See LU.10, E.1.C, E.3.C, O.1.C, S.4.A and S.6.F.

T.2.D Improve the safety and comfort of pedestrian spaces and

paths.

Maintain smooth walking surfaces and prioritize sidewalks in need

of repair of cracks, potholes, and tree root upheavals.

Maintain clearly marked crosswalks at intersections of high

pedestrian traffic that do not have pedestrian signals.

Provide adequate street lighting in downtown, village centers, and

neighborhoods.

Switch current pedestrian signals to ―countdown‖-style signals,

allowing adequate time for the elderly and handicapped to cross.

Enforce timely snow removal in downtown, village centers, and

neighborhoods.

T.2.E Make village centers bicycle friendly and pedestrian friendly.

Site motor vehicle parking in the rear of commercial buildings.

Incorporate bike lanes, sidewalks, and/or multi-use paths into

existing public ways.


Town of Amherst 9.5

Minimize driveway openings.

Create and maintain well-marked pedestrian crossings and

pedestrian-activated traffic signals.

Provide ample bicycle parking, adequate street lighting, and

benches.

T.2.F Make infrastructure improvements to support alternatives to

the use of the private automobile.

Provide shelters, benches, and bicycle racks at all major bus stops in

Amherst to encourage more widespread use of the bus system.

Build well-lit, sheltered, and easily visible parking/storage facilities

for bicycles at destination sites such as downtown, village centers,

shopping areas, bus stops, and possible new park-n-ride lots.

T.2.G Pursue retention and improvement of Amherst‘s existing

passenger and freight rail service.

Work with other communities, institutions of higher learning, and

regional and state entities to:

Retain and improve Amherst‘s existing Amtrak passenger rail

service.

Improve the New England Central rail lines providing access to

Amherst from the south and the north.

Support development of the town of Palmer as the site for a major

railroad hub providing passenger and freight rail service and

connections between Amherst and Boston, Springfield, Albany, and

points south along the New England Central, including UConn

Storrs and New London.

To enhance passenger use of rail travel in Amherst, support and

plan for redevelopment/improvement of the area around the

Amherst Depot as a mixed-use center.

T.2.H Utilize maps, guides, and instructional materials to promote

alternative transportation modes.

Produce and distribute maps of pedestrian routes, trails, and

footpaths.

Create multimodal access guides showing intersections of

pedestrian, bicycle, and bus routes.

Create guides identifying major destination points within Amherst

and in the nearby area, with instructions on how to reach them by

foot, bicycle, or bus, and noting whether they are handicapped

accessible.


Town of Amherst 9.6

Produce instructional videos to air on ACTV on how to use

alternative transportation in Amherst and how to get to major

destination points.

T.2.I Create "smart" transit stops.

Pursue the introduction of ―smart‖ transit stops, which use GPS

technology to track the location of transit vehicles and display

accurate wait times to riders waiting at transit stops.

Use smart stops to provide directions and information about

businesses, attractions, and events in the immediate vicinity, and

throughout Amherst.

T.2.J Experiment with other ways to encourage non-motorized

transportation.

On a trial basis, close one or two blocks of the downtown area for

special Town events such as a Street Fair, Arts and Craft Fair,

Harvest Festival, ―Walk About Town Day.‖

Organize a guaranteed ride home program to ensure that public

transit riders can get home in an emergency.

Adopt a ―Safe Routes to School‖ program:

www.http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/saferoutes/ .

Promote bicycling and walking to school, possibly as an alternative

to physical education requirements.

Consider using locations with excess parking such as schools,

churches, etc., for off-hours shared parking, or park-n-ride services

for special events.

Lobby the Massachusetts legislature to change the excise tax to a

mileage-based system that would encourage drivers to consider

transportation alternatives.

OBJECTIVE T.3 Increase the frequency, connectivity, and utility of

public transit services to meet the needs of residents throughout the

community.

Greater frequency of service and routes that extend throughout the

community are essential to ensuring the widespread use of public transportation.

STRATEGIES

T.3.A Establish a north-south bus route that offers daily service

year round and connects to routes serving other neighborhoods and

village centers.

An important long-term transportation goal should be the provision of

year-round, daily, express bus service along a north-south spine. It would

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/saferoutes/


Town of Amherst 9.7

link downtown and other points on the route with other village centers and

outlying neighborhoods by connecting to east-west local service shuttle

loops or flex routes at nodes along the spine.

T.3.B Pursue local and regional improvements to transit service

connectivity.

Revise Amherst bus schedules as necessary to facilitate transfers

between routes.

Coordinate schedules, stops, and frequency of service of Amherst-

based transit system with other bus and rail transit systems in the

region.

Work with PVTA and other regional provider to develop dedicated,

regular bus service between Amherst and the planned new north-

south rail stop in Northampton.

Advocate for expanded and more direct bus service from Amherst

to other major employment centers in the region.

T.3.C Provide seasonal bus service to major off-road hiking and

biking trailheads.

To promote public access to natural areas and encourage the use of

recreational amenities in the Amherst area, seasonal bus services should be

scheduled along major off-road hiking and biking trailheads.

T.3.D Extend Rack And Roll systems (bike racks) to all buses in the

system.

Providing convenient storage for bikes on buses can encourage inter-

modal transit options for commuting and accommodate alternative

transportation to and from trailheads for recreational bikers.

OBJECTIVE T.4 Observe transportation demand management

principles in local planning and regulation.

―Transportation demand management‖ (TDM) is a traffic management

approach that seeks to influence drivers‘ choices by reducing or redistributing the

number of vehicles on the road and increasing mobility options. Planning policies

and land use regulations are essential components of TDM. In order for public

and alternative transportation to be viable and help reduce automobile traffic,

regulations influencing land use and development patterns must allow for higher

densities and a mix of uses, as in village centers, and roadway design that

supports a variety of users. Amherst should revise its zoning and subdivision

regulations to promote infill and direct new development toward appropriate

locations and to allow densities sufficient to support viable public transit.


Town of Amherst 9.8

STRATEGIES

T.4.A Use zoning bylaws, subdivision regulations, and permitting

board project review to advance transportation goals.

Adopt zoning provisions, subdivision regulations, and other policies

that require large-scale retail and housing developments to be

accessible by public transit (and discourage development in areas

without transit access).

Encourage dense, mixed-use residential or commercial development

in village centers, with appropriately-designed streets, sidewalks,

limited parking, etc., to maximize access to public transit and

encourage transit ridership.

Require the provision of facilities for alternative means of

transportation and efficient provision of parking in subdivisions,

and site plan review and special permit projects.

Expand the mandated development review requirements for traffic

impact studies to include transportation impact and access studies.

Require transportation demand management programs as part of

mitigation for large development projects.

T.4.B Adjust existing regulations to help reduce the number of cars

in the downtown area.

Expand the Municipal Parking District (within which selected uses

are exempt from parking requirements) to other areas of the

downtown and village centers.

Remove or reduce parking requirements in the Zoning Bylaw for

most residential and commercial development in the downtown area

in order to increase density, maximize the area available for

residential and commercial development, and create a vital

pedestrian atmosphere.

Increase shared parking and off-site parking for residential and

commercial development where applicable, by expanding on

existing zoning regulations and pursuing public/private agreements.

T.4.C Create a ―traffic-shed‖ computer model that can evaluate

short- and long-term impacts of new development on existing

roadways.

Consider working with UMass to establish an on-going transportation

modeling program for the community.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed-use_development


Town of Amherst 9.9

OBJECTIVE T.5 Within the context of community transportation

demand management planning, provide adequate public parking to

support existing and desired new development in the downtown and

elsewhere.

Amherst is a regional center for numerous outlying communities only some of

which are served by public transit. Both during and after the transition away

from an oil-based economy, parking for personal vehicles will continue to be a

necessary form of infrastructure for the downtown, village centers, and

commercial areas.

STRATEGIES

T.5.A Make changes in parking policies to organize the public

parking supply more efficiently.

Inventory existing downtown parking to assess current parking

patterns, demand, and availability.

Encourage employers to offer parking permits to employees.

Restructure metered parking into zones with a tiered fee structure

such that the most convenient parking is the most short-term and

more expensive than areas further away from downtown.

Consider applying a progressive price structure to meters with

three-hour limits or more.

Set meter rates so that a minimum percentage (15%?) of parking

spaces remains open during peak periods.

Increase parking revenue by adding meters on Town streets near

University of Massachusetts.

T.5.B Evaluate existing downtown public and private parking areas

for reorganization, management, enhancement, or potential

redevelopment as multi-modal facilities, preferably in concert with

private mixed-used redevelopment of adjacent streetfront areas.

Areas to include in this evaluation include, but are not limited to, the

Boltwood Walk parking garage, CVS lot, Amity Street lot, parking sites at

the north end of downtown, in the interior of the East Pleasant/Triangle/Pray

Street block, and the Amherst College alumni parking lot south of Spring

Street.

T.5.C Plan for meeting current and future transportation demand

through off-street multi-modal facilities providing a range of

services.

Where appropriate, multi-modal facilities should include such amenities

as:

Automobile parking.



Public transit/shuttle stops.

Full service public transit terminals.

Access to rail transit.

Pedestrian facilities and directional information.

Bicycle parking, secure storage, and changing rooms/showers.

Rentals of bicycles, Zip cars or the like.

Recharging stations for hybrid/electric vehicles.

OBJECTIVE T.6 Improve the flow of traffic on major roadways and

residential streets to reduce congestion and improve safety.

Amherst should make an effort to better coordinate traffic signals and invest

in intersection improvements, in order to facilitate traffic flow.

STRATEGIES

T.6.A Install, relocate, utilize, and evaluate effectiveness of available

traffic control systems.

The street and traffic signs in Amherst need better visibility, clearer

displays, and greater overall consistency. Traffic control settings should be

adjusted to take into account traffic volume, time of day, type of pavement,

needs of elderly and handicapped pedestrians, needs of bicyclists, etc., and

should be periodically monitored for efficiency and effectiveness.

T.6.B Adjust traffic circulation patterns.

A variety of methods should be considered for adjusting the traffic

circulation patterns in Amherst. These should include, where appropriate:

Converting streets to one-way traffic flow

Limiting left (or right) turns

Clearly marking tow-away zones with NO PARKING/STANDING

signs and pavement markings

Four-way stops

Installing traffic-calming measures, especially in congested areas.

T.6.C Develop, publicize, and apply traffic calming guidelines for

residential neighborhoods and commercial districts.

There are many traffic-calming methods and devices that can be used by

the Town to reduce vehicle speed, improve safety and balance the use of

public right-of-ways between motorized vehicles and other modes of

transportation. Roundabouts, semi-diverters, neck-downs, corner radii

treatments, and diagonal diverters are some common examples, among

others, that should be encouraged in local land use regulations, public

infrastructure standards and projects, and design guidelines for new

development.



T.6.D Improve roadway signs.

Place signs so that they are readily visible and do not block

visibility of other signs.

Use fewer signs, or install multiple signs on a single pole wherever

possible.

Install clearly visible and readable signs, such as eight-inch,

reflective street name signs at entrances to streets.

Expand and improve way-finding signs at major intersections and

destination points.

Clearly display speed limit signs.

T.6.E Adopt a Town policy of ―Complete Streets‖ for all

reconstruction or new construction of streets.

(www.completestreets.org)

Complete streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all

users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and bus riders of all ages and

abilities are able to safely move along and across a complete street. Amherst

should adopt a Town policy of incorporating the elements of complete

streets into any new construction or reconstruction of roadways.

OBJECTIVE T.7 Engage in traffic management initiatives with

businesses and employers.

The following strategies recommend initiatives to educate the public about

traffic management, with a particular focus on working with the business

community, employers, and transportation stakeholders to reduce single-

occupant vehicle trips and provide incentives for using public and alternative

transportation.

STRATEGIES

T.7.A Re-establish a Transportation Management Association to

educate employers and the public about commuting options and

incentives.

Transportation management programs in rural areas are typically

difficult to organize and sustain. However, Amherst has a unique

opportunity with the five colleges and other major employers in the region.

The Town should initiate the process of reestablishing the TMA by

organizing a committee with representatives from each of the colleges,

surrounding communities, PVTA and possibly the Area Chamber of

Commerce. The MassRides program should also be involved in providing

ride-matching and informational assistance to students, employees,

http://www.completestreets.org/



commuters, and other travelers as they have done for other TMAs such as

the South Shore and Logan Airport.

T.7.B Distribute information on the benefits of an active and all-

inclusive program of traffic management throughout the Town.

Consult with organizations involved in transportation management such

as PVPC, MassRides, DHCD, DOT, Urban Land Institute, American

Planning Association, Congress of New Urbanism, and others regarding

literature and other materials that can be used as models for Amherst.

T.7.C Encourage transportation options to reduce single-occupancy

vehicle trips.

Encourage UMass and the Town of Amherst to organize car-sharing

options, such as Zipcar, for employee use during the workday.

Install a car-sharing station, such as Zipcar, downtown. Promote

this option by offering free parking for these vehicles.

Create park-n-ride lots in outlying areas that would serve

commuters as well as visitors traveling to downtown and UMass.

Ensure that these lots are adequately served by public bus routes or

shuttles.

Pursue the introduction of Independent Transportation Network for

elders (www.itnportland.org).

Provide zoning or tax incentives for installation of shower facilities

and bicycle parking for bicycle or pedestrian commuters to

downtown or village center employment.

OBJECTIVE T.8 Aggressively pursue funding strategies for

achieving transportation goals.

Amherst should undertake a variety of initiatives to enhance its access to

transportation funding. These may include applying for additional federal and

state funds, engaging in lobbying activities, and instituting local policy changes

in order to generate additional transportation revenues for the Town.

STRATEGIES

T.8.A Lobby the State Legislature for additional funding for

regional transit services.

Organize a lobbying committee to inform local and regional state

legislatures of the need for additional transit services and to determine and

pursue the best approaches with the state in seeking additional funds.

T.8.B Apply for federal and state grants through PVPC as a source

of financial support for public transportation enhancements.



In addition to seeking additional operational funds to expand the

regional transportation system above, the Transportation Management

committee should work with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to

seek funding for public transportation enhancements such as attractive bus

shelters, improved signage and route mapping boards, bicycle facilities, and

other capital projects that encourage more ridership and improve public

transportation.

T.8.C Enact residential- and business-unit permit fees for village

center and downtown development projects to support public

transportation.

The purpose of this fee would be to provide for expanded public

transportation and enhancements to the system on established routes. Since

development is generally encouraged in designated growth centers such as

the villages and downtown area, this fee could be coupled with other

incentives to reduce private vehicle use such as a reduction of on-site

parking, shared parking agreements, and permitting for peripheral public

parking spaces for downtown and village residents.

T.8.D Explore the potential for parking overlay districts in the

downtown and village centers with payment-in-lieu-of-parking

provision.

Allowing developers to pay a fee or other consideration in lieu of

providing new parking spaces can reduce the amount of on-site and isolated

parking lots in downtown and village centers, while still providing adequate

parking for commercial and residential uses. The fee could be used to

expand or enhance public parking facilities available to all user groups and

improve public transportation facilities and services. The fee structure

should be based on the estimated cost of constructing a new parking space.

Funds collected should be directed to the Transportation Enterprise Fund,

which funds the maintenance, expansion and enhancement of public parking

and transportation.

T.8.E Lobby for amendments in state regulations governing

property assessment and taxation to allow land devoted to parking to

be taxed at the same rate as land used for other development.

Taxing parking lots at a lower rate than developed land discourages

useful redevelopment of those properties, encourages the development of

excessive parking, and supports the continued use of private vehicles. The

basis for setting assessments of property value is established under state law,

so state action will be needed to accomplish this end.

10. Implementation


10. Implementation

Introduction

Under Massachusetts state law the Amherst Planning Board has the

authority to create and update a Master Plan for Amherst. The Planning

Amherst Together process engaged hundreds of residents in a broad,

collaborative effort to develop a Master Plan. Once the Plan is adopted the

community will need to shift its energies towards successful implementation

of the strategies it has identified.

This chapter of the Master Plan provides guidance for maintaining

accountability, monitoring activities, creating appropriate development

regulations and procedures, and involving the community in implementation

of the Plan. It recommends a number of actions to support effective

implementation of the Master Plan for the Town of Amherst. Following this

Introduction it is divided into the following sections.

1. How to Use this Plan summarizes the basic steps for how the Plan

should be used to affect public and private decision-making in Amherst.

2. Actions outlines objectives and a series of supporting actions that

will facilitate implementation of the Plan. The objectives touch upon the

following broad implementation considerations:

Provide resources for implementing the Plan. Beginning with

the Priority Implementation steps outlined in Chapter 2, the

Town should secure and allocate the funding necessary to

implement priority actions, through updating the Capital Plans

and annual departmental budgets.

Monitor and evaluate implementation. Implementation will be

monitored on a regular basis, including evaluating, reporting

results, promoting successes, and maintaining public and media

relations.

Involve a wide variety of stakeholders in implementation.

Residents and other stakeholders shall be actively involved with

implementing the Plan.

Develop appropriate regulatory tools to implement the Plan.

The Town of Amherst should update key development

regulations and processes for plan review.

Require concurrence with the Plan. The Town shall require

concurrence with the Master Plan in rezoning or development

approvals, and call for written interpretations of decisions in

order to create a public record for consistency.

Update the Plan every five years. The Town of Amherst should

develop a community process to update the Plan at a minimum

of every five years.

An Implementation Matrix is included in the Appendix which organizes

the Master Plan strategies into a simplified chart format. Above and beyond


Financial Management Policies

& Objectives, Town of Amherst

[2007]

Amherst Visions: An Interim

Report [1998]

Final Report of the Select

Committee on Goals [SCOG]

[1973]

10. Implementation


the Priority Implementation actions listed in Chapter 2, the matrix provides a

format for Town policy-makers to use in moving from a ‗work list‘ to action

plans under each area of public interest that identify who will be responsible

for and involved in implementation, and what the timelines should be for

undertaking specific strategies.

A. How to Use the Plan

The Plan is to be used on a regular basis as public and private decisions

are made concerning development, redevelopment, capital improvements,

economic incentives, and other matters affecting the community. The

following is a summary of how it should be used.

1. Annual Work Programs and Budgets

Individual departments and administrators should be cognizant of the

recommendations of the Plan when preparing annual work programs and

budgets. Several strategies can be implemented in this way. Review of these

work programs by Select Board, Town Manager, Town Meeting, Finance

Committee, School Committee, School Superintendent, Library Trustees and

Library Director should likewise occur in accordance with the Plan‘s

strategies.

2. Development Approvals

Administrative and legislative approvals of development proposals,

including rezoning and subdivision plats, should be a central means of

implementing the Plan. In fact, zoning codes can and should be updated in

response to regulatory strategies presented in the Plan.

3. Capital Plans

Annual and five-year capital plans should be consistent with the Plan‘s

land use policies and infrastructure recommendations. New improvements

that are not reflected in the Plan – and which could dramatically impact the

Plan‘s land use recommendations – should necessitate at least a minor

update to the Plan.

4. Economic Incentives

Economic incentives such as Economic Opportunity Areas (EOAs)

enabling tax increment financing (as has been developed for the Cushman

General Store and Atkins Farm Market) should be reviewed in light of

recommendations of the Plan. These incentives should be integrated with

other Plan policies to ensure consistency, particularly with the Plan‘s land

use recommendations.

5. Private Development Decisions

Property owners and developers should consider the recommendations

of the Plan in their planning and investment decisions. Public decision-

10. Implementation


makers will be using the Plan as a guide in their development-related

deliberations, such as zoning matters and infrastructure requests. Property

owners and developers should have an understanding of the Master Plan

when submitting proposals to public bodies.

6. Future Interpretation

The Planning Board and other responsible entities should provide a

written interpretation of major items that are unclear or which are not fully

addressed in the Plan. These bodies may call upon outside experts and other

groups for advice.

B. Actions

Outlined below are the strategies which support the implementation of

the Plan. For their successful implementation, each strategy will require

development of a timeframe and identification of key entities responsible for

implementation, including Town departments, boards and committees, and

appropriate others. A matrix of this Plan‘s strategies is included in the

Appendix.

OBJECTIVE IM.1 Provide sufficient resources to implement the

Master Plan.

The Plan identifies the need to provide adequate resources to implement certain

strategies. For the successful completion of many strategies, new resources will need

to be obtained; for others, reallocating existing resources may be appropriate.

STRATEGIES

IM.1.A Develop a Long-term Financial Planning Process.

The Town should conduct a public process for determining short- and

long-term financial priorities for the operating and capital budget needs of

the community, in coordination with the policies, objectives, and strategies

of this Plan.

IM.1.B Update Capital Plans based on the Master Plan.

Five year capital Plans will be updated in line with the Master Plan. A

Capital Plan is a fundamental management document that outlines projected

capital needs, funding estimates and sources, and timeframes for completion.

In updating Capital Plans each year, the Town should monitor

implementation to ensure that they are consistent with the recommendations

of the Master Plan.

IM.1.C Prepare annual departmental work programs and

operating budgets with awareness of the Master Plan.

Departmental work programs and operating budgets will demonstrate

consistency with the Master Plan.

10. Implementation


IM.1.D Identify and secure funds for prioritized initiatives. (This

could include grants, tax measures, bonds, private investments, etc.)

Funding efforts should focus specifically on those strategies that the

community has identified as being of high priority. Funding may come from

the Town, other governmental sources (state, federal), tax measures, private

sector investment, or a combination thereof. The community should seek to

maximize the use of non-municipal resources. This strategy should occur in

line with annual budget cycles.

IM.1.E Award economic and regulatory incentives based on

consistency with the Master Plan.

The Town of Amherst will determine appropriate economic and

regulatory incentives that could be instituted to achieve critical development

and redevelopment objectives, as recommended by the Master Plan

IM.1.F Monitor and ensure fiscal accountability.

The Town of Amherst will monitor and ensure fiscal accountability in

undertaking all of its responsibilities, including those associated with

implementation of the Master Plan.

OBJECTIVE IM.2 Monitor and evaluate implementation.

Implementation of the Plan will be monitored and evaluated on an ongoing basis.

This will ensure that the Plan is successfully followed and will result in desired

changes in the community. Specific activities will include issuing an annual report

and publicizing examples of successful implementation.

STRATEGIES

IM.2.A Form a Master Plan Implementation Committee (MPIC) to

oversee implementation of the Master Plan.

The new Master Plan Implementation Committee (MPIC) will be a

successor to the CPC, responsible for helping to direct plan implementation.

MPIC will work with responsible Town boards/committees and departments

to identify responsible entities and a timeframe for specific strategies. The

Committee will monitor and regularly report on the progress of

implementation efforts.

IM.2.B Prepare and issue bi-annual reports that summarize the

status of all Master Plan actions.

Working with the Planning Board and others as necessary, MPIC will

develop and issue a bi-annual Master Plan report to the community and the

media at a public meeting, on the Town website, and through other means.

The report will summarize the status of implementation of all Master Plan

strategies. It will highlight key strategies that have been completed over the

10. Implementation


course of the previous two years. It will also identify emerging issues and

any delays in implementation or conflicts between strategies that need to be

addressed by the community. Changes or additions to the Plan will also be

highlighted in the report, including any new priority implementation steps

recommended by the Planning Board. MPIC will also issue or facilitate

periodic bulletins or notices regarding significant Master Plan actions.

OBJECTIVE IM.3 Involve a wide variety of stakeholders in

implementation.

As implementation of the Master Plan gets underway, the Town of Amherst will

collaborate with a host of stakeholders. This will include local boards and

commissions, community organizations, and other parties with particular interest in

specific objectives and strategies. Such partnerships will be critical to successful

implementation of the Plan.

STRATEGIES

IM.3.A Identify and engage non-governmental partners to assist

with implementation.

Responsible staff and committees will identify and engage non-

government partners to assist in implementing key strategies of the Plan.

These partners will include citizens, civic organizations, institutions, and

businesses. These partners will be critical to success. For particular

strategies the Town may decide to appoint a public-private task force to lead

implementation.

IM.3.B Establish a program to provide ongoing public education on

the Plan.

The residents of Amherst can also play an important role in

implementing the Master Plan. Public participation has been a significant

component in the development of the Plan. The MPIC should create a public

outreach and education program to provide residents with ongoing

opportunities to become familiar with the Plan, and to understand their role

in achieving the goals in the Plan. The Town‘s web site can continue to be

an important source of information and interaction.

IM.3.C Provide ongoing educational opportunities on innovative

planning and development practices for the MPIC, Planning Board,

Select Board, and other elected and appointed officials.

The Plan calls for some innovative development concepts. Town staff

should organize educational programs and materials that provide examples

from other communities. These programs may include site visits to other

communities to observe firsthand development projects that may serve as

appropriate examples for Amherst.

10. Implementation


IM.3.D Provide final copies of the Master Plan on the Town web site

and at libraries.

Upon completion and approval, final copies of the Master Plan will be

made available via the Town website as part of the education and outreach

process. Making these documents available on the website will also allow

developers and property owners to become familiar with the Plan and its

development recommendations.

OBJECTIVE IM.4 Develop appropriate regulatory tools to implement

the Master Plan.

The Master Plan has identified the need for updated development regulations

that are aligned with the community‘s land use objectives. Adopting new regulatory

tools will facilitate plan implementation.

STRATEGIES

IM.4.A Update development regulations as recommended in the

Master Plan.

Amherst‘s development regulations will be updated as recommended in

the Plan. For example, the Town should update its zoning code and

development ordinances to ensure that regulations reflect the community‘s

vision for future land use, resource preservation, and appropriate types of

development.

IM.4.B Monitor the implementation of new regulations and correct

as needed.

As new regulations are used, the outcomes will be monitored to

determine if the regulations are achieving the expected results as

recommended in the Master Plan. If the outcomes are not as expected, the

regulations will be modified as appropriate.

OBJECTIVE IM.5 – Require concurrence with the Master Plan.

Future decisions in the community regarding development, capital

improvements, and budgeting will concur with the applicable provisions of the

Master Plan and the Capital Plan.

STRATEGIES

IM.5.A Require concurrence in rezonings and other major

development approvals.

Major development approvals and rezonings will concur with the

applicable policies of the Master Plan. All such applicable actions by boards,

commissions, and staff shall document such concurrence in all decisions. A

10. Implementation


summary of Master Plan compliance will be included as part of the annual

report of every Town board/committee and department.

IM.5.B Require written interpretations of the Plan by the Planning

Board.

Upon request, interpretation of the policies of the Plan should be

prepared in writing to create a public record. This will ensure consistency in

applying these planning documents in day-to-day situations. Such

interpretations made by the Planning Board will be shared with other entities

to determine concurrence on the interpretation. This may be coordinated by

staff or addressed at a joint work session.

IM.5.C Require staff reports to reference the Master Plan.

All staff reports related to policy recommendations, annual work

programs, and budgets shall reference relevant Master Plan

recommendations.

OBJECTIVE IM.6 – Update the Master Plan at least every five years.

The Master Plan shall be formally updated on a 5-year basis. This is a sufficient

timeframe within which to consider changing conditions that may affect the Plan‘s

policies. If circumstances in the community change abruptly, the Planning Board

shall initiate an update in a shorter timeframe, as necessary.

STRATEGIES

IM.6.A Design the Master Plan updating process.

The Planning Board, advised by MPIC, will design a process by which

the Master Plan will be updated. The Board will also work with staff to

determine the resources necessary for undertaking an update and shall

recommend the funding and other resources needed to the Select Board.

IM.6.B Prepare an updated Master Plan.

MPIC will lead the process to update the Master Plan, with oversight by

the Planning Board. The process should incorporate public involvement

similar to the effort to prepare this plan. Other aspects of the process shall be

defined as well. The total process for completing and adopting the update

should take less than 18 months.

RESULTS SPECIAL TOWN MEETING November 6, 8, and 13 ...

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