Amherst · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Town of Amherst public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Senior Center Operational Policies and Restrictions
The town addressed temporary inconveniences at the senior center caused by canopy painting and parking lot maintenance happening right during early voting. Staff and senior center members are actively helping guide voters around the construction.
2027-2032 Capital Improvement Program
The town reviewed its multi-million dollar capital plan focused heavily on essential infrastructure like wastewater treatment and highway paving.
Proposed Lodging Occupancy Tax Request to State Legislature
The town established a 2.5% bed tax on short-term lodging to generate revenue for capital improvements and general town services.
Palmdale Drive and Neighborhood Speeding & Cut-Through Traffic
Residents across Halston Parkway, Royal Parkway, and Lafayette Boulevard are worried about speeding cars cutting through their residential streets to avoid main thoroughfares. They want the town to install speed humps, radar signs, or road closures to protect children and pets walking in areas without sidewalks.
Pending Town Landmark Nominations
Two local landmark nominations, including the Architect Building and One Poster Court, are moving forward for town board review on July 27.
Crown Road Community Center Historic Oversight
The commission stepped in to ensure that exterior masonry and stone replacement at the Crown Road Community Center matches the historic character of the building, even though the project is exempt from standard permits due to using federal grant funds.
Highway Department Fleet and Salt Costs
The highway department is grappling with aging plow trucks past their service life and a jump in road salt prices from $56 to $93 a ton due to state sourcing laws.
Worley Avenue Multi-Family Housing Development
Young Development is proposing a 270-unit apartment complex at 2190 Worley Avenue. While scaled down from previous office and apartment proposals, neighbors are raising serious concerns about local water pressure, traffic, and lighting.
MacArthur Drive Home Business Special Use Permit
Neighbors raised concerns about traffic, parking near a busy intersection, and precedent-setting commercial activity in a residential neighborhood when an applicant requested to run a home hair salon.
Adoption of the HELPS Civil Service Program
Residents raised concerns that adopting the state's HELPS program for emergency civil service hires might bypass traditional testing and merit-based hiring.
Historic Preservation Code Amendments for Building Alterations
Commissioners are working with planning staff to strengthen code enforcement and clarify procedures for historic properties.
Eggert Road Reconfiguration and Paving
Erie County's upcoming 2027 paving project on Eggert Road opens the door for lane diets, parking changes, and bike lanes. The board is planning a dedicated public session in November to gather resident input.
Dodge and North French Intersection Turn Arrow
Drivers turning left from Dodge Road onto North French Road face long delays and hazardous conditions during peak hours. The board voted to recommend applying for a county permit to install a protected turn arrow.
Proposed Changes to Town Board Rules of Order
The Town Board reviewed its upcoming schedule of over 80 resolutions, transitioning to a new software system called Civic Plus that temporarily altered standard numbering formats.
Bornhava Early Childhood Center Expansion
The board reviewed and denied a major site plan for a massive expansion at Bornhava Early Childhood Center due to missing traffic and parking data.
Town Divestment of Former Eggertsville Community Center
The Town of Amherst is rezoning 4110 Bailey Avenue from community facilities to general business so it can sell the former community center via an RFP while placing covenants on prohibited uses.
Multi-Family Residential Development at 4795 Sheridan Drive
LMK Realty Associates is seeking to rezone 3765 Sheridan Drive to build two three-story apartment buildings. Nearby residents voiced concerns about potential tree removal, building height, and loss of green space buffering.
Kingsgate Park Playground Removal
Residents expressed deep frustration and heartbreak over the sudden removal of the neighborhood playground equipment at Kingsgate Park. Town officials apologized for the lack of communication and pledged to work on restoration and funding.
Historic Landmark Designation for 4467 Main Street
The historic preservation commission and property owners clashed over proposed local landmark designation for the historic Bank of Snyder building at Main and Harlem.
Lennox Avenue Parking Restrictions
Residents debated whether to restrict overnight parking on one side of Lennox Avenue. Neighbors argued that parked cars help slow down speeding traffic and that no safety issues warranted the change.
Starbucks Mill Street Driveway Operations
Property representatives for the Starbucks site presented proposed signage upgrades to address sidewalk blockages and illegal left turns at the Mill Street driveway.
North Forest Road Multi-Family Development Rezone
Developers are seeking to rezone several parcels on North Forest Road to allow them to be combined with an adjacent parcel for a three-building, 144-unit multifamily residential project.
Boulevard Central District SDGEIS Review
The town opened a public hearing on environmental impact reviews for the Boulevard Central District before adjourning it to July.
The Hamlet and Cricket Lane Lighting District Extension
Residents along Cricket Lane spoke on a lighting district extension that ultimately passed 4-1 despite opposition.
Muir Woods Site B Townhome Development
Developers are seeking to amend environmental findings for Muir Woods Site B to build 160 townhomes instead of student housing, with residents calling for updated traffic and environmental studies.
Center for Jewish Life Building Expansion
The Center for Jewish Life wants to build a large addition for its programs, but neighbors and nearby business owners raised major concerns about overflowing trash, property maintenance, and parking spillover onto adjacent lots.
Fair Woods Drive Center Island and Parking Restrictions
Overflow parking from a nearby mosque on Fridays is narrowing the street to a single lane and raising safety concerns. The board voted to ask Councilmember Szukala for an update on previous community summits and long-term solutions.
Commercial Driveway Traffic and Pedestrian Conflicts on Sheridan Drive
Crossing guards and board members noted severe sight distance and pedestrian conflict issues at a commercial driveway serving a Starbucks and Mighty Taco on Sheridan Drive. The board agreed to contact the developer to discuss potential site fixes and a crossing guard.
Regency Commons Sidewalk Waiver Request
Residents and the developer clashed over whether sidewalks should be required along Birch Lane in the Regency Commons subdivision. The board voted to deny the waiver, upholding the original requirement for pedestrian walkways despite developer arguments about private road maintenance and lack of public connectivity.
Mixed-Use Design Guidelines and Checklist Revision
The town is updating its design guidelines for mixed-use districts to make expectations clearer for developers. The changes tighten rules around pedestrian walkways, public amenity spaces, and art requirements to ensure new buildings enhance neighborhood walkability and appeal.
Tupelo Lane Park and Playground Development
The town is creating a small neighborhood pocket park at 75 Tupelo Lane, which required variances for play equipment setbacks, parking layout, and landscaping.
Town Employee Residency Requirement Modification
The town is considering modifying its residency rules to ease hiring difficulties for civil service and department positions by creating an Amherst resident hiring preference followed by countywide recruitment.
Student Resource Officer Agreements with School Districts
The town approved annual agreements to keep police officers stationed as Student Resource Officers in the Sweet Home, Amherst Central, and Williamsville school districts through mid-2027.
Sidewalk Waiver Request for Birch Lane
An attorney requested a public hearing and waiver for sidewalk installation requirements along Birch Lane, a private street in a patio home community.
Repeal of Chapter 104 SEQRA Local Law
The town repealed its local environmental quality review law because state SEQRA rules already cover everything, making the local rules redundant.
Landmark Designation for 1 Cloister Court
The Historic Preservation Commission evaluated a landmark nomination application for 1 Cloister Court, discussing its architectural integrity, Georgian style characteristics, and historical significance. The board advanced the application to a public hearing scheduled for April 2026.
Sawyers Landing Multi-Family Housing Redesign
Developers are replacing two previously planned mixed-use buildings on Dodge Road with a single 126-unit apartment building because they couldn't find commercial tenants. The board hashed out parking layout changes, front-door access, and green space concerns before approving it.
New Road Speeding and Commercial Traffic
Residents spoke out about dangerous speeding, tailgating, and overweight trucks using New Road. They urged the town to take steps to control traffic before county road reconstruction begins.
Wireless Infrastructure Expansion on Sweet Home Road
Verizon is installing a small cell antenna near 2034 Sweet Home Road to fill local coverage gaps and relieve an overloaded tower on the I-990.
North French Road Proposed Development
Developers presented a scaled-down 88-unit for-sale housing project on North French Road, responding to wetland constraints and community feedback. While council members appreciated for-sale housing options, concerns about market affordability remain.
21 Forest Stream Drive Garage Variances
A homeowner sought retroactive approval for a detached garage built higher and closer to property lines than permitted. Neighbors voiced strong opposition regarding privacy and loss of property value, but the board ultimately approved the variances with conditions.
ADA Accessibility and Compliance in Town Services
The Amherst Committee on Disabilities presented its 2025 annual report, highlighting ADA compliance, web accessibility upgrades required by April 2026, and challenges regarding service animal interference and town communication.
Peanut Line Multi-Use Trail Grant Application
The town is applying for federal and state grant funding through the Transportation Alternatives Program to construct an off-road bicycle and pedestrian trail along the former New York Central Railroad corridor, known as the Peanut Line. The town committed an estimated local match of over $3.8 million to ensure timely project delivery.
Historic Landmark Designation for 305 Brompton Road
The commission advanced the nomination of 305 Brompton Road to a public hearing, moving closer to protecting the Colonial Revival property despite owner opposition.
Maple West Elementary School Morning Traffic Backups
Parents and residents are frustrated by severe morning drop-off queues at Maple West Elementary that back up onto Maple Road, raising fears about pedestrian safety and vehicle accidents.
Whirly Drive Multi-Family Rezoning
Developers and neighbors discussed a revised 270-unit residential project at 2190-2200 Whirly Drive, highlighting reduced building heights and ongoing water pressure concerns.
St. Paul's Lutheran Church Coffee House Addition
St. Paul's Lutheran Church will build a coffee-shop style community gathering addition, addressing resident concerns about traffic and commercial use by restricting the space to church-accessory activities.
95 Snowberry Rezoning Proposal
A proposal to rezone property at 95 Snowberry from Suburban Agriculture (SA) to R-3 was reviewed, with a public hearing closed and a final decision scheduled for late February.
Legacy Village Affordable Senior Housing Proposal
An 81-unit affordable senior housing building is planned for Maple Road, addressing the local demand for housing for residents aged 55 and older. The project received site plan approval and a design exception after meeting town and fire safety standards.
Grant Funding for Historic Design Guidelines
The board weighed whether to require developers of larger projects to go through an informal preliminary review before their official planning board submission. While early reviews help catch design flaws, members want to ensure smaller projects aren't bogged down by extra hurdles.