Community Development Office

The Community Development Office provides a one-stop location for all land development processing within the Town. Please stop by our counter in the Town Hall or access the individual departments through the links on the left. For information regarding Building Permits and Inspections, please see the Building and Code Enforcement tab, or CLICK HERE.

ACCESS TO ONLINE PERMITTING IS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED WHILE WE TRANSITION  SOFTWARE

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE

The Community Development Office strives to effectively manage community change in accordance with the Master Plan and the Town’s ordinances and regulations, by providing professional advice and technical expertise in a consistent and fair manner to citizens, boards and commissions, departments and regional agencies on the implementation of land use ordinances, regulations and policies for both the short and long term physical, natural, and economic development of the Town.

• Land development review
• Master planning/long range planning
• Economic development: industrial, commercial, and small business
• Building permitting and inspections
• Health and safety

The Department provides technical and administrative support to the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Historic District Commission, Board of Health, Conservation Commission, Heritage Commission, Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) Committee.

For more information on the Community Development Office, planned projects and special initiatives, please review the Department's Strategic Plan.

The Community Development Office provides support for the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) and Historic District Commission (HDC), and assistance to the Conservation Commission and Heritage Commission.

The Community Development Office provides comprehensive planning and zoning services for the Town including:

• Development and implementation of the Master Plan
• Preparation of land use ordinances and regulations
• Assistance to property owners, businesses, Town departments, volunteers and the public for all zoning and planning questions
• Plan review for site development and subdivision plans
• Technical and Administrative support to Boards
• Site visits and construction monitoring
• Economic Planning including the soon to be restarted Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) Committee in the spring of 2013
• Administration of the Sign Ordinance including permitting
• Transportation Planning at the Local and Regional level
• Grant writing
• Assistance to business owners
• Enforcement of Amherst’s Zoning Ordinance and land use regulations