Conservation Commission Meeting Jun 24, 2026

The Town of Amherst Conservation Commission held a meeting on June 24, 2026, focusing primarily on environmental and land use matters. Key procurement-related discussions included the approval of an order of conditions for a parking expansion project at 40 University Drive, involving the removal of landscape islands and installation of pervious pavement to add five parking spaces. The commission added a condition requiring assessment and potential reconstruction of existing pervious pavement to ensure functionality before work begins. Another procurement-related item was the acceptance of a 0.59-acre gift to the Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program, which the commission approved unanimously. Additionally, the commission reviewed proposed minor modifications to stormwater infrastructure at Amherst Community Homes, including installation of a drawdown device to aid maintenance, which was supported by the town engineer and approved by the commission. The meeting also addressed ongoing compliance issues related to wetland mowing at Colonial Village, with discussion of enforcement options and a plan to request permanent demarcation of wetland boundaries. Hunting regulations on conservation lands were discussed, with recommendations to restrict hunting seasons and areas to enhance safety and ecological considerations. No formal votes on hunting policy changes were taken during this session, with further discussion planned for future meetings.