Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Council and the School Committee, much of Amherst’s governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. They review new development, hear zoning appeals, protect wetlands and historic places, advance civil rights, and guide services for older residents. These are the rooms where an ordinary resident, even one too young to vote, can have the most direct hand in a decision.
In Amherst most members are appointed by the Town Manager or the Town Council and serve fixed terms. The meetings are public, and seats open up regularly.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and major development.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits.
- Conservation Commission protects Amherst’s wetlands, brooks, and conservation land.
- Historical Commission helps protect the town’s historic buildings and districts.
- Human Rights Commission works against discrimination in housing, jobs, and public life.
- Council on Aging guides services for older residents.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see amherstma.gov.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s boards and committees page.
- Submit a letter of interest through the town’s online application.
- Interview if asked, and await appointment by the Manager or the Council.
- Serve: attend the public meetings and help make decisions for your town.
Sources
Amherst government website (amherstma.gov). Verified July 2026.
What this seat decides
Your other boards
Board of Health. Tobacco and nicotine sales, flavored products, food permits, and housing conditions. It can pass a binding regulation on its own without a Town Meeting vote, which makes it the fastest lever in Massachusetts.
Planning Board. Where housing or businesses can be built, height limits, and a specific development. It holds the public hearing, and the zoning change itself is voted by Town Meeting or the Council and needs two thirds.
Conservation Commission. A stream, a wetland, a marsh, or a pond.
Library Trustees. Library hours, programs, and policy. The library's money comes from Town Meeting.
Parks and Recreation Commission. A field, a court, a playground, or a park. The money for building one usually comes from Town Meeting.
Historical Commission. An old building, and whether it can be torn down or saved.
Serving on a board is one of the most direct ways to shape Amherst.