Start-to-Finish Timeline

After a very exhaustive “Planning-The-Plan” process, Town Meeting in 2005 appropriated $200,000 for a Master Plan with a strong emphasis on public involvement. ACP Visioning, a nationally recognized and award-winning planning consultant firm was hired to facilitate the process – along with 4 independent team members. In May of this year, with a signed contract, ACP conducted its first meeting with the Amherst public.

At that initial meeting, ACP emphasized that their role was that of facilitator and that the people of Amherst were the actual designers of their comprehensive Master Plan!

The complete Start-To-Finish Timeline looks like this:

• Comprehensive Planning Committee organization and preliminary planning

  9 years from 1997 to present

• Planning the Plan including the Master Plan Request for Proposal (RFP)

  6 months from April 2005 to September 2005

• Town Meeting appropriation and Selection Process for Master Plan Consultant

  6 months from November 2005 to April 2006

• Initial Public Meeting with ACP, Amherst's Master Plan consultants

  May 2006

• “IDEA GATHERINGS” (5 public participation meeting throughout Amherst)

  5 months from May to October 2006 including preparation

• Working Groups

  6-7 months from November 2006 to April-May 2007

• Community Choices

  January-February 2007

• Survey

  February 2007

• Open House

  May 2007

• Endorsements & Adoption

  Fall 2007

• Implementation

  Fall 2007 onward