Amherst, N.Y. (WBEN) – As the Amherst Planning Board reviewed a pair of proposals for the Boulevard Mall project on Thursday, one resident is voicing her objections, saying it will make that part of town unlivable.
Geri DiCosmo says one proposal will allow the town board to take over the project.
“This will allow the town board under the name of the Amherst Urban Renewal Agency, which, to me, looks like they’re renaming themselves so they can be the oversight agency about what is exactly developed on this area,” claimed DiCosmo in an interview with WBEN.
She believes that will take away the voice of the people to address the planning board.
“They are also taking some of the role of the planning department away and so that they have exclusive say over what goes on at this Boulevard Mall,” DiCosmo said.
DiCosmo feels the town is not being transparent with the public.
“They may have been having meetings before this. But because of the ways these meetings are set up, they’re not giving this information out. They seem to speak in code. The agendas are not very clear. We as a people feel we’re being shut out,” DiCosmo said. “You not only have to read the agenda, but you have to, in many instances, go to the planning board and actually find out what’s going on, so that you can have a clearer picture in your head.”