AMHERST, N.Y. — The Town of Amherst is working to rezone Niagara Falls Boulevard.
Last week during a planning board meeting, Town of Amherst Supervisor Brian Kulpa presented amendments to Amherst's Comprehensive Plan.
"The comprehensive plan amendments that we're adopting include changing the face of the boulevard over time, how we zone and where we put buildings and what kind of buildings we put there," Kulpa said.
As big box retailers continue to disappear, Kulpa says the town has to make zoning changes to ensure future success.
The regulations would be for new development, putting buildings closer to the road and hopefully creating a more walk-able community.
"What we're saying is we want you to mix your uses so if you build a store we want to have residential or office space above it" he said.
The town presented these zoning changes to the developers of the Boulevard Mall property in advance. That will be one of the first developments under the new regulations.
Another major hurdle for town officials is pedestrian safety.
"We are currently working with New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) on changing the actual configuration of the boulevard," said Kulpa. "We know that in some areas it's too wide, in some areas there is too much pitch and it's too hard of visuals we might need more crossings."
The DOT is currently completing a safety study on the dangerous road.
"Our intent in this comprehensive plan amendment is to change the language of the zoning around it and we think that it sets up a cue for New York State DOT to change the way the street is configured" he said.
A public hearing will be held on the zoning changes and then it is expected to go before the Amherst Town Board in July.