Supporters of new zoning for North Amherst should dust themselves off after Monday's defeat at Town Meeting and take to heart the concerns pressed by opponents.

Zoning is a tool to guide how communities develop, intended to reduce conflicts between neighbors, and encourage development that serves public needs. Unfortunately, too often zoning divides us, pitting one vision against another, hopes against fears.

My first reaction to the notion of a later start time for the Amherst Regional Middle and High Schools was to wonder how this undocumented "problem" had become a high priority to solve when the list of acknowledged challenges was already long and the promises of solutions even longer. However, I will admit that the idea of more sleep and a later start had initial appeal.

Amherst strikes out on smart growth

To the Bulletin:

I would venture to guess that, if asked, the vast majority of Amherst residents would self-identify as being progressive and green. Yet Monday night, Amherst Town Meeting rejected a critical smart growth proposal. Another was defeated last Wednesday. More robust versions of these articles were rejected in the fall. And two years ago another critical smart growth proposal was defeated.