For decades Amherst stagnated as a wealthy suburb of Buffalo. Major development in the town consisted of strip plazas and shopping malls, and much of it was accomplished by eradicating fresh-water wetlands and floodplains riparian to Ellicott Creek. It became a commercial center that required a trip in one’s car for even the simplest errand. There were few walkable areas outside of the Village of Williamsville.
Brian Kulpa came from the village, and brought his expertise as an urban planner to Amherst to tackle the longstanding problems of a town with no direction. Its prior supervisors were politicians with no expertise in planning and no vision other that to have free and chaotic development. In fact, for each new plaza and subdivision approved, a clause was required amending the town master plan to conform to the new development.
Kulpa gave the town a new vision for sustainable growth that will be attractive to the next generation. The plan to convert the former Westwood County Club to a real Central Park is brilliant and environmentally sound. It is the first project for any town that would act as an attraction for residents from all of Erie County to visit and enjoy, and it will prevent the destruction of green space in the watershed of Ellicott Creek. The investment by the town in the park will enhance the future value of all the homes in Amherst and is well worth the cost. The exchange of lands with the owners of Westwood, Mensch Capital, demonstrates that developers can be persuaded to work cooperatively with town government.
This type of professional, informed leadership is what residents have been seeking for decades. As an attorney and resident, I represented Amherst homeowners in the fight to stop the commercial development of the Amherst Gun Club by Benderson Development almost fifteen years ago. It is gratifying to see the town’s progress towards a sustainable and livable environment. Kulpa and the Board deserve our thanks and our support. He is probably the finest town supervisor in the entire state.
Richard G. Berger
Williamsville
Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!
India Walton’s explanation regarding not paying her parking tickets or having her car inspected in a timely manner sheds a glaring spotlight o…
Again, we take from those with the least to give to those with the most. Why would anyone support public financing for a new stadium in Orchar…
“This is not sustainable. The dam is going to break.”
While we await the eventual verdict of a Supreme Court packed with right-wing ideologues, lower courts alternately defend and set aside the so…
Previous writers have criticized Mayor Byron Brown’s school speed camera system for financing city government on the backs of its low-income a…
With the stroke of his veto pen, the county executive has told 12 and 13-year-old recreational hunters that they are less responsible, less tr…
I have been trying to understand why we need a religious exemption for the Covid-19 vaccine when no major religion seems to have a tenet objec…
“The Big Lie” – a phrase commonly and accurately used by most reputable news agencies….
False accusations of a “stolen election” was the excuse for the Capitol riot on Jan. 6. Those un-American rioters were ignorant of our Elector…
On Oct. 9 The Buffalo News said New York State should “look at walking away” from the Seneca Nation casinos, a welcome, but hardly timely edit…
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.