AMHERST — Nearly 800 acres that are still part of the Hampshire College campus will be the focus of an informational session next week, giving the public details about the physical characteristics of the land and possible new uses and developments that could occur through zoning changes.

A virtual Zoom information session about the Hampshire Campus Zoning Study is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, from 6 to 8 p.m., with those interested in attending asked to register and submit their questions at amherstma.gov/Hampshire-Zoning-Info-Session.

Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek said that this will be the first update of the process that is being coordinated through a partnership between town staff and MassDevelopment, with the study guided by priorities established by the Town Council. Those priorities include new housing and tax-base development, as well as preservation of open space and agricultural land.

“This will be an opportunity for people to learn more about the town’s process working with MassDevelopment. The focus is really on zoning,” Ziomek said.

The hope is that the session, the first of several engagement opportunities that will continue throughout the fall, will allow community members to learn more and ask questions about the study, and hear the latest updates from town staff and consultants. The session will include a presentation and a question-and-answer segment. Technical assistance on environmental, land use and economic development is being provided by the Horsley-Witten Group; Dodson and Flinker; and U3 Advisors.

The zoning study began after the college announced in April it would be closing and ending academic operations following a teach-out in the fall semester.

Planning and Economic Development Director Jeff Bagg said the MassDevelopment teams will share a wide range of preliminary information, such as physical characteristics of the property, and the desktop studies that have been completed to understand resource areas. They are also looking at utilities, such as water and sewer, and roads.

“Our goal is to gather as many questions as we can,” Bagg said.

The study will also gather information about the property that will guide new zoning, such as what areas can be developed, the capacity of infrastructure, housing market demands and opportunities for economic development.

But town officials are quick to note that Hampshire College owns the land and will be making its own decisions about the disposition of the property and the timeline for making those decisions.

While Amherst will want to know about how many housing units might fit on the property, there is no imminent development likely.

“All of this will be over a period of time,” Bagg said.

Ziomek said the public should also understand the town is not initiating a land purchase, a taking or an acquisition.

Bagg noted that the zoning study is also not an attempt to limit the options available to the college. Rather, it is intended that future zoning options will allow a wider range of uses on the site, as currently the only uses the land can serve are for educational purposes. Those would continue to be allowed, even if zoning is changed.

There is also no effort to slow down the sale of the campus, which will happen independent of the zoning study and will be made by the college’s trustees.

A final report and preliminary zoning recommendations are expected by January 2027.

Staff from the Conservation, Public Works, Fire, Inspection Services and other town departments are also involved, and Hampshire College will provide information and input throughout the process.  Hadley, where some of the college land is located, is also being regularly consulted.

Hampshire College is still in the midst of selling its campus land and its assets, working with Region Commercial of West Springfield to manage the sale. In addition to 800 acres — about 700 of which is in Amherst and 100 in Hadley — the campus includes 805,917 square feet inside 24 academic, residential, administrative and recreational buildings.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Yiddish Book Center and Hitchcock Center for the Environment will all remain open as entities independent from Hampshire College, each owning or leasing the land they occupy.

For more information, go to: amherstma.gov/hampshire-campus-zoning-study