Our Publications

(PDF, 597K)  This brochure explains smart growth principles and gives examples of smart growth from around Vermont.  It features a number of winners of our Smart Growth Awards, given every year to projects that demonstrate how communities can integrate growth and conservation.

• Smart Growth in Vermont 2009

• Smart Growth in Vermont 2007

(PDF, 1.8 Mb)  The Roadscape Guide: Tools to Preserve Scenic Road Corridors is designed to help communities conserve areas of open space between cities and villages to permanently preserve viewsheds and scenic gateways along road corridors.  The Guide helps communities get started by conducting a visual analysis of their roads to help them identify key features and views. Order a copy

(PDF, 2.4 Mb)  This publication shows how communities can encourage neighborhood development in and adjacent to downtowns and village centers. Featuring site plans for parcels in Middlebury, Shoreham and Vergennes, The Vermont Neighborhoods Project describes the public planning process, including aerial and elevation images and outlines current project activities.

(PDF, 3.1 Mb)  Smart Growth Vermont partnered with the Vermont Business Roundtable to create models for commercial and industrial development, as well as recommendations for policy changes. New Models for Commercial & Industrial Development features five smart growth, mixed-use site plans for specific parcels in Bennington, South Burlington and Waterbury.

Written by Smart Growth Vermont and the Conservation Law Foundation, Community Rules is a guidebook for local planners, concerned citizens, and others who want to achieve smart growth in their communities through better planning, zoning, and permitting.  The Guidebook has been used by local officials, community organizations and academic institutions.   The Guidebook is available as individual chapters.

(PDF, 1.4 Mb)  This community self-assessment tool provides questions local planners and citizens can ask themselves to see where their town stands on the sprawl to smart growth continuum. Developed in partnership with the Orton Family Foundation, it is a valuable guide for updating town plans and regulations and encouraging citizen involvement.

(PDF, 1.7 Mb)  This handbook provides communities, developers, non-profit groups and others interested in smart growth with a set of best development practices for residential, commercial and industrial development - practices that characterize and promote "smart growth" as a viable alternative to sprawl. Examples are included to illustrate that smart growth is happening in Vermont and around the country.

(PDF, 519 K)  This handbook provides an overview of tools and strategies that can be used to make smart growth work. It is a good place to get familiarized with tools and processes that make the link between planning and smart growth.

(PDF, 4.9 Mb)  Vermont leads the nation in per-capita direct sales of produce from farmers to consumers.  By supporting Vermont-grown products, you are making a lasting difference in your community and the landscape of Vermont and keeping your hard earned dollars in the state.  Whether you join a community supported agriculture (CSA), buy produce at the farmers market, frequent your community’s general store or purchase products from a local business, you are helping to keep our rural landscape a viable economic force.

If you are unsure of where to get started, our publication, Communities and the Land provides examples and stories of what other individuals and towns are doing to strengthen the connections with the working landscape.  Coming soon will be an on-line resource of up-to-date stories and resources.

The Exploring Sprawl Research Series examines Vermonters' opinions on land-use issues pertaining to sprawl. View and download the six-part series.

(PDF, 3.2 Mb)  This 2007 Smart Growth Progress Report Update represents a comprehensive evaluation of Vermont’s policies, programs and investments, documenting and quantifying how specific state programs — including economic development incentives, school construction and transportation investments — have engendered smart growth or sprawl. Smart Growth Vermont is coordinator of the Vermont Smart Growth Collaborative and a co-author of this report.

(PDF, 2.8 Mb)  The Smart Growth Progress Report represents a comprehensive evaluation of Vermont’s policies, programs and investments, documenting and quantifying how specific state programs — including economic development incentives, school construction and transportation investments — have engendered smart growth or sprawl. Smart Growth Vermont is coordinator of the Vermont Smart Growth Collaborative and a co-author of this report.

(PDF, 2.12 Mb) This publication is offered as part of a series designed to help local officials, citizens and interest groups plan for growth.  Community Investments iN Smart Growth: A Decision Maker's Guide was prepared by the Vermont Forum on Sprawl in cooperation with The Orton Foundation. Research and drafting was conducted by Yellow Wood Associates.