On Wednesday, December 10, friends and colleagues from throughout Vermont filled the Vergennes Opera House to honor Paul Bruhn, founder and Executive Director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont, as Smart Growth Vermont’s 2008 recipient of the Arthur Gibb Award for Individual Leadership.

We were honored that night that Governor Douglas and representatives from Peter Welch’s and Senator Patrick Leahy’s office joined us to share the Congressmen’s remarks about Paul. Senator Leahy had this to say in a special digital message:

“Paul Bruhn has helped direct so much public and private investment into dozens of Vermont towns, villages and cities The projects Paul has taken on have grabbed headlines – usually good ones – and have acted as catalysts for entire communities and entire regions throughout the state. Most importantly, Paul has been a leader – someone many of us turn to when we need an idea advanced or a sticky situation mediated. These are qualities that have helped Vermont become a state recognized internationally as something special, something unique and something worth advancing.”

The Board and Staff of Smart Growth Vermont are grateful to our sponsors for allowing us the opportunity to honor outstanding Vermont citizens with the legacy of Arthur Gibb’s commitment to safeguarding Vermont’s values and unique landscape.

Legislative Smart Growth Summer Study Committee Wrapping Up

The Legislative Smart Growth Study Committee, which was charged with studying and making recommendations for changes to Act 250 criteria, will be releasing their report shortly. The Committee, chaired by Senator Lyons, included representatives from the Vermont Homebuilders Association, The Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Vermont Planners Association, the Vermont Association of Planning and Development Agencies, the Vermont Natural Resources Council, the Vermont Association of Realtors, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, the Natural Resources Board, House Representatives Trombley and Klein and Senator Carris, as well as Smart Growth Vermont's Executive Director Noelle MacKay.

The Committee looked at changes in Act 250 criteria related to traffic, scattered development, and rural development, evaluated the development potential of our downtowns and village centers, and made recommendations for incentives to encourage housing and how to best measure the effectiveness of the designation process. It was a lot to tackle in a few months, but the report is almost ready and will be released on January 15th. Stay tuned next month for the recommendations from that report!

Keep Up to Date During the Legislative Session

The 2009 Legislative Session kicks off this week. In last month’s e-newsletter we provided an overview of Smart Growth Vermont’s legislative priorities. With the upcoming release of the Smart Growth Study Committee, we hope to work with other interested stakeholders to implement recommendations to Act 250 that will protect our scenic views and rural landscape by discouraging strip development along public highways and encourage in-fill in areas that have existing strip development. If you are interested in staying up-to-date on this or other issues that Smart Growth Vermont will be tackling in the upcoming months, please email Serena to sign up for our Legislative Updates. If you are currently subscribed to Smart Growth Vermont's e-newsletter, you will automatically receive these updates.

Be sure to check out Upcoming Events on our website! You'll find information about conferences, lectures and presentations on a wide variety of topics.

Smart Growth in Action: The Long View

Woodstock, VT

The decisions that determine how a community grows are the result of long evening meetings by volunteer planning commission members and new standards put together by the legislature. Piece by piece, the landscape changes – and if we do our job right, the change is for the better.

The economic stimulus package currently being honed in Washington can provide the opportunity to expand the possibilities for our communities. We can use these funds to both stimulate our economy and make infrastructure decisions that have the potential to be as sweeping, for our nation and our state, as was the construction of the interstate highway system.

Ideally, our future infrastructure will help people with limited transportation options reach the services they need, encourage development within our town and city centers, and give travelers alternatives for both long and short trips. We suggest a Vermont that has:

Public water and sewer in villages and small cities, as well as regional stormwater systems, to encourage compact development
Roads that accommodate all travelers – whether in cars, on bikes, or on foot
Expanded commuter options for outlying areas as well as our cities, and
Public transportation that is consolidated statewide.

Our vision for Vermont will complete the picture started with the automobile. The challenge will be to go beyond investing in the easy and obvious and to find the solutions that will make this a picture that reflects our values.

Community Spotlight: Putney

Do you know what a moose sounds like? Well, you can find out on the official website for Putney, Vermont. And, that's not all you'll discover about this small rural town located in Southern Vermont, between Dummerston and Brattleboro. Putney offers residents and visitors recreational opportunities, a variety of innovative schools and a creative community of artisans.

Shortly after the town was settled in 1753, the community began building an economic base around the textile industry, grist mills and agriculture. Today the community, although still agriculturally based, has a well established tourism industry as well as numerous locally owned artisan shops.

Dating back to the 1790's, the Putney General Store is the oldest continuous general store in Vermont. A well known and cohesive piece of the community, the store suffered serious fire damage in early May 2008, and businesses in the vicinity almost immediately began noticing a decrease in their own sales as a result. The community has joined forces and raised $20,000 to date, including contributions made by local shopkeepers.

The Putney Historical Society has taken charge of the renovation project and continues to raise money. Plans for the future of the store are still in the works, and could include taking ownership of the building, selling it to new owners, or leasing the business to a shop keeper.

In the meantime, Putney continues as a thriving community, one that has demonstrated a devotion to one of its most important landmarks, and a testament to residents that it will support the success of the entire community.

Great Ice in Grand Isle County

What better way to spend a cold winter day than on the ice? Yes, ice! Grand Isle County is hosting the third annual Great Ice, a month of activities centered around Lake Champlain. Bring the family and let the kids try ice fishing in the Kids’ Derby, skate to Knights Island, try a pair of Nordic ice skates, and enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride across the ice. Design your own human powered machine in the F-F-Frozen Chosen Regatta. For the golf nuts, there’s even an Ice Golf Tournament! And of course, there will be lots of food – barbecues on the ice, hot cocoa and more.

Activities are held each weekend in February on City Bay in North Hero, where there will also be a skating oval maintained for the entire month. Bring your own skates or rent a pair at Hero’s Welcome. For a full calendar of events, visit the Lake Champlain Islands Chamber of Commerce site.

Wildlands Conserved Near Chittenden County

In an effort to conserve wild lands in Vermont, the Vermont Land Trust, towns, individuals and various other conservation groups have been working together to secure more than 7,000 acres north of I-89 in Bolton, Richmond and Jericho.

Thanks to federal funding through the Forest Legacy Program, rare, diverse areas including Preston and Richmond Ponds have been protected since the initiative began in 2002. These areas are home to dry oak woodlands, wetlands, and prime peregrine falcon and bobcat habitat. These areas are also accessible by public trails to hunters, walkers and skiers.

The public and private collabarotive, known as the Chittenden Uplands Conservation Project, hopes to protect up to 10,000 acres of forest lands bordering the state's most populous county. Read more.

Win Money by Sharing Personal Green Tips

It's true! Simply submit a you-tube style video, showing one of your favorite green tips, and you could have a chance at winning $5,000. Some examples include using rechargeable batteries, riding your bike to work or school, or using a cloth bag at the grocery store. Just Do One, an organization aiming to motivate citizens to take small steps toward living a more sustainable lifestyle, is accepting videos from January 1 until midnight on March 1, 2009. For more information on how to submit a video, visit, www.justdoone.org. Good Luck!

A Look at 2008 Smart Growth Success Stories

Kaid Benfield, Director of NRDC's Smart Growth Program, recaps his favorite smart growth projects of 2008, from Atlanta, Georgia, to Berlin, Germany.

Benfield has chosen succesful neighborhood projects to highlight how smart growth can reunite a community. Read full story.

60 Great Public Spaces

The Project for Public Spaces has come out with their list of the World's 60 greatest public spaces.

All unique in their own way, these spaces include streets, parks, train stations, coffee shops, farmers markets and gardens. What makes all of these places great? Read more to find out.

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E-News January 2009

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2008 Arthur Gibb Awards a Huge Success!