Smart Growth Vermont is pleased to announce its most recent multi-town community assistance project. Over the next year and a half, Smart Growth Vermont will work with the towns of Essex and Jericho in Chittenden County to develop and implement strategies for protecting scenic views in the two towns. The project will focus on views of Mount Mansfield, which dominates the skyline in both communities.

“Protecting scenic resources is a high priority for Essex, but we don’t yet have clear standards in place that would make the process predictable and fair for landowners,” said Dana Farley, Director of Community Development for the Town of Essex. “We’re looking forward to working with Jericho and with Smart Growth Vermont to figure out what views are most important to the community and what strategies make sense for protecting them.”

“Jericho has some spectacular views of Mount Mansfield,” said Jericho Town Planner Seth Jensen. “The town is looking for innovative strategies for protecting those views that are compatible with what people want for their land.”

The project is funded in part by funding from both towns, a grant from the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization and by Smart Growth Vermont’s Roadscape Project. It is guided by the principles in the Roadscape Guide.

New Issues, Tools and Case Studies in the Toolbox

Citizen planners and volunteers call us each week to ask for our help on issues ranging from protecting wildlife to restricting strip development to promoting good design. To help answer these requests, we developed our Community Planning Toolbox in 2007 and we regularly add new resources.

Many communities struggle with how to effectively engage residents in the planning process. To help, we have added an overview of public engagement to help people get started on designing a process that allows residents to share their views. We have also added a public participation tool -the design charette – that can be used to integrate skills and interests of a diverse group of people to generate design solutions.

Finally, find out more about design review guidelines with a case study for the Calais hamlet of Kents Corner. When people think of design review districts, they usually picture a built-up area such as an historic neighborhood, but design review is equally appropriate in rural areas. Learn how the Calais district addresses everything from architectural style to building placement to landscaping, and structures them in a way that allows for significant flexibility in how they are applied.

Boot Camp for Planning Commissioners

On June 5th and 6th, Planning Commissioners from around the state met at Camp Ohana in Fairlee to attend the first “boot camp” organized by the Land Use Institute of the Vermont Law School and generously sponsored by Robert Miller and REM Development Company. The planners came to learn more about capital budgets, conservation plans, the implications of the JAM Golf Course court decision and much more. While doing push ups on the lawn, Noelle from Smart Growth Vermont also presented a well-attended session titled, “From Density to Design.” Her presentation encouraged commissioners to consider the community benefits of encouraging higher density neighborhoods and the importance of including design details to ensure new structures fit into the existing character of the community. We were also able to sponsor two commissioners thanks to the Argosy Foundation. From the positive response from participants, this is sure to become an annual event.

Sponsor Spotlight: Erik Hoekstra

We’re proud to sponsor Smart Growth Vermont’s award program, because the awards and this organization’s mission is philosophically aligned with ours. At Redstone, we work on both historic redevelopment and infill because we think it’s the right thing to do, even though it’s harder – it kills more brain cells. We want to work to further enhance the character of Vermont rather than make our towns look like anywhere USA. Smart Growth Vermont works to secure the incentives that make the kind of projects we do economically viable and with communities so they can tailor their regulations to allow for smart growth and infill.

The Council on the Future of Vermont will present results and host discussions on the final report of the Summit on the Future of Vermont throughout the state in July. For a complete list of presentations, visit www.futureofvermont.org.

Fortunately, Municipal Planning grants will also be available again this year, though there has been a reduction in the amount being offered. Applications are due September 30, 2009 and decisions will follow in November. For more information, or to apply, visit the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

Also, 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: Village Zoning in Hinesburg

The Town of Hinesburg recently approved a comprehensive overhaul of the zoning districts and standards for its village growth area. The updated standards added several new districts and doubled the size of the village growth area from about 250 to over 500 acres, with the goal of accommodating a majority of Hinesburg’s new development over the next 20 years within this expanded village area.

The most significant feature of the revised standards is a series of incentives that provide density bonuses for developers who design their projects to meet specific community goals. For example, projects receive incentive points for building permanently affordable housing units, achieving green certification, constructing smaller homes, using renewable energy, providing public infrastructure (such as a community park), or building mixed-use projects.

Base densities in village districts are relatively low, varying from two to four units per acre. Residential projects that earn enough points can be granted up to twice as many units per acre as the base density allows. Commercial projects that earn points benefit from increased building height limits, decreased required parking, and increased lot coverage.

The overall purpose of the new standards is to build a critical mass of homes, employers, services, and community facilities all within walking distance of each other. Success will depend on whether developers take advantage of the density bonuses to build projects at four to eight units per acre. It is only with this density that new development in Hinesburg will exemplify the smart growth principles – walkability, access to transit, a mix of uses – that make compact villages such great places to live and work.

Community Spotlight: North Hero

Photo courtesy of Bob Camp-Hero's Welcome

Nestled in the middle of the islands of Grand Isle County in beautiful Lake Champlain, North Hero is home to 900 full-time residents and hundreds more seasonals. Visitors are attracted to the town's strong sense of place, historic features and abundant recreational opportunities. Local and state owned parks offer trails, beaches, boating, and canoeing. The Islands Line Bike Trail provides access to great biking. This summer, North Hero Island celebrates Lake Champlain’s Quadricentennial by hosting the Lois McClure, a replica of an 1862-class sailing canal boat.

North Hero epitomizes the creative economy. One of the state parks, Knights Point, is home to the Islands Center for Arts and Recreation, which hosts Shakespeare in the Park (on sabbatical for 2009, returning in 2010), fireworks, concerts, local and county-wide community activities, and a Farmer's Market. Great Ice in Grand Isle, started three years ago to revitalize the winter economy, has grown to cover each weekend in February with ice skating, a kid's fishing derby, a regatta for people-powered vehicles, and other ice-based activities.

The restored older buildings in the Village keep the town revitalized and inviting to visitors. For instance, St. Benedict's Roman Catholic Church, which was closed by the Diocese last year, has been converted into an art gallery. The Village's historic buildings include residences, Hero’s Welcome, the Chamber of Commerce, two inns, a church and the county courthouse. Several small businesses are also located in historic buildings.

The North Hero Historical Society is renovating the Community Hall. Thanks to community action, private donors and the Preservation Trust of Vermont, the Hall’s original exterior will be restored, the roof repaired, and the interior updated with bathrooms, a catering kitchen, a classroom and other amenities. A pending Byways grant will help the Historical Society include a Waypoint Center with information, displays and public restrooms.

Shelburnewood Project Moves Forward

After long delays and changes to zoning bylaws, the Shelburne Selectboard recently voted to support key funding for the Shelburnewood project.

The project received sketch-plan approval at a June 17th Development Review Board meeting, but has many more local and state reviews before the first home is built. Various town committees are carefully reviewing the plans to ensure that good design features are integrated into the project to ensure that the increased density fits with the character of the village.

In October 2008, Shelburnewood received Housing Endorsement from the Vermont Smart Growth Collaborative of which Smart Growth Vermont is a founding member. The project received a high score from the review committee due to its central location in the heart of the village center, its mixture of affordable, market-rate and elderly housing and the preservation of the land along the river. The compact layout and proximity to schools, services, and recreation allows for residents to get out of their car and walk, bike or take public transportation.

Collaborative members Smart Growth Vermont and the Conservation Law Foundation have been testifying at municipal meetings in support of the project along side many local residents.

We encourage residents of Shelburne to monitor and participate in the public process by following Burlington Free Press reporter Joel Banner Baird, who has been writing about this project in recent articles and on his blog.

Brattleboro Food Coop & Windham Housing Trust Join Forces

The Brattleboro Food Co-op and the Windham Housing Trust are working together to create a larger space for the growing co-op and new affordable housing downtown. Plans show a new, four-floor building in which the first two levels will be occupied by the co-op and the top two levels will be rental units operated by the Housing Trust. This development plan was given $875,000 in state and federal money this month. The co-op is one of Brattleboro’s leading businesses despite the economic slump, and regionally, all food co-ops seem to be doing well. For more on this story, Read or Listen at VPR's website.

Community Garden Blooms in Montpelier

Neighbors at the Herbert Farms Apartments in Montpelier shared a sense of community as they came together to create a 576-square-foot garden at the housing complex. Construction of this community garden began on June 6 with the help of almost 35 volunteers and employees of the Central Vermont Community Land Trust (CVCLT). Officials of CVCLT, who are also administrators of the property, learned of the residents’ hope for a garden from maintenance workers at the establishment. Enthusiastic residents are pleased to get to know each other while gardening and sharing their crops. Read more.

Late Blight Fungus Infects Northeast Gardens

Late Blight, a fungus more commonly known as Irish Potato Blight - said to have caused the 19th century potato famine - has infected the Northeast.

The fungus is believed to have originated with a large vegetable distributor based in Texas who shipped infected tomtato plants to Walmart stores in the Northeast. Signs of Late Blight can be identified by lesions on the stems and olive-brown colored spots on the leaves. The disease increases rapidly because spores are spread by the wind. Read more.

Burping Cows Emit Methane Gas

It's true. According to a recent study, the dairy industry contributes roughly 2% of methane gas emissions, most of which comes straight from the cow's mouth and the rest from growing feed crop and producing and transporting milk.

So, what's a farmer to do? According to Stonyfield Farms' Greener Cow Project, feeding cattle a combination of alfalfa, flax and grasses, all high in Omega 3's, reduces the gas concentration in the animals' rumen (1st stomach). Read more.

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E-News July 2009

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Community Update: Essex and Jericho