So often individuals ask us what they can do in their everyday lives to be part of the solution to the issues facing Vermont. With the help of volunteer Sarah Von Lehman, Smart Growth Vermont expanded the Get Involved portion of our website and created Connect to the Land: A Guide for Taking Action. This online resource showcases Vermonters making a difference and supporting their local economy, conserving the natural environment and connecting with neighborhood farms and artisans. Much like the Community Planning Toolbox, we will provide regular updates, new examples and resources, so check back often. Let us know how this Guide has inspired you to take action!

Community Planning Partnership Update

Smart Growth Vermont to Assist the Town of Pownal with Growth Center Designation

In partnership with LandWorks, a Middlebury-based landscape architecture and planning firm, Smart Growth Vermont has been chosen to assist the Town of Pownal with its effort to seek growth center designation for Pownal Village and adjacent lands, including the site of the former Green Mountain Race Track. The Town feels that growth center designation would build upon and strengthen their efforts to support development strategies that result in well-paying jobs and new housing while reinforcing smart growth land use policies. Smart Growth Vermont is interested in helping the Town lay the foundations for compact, mixed-use development in and around Pownal Village that provides a mixture of services, employment and housing for residents within easy walking distance of each other. This work is made possible in part by a Municipal Planning Grant from the Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

Smart Growth Vermont to Assist Town of Warren with Affordable Housing Strategy

Smart Growth Vermont has been selected by the Town of Warren to assist them with developing a strategy and revising its bylaws to promote the construction of affordable housing. Warren has been actively investigating, and seeking ways to meet the housing needs for the community in a manner that enhances their village center and preserves the rural countryside. In deciding to take on the challenge of providing housing for all, Warren’s planning commission has acknowledged that affordability isn’t just a housing issue – it is a key concern for anyone who cares about Vermont’s working rural landscape. “We’re delighted to have been chosen for this important project,” said Noelle MacKay, Executive Director of Smart Growth Vermont. “There is a critical shortage of moderately priced homes in Vermont, and local policies and codes are sometimes part of the problem. Warren’s community leaders have made a commitment to changing that, and they deserve a lot of credit.” This work is made possible in part by a Municipal Planning Grant from the Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

Be sure to check out the Upcoming Events page on our website! You'll find information about conferences, lectures and presentations on a wide variety of topics. For example, The Environmental Protection Agency, along with the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), will co-sponsor a Climate Change Forum, Thursday, June 19 at the University of New Hampshire's Dimond Library. The Forum will feature EPA scientists, academic experts and regional, state and municipal officials, to present the latest research on the impacts of climate change. For more information, or to register, visit the EPA site, or contact Paul Wintrob at (617) 918-1514.

Smart Growth in Action: Lake Champlain Land Trust

One of the ten principles of smart growth is to conserve open space in order to maintain an ecological balance between our urban and rural environments. The Lake Champlain Land Trust (LCLT), a nonprofit organization founded in 1978, works in partnership with communities and colleagues to preserve the islands, shorelands and natural areas of Lake Champlain. LCLT has contributed to the conservation of several open space and natural areas throughout the region, including 1,200 feet of sandy beach at Rossetti Natural Area in Colchester, 225 acres of forested habitat within Eagle Mountain Natural Area in Milton, nature trails traversing 550 acres within Niquette Bay State Park, and primitive camping sites within the 175 acre Knight Island State Park in North Hero.

One of LCLT's recent successes was to purchase a key riverside property north of the LaPlatte River and east of Route 7, just north of Shelburne Village. Along one of the banks, LCLT created a low-impact park within walking distance to the village, including the removal of an abandoned house on the property. The future recreational trail will pass right next to the park. A new canoe and kayak launch ladder has also been constructed on the slow moving river. Now, nature lovers paddling down the river are able to take a family-friendly trip to Lake Champlain.

LCLT is celebrating their 30th year of successfully conserving shorelines and acres of lakeshore around Lake Champlain. You can sign up for a free summer hike or learn more about how you can help the Lake Champlain Land Trust conserve Lake Champlain by visiting their website at www.LCLT.org

Community Spotlight: Brandon

Photo courtesy of the Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce

"Unhurried, Unspoiled, Unforgettable", is the motto in Brandon. Located along Route 7, Brandon is a wonderful example of Vermont's unique landscape. At the foothills of the Green Mountain National Forest, Brandon's downtown - listed on the National Register of Historic Places - is the center of the community allowing residents to meet over coffee, grab some groceries and take in a concert in the park. Brandon is also home to some past and present noteworthy figures including the "Brandon Blacksmith" - Thomas Davenport - inventor of the electric motor and renowned Folk artist, Warren Kimble, whose original artwork can be seen around town.

Brandon's success did not happen by chance. Community members have been active in revitalization efforts for many years. Success can be seen wherever you look from the new steeple on the Baptist Church to a new pocket park downtown to the converted condominium apartments in the old Brandon High School. The work continues with renovations to the 1861 Town Hall that sat vacant for twenty years and the adaptive reuse of the birthplace of Stephen A. Douglas, the victorious incumbent who ran against Lincoln in the 1858 senatorial campaign, into a visitor's center and public history museum.

So, if you'd like to visit somewhere "unforgettable", head to Brandon. You can take a historic tour of the downtown district, visit the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, or take advantage of the many year-round events. Any season, Brandon is inviting, exciting, and worth the visit.

Front Porch Forum Receives National Recognition

Front Porch Forum, an online resource that helps neighbors connect and foster community, recently placed sixth out of almost 5,000 entrants in the Make it Your Own Awards Program, a Case Foundation Initiative. The placement has entitled the Forum to a $10,000 grant, which will be used for software development. Congratulations!

CCTA Ridership Increases

Ridership on Chittenden County's bus line is steadily increasing as residents are looking for ways to combat rising gas prices and save money. Overall ridership in Vermont has risen over 6% since last year, and the LINK Express routes, such as Montpelier to Burlington, have increased by 46%. Large employers in Chittenden County are contributing to this increase in ridership by offering to purchase bus passes for their employees. A $42 local pass allows a rider unlimited travel. Plus, it eliminates the frustration of finding a parking spot. More information about CCTA routes and schedules can be found at their website, cctaride.org. If you're located outside Chittenden County, Vermont Public Transportation Association offers a list of transit services available throughout the State.

High Gas Prices Result in Shifting Lifestyles

Gas prices continue to rise across the country and as a result, Americans are tightening their belts on spending. More importantly, Americans feel the cost of gas will continue to rise and this is causing a shift in lifestyle choices. For example, people are driving less, purchasing more fuel efficient vehicles, and using gas saving tips like driving slower, turning the air conditioner off and getting regular tune-ups. Read more.

US Ranks Last in Worldwide Sustainability Survey

National Geographic and international polling firm GlobeScan have recently conducted a study to measure and monitor consumer progress toward sustainability. Covering 14 countries, the survey asked consumers questions about energy use and conservation, transportation options, their knowledge of environmental issues and the use of green versus traditional products. Among the lowest countries scored were, the United States, Canada and France. You can read more and view the results in greater detail at Greendex Survey.

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E-News June 2008

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