New Tools in the Toolbox this Month

As cars have increasingly dominated our roadways, we have designed our roads with cars, not people in mind. This makes it difficult to walk, ride bikes, catch a bus, or sometimes even cross the street. Today, as we look at ways to combat climate change and obesity, we begin to see the importance of a complete streets policy for the future of our roadways, one that allows for the safe passage of multiple modes of transportation. Our new Complete Streets tool offers strategies, policy recommendations and resources for communities as they re-design their roadways.  

Another useful tool for re-designing roadways is Transit-Oriented Development, which is characterized by compact, mixed-use development within walking distance of transit stations or stops. This Tool suggests strategies communities can consider, such as a unified vision for an attractive town center and integrating transit and land use planning, that will enhance transportation options for their residents.

 

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New Scenic Resource Manual

The line of mountains that etches across the sky in northern Vermont forms some of the most iconic images of our state. Mount Mansfield is part of the Vermont crest and Camel’s Hump is featured on our state quarter. These mountains are more than a scenic backdrop. They are key to the character of Vermont and a mainstay for tourism, one of our largest industries. But what happens when buildings go up along scenic roadways and obscure these views for the general public? What can we do to protect these assets?

The towns of Essex and Jericho joined forces to address these issues by performing a comprehensive scenic assessment of their roads. The Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission assisted with mapping and data analysis. Based on the information they gained, and recommendations for bylaw language and scenic overlay districts provided by Smart Growth Vermont, the towns have put the platform in place to protect their scenic views for future generations.

“This is groundbreaking work for the protection of scenic viewsheds in Essex and Jericho,” said Essex Community Development Director Dana Farley. “The views to Mount Mansfield are emphasized in both towns, but the data collection and photo-inventory captured many features typical to roadside scenery across Vermont. The manual can be model for all our communities.”

The assessments, bylaw language and solutions for everything from parking to recommended siding and roof colors have been pulled together into Views to the Mountain: A Scenic Resource Manual, which can be downloaded from our website.

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A Message from our Interim Executive Director, Faith Brown

After my first two months with Smart Growth Vermont, I have had the opportunity to speak with over a dozen of our stakeholders. I’m pleased to report that my initial instinct about the critical role we play in Vermont’s land use planning is correct: Smart Growth Vermont is a trusted neutral convener that has taken smart growth from the fringes into the halls of the state house. Smart growth principles are now integrated into the work of the people designing and planning Vermont’s future land use.

Our strong track record of meaningful influence on public policy and on-the-ground planning coupled with Noelle MacKay’s appointment to the administration has provided an opportunity for our board to pause and engage with many voices to determine the future of Smart Growth Vermont.

We invite you to join this conversation. Tell us what you value most – our community work, trainings, the Toolbox, our advocacy, or our research projects. Email us, call us, or drop in. We want to hear from you. We also need your continued support as a member to help position us for our future work in Vermont. One of the best ways to help is to put us over the top on our Membership Challenge. With just over three weeks to go, we still need to raise $3,000 toward our $20,000 goal of new and increased gifts. Join us today and together we can keep smart growth at the forefront of Vermont's values.

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This year's Historic Preservation and Downtown Conference, Friday, April 29, at Green Mountain College in Poultney, VT, will feature workshops on topics ranging from redundant churches to cultivating new business and downtowns as destinations. Governor Shumlin will present this year's Downtown Awards during lunch. More information and registration is on their website.

See our calendar of events for other upcoming events.

Keep Vermont’s Working Landscape Vital

Sugar shack in Essex, VT

Vermont’s working landscape—its open meadows and mixed forests—offers economic, cultural, scenic, environmental and recreational benefits that are essential to our future prosperity. Yet if alarming trends are not reversed, it could vanish within a generation along with Vermont’s unique character and many of the key values that unify the state.

In December, leaders from the state, federal, nonprofit and private sectors packed the Vermont State House for the Summit on the Future of the Working Landscape. The new nonpartisan broad-based Vermont Working Landscape Partnership, an outcome from this Summit, is leading a bold year-long campaign to keep our farm and forest economy vital. It will bring a focused Action Plan to the Governor and legislature—one that will help everyone trying to make a living from the land.

To show our elected leaders how much Vermonters care about this issue, over 130 organizations and businesses and many more individuals have already signed on as members. You can do your part and sign up as an individual member of the Partnership to stay updated and help shape the campaign for the future of Vermont’s Working Landscape.

Learn more and add your name to the growing list. This effort is being lead by the Vermont Council on Rural Development. If Vermonters focus and work together, we can build an agricultural and natural resource renaissance and keep our land working for future generations.

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Transportation Enhancement Funding Awarded to Vermont Communities

Photo courtesy of 350.org

Vermont’s Agency of Transportation has awarded grants totaling $2.9 million to eighteen communities statewide for the purpose of transportation enhancement.  Most of the funds, which come as a part of a federal-aid reimbursement program, will go towards projects featuring alternative forms of transportation, such as sidewalk renovation projects in Hyde Park and Barre, as well as multi-use path studies in Lamoille County and East Montpelier. Gov. Peter Shumlin announced the awards, pointing out that, “Helping our communities be places for walking and cycling increases their vitality.” Learn more.

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Rutland and AARP Look at the City’s Walkability

Photo by: Ed Yourdon

AARP VT recently conducted a study in the city of Rutland regarding ways to make certain intersections better suited for pedestrians. The report concluded that there are too few safe crossings on Route 7, as well as noting the poor quality of crosswalks and the short amount of time given at crossing signals. Jennifer Wallace-Brodeur, AARP VT’s associate state director, hopes that the report will start a conversation in the City on its livability and pedestrian access. Susan Schreibman of the Rutland Regional Planning Commission agrees, noting that incorporating all users into road improvement planning could “make a big difference” in the city. Read more.

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New Toolkit Available for Saving Local Farms

Photo by: Andy Langager

Development pressures from upstate New York down to Long Island are rapidly encroaching on the state’s remaining active agricultural land, putting the state at an estimated loss of 9,000 acres of farmland per year. In an effort to assist struggling agrarian communities, The American Farmland Trust has recently updated its publication, Planning for Agriculture in New York: A Toolkit for Towns and Counties. The document seeks to help interested parties pull together to protect farmland from development by providing 12 different tools touching upon zoning rights, public education programs, and agricultural economic development programs, among others. The toolkit does understandably have a focus on New York, but has much to offer communities nationwide that are looking to preserve agricultural land. Check it out.

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VT Delegation Scores 100% on Environmental Scorecard

Photo credit: Senator Leahy's office

The League of Conservation Voters released the 2010 National Environmental scorecard, a widely accepted measure for rating members of Congress on environmental, public health, and energy issues. The scores for the second session of the 111th Congress show the Vermont delegation as being the only one in the country to reach a perfect 100%. According to the scorecard, Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, as well as Representative Peter Welch, comprised the only state delegation to receive such a score. View Scorecard results.

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