From focus groups in Burke and Danville to growth projections in Pownal, Smart Growth Vermont is hard at work helping communities across the state develop the tools and strategies they need to plan for the future. Our Community Planning Partnership is entering its second year, and the four new projects underway represent a broad cross section of the issues facing Vermont communities.

The Community Planning Partnership section of our website has been expanded to include individual pages for the community with whom we are working. This is one way we are reaching out to residents to provide information, updates and results for each project. For example, we will post upcoming meeting dates and minutes, newsletters and media reports. So check back frequently!

You can also view our new interactive map, which features the trainings that Smart Growth Vermont provides to individual communities across the state.

Mary Harwood Joins Smart Growth Vermont

Smart Growth Vermont is pleased to welcome Mary Harwood to the staff as our new Development Director. Mary has a long history of working with non-profit organizations both as a staff member and as a fundraising and grant writing consultant.

Originally from New Jersey, Mary earned her undergraduate degree from Douglass College, Rutgers University and MFA in writing through the University of Southern Maine. She lives in South Hero with her husband George and dog Stella, who truly enjoys the water. Her full bio appears in About Us.

Smart Growth Vermont Welcomes New Board Members

Former Governor Madeleine Kunin and Darby Bradley recently left the Board of Smart Growth Vermont to take on other projects and we wish them well in their future pursuits. Though it will be difficult to fill their shoes, we are pleased to welcome two new members, Ellen Strauss and Robin Scheu.

Robin Scheu brings a variety of conservation experience. She served seven years on the Vermont Land Trust board, four as Board Chair; several years on Middlebury’s first Conservation Committee; and as Interim District Manager of the Addison County Solid Waste Management District. In addition, Robin has 16 years of banking experience with a major international bank. She brings over 25 years experience in both the corporate and nonprofit worlds to her private consulting practice. Robin received her MS in Management from Antioch University New England and her BA is from Smith College.

We are also excited to have Ellen Strauss serving on our Board. Ellen has led and been a team member for a wide range of planning projects including Village Improvement Plans, all of which focused on the repairing and developing the local vernacular, streetscape, pedestrian and community feel. She is active in planning, recreation, trail and preservation issues in Warren and serves as a member of the Mad River Valley Rural Resource Commission / CLG.
She received her Bachelor's degree and Maters in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. She currently lives in Warren with her family.

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 Vermont Downtown Program will once again host the Vermont Downtown Conference, Tuesday, October 14, in Montpelier. The conference will offer a variety of workshops and a keynote address by Donovan Rypkema, of PlaceEconomics, a Washignton, D.C. real estate and economic development-consulting firm. For more information, or to register for this event, please visit, www.historicvermont.org.

Smart Growth in Action: Kingsbury Farm Meets Vermont Foodbank

Kingsbury Farm

The twenty-acre Kingsbury Community Farm, located in Warren along the Mad River, is about to be transformed into the ultimate working farm, thanks to a recent sale agreement between the Vermont Land Trust and the Vermont Foodbank.

The Vermont Land Trust purchased the farm in 2007, after residents and community organizations supported the continuation of farming on the site. Supporters, including the Town of Warren, the Mad River Localvore Project, the Mad River Vally Planning District and Friends of the Mad River, rallied together to raise $495,000.

The Vermont Foodbank plans to grow root crops for local and statewide food banks. The property also holds a large farmhouse and basement, which provides a perfect root cellar, a garage and barn. Other plans for the farm include renovating the old barn into a community meeting space, a winter farmers market and an educational exhibit that will focus on the connection between agriculture and hunger.

The idea of a community organization utilizing a working farm is an innovative approach. In the end, the long term impact of this project will mean more hungry families will be fed and our working landscape will remain in productive use.

Community Spotlight: Manchester

Photo by: Lee Krohn

Manchester, VT, located along Route 7A, and nestled at the base of Mount Equinox, boasts an old-world style village and is most notably home to Robert Todd Lincoln's summer estate, Hildene. Preserved on 412 acres, this historic landmark offers a variety of activities, including concerts, an annual craft fair, regular bird walks, and ski and snowshoe trails. Manchester is also close to several ski mountains, making it one of the most popular destinations for out of state visitors.

Manchester is home to many well known retail outlets and locally owned artisan shops. Yet if you drive or walk through the village, you'll notice that these stores have been built to blend in, thanks to a community that sought to develop in line with the town's character. To accommodate the many visitors that are attracted to the shops, the Town created a 'park and walk' system - attractive parking areas are integrated into a walkway system. Manchester plans to establish demarcated bike lanes and put up 'share the road' signs to increase accessibility for bicyclists.

Manchester is dedicated to conserving the surrounding environment through partnerships with neighboring communities and the Vermont Land Trust. In 2000, town leaders created the Manchester Community Land Trust to educate local land owners about the benefits of donating land to be preserved.

Over the last couple of decades, Manchester has evolved and transformed. Still a popular tourist stop, it is also a town with a strong sense of community where people choose to stay and put down roots.

Vermonters Value Rural Landscape

According to a survey conducted by the Council on the Future of Vermont and the Center for Rural Studies, 97% of 699 respondents value the state's working landscape. On the same note, one of the top five challenges residents believe faces Vermont is maintaining the health and viability of the agricultural sector. The survey is just one tool the Council on the Future of Vermont is using to get a sense of what is important to Vermonters. You can submit your ideas by visiting the Council on the Future of Vermont's website. You can also read more survey results.

Original Circ Highway Plan Re-surfaces

The battle over the Circ highway continues as State and Federal transportation officials agree that the original route planned between Interstate 89 and Vermont 117 is the best option for easing traffic congestion and avoiding conflicts with buildings and historic sites. A suit won by the Conservation Law Foundation in May 2004 halted construction and prompted an environmental impact statement, which was released in 2007, offering less invasive and more cost efficient alternatives to the original plan.

However, the US Army Corps of engineers have yet to weigh in. A last draft of the Circ report still needs to be completed, with another public comment period to follow and potential future court appeals -- all of which may further delay the highly contested project. Read more.

Amenity Migrants Transform US Resort Towns

Generally when we hear the word migrant, we think of people from other countries who come to live and work in the US. Yet many resort communities are experiencing an influx of "amenity migrants" -- Americans seeking their piece of "paradise."

This migration can cause a spike in growth and an increase in property values -- leaving many low and middle-income families few opportunities to buy a home in their own community. Families are forced to leave the area or live in neighboring towns and commute to their jobs.

NPR investigates this transformation in Flagstaff, Arizona, where one out of every four homes is sold to a second homeowner, and what it means for the future of the community. To listen, visit www.npr.org.

Wal-Mart Supports Locally Grown Food?

Yes, it's true. Wal-Mart recently announced that it will carry locally grown produce in their mega stores. But what exactly does "locally grown" mean to such a large corporation? According to a Wal-Mart representative, local means statewide, so if you live in Southern California, produce could still travel hundreds of miles to reach a store's produce shelves.

So what has prompted this shift in business practices? The corporation says they can save considerably on fuel costs, and they also understand that there is a growing desire by consumers to buy local. The full story can be viewed at www.npr.org.

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E-News September 2008

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