After some deliberation, the commission determined that Twin Pines' proposal didn't sufficiently preserve trees and other natural resources, nor did it "create a more desirable environment." HTT Pw(AQvc8V[9'RWTHM$$! "I think exemptions to Act 250 are fundamentally a bad idea," Sen. Dick McCormack (D-Windsor) said. He notes that soil-based treatment systems pose a greater risk of polluting waterways or groundwater. Mary White lives in this neighborhood, and she came out for the walk because shes worried about what the housing crunch means for the future. The town owns a parcel along the river that is ideal for infill housing, but the restriction means it could not be exempted from Act 250 review. In a sense, these zoning-reform efforts are about "getting back to our roots," said Chris Cochran, director of community planning and revitalization in the Department of Housing and Community Development. The act does not seek to subject every decision regarding land to government scrutiny or impose restrictions on the alienation of land for their own sake, said the decision written by Vermont Supreme Court Associate Justice William Cohen. 2023 State of Vermont All rights reserved. Previously, she covered Rutland and Bennington counties for VTDigger, wrote for the Addison Independent and served as assistant editor of Vermont Sports and VT Ski + Ride magazines. Wages are low in this area, and costs are very high, said White. A related bill focusing on Act 250 reforms, S.234, would double the number of units allowed in exempt housing projects in small towns, to 50. According to the Vermont Housing Finance Agency, the average sale price for a single family home went up nearly 40% between 2019 and 2021. Well check it out and report the results. While we've appreciated the suggestions and insights, right now Seven Days is prioritizing our core mission producing high-quality, responsible local journalism over moderating online debates between readers. Bets are in. 0000038494 00000 n Vermont Laws People's views on the law are often based more on anecdotes than on data, said Sen. Chris Bray (D-Addison), chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee, and that makes consensus difficult to reach. VTDigger publishes stories about Vermont environmental issues, including water quality, toxic waste, climate change and biodiversity. Normal boundary line surveys do not need any approvals. 0000030791 00000 n Most small towns across Vermont, however, have not revamped their codes in decades. I don't want Hinesburg to look like that!'". Many towns have enough space for soil-based treatment systems, such as septic tanks with leach fields or mound systems, officials say. Around that time, towns adopted bylaws based on national policy guides whose recommendations generally favored single-family homes along wide, car-friendly streets. News + Opinion https:// Powerless to influence the cost of lumber or the soaring demand for housing from pandemic and climate migrants, lawmakers are increasingly eyeing one of the few factors they can control the thicket of state and local regulations. Opposing groups include two that were originally involved in the case the appellant and the Natural Resources Board, which administers Act 250 along with the Vermont Natural Resources Council and seven former Environmental Board and Natural Resources Board chairs. 0000001436 00000 n Curiously, a very small handful of Vermont's 1-acre towns actually have zoning, but have opted to keep their lower Act 250-triggering threshold. Get up to speed on the news Vermont is talking about, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.
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