Upcoming Events

VCRD Leadership Summit -

August 15, 2023 – Vermont State University - Randolph, VT

Nothing gets done in Vermont communities without the people who put themselves on the line for their town and for the issues they care about. The Summit will bring together these dedicated community builders from across the State, along with people from the non-profit, business, and government sectors to provide training in useful skills, work together on practical solutions for local initiatives, make new connections, and share ideas for our collective future. All who care about their community and the future of our state are encouraged to attend.

The Summit will be structured into 3 participation tracks:

 ·   Skill Up! - Practical skills for community builders including facilitation, communications and decision-making processes

·   Get it Done - Project design, budgeting, community engagement and all the skills you need to take your project/idea from start to finish

·   What’s Next? - Panels and discussions about Vermont’s future

The tracks are just a guide – participants are welcome to attend the sessions most interesting or useful to their work and interests. Registration is $50 per person, with options available for partial or no payment, if needed, by using promo code "PARTIAL" (for $25) or "FRIEND" (for no cost) at checkout. This is an event that is meant to be accessible to all without financial barriers.

Visit vtrural.org/summit to find out more. We hope to see you there! Register Today

H.171, Veto Session Legislation – Effective Date Amendments to Act 47 (S.100, 2023)

The effective dates in Act 47 (S.100, 2023) are amended by H.171, 2023 during the Vermont Legislature’s 2023 Veto Session on June 20, 2022.

The language of the amendment, combined with the original bill is as follows:

“2023 Acts and Resolves No. 47, Sec. 47 is amended to read:

Sec. 47. EFFECTIVE DATES

This act shall take effect on July 1, 2023, except that:

(1) Secs. Sec. 1 (24 V.S.A. § 4414) and 2 (24 V.S.A. § 4412) shall take effect on December 1, 2024, except for subdivision (1)(D) of Sec. 2, which shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

(2) Sec. 3 (24 V.S.A. § 4413) shall take effect on September 1, 2023.

(3) Sec. 46 (lead inspectors) shall take effect on passage.

Pending the Governor’s signature of H.171, the following effective dates will now apply:

Upon passage:         Sec. 46 on lead inspections;

July 1, 2023:             Sec. 2 on required provisions and prohibited effects & all other sections not otherwise listed below;

September 1, 2023:  Sec. 3 on limited regulation of emergency shelters;

December 1, 2024:   Sec. 1 on parking requirements.

Municipalities should carefully examine the entirety of Act 47 to understand the effects on municipal permit approvals and processes. The Department of Housing and Community Development has developed a preliminary summary of the Act, which can be found on the Department’s website under Vermont HOME Act of 2023, Act 47 (S.100).

Village Center Designation Renewal - Town of Williamstown

Congratulations to the Town of Williamstown on its recent Village Center designation boundary amendment and renewal.

Some of the benefits included in this designation include priority consideration for various grants, tax credits, and technical assistance provided by the state to support local village revitalization and planning efforts.

CVRPC is here to support the towns in our region as they pursue such designations and/or renewals.

Woodbury's "Plan of the Year"

Thomas “Skip” Lindsay of Woodbury receiving the award from Scott Grimm-Lyon, AICP, Awards Committee Chair, Vermont Planning Association (and planner at BCRC.)

The Vermont Planning Association has awarded the Woodbury Planning Commission and the Town of Woodbury the “Plan of the Year” for its Town Plan,  Vision for the Future, 2021 Town Plan of Woodbury VT. The Awards Committee Chair of the Vermont Planning Association stated to Woodbury in his award email: “Your dedication and hard work have truly made a meaningful and long-lasting impact on your community and the state of Vermont.” The plan was developed and written by CVRPC staff and the town planning commission.