Safe Tree Removal Workshop

August 15, 2023 | 9 am - 3 pm - Old Shelter, Hubbard Park, Montpelier

The Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program is offering hands-on workshops for municipal highway crews, state and municipal parks staff, public work crews, and other grounds crews that include tree removal in their work. The workshop trains participants to use ropes to safely guide trees to the ground while keeping workers out of the strike zone.

Continuing education credits may be available. Contact Joanne.Garton@vermont.gov for details. Register here!

2023 Vermont Community Leadership Summit

August 15, 2023

Summit Program Updates from VCRD

This has been a difficult summer, and it has shown how resilient and important community is in Vermont. The Community Leadership Summit is next week and as we continue to adapt programming we have three updates to share.

First, we’ve added a panel focused on the road ahead for flood recovery with terrific, thoughtful people at the community, regional, and statewide level. That group includes the State’s newly appointed Chief Recovery Officer Doug Farnham along with Bill Moore from the Town of Bradford, Clarissa French from the Lamoille County United Way and the Lamoille Flood Response Team, and Chris Campany from the Windham County Regional Planning Commission.

Second, we are appreciative that Senator Welch has changed his schedule to join us for the Summit opening to share some of what he is seeing across Vermont and at the national level.

And third, we have added a Flood Experience Circle of Support from 2:45-4:00pm for those impacted by the flooding, taking part in the response, or are interested.

Walk in registrations are welcome. Doors open at 8am Tuesday, August 15 at the Vermont State University Randolph Campus (formerly Vermont Technical College). Visit website for the full agenda and list of speakers.

CVRPC Welcomes New Planners

We are excited to welcome two new planners to our team - Lincoln Frasca, Natural Resources Planner and Elaine (Eli) Toohey, Community Development Planner.

Lincoln provides support to our Clean Water Service Provider and water quality programs. He assists municipalities to plan and implement projects and programs involving water and mineral resources, agriculture, forests, and wildlife habitat and habitat connectors; foster a robust working landscape economy; and address invasive species impacts.

Eli provides technical assistance and additional capacity to our municipalities, growing our Brownfields assessment program, supporting our regional economic development program, and providing leadership on other special projects, including grant writing and grant administration. collaborate with our municipalities to create strong local economies and vibrant communities.

We hope you have the opportunity to work with them soon!

FEMA PA Applicant Briefing

If your municipality was unable to attend a FEMA PA applicant briefing the week of 7/31– 8/4, watch the recording and review the presentation materials on VLCT’s webpage.

Administering your flood hazard regulations Training Video Available

If you missed our training on administering your flood hazard regulations: making Substantial Damage (SD) Determinations and Substantial Improvement (SI) Determinations Training, a slide deck and video of the training is available on our website.

CVRPC's Flood Resources

We continue to upload resource information to our website at 2023 Flood Event Resources Please do not hesitate to contact us @ cvrpc@cvregion.com

Debris in Your ROWs? Let the State of VT Help You!

If your residents have flood debris and you need help removing it from your municipality's right of way (ROW), then this expense is eligible for FEMA Public Assistance (PA) program reimbursement. To make things easier for you, your municipality can enter into a Memo of Understanding (MOU) with the State of Vermont (SOV) and arrange to have this debris collected. If you would like to make arrangements to do this, email: steven.young@vermont.gov.

Send Your Flood Recovery Questions to ADM.2023floods@Vermont.gov

Email any questions related to flooding events, flood recovery, and/or the FEMA Public Assistance (PA) program to this State of Vermont email address

RFPs & Grant Information

Community Partnership for Neighborhood Development Application is Live!

The division of Community Planning and Revitalization at DHCD is pleased to announce that a new grant program, the Community Partnership for Neighborhood Development, is now live.

The Community Partnership program is a competitive reimbursement grant program available to Vermont municipalities and non-profit organizations. It supports investments in the development of inclusive, smart-growth neighborhoods by funding municipal planning, site control, design, scoping, and surveying for the development of a pilot neighborhood.

A total of $900,000 in one-time funding is available for the program. Awards may range between $100,000 and $500,000. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted, and will be reviewed quarterly. The first review deadline is September 1.

For more information, and to access the full program overview and application materials, visit: Community Partnership for Neighborhood Development | Agency of Commerce and Community Development (vermont.gov).

Please reach out to Amy Tomasso (Amy.Tomasso@vermont.gov) with any questions

2024 Vermont Historic Preservation Grants

The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation is pleased to announce the 2024 round of matching state grants. Funding of up to $20,000 is available to non-profit organizations and municipalities for work on municipal buildings, historical society buildings, granges, churches, town halls, opera houses and other historic structures.

Eligible work includes restoration and repair of:

• Roofs
• Structural elements
• Foundations
• Windows
• Other important components of historic building

The 2024 Historic Preservation Grant Application and Manual are available at:

https://accd.vermont.gov/historic-preservation/funding/historic-preservation-grants

Applications are due Monday, October 2, 2023.

If you have any questions about the application materials, please email caitlin.corkins@vermont.gov or call Caitlin at 802-828-3047.

2024 Bylaw Modernization Grants

It is more important than ever that we work towards solving the housing crisis and making Vermont communities places everyone can call home. In addition to the Municipal Planning Grant cycle Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development announced last week, they are now announcing this year’s Bylaw Modernization Grant. The program’s details and simplified application are now available on their website.

Bylaw Modernization Grants offer communities up to $25,000 for single municipalities and up to $60,000 for multi-town consortiums who want to update their land use, development, and zoning bylaws in support of pedestrian-oriented development patterns that increase housing choice, affordability, and opportunities in areas planned in accordance with Vermont’s smart growth principles. And, if municipalities complete their project and adopt new bylaws within the two-year grant period, they receive full reimbursements for project costs, including the 10% local funding match.

Please review the Program Description for more information and use the Application Form to apply by November 1.

• September 30, 2023: deadline for RPC-confirmed planning process
• November 1, 2023: application deadline, 6 p.m.
• December 2023: award decisions
• January 1, 2024: grant term begins
• January 1, 2025: mid-project report due
• December 31, 2025: project completion and all funds spent
• January 31, 2026: final report and products submitted

If you have questions or want to talk through your project ideas, please contact Jacob Hemmerick at 802-828-5249 or Jenni Lavoie at 802-828-1948