WRC Newsletter: Spring 2021

The WRC, in collaboration with Two-Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission, Mount Ascutney Regional Commission, and the Vermont Public Service Department, is hosting a public forum on the newly-launched update process to the Statewide Comprehensive Energy Plan. The regional meeting is a chance to hear input from municipalities and local officials on key energy issues, elements, challenges, and considerations unique to our area of Vermont.

The Southeastern Vermont Regional Forum is on June 1, 2021 from 4-6 p.m. To join this remote meeting, follow this Zoom link.

For further details on the VT Energy Plan and the update process click here.

WRC to Host Training Session on Basics of Town Planning

The WRC will host a virtual training session on June 15, 2021 at 6:00 PM on the basic elements of town land use planning and regulation.

The presentation will provide information for town boards, officials, and interested others about the reasons for and mechanics of developing a town plan and regulations to implement it, including the procedural requirements towns must follow to adopt plans and bylaws. This is intended to be an introduction for those who are relatively new to town planning and a refresher for those with more experience.

For further information contact John Bennett at (802) 257-4547 X 110.

Next Up for Looking Forward Webinars: Rich Earth Institute - Urine Diversion As A Community Wastewater System Tool

The next webinar in WRC’s Looking Forward series will host the Rich Earth Institute to present the latest on their research into the use of urine diversion systems as a community wastewater system tool, and its potential for reducing surface and groundwater pollution by recycling nutrients. This webinar will be held on June 16^th at 4:00 PM on Zoom. It will be presented by Ivan Ussach, Executive Director of the Rich Earth Institute, and Kim Nace, CEO of Rich Earth LLC. Please join us if you are interested in learning more about this alternative approach to addressing wastewater issues. Look for an upcoming announcement with a registration link in your email box. Contact sue Westa for more information (swesta@windhamregional.org).

In April 2021 WRC held a third webinar in the series, this one on Conservation Subdivisions. Conservation Subdivisions can allow more flexibility than traditional subdivision design and can be used to protect important natural resources and open space in your town. This type of subdivision allows the same number of lots that are allowed by your town’s land use regulations, however the lots are clustered more tightly together, allowing other areas to remain undeveloped. This is just another tool that your community can use to address resource protection. To learn more about this and previous webinars, please click here.

Remembering Kendall Gifford

We were saddened to learn of the passing of our former colleague, Kendall Gifford. Kendall was with the WRC from 1991 until he retired in 2012. A kind soul, he worked on affordable housing and bicycle and pedestrian issues. We offer our gratitude for his service and our condolences to his family.

Most Recent

Executive Orders

from the Governor

The COVID-19 pandemic is a constantly changing situation with new policies and regulations being implemented daily.

Click Here for the most recent Governor's Executive Order.

WRC STAFF

Chris Campany

Executive Director

Ext. 106

John Bennett

Associate Director

Ext. 110

Ashley Collins

Office Manager

Ext. 107

Inessa Muse

Finance Manager

Ext. 103

Colin Bratton

Regional Transportation Planner

Ext. 109

Lisa Donnelly

Transportation Planning Tech

Ext. 114

Margo Ghia

Planner

Ext. 116

Jeff Nugent

Senior Planner

Ext. 111

Alyssa Sabetto

Senior Planner

Ext. 113

Susan Westa

Senior Planner

Ext. 108

WRC Intends to Readopt Current Regional Plan. Public Hearings Scheduled

The Windham Regional Commission (WRC) intends to readopt its current regional plan, originally adopted September 30, 2014, and subsequently amended on April 24, 2018 to include the Windham Regional Energy Plan. Per 24 V.S.A. § 4348b, a regional plan that has expired or is about to expire may be readopted as provided under section 4348 for the adoption of a regional plan or amendment. Prior to readoption, the regional planning commission is required to prepare an assessment report which is then submitted to the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and the municipalities within the region. At its meeting on March 30, 2021, the Full Commission voted unanimously to send this regional plan assessment to each Windham Region town and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. The assessment report is available here.

The readoption process does not change any aspect, language, policies, goals, or objectives of the current regional plan that is in effect, and that will continue to be in effect upon readoption. The purpose of the plan readoption is to give the WRC the time it needs to effectively and meaningfully engage with the towns and the public of the region in a substantial update to the regional plan. Without readoption the current plan would expire on September 30, 2022. Readoption will allow the WRC to take the time that is necessary to update the regional plan, which we anticipate will take 18 to 24 months after the current plan is readopted.

Two public hearings on the regional plan assessment and the plan readoption will be held June 22^nd at 12:00 p.m. noon and June 23^rd at 5:30 p.m., with the intent of having a vote on the plan readoption by the Full Commission at its meeting on June 29^th. The warning for the plan readoption hearings can be found here.

Comments on this regional plan assessment should be sent to wrc@windhamregional.org no later than June 21^st, 2021. Please contact Executive Director Chris Campany with any questions or call (802) 257-4547 x106.

From the Chair: Commission Meetings During the Summer

Earlier this month the Executive Board asked staff to survey Commissioners about the value and importance of both in-person and remote meetings. The responses reflected appreciation of the opportunity to meet in person, especially for committee meetings, and the ability to have the remote meeting choice. At its meeting last week on May 11^th, the Executive Board discussed the survey findings and how meetings should be approached during the summer months and the remainder of the year.

The Board recognized that staff and Commissioners alike will no doubt have personal priorities as social distancing requirements are relaxed and getting together with family and friends (and just getting out of the house!) becomes easier. For this reason, the Board is asking that committees meet only as necessary to address pressing business during the months of June through August, and that regular meeting schedules resume in September. That being said, if committee members feel there is pressing business to be discussed, they should raise that business with the committee chair.

Similarly, the Board intends to hold Full Commission meetings in June, to readopt the regional plan, and September, to conduct the annual meeting to approve the FY2022 budget, elect officers and Executive Board members, and to elect Citizen Interest Commissioners. The June meeting will be remote only (unless the Governor’s emergency order is completely lifted by then), and the September meeting will be in-person. The Board is also considering whether or not the September meeting should be something of a celebratory event with food and fellowship, or whether that might be better held in October. A Commissioner Orientation will be held in late-August or September.

Beginning in September the intent is to resume a more structured committee meeting schedule that will allow both in-person and remote attendance (i.e., hybrid meetings). During the summer months we will develop hybrid meeting best practices to ensure effective and equitable meeting access and discussion. We also hope to equip the WRC conference room with equipment to support smooth meeting operations. Beginning January 2022, we anticipate most Full Commission meetings will also be hybrid meetings.

Please contact me or Executive Director Chris Campany with any questions.

Gabby Ciuffreda, Chair

ANR Hosting Virtual Conversation about the Vermont Climate Council

Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) Secretary Julie Moore invites the public to join her on May 25 from 4:00-5:00 PM for a virtual conversation about climate change in Vermont. Secretary Moore will talk about the work of the Vermont Climate Council and provide an update on the upcoming Climate Action Plan. WRC Executive Director Chris Campany serves on the Council, its Steering Committee, and its Just Transitions Subcommittee.

“Many of the activities and pursuits that define Vermont, from maple sugaring to skiing to agriculture and forestry, are climate sensitive. And the work needed to do our part to address climate change is big. Achieving Vermont’s climate action goals will affect many aspects of our everyday lives – from how we get from place to place to the things we grow to the goods we produce. It is therefore essential to engage as many Vermonters as possible in this work,” said Secretary Moore.

Last year, the Vermont Legislature passed the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), which created legally binding emission reduction targets. The Act requires the state to reduce greenhouse gas pollution to 26% below 2005 levels by 2025. Emissions would need to be 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80% below by 2050. In addition to the emission reductions required by the statute, the law also directs the Council to consider opportunities for long-term carbon sequestration and enhance the resilience of Vermont’s communities and ecosystems. In service of the GWSA, the Legislature created a Vermont Climate Council charged with developing a Climate Action Plan by December 1 of this year that lays out an implementation strategy for the transformative change required by the statute.

Secretary Moore will be joined by Jane Lazorchak, the State’s Global Warming Solutions Act Director. At the meeting, Jane will discuss the work of the Climate Council, including the effort to stand up the subcommittees where the majority of the strategies and recommendations will be developed for the Council to consider, as well as the ongoing public engagement opportunities which provide Vermonters a seat at the table in informing this work from the onset.

While the meeting will begin with a conversation on climate change, it will not be limited to this topic. The Secretary encourages Vermonters to bring their questions and concerns about a wide range of natural resources topics to the meeting.

Join the public meeting virtually or by phone by calling (802) 828-7667 (code: 868107321). To learn more about the work of the Vermont Climate Council click here. For more information about this conversation, please visit the event page.

Newly Released Natural Resource Tools for Municipalities

The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources recently released a series of resources that might be of interest to municipalities in our region. There is great information in these short fact sheets and videos for road foremen, municipal officials, conservation commissions, town forest managers, trail builders and more.

If you have Natural Resource projects you are contemplating in your town, WRC can help you connect with appropriate resources. Contact Natural Resource Planner Margo Ghia at 802-257-4547 ext 116.

The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) proudly announces the launch of an online training for Municipal officials. Sixteen informative videos, most around 10-minutes long, are intended to help new, and not-so-new, municipal officials learn about ANR’s work and the tools available to help communities.
Here is a short (less than 5 minutes) video that can be shared with all of your Town’s Road Foreman (men and women) on culvert work and what might need a permit (Wetland/Streams).
Here is a resource on trails; new guidance document and video! Many towns are looking to develop trail systems. What might require a wetland permit: and if you are a visual learner.
Catwalks/boardwalks/docks.

GMP Proposes Use of Pole Socks Statewide

Green Mountain Power (GMP) attended the December 2020 WRC Project Review Committee (PRC) meeting to discuss the relocation of approximately 5700’ of power line along Weatherhead Hollow Road in Guilford which required an Act 250 permit (2W1365). The District 2 Environmental Commission (DEC2) had proposed to permit GMP to use alternate pole materials for several poles that were within wetland or wetland buffer. GMP was resistant to this proposed permit condition, wanting instead to continue to use chemical treated penta poles, and they called for a hearing. Because of this seeming impasse, the PRC suggested to GMP the consideration of the use of plastic ‘pole socks’ as a way to both use penta poles and prevent seepage to the surrounding environment. Pole socks are impermeable plastic barriers, an example is here. GMP expressed interest, but indicated they had not used pole socks in the past, only pole sleeves. Sleeves, however, are open on the bottom and thus would not solve the situation here. Encouraged by the response, Alyssa brought the pole sock idea up again at the virtual Act 250 hearing on December 3^rd.

The idea gained momentum at the hearing and prevailed in the permit. The Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order indicated that the Commission would allow GMP to use pole socks on two poles of concern, but will also require a 5-year monitoring plan for seven poles so that water quality is monitored and the effectiveness of the plastic pole coverings can be ascertained.

GMP responded to the DEC2 stating that they will make a new practice of using protective pole socks on all poles within 50 feet of streams or wetlands statewide—not just in DEC2 territory. This is a positive outcome going forward for future permits. As a result, GMP just received another permit (2W1347) for a realignment project in Athens that had been held up for nearly 3½ years because of similar issues as in the Guilford case.

These permits being issued will help those living in Guilford and Athens to get the needed upgrades to their power infrastructure completed, while doing so in an environmentally sensitive manner. GMP deserves credit for their proposal, as this is something that they could have continued to appeal in both instances. Instead, this compromise will speed up their permit applications, protect the lifespan of their poles, protect the surrounding environment from leeching chemicals, and will mean quicker upgrades to the power grid in numerous cases.

For more information please reach out to Alyssa Sabetto.

New England Youth Theater Project Approved and Brownfields Areawide Plan Team Selected

WRC’s Brownfields Committee approved additional cleanup work for the New England Youth Theater (NEYT) at its April meeting. NEYT has been working since 2009 to assess and cleanup their site at the intersection of Flat and Elm Streets in Brattleboro. This site housed an automobile repair and paint shop, a livery, and other industrial uses over the years. Most of the site has been redeveloped, except for the building on Elm St., which has a dilapidated cinder block addition built in 1965. The recently approved brownfields funding will be used to cleanup contamination in the cinder block addition prior to demolition. Once demolished the site will be redeveloped as a small gathering space and performance area.

At a Special Meeting of the Brownfields Committee in March, a consultant team was selected from our prequalified environmental consultant list to develop a Brownfields Areawide Plan for Bellows Falls. The Areawide Plan will consider potential brownfields work on the Bellows Falls Island and “Under the Hill” (adjacent to the power station) and develop a vision plan for the future of the area. The team selected includes Nobis Engineering and Stevens and Associates. The project kicked off in April with a meeting with town leaders. Next steps will include a community engagement process to identify priorities, as well as the development of conceptual plans at key sites in the area.

NEYT Cinder Block Addition to be Demolished

State Transportation Project Prioritization Process Now More Inclusive of Town Needs

VTrans is running a pilot program that allows towns to ask for projects to be included in the State of Vermont State Infrastructure program. Known as the VTrans Project Selection & Prioritization Pilot program, or VPSP2 for short, the process for the first time allows towns to tell VTrans what paving, road reconstruction, or intersection safety projects are needed. Next year the process will include bridges and other projects. The VTrans Capital Program is the main funding source for major infrastructure projects in the state.

VPSP2 is run through the state's 11 regional planning commissions. This year the WRC reached out to towns to solicit projects. To qualify they generally need to be projects on state roads, Class 1 town roads, or town roads that are major connectors. This process was one-way in the past, with VTrans telling each region which projects were available for consideration and prioritization. This year two projects were sent to VTrans as a result of the solicitation: Weston, which proposed traffic calming at the intersection of Route 100 and Park Street; and Brattleboro, which would like to pave Route 9 from the intersection Main Street downtown to the beginning of the State Highway in West Brattleboro. VTrans will announce which town projects were accepted in August. For more information contact Colin Bratton.

I Can See Clearly Now, Our Region’s Villages

The Windham Region’s villages, downtowns, and resort areas had a big photo op in the spring of 2020, and the results are now out: more detailed orthophotos, or aerial photographs, for about 100 square miles of the most developed portions of the region. These new higher-resolution images (15 centimeter pixels) will support mapping, planning, and economic development work in these areas.

For a look at these new photos, you can check out our Lidar and Orthophoto Viewer, or go directly to a dedicated 2020 15cm viewer here, where you can zoom into your area of interest, and click on the swipe tool in the upper left corner: swipe left to reveal the lower resolution 2019 images, and swipe right to see the newer, higher resolution 2020 images.

Basketball & Tennis Courts, Leland & Gray Union High School

Townshend, VT

Vernon Dam Fish Ladder

Vernon, VT

From The Director

ARPA – We’re here to help. (And a thought on developing housing…)

As we all learn more about how the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding can be used by towns, we’re here to help make sense of it all along with our colleagues at the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, the region’s regional development corporation. We’ll be able to have one-on-one conversations with towns, and will be hosting workshops to address subjects that towns will likely have in common.

One subject we hear A LOT about from many towns is the desire to have more housing, and not just any housing. What we’re hearing is you want more housing that is affordable built in your community – housing for younger people (including your friends and children and grandchildren), for older people who want to downsize, for employees (“I can’t hire anyone because they can’t find a place to live.”), and for new residents. We’re hearing about the need for housing for all.

We’re going to partner with the Windham and Windsor Housing Trust to have a discussion within the region about what it takes to make housing beyond custom built homes possible. Spoiler alert! Development of affordable housing at any meaningful scale depends upon the existence of community water and wastewater infrastructure. There’s no way around it. It’s a foundational requirement (pun kinda intended). In its absence it’s virtually impossible to build housing at a scale that pencils out financially to meet the budget of developers, builders, and renters or buyers alike. This infrastructure is also necessary so that housing can be located where it makes sense. These days, that means in walking distance to things like the post office, groceries, a place to eat, and a bank or ATM. All the better if there’s also entertainment, green space or parks, lodging, and other amenities nearby. And having more people living near these things means a customer base to make them viable and sustainable, which benefits everyone. Without basic infrastructure in your community, you’re not going to be able to develop housing at a significant scale. If you’re not willing or able to have the infrastructure discussion, you’re really not willing or able to have the housing discussion. Sorry for the tough love, but it’s true. It’s one of those sometimes hard but necessary discussions a community needs to have if you are serious about housing development. I’ll note here that if you’ve already got the infrastructure, we’re happy to help you review your zoning and subdivision bylaws to see if they promote or deter housing development.

So as you think about how the ARPA funding is best used within your community – this once in a generation influx of funding – I hope you’ll think about your community’s needs now and into the future, and how to leverage the ARPA funding to make it go as far as possible. For some needs or projects, it may make sense to engage with your neighboring towns. Whatever you're considering, we're here to help you with your deliberations, including inter-municipal discussions. And unlike the CARES Act funding, you have time. You need to spend your ARPA funds by December 31, 2024. Please let me know how we can help (ccampany@windhamregional.org; (802) 257-4547 x106).

Windham Regional Commission

Address: 139 Main Street, Suite 505

Brattleboro, VT 05301

Phone: (802) 257-4547

Fax: (802) 254-6383

Website: www.windhamregional.org

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