Municipal Planning Resources

 

Find all Census and and American Community Survey data here: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/

 

Get state, county, and community-level data: housingdata.org

 

BioFinder: A map and database identifying Vermont's lands and waters supporting high priority ecosystems, natural communities, habitats, and species.

 

Chapter 117: Also known as "the Vermont Planning and Development Act," this is the Vermont statute that regulates regional and municipal planning and zoning.

 

Development Review Boards: What are they, and how do they work? Also attached is a reference sheet for running fair and effective development review hearings.

 

Facilitating Economic Development: Directing economic development to existing downtowns and village centers can be a smart step in creating a sustainable future. A community-led focus on downtown and village center revitalization can improve building stock, municipal services, and the tax base. This presentation provides guidance on facilitating economic development in downtowns and village centers -- the components and resources for effective grass-roots economic development planning.

 

Facilitating Innovative Agricultural Enterprises: Considerations and Example Language for Vermont Municipalities (Vermont Law School Land Use Clinic)

 

Flood Resilience: Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources online resource for local flood resilience planning.

 

Sustaining Agriculture: A Handbook for Local Action: Originally published as a supplement to the Planning Manual for Vermont Municipalities back in 1994, this resource for preserving agriculture and farmland in Vermont's communities is still timely.

 

Town Highway Maps: provided by the Vermont Agency of Transportation.

 

Town Plan and Bylaw Adoption Tools: Forms and checklists for municipal plan and bylaw preparation and adoption. Addresses sections 4385 and 4441-4447 of 24 V.S.A Chapter 117. A MUST -- Consult this before you start the adoption process! (Microsoft Word Document)

 

Vermont Planning Information Center: A huge resource of manuals, handbooks and other resources on land use planning and implementation and flood resilience planning.

 

Vermont Population Projections, 2010-2030. By age and county, and by town and city. Released by the State of Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, August 2013.