STATE OF VERMONT

UNIQUE STRATEGIES and/or POLICIES PROMOTING “SMART GROWTH”

Act 250 (1970): ten criteria (with many “sub-criteria”) guiding regulatory review by citizen boards of larger development, including:

Criterion 9(A) Impact of growth, 9(H) Costs of scattered development, 9(K) Development affecting public investments, 9(L) Rural growth areas and criterion 10... conformance with duly adopted local or regional plan.

Land Gains Tax (1973, amended 1987): enacted to discourage short-term speculation in land.

A tax on the profit of a land sale, graduated to discourage short-term ownership of 6 years or less. In 1987, the law was amended to further target land acquisition and sale occurring within 4 months.

Act 200 (1988) added the municipal, regional and state planning framework of 12 goals, including:

1. To plan development so as to maintain the historic settlement pattern of compact village and urban centers separated by rural countryside.

(A) Intensive residential development should be encouraged primarily in areas related to community centers, and strip development along highways should be discouraged.

(B) Economic growth should be encouraged in locally designated growth areas, or employed to revitalize existing village and urban centers, or both.

(C) Public investments, including the construction or expansion of infrastructure, should reinforce the general character and planned growth patterns of the area.

Housing & Conservation Trust Fund (1987): Providing for protection/conservation of open lands, historic properties and affordable housing, resulting in:

- $142 million appropriated with, on average, each dollar leveraging three more

- providing for almost 6,500 affordable housing units, 75% of which are located in traditional downtowns

- 255 farms comprising about 85,000 acres, and

- another almost 250,000 acres of natural areas and important recreation land...

Growth Centers Pilot Project (1993-95) which recommended changes in state policy, including the following since achieved:

HUD Consolidated Plan (1995): includes priorities on applying both HOME and CDBG funds to projects in downtowns and planning for both downtowns and growth centers

Vermont Highway Standards (1997): flexible design standards (primarily focused on lane and shoulder widths) with greater sensitivity to the adjacent environment

Access Management (1998): criteria to consider in granting permits for curb cuts on state highways was broadened to include consistency with the state’s land use goals and conformance with state agency plans, any regional plan and approved municipal plan.

Property Tax Reform (1998): enacted in response to court decision concerned with unequal local educational resources, but the tax sharing provisions will affect local land use decisions.

The Vermont Downtown Program (1994 and 2002): State program to enhance and protect the vitality of Vermont’s downtowns. Provides training and technical assistance to communities, helping them develop skills and strategies for downtown revitalization. In 1998, the Downtown Development Act provided benefits to communities whose downtowns were designated by meeting thresholds, ensuring community investment in downtown revitalization. In 2002, “new town centers” and “village centers” were defined and added to expand some benefits of the downtown program to other densely-settled, mixed-use areas not able to meet the downtown definition.

Interstate Interchange Policy (1999): to encourage development and/or conservation of land at the interchanges which will be consistent with state land use goals.

Interstate Interchange Executive Order (2001): formal action by Governor Dean to guide state agency decisions on planning for and responding to development proposed at Vermont 52 interstate interchanges.

8/02 VT DHCA

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