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Perry, Debra

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources

2007

M.S.

The State of Vermont provides an interesting context in which to study land use planning and growth management. Though it has been called the most rural state in the US, an influx of new residents and second home-owners into the state in the past 30 years has led to increasing concern about land use and development patterns. Dispersed development patterns, commonly referred to as sprawl, are fragmenting the rural landscape, and resulting in negative environmental, social and economic impacts. In reaction to these development pressures, Vermont has instituted a number of land use regulations at the state level in an effort to maintain the historic pattern of compact villages surrounded by rural countryside. These state policies have encouraged planning at the local level, and more than three quarters of Vermont municipalities have adopted town plans. This research focuses on three Vermont towns, selected as case examples, experiencing growth and using planning and growth management tools to create or maintain a village center. The study was designed to understand the tools and strategies being utilized and to identify the challenges and limitations perceived by those engaged in planning at the local level. Using targeted interviews and document review, this research draws on the knowledge and experience of those responsible for town planning, namely the planning commissioners and staff planners, as well as observations of planning meetings and an analysis of planning documents. Findings indicate that all three communities rely heavily on a limited number of regulatory tools to achieve their land use goals and that the use of these tools is often uncoordinated both within and between communities. In the process of planning for village development, local planners encountered a number of challenges including physical constraints, a lack of planning capacity, and infrastructure limitations. The implications of these challenges and limitations are considered and recommendations for future land use policies are provided.