Vermont Route 116 in Starksboro and Hinesburg is slated for re-paving by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) in 2013. This pilot project, led by the Addison and Chittenden County Regional Planning Commissions, injects aquatic organism passage (AOP) assessment and design into the planned culvert replacements on Vermont 116. The primary objective of this project is to identify structures where subtle and inexpensive design changes such as small increases to pipe size or re-setting of the culvert can improve fish passage so that these changes can be readily incorporated into planned culvert replacements. The ultimate goal of this work is to incorporate fish passage improvements into regular paving operations around the state.

This report provides an analysis of the natural resources of Chittenden County, the trends that have emerged, and recommendations for actions related to natural resource management and protection that support the sustained long term health, function and value of these resources.

CCRPC contracted with TranSystems / E.H. Pechan & Associates and the Center for Climate Strategies to assist CCRPC in understanding how a host of issues related to climate change, energy and air quality planning are being addressed in other regions and to recommend a strategy for CCRPC to follow in advancing their GHG program.

Consistent with JRH.19, from the outset of this process, the Natural Resources Board (NRB) and the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) explored a variety of approaches and options for improving environmental protection in Vermont. The NRB and ANR heard from a wide cross-section of people from around the state, many of whom have experienced the permitting process first-hand. We also heard from other agencies and branches of state government. The public comments made clear that (1) Act 250, and in particular, the District Commission process works quite well; (2) ANR can improve some of its processes through internal changes; and (3) the appeals process needs major improvements.

This manual encompasses the joint effort of the towns of Jericho and Essex to assess each town’s scenic roadscapes and find ways to protect world-class views through individual and joint regulatory and non-regulatory means.

This report was prepared by the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission to be a primer on air quality issues affecting Chittenden County. The purpose of this report is to inform and guide the boards of the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission in prioritizing Work Program tasks related to air quality. Additionally, the report identifies strategies that individuals, employers and municipalities can implement to improve air quality in Chittenden County.

The Chittenden County Open Space Plan (OSP) is being undertaken to; 1. Provide public, private organizations, and government officials with the information and insights needed to make responsible decisions and informed policies concerning the County open space system; 2. Facilitate local efforts to prioritize and target non-regulatory strategies to implement local conservation plans; and; 3. Achieve the necessary levels of coordination to support the protection and enhancement of the County open space system. The protection and enhancement of the County’s open space system will help to ensure the health of the County ecosystems, support the economy, and improve quality-of-life.

Act 200 was a landmark growth management law both in Vermont and in national planning history. It sought to fill the planning gap left in Act 250 to encourage growth decisions to take place through public, community-wide consensus, ahead of the project-by-project permit process. Fifteen years after its passage, the notable gap is state agency coordination and planning a piece of the law that faded away early in its implementation.

This white paper is intended to provide decision makers with an understanding of (1) The impacts of stormwater on the quality of Chittenden County’s surface waters and (2) The features of stormwater management policies and regulations. This brief paper is not intended to furnish the final word on these subjects. Rather, it presents a foundation of basic information in order to foster reflection and further discussion.

The goals of Regional Public Sewage Treatment Capacity Study are (1) to develop an understanding of the current capacity of the public sewer infrastructure for supporting these services, (2) to provide this information to local and regional entities, and (3) to use this knowledge to examine the infrastructure’s capacity for absorbing future growth. All findings presented in this Study reflect data for the calendar year 2000 and consider only public facilities.