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.

The objective of the Waterfront South Access Project is to develop alternatives for access and circulation to and within the Waterfront South area with a primary objective of promoting economic development. To facilitate the development of the Waterfront South area, the emphasis in this project is to develop a street network, supported with appropriate municipal and transportation infrastructure that will in turn foster private commercial investment.

This report summarizes the results of the analysis and records the recommendations of the most appropriate alignment for a trail easement traversing across the Big Oak property subdivision linking the Champlain Valley Co-housing (CVC) property with Thompsons Point Road. This report is part of the approval process of the easement, as well as the overall Trails Vision Plan of the Town.

As part of the approval of the Champlain Valley Co-housing project (CVC) the Planning Commission secured a trail easement across the property linking Route 7 with Greenbush Road. This report summarizes the results of the analysis and records the recommendations of the most appropriate alignment.

In October 2010, CCRPC was awarded a Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant from the Partnership of Sustainable Communities (US Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Transportation (DOT), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). One of the major deliverables of the grant is an updated and enhanced Chittenden County Regional Plan. With these new resources, The Plan will be enhanced and improved to address economic development, housing choice and affordability, energy and climate change impacts, healthy communities and food systems. The enhanced Plan will involve a greater focus on sustainable development performance measures and outcomes and active engagement with many important regional and local partners to identify and implement strategies to improve Chittenden County’s long-term sustainability. CCRPC will consider the Regional Plan for adoption in Spring 2013.

The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission [CCRPC] has prepared this Chittenden County Natural Areas Planning Guide in order to; 1. Document and explain the importance of protecting and enhancing natural areas in Chittenden County using a Countywide perspective, 2. Identify key strategies for enhancing the County’s capacity to protect and enhance well-functioning natural areas, and 3. Provide information about tools that may be used to implement these strategies.

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.

Fair housing laws are intended to ensure that people have equal access to housing that meets their needs. These laws prevent housing discrimination and enable the people who experience it to seek redress for the wrong done to them. Fair housing laws also protect all property owners and residents from being victimized by destructive discriminatory practices (such as steering potential residents to certain neighborhoods) that all-too-often diminish property values and destroy communities.

Strategic planning is a process used by an organization to systematically consider how its policies, special projects, and ongoing programs should be guided by overarching strategies to achieve organizational success in light of expected future conditions. Just as CCRPC adopted the 2006 Chittenden County Regional Plan to promote the success of Chittenden County, CCRPC has adopted this Strategic Plan to promote its own organizational success.