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Four Towns Receive Grants

To Help with Planning, Zoning

The state has awarded $880,407 in grants to 78 communities across the state for municipal planning and special projects ranging from a study of affordable housing to another on whether to merge three towns' emergency services.

The Municipal Planning Grants provide money to update town plans and for special projects, such as revitalizing White River Junction's downtown.

The Municipal and Regional Planning Fund was first established in 1988, and now offers grants of up to $15,000 to help Vermont municipalities develop their town plans, and to implement community planning projects.

This year the department awarded one special planning grant for Growth Center Planning in Colchester. Growth Centers were created by the Legislature in 2006 to encourage communities to plan for denser and mixed use development in appropriate areas. Williston recently became the first town to receive approval for its Growth Center.

Designated communities receive benefits under Act 250, including greater flexibility in reducing impact on agricultural soils and increased options for obtaining revenues to fund infrastructure investment.

Grants to area towns include:

¥ $14,675 to Braintree to create development bylaws. Contact: Robert Moyer.

¥ $14,210 to Chelsea for a zoning rewrite. Contact: P{hilip Mulligan

¥ 14,750 to Rochester to plan the Tri-Town Emergency Service. Contact: JoAnne McDonnell.

¥ To Strafford for a municipal plan update. Contact: Anne Peyton.

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