The Monkton Selectboard will hold a public Hearing at 8:00 pm, on Monday January 6, 2020 at the Monkton Fire Station (3747 States Prison Hollow Road), to take public testimony on theproposed Town Plan for the Town of Monkton.
The Selectboard will discuss and vote on any proposed changes after this Public Hearing.
Town of Monkton Notice of Public Hearing
On the Proposed Town Plan
The Monkton Selectboard will hold a public Hearing at 8:00 pm, on Monday January 6, 2020 at the Monkton Fire Station (3747 States Prison Hollow Road), to take public testimony on theproposed Town Plan for the Town of Monkton.
The Selectboard will discuss and vote on any proposed changes after this Public Hearing.
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of a town plan is to provide a vision for orderly development within the town. It is essentially a “picture in time” that uses existing conditions to guide zoning and development decisions for the next eight-year period.
Our new town plan is a revision of the plan adopted in 2014. At a minimum each section has been reformatted to ensure that the entire document offers information in the same way, while other sections have received a more complete revision. Unlike earlier editions of the town plan, where the goals were presented in a single section, you will find goals, policies, and action plans within the element to which they apply.
The proposed Town Plan affects all the land within the Town of Monkton.
The Selectboard believes the following are the significant changes offered by the plan:
1. Within the Housing section new ways to address affordable housing were added.
2. Within the Education and Childcare section language has been clarified and/or corrected as needed. The narrative has also been updated to reflect the newly formed school district and governance model.
3. Within the Transportation section the Plan addresses the increasing need to redirect traffic back to State highways. The Plan also stresses and encourages the importance of preserving Monkton’s existing gravel roads as intrinsic to the rural character of the Town.
4. Within the Economic Development section, language has been clarified and/or corrected as necessary. The data and illustrations have been updated. Verbiage has also been added to emphasize Monkton's desire to support a robust regional and local economy. The plan recognizes non-traditional, diversified farming operations. We have also looked at the diversity of small business in town and believe that the town can only grow stronger by providing the support and encouragement these businesses’ need to grow.
5. The Natural Resources Section has been reorganized for readability. The State of Vermont required the addition of two new sections. Also new information was added to align our Town Plan with the Shoreland Protection Act. Changes include:
a. Forest Resources:
i. Adding the State of Vermont required section on Forest Fragmentation, and
ii. Adding new information on bears and on invasive species.
b. Water Resources:
i. Reorganization to address each different water resource;
ii. Added the State of Vermont required Flood Resiliency section;
iii. Added a discussion of buffers consistent with the State’s Shoreland Protection requirements;
iv. Added map and map information from the 2016 town-wide groundwater study by John G. Van Hoesan;
v. Added the recommendation to explore the creation of a groundwater protection overlay district that came out of the 2018 Open House survey.
6. Within the Land Use Section, priorities such as the village center, safe pedestrian travel between the villages, the protection of out contiguous forest, wild life areas and Ag lands were reinforced. The plan continues to encourage concentrated growth within the village districts and cluster development outside the village districts. State requirements for the Shoreland protection Act were added. Land use maps have been updated and GPS coordinates of the overlay districts are now available. The possible consideration of a Village Center Designation has been added to the Plan.
7. The largest change to the Town Plan is the change from an Energy section to that of an Enhanced Energy Plan written in conjunction with the Monkton Energy Committee. The Enhanced Energy plan creates a vision with clear policy statements regarding: energy conservation, reduced consumption and renewable generation within the Town to meet the State’s renewable energy goals. The Enhanced Energy Plan is designed to meet all Vermont State requirements to give Monkton standing when renewable energy and other utility projects in the Town of Monkton come before the Public Utilities Commission.
Town Plan Index
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4
PURPOSE 6
INTRODUCTION 8
GUIDING PRINCIPLES 10
TOWN HISTORY 11
POPULATION 12
HOUSING 15
EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE 21
UTILITIES AND FACILITIES 25
TRANSPORTATION 35
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 41
NATURAL RESOURCES 47
LAND USE 77
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 88
COMPATABILITY 91
APPENDIX A ENHANCED ENERGY PLAN 93
While the Town Plan sets forth the community goals and objectives, the policies and other means of achieving those ends are set forth in the town zoning and subdivision regulations. A town plan should not be a prescriptive document. This version of the Monkton Town Plan mostly adheres to this principal.
Copies of the Town Plan are available for review or obtained at the Town Offices, 280 Monkton Ridge during normal business hours. They may also be viewed on the town website at planningcommission@monktonvt.com.
For more information please contact: Stephen Pilcher Chair of the Selectboard at Selectboard@monktonvt.com or (802) 598-1931, or Sharon Gomez, the Town Clerk at (802) 453-3800.
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Please note:
There will be an informational session from 7:00 to 7:45pm on January 6th at the Fire House prior to the public hearing.
Stephen Pilcher, Chair
Monkton Selectboard
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