Town of Milton Vermont 2018 Comprehensive Plan Prepared by the Milton Planning Commission and the Milton Selectboard Adopted February 5, 2018 Amended July 15, 2019 TOWN OF MILTON, VERMONT 2018 COMPREHNSIVE PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Introduction to the Plan 3 Purpose and Scope of the Comprehensive Plan 3 Planning Process 4 Planning Areas 4 Vision Statement and Goals 5 Chapter 2: The Setting 7 Brief Town History 7 State and Regional Context 11 Population Profile 13 Chapter 3: Economic Development 21 Vision 21 Economic Development Strategy 21 Economic Development Commission 22 Town Core Development 22 Economic Development Tools 30 Economic Development Goals 32 Chapter 4: Public Facilities and Services 39 Introduction 39 Education/School Facilities 39 Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services 43 Recreation Department 43 Milton Public Library 48 Milton Historical Society 49 Public Works 50 Public Safety 53 Administrative Services 53 Social Services 54 Telecommunications 56 Regional Facilities 57 Chapter 5: Energy 59 Existing Conditions 59 Energy Considerations 60 Chapter 6: Housing 69 Vision 69 Existing Conditions and Trends 69 Estimates and Projections of Future Growth 72 Location and Density of Housing 75 Coordination of Public Utility Services and Housing 77 Housing Needs 77 As approved by the Milton Selectboard on _____________ Page 1 of 172 TABLE OF CONTENTS What Affordable and Moderate Housing Costs are in Milton 78 Chapter 7: Transportation 85 Existing Conditions 85 Completed Studies 85 Transportation Tasks 86 Transportation Goals 96 Chapter 8: Resource Use and Protection 98 Natural Resources 98 Natural Resource Utilization 98 Natural Resource Protection 99 Historic Resources 106 Aesthetic Resources 106 Resource Use and Protection Goals 107 Chapter 9: Land Use and Development Patterns 110 Existing Conditions 110 Description of Planning Areas 112 Town Core Area 112 New Downtown Sub-Area 113 Gimlet Hill Transition Sub-Area 115 Old Towne Sub-Area 116 Checkerberry Sub-Area 118 Eastern Transition Sub-Area 121 Catamount Area 122 Cobble Hill Area 124 Arrowhead Lake Area 125 North Road Area 126 Lamoille Area 128 West Milton Area 129 East Milton Area 131 General Land Use and Development Pattern Goals 132 Chapter 10: Implementation 136 Prioritization Statement 136 Appendices Appendix A: Additional Population/Age Cohort Data Appendix B: Transportation Study Summaries Appendix C: Historic Preservation Data Appendix D: Adoption Chronology of Milton Comprehensive Plan Appendix E: Comprehensive Plan Maps As approved by the Milton Selectboard on February 5, 2018 Page 2 of 172 CHAPTER 1, INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAN CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAN PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The Town of Milton Comprehensive Plan is the residents’ vision for the future. Comprehensive planning is essential for determining the direction of the community’s growth. The Comprehensive Plan was developed by reviewing and understanding the Town’s historical context, where it is today, and what it would like to be in the future. There are several plans, maps, studies and reports referenced and utilized to develop this document, including the 2007 Economic Development Strategy1, 2007 Town Core Streetscape and Accessibility Design Study2 (referred to as the 2007 Streetscape Study throughout this document), 2007 Route 7 Land Use and Transportation Study3 (referred to as the 2007 Route 7 Land Use Study throughout this document), Milton 20-Year Recreation Master Plan 2007-2027–referred to as the 2007-2027 Recreation Plan4 throughout this document (October 2007), Milton in the New Millennium Community Visioning Workshop (May 1999), Town Core Master Plan (December 2000), Long Range Access and Mobility Committee Final Report (January 2001), Growth Management Study (March 2002), and Alternative Transportation Master Plan (May 2002). An implementation program has also been developed for seeking solutions and providing for future needs of the community. This Plan is a guide or master plan for the Town of Milton to use in shaping the community over a period of many years. It is general in scope, visionary in content, and flexible in design to allow for filling in of desired or needed details as they arise over time. The Comprehensive Plan begins with an introduction to the Town’s past planning efforts and the vision and goals for this plan. Chapter 2 describes the setting of the Town of Milton by briefly describing its history, state and regional context, and population profile. Chapters 3 through 8 include discussion on the functional elements of the plan: economic development, public facilities and services, a new chapter devoted to energy as it relates to land use planning, housing trends and projections, transportation, and resource use and protection. Each of these chapters includes existing conditions and goals of the plan. Chapter 9: Land Use and Development Patterns, divides the Town into a series of planning areas in order to address the characteristics of the different regions of the community. Chapter 10 presents an outline and plan for implementing the Comprehensive Plan. 1 Prepared by River Street Planning & Development 2 Prepared by Elabd Architectural Illustration and Kathleen Ryan-Landscape Architect in association with River Street Planning & Development. 3 Prepared by River Street Planning & Development with Transportation Concepts and Elabd Architectural Illustration. 4 Prepared by Recreation and Leisure Services Consultants. As approved by the Milton Selectboard on February 5, 2018 Page 3 of 172 TOWN OF MILTON, VERMONT 2018 COMPREHNSIVE PLAN PLANNING PROCESS The chart below illustrates the process to be used for preparing, updating and implementing a town plan. This process has been followed by Town officials for the preparation of this plan. Figure 1.1 Planning Process Chart5 Another emphasis of this plan was public input. In addition to public workshops that were conducted during the development of the 2007 Economic Development Strategy, 2007 Streetscape Study, 2007 Route 7 Land Use Study, Town Core Master Plan, the Growth Management Study, and other studies. A public forum and survey was conducted to kick- off the Comprehensive Plan update on Enhancing Route 7 and the surrounding town core area and a Comprehensive and Recreation Master Plan public input meeting and survey was also conducted to gather input. The results of these public workshops and surveys are reflected in this document. PLANNING AREAS The preparation of this plan is based on the division of the Town into planning areas. These planning areas reflect the ability of different parts of Town to support higher- intensity development based on the availability of public services, the existing land use distribution, and the physical composition of the land. The planning areas are as follows: Town Core Area Catamount Area Cobble Hill Area North Road Area Arrowhead Lake Area Lamoille Area West Milton Area East Milton Area The physical characteristics of the land in the Town Core, Catamount, and North Road Areas will support the majority of Milton’s development. Public services and facilities demanded by development are available in these areas, or can be made available, and the existing land uses are compatible with the proposed medium-to-high intensity development in these areas. Three neighborhood planning areas, the Cobble Hill, 5 Taken from the Planning Manual for Vermont Municipalities, published by the VDHCA, 2000 As approved by the Milton Selectboard on February 5, 2018 Page 4 of 172 CHAPTER 1, INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAN Arrowhead Lake, and Lamoille Areas, are defined by existing land uses and their relationship to the Town Core planning area. The West Milton and East Milton Areas have natural resource bases that can be utilized, but which cannot accommodate high- intensity development. Agriculture, forestry, mineral extraction, clustered residential development, and outdoor recreation are encouraged in these planning areas. Significant natural features including mountains, lakes, rivers, floodplains, wetlands, conservation areas, and critical natural habitats are abundant in these planning areas. VISION STATEMENT AND GOALS In 1998, the following Vision Statement was first established for the Town of Milton Comprehensive Plan: “Enhance the quality of life in Milton by developing a greater sense of community and promoting greater citizen participation in the affairs of the town. New growth must recognize, integrate and enhance traditional settlement patterns. Milton's sense of community must include protecting the quality of the environment, promoting the vitality of the local economy, and improving education.” In order to execute this vision statement, eight more specific goals were established. These address community involvement, land use and development patterns, economic growth, energy, housing, transportation, public facilities and services, and resource use and protection. With a few adjustments, these goals remain the foundation of this Plan. One adjustment of note is the addition of a chapter focusing on energy, specifically, reducing energy consumption. Community Involvement Enhance a sense of community and project a positive image by: 1. Encouraging active individual and organizational participation in all levels of local government, and 2. Coordinating efforts among town, and school representatives. Land Use and Development Patterns Direct the most intensive development to the downtown area where services, utilities, transportation, and other supporting