Norton Town Plan Adopted: July 11, 2019 Norton Selectboard Daniel Keenan Christopher Fletcher Franklin Henry Norton Planning Commission Tonilyn Fletcher Suzanne Isabelle Gina Vigneault Patricia Whitney Daniel Keenan (ex officio) Table of Contents Norton Town Plan ................................................................................................................ i I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 II. Land Use ........................................................................................................................ 4 III. Employment/Economic Opportunity .......................................................................... 12 IV. Transportation ............................................................................................................. 15 V. Community Facilities & Utilities ................................................................................. 18 VI. Education .................................................................................................................... 27 VII. Natural, Scenic and Historic Resources .................................................................... 27 VIII. Energy ...................................................................................................................... 32 IX. Housing ....................................................................................................................... 34 X. Flood Resilience ........................................................................................................... 37 XI. Regional Compatibility ............................................................................................... 41 XII. Plan Implementation .................................................................................................. 43 APPENDIX 1 – REQUIRED ELEMENTS ...................................................................... 44 APPENDIX 2 – MAPS ..................................................................................................... 46 Norton Town Plan July 11, 2019 Page ii I. Introduction A. Historic and Geographic Overview Norton, located on the Canadian Border (Quebec) in northwestern Essex County, has the distinction of being the first town chartered in Vermont in 1769. When chartered, the town name was changed from Hamilton to Norton. The new name came from one of the largest holders of the original land grants, Jedediah Norton. In later years as the lumber business thrived, the town name became Norton Mills. During its peak population years, Norton had a population of over 1000. In the 20th century, the town was renamed Norton following the closure of many of the once numerous mills. As of the 2010 census, the town’s population had fewer than 200 persons. Norton’s historic ties to Quebec are especially important and must be understood to realize the character of this town. The earliest settlers came south from the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Both French and English settlers migrated to Norton and the only major transportation routes were to the north into Quebec. When the railroad arrived in 1853, Norton became tied to America and shipment of lumber from Norton's many mills flowed into southern New England. Many of the settling families still live in Norton and are the backbone of the community. As no roads existed into Island Pond or Canaan until the earliest part of the 20th century most trade and commerce was with Coaticook, in the Province of Quebec just 8 miles to the north. This trend continues for many today as Coaticook, with one major food markets, 2 hardware stores, dentists, restaurants, funeral homes, drug stores and banks provide many of the daily or weekly needs of the community. To the north just 30 minutes is Sherbrooke, a city of 100,000. Sherbrooke is the regional center of the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Sherbrooke/Lenoxville has two universities and the nearest locations for major shopping such as Home Depot, Wal*Mart, Costco, Sears, Hudson Bay Co., movie theaters and restaurants. Many of these services become more or less important as the currency exchange fluctuates bringing more shoppers from the north to Norton or from Norton traveling to the north. Norton is bordered on the East by Averill and Canaan, on the North by Quebec, on the West by Holland, and on the South by Warner’s Grant, Warren Gore, and Avery’s Gore. It is located approximately 15 miles north of Island Pond, and eight miles south of Coaticook, PQ. There are no incorporated villages within the Town of Norton. Norton is known as the most distant town north of the major New England cities, and the town remains a destination for hundreds of Vermonters. To our northern neighbors, Norton is “La Frontiere.” The residents and landowners of Norton are fiercely proud of the traditional, rustic character of the town. This Town Plan respects our rich heritage and presents a blueprint for our third century. Norton Town Plan July 11, 2019 Page 1 B. Purpose of Town Plan The Norton Planning Commission is responsible for the development of this Plan. The town’s previous Plan was adopted in July 2014. The Plan forms the basis for updating Norton’s land use regulations, and provides a valuable reference in the review of projects by local municipal boards, projects subject to Act 250 Review, and projects requiring review by the Vermont Public Utility Commission for the issuance of a “certificate of public good” (Section 248 proceedings). It also serves as a guiding document when making decisions on capital improvements within the Town. This Plan in its entirety spells out the general direction in which the Town of Norton wishes to proceed. C. Public Participation As part of the planning process for the 2006 Plan, the Norton Planning Commission conducted an extensive opinion survey of residents and landowners. The response was very good, with 110 individuals participating – nearly one-half of Norton’s population. Of the survey respondents, 35% were resident homeowners and 50% were seasonal homeowners. Sixty percent of respondents were between the ages 41-64, and 36% were age 65 or older. Survey results have been incorporated into this document and are in a bulleted format. The Planning Commission believes that local opinions have changed little over recent years; therefore most recommendations are still valid for this 2019 update. The complete 14-page questionnaire and all responses are available for public review at the Town offices. D. Organization of the Plan The Plan is arranged in sections that comprise the elements required for municipal plans under the Vermont Planning and Development Act (24 V.S.A. § 4382). The Plan includes sections on: • Land Use • Economic Development • Transportation • Public Facilities and Utilities • Education • Natural, Scenic and Historic Resources • Energy • Housing • Flood Resilience • Plan Implementation and Compatibility with Region Norton Town Plan July 11, 2019 Page 2 For each element of the Plan, “Existing Conditions” and “Planning Considerations,” including noted deficiencies or needs for the future of the community, are described. Relevant input from the 2006 community survey is included in each section of the Plan in the “Planning Considerations” subsection. At the end of each Plan section are “Goals and Recommended Actions” outlining how the Town wishes to proceed. E. Overarching Goals The Planning Commission has identified six major overarching priorities (goals) for the Town of Norton. They are equally important and appear throughout this document. Goals pertaining to specific elements of the Plan are included under the “Goals and Recommended Actions” of each individual section: • Traditional ways of life and land use patterns within the Town of Norton should be preserved. • The number of town-maintained roads (class 3 and 4) should be kept to a minimum, and environmental quality should be given priority when new roads are constructed. • Minimizing environmental degradation caused by development activities is a priority. • Maintaining and protecting water quality in our lakes, ponds, rivers, wetlands, and streams is a priority. • Maintaining and enhancing recreational opportunities for the residents and visitors of the Town of Norton is a priority. • Land use should be based on the natural resource constraints of a particular parcel of land, and take into consideration special attributes such as wetlands, special flood hazard area, steep slopes, mountain tops, or special wildlife habitat. • Encourage development that enables residents of all ages to continue to live in their community. Norton Town Plan July 11, 2019 Page 3 II. Land Use A. Existing Conditions Norton has total land area of 24,832 acres, or approximately 39 square miles; 85% of which is owned by large timber interests and the State of Vermont. Lands in State ownership include the Averill Mountain Wildlife Management Area, comprising 510 acres; the Bill Sladyk Wildlife Management Area, comprising 3,644 acres; and Black Turn Brook State Forest, comprising 593 acres. In addition, the State holds a non-fee interest (e.g., conservation easements) on 10,927 acres of land in the Kingdom State Forest that lie within Norton. The land in Norton is primarily hilly, forested, and sparsely populated. The population as per the 2010 census was 169, which puts Norton’s population density at about 4 persons per square mile. The latest population estimate from the Census Bureau (2013-2017