Spring 2010 Newsletter
Contact us: Ascutney Professional Building, Route 5 Post Office Box 320, Ascutney, VT 05030 (802) 674 9201 (802) 674‐5711 (fax) www.swcrpc.org
The SWCRPC newsletter can be found online at www.swcrpc.org SWCRPC NOTICE OF GRANT AWARD COMMISSIONERS: The Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission was recently awarded Don Barrett, Chair, Springfield $200,000 in Brownfields Assessment Funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to assist towns, property owners, or prospective purchasers of properties contaminated Peter Daniels, Vice Chair, or suspected of being contaminated by hazardous substances. The public is invited to Weathersfield review the application and provide comments prior to the RPC submitting a work plan to Tom Bock, Secretary/Treasurer, EPA for this project. The RPC will be holding a public informational meeting as part of th Chester their regular monthly board meeting on Tuesday, June 15 at noon at Martin Memorial Hall in Ascutney, Vermont. Joseph Fromberger, Andover
Carol Lighthall, Baltimore A brownfield site is real property that may be vacant or underused because of the real or feared presence of a hazardous substance or contaminant. Some of the properties that Shep Thomas, Alt., Baltimore have already benefited from EPA site assessment funds include the Windsor Welcome Etienne Ting, Cavendish Center in Windsor, the Proctorsville Village Property in Cavendish, Windsor Gas Light Cecil Waldo, Alt., Chester property in Windsor, and the former Fellows Gear Shaper building (now owned by Precision Valley Development Corporation), and the former Jones & Lamson property in Norm Vanasse, Ludlow Springfield. New site assessment funds will be used to complete site assessments and Rose Goings, Alt., Ludlow remedial action plans on sites contaminated by hazardous waste in the SWCRPC region.
John Mitchell, Reading Copies of the application are available online at www.swcrpc.org and at the SWCRPC Hal Pyke, West Windsor offices in the Ascutney Professional Building, Route 5 South, Ascutney, VT. For more information or to submit comments, contact April Harkness (802) 674‐9201 or email Steve Cottrell, Windsor [email protected].
SWCRPC STAFF: Challenges for Change
The legislature recently passed “Challenges for Change” legislation which directs affected Thomas Kennedy, organizations to find savings in their operations through greater efficiencies, performance contracting, collocation and/or the merging of operations. Initially, the Executive Director legislature and Governor’s Office considered reducing the number of Regional Planning Jason Rasmussen, Commissions from 11 to 9, with Southern Windsor and Lamoille County as the targeted RPCs. Once it became known to our communities that this might occur, the legislature Senior Planner received many letters from community members voicing their concern over this April Harkness, possibility and the legislature decided to maintain the status quo for the time being. The GIS Planner RPC wants thank all those who called and emailed members of the legislature, your support was greatly appreciated. John Broker‐Campbell, The law will now require that all RPCs sign performance contracts with the Agency of Planner Commerce. The contracts will have specific outcomes and measures, and payment will be predicated on meeting these outcomes and measures. In addition to the Cynthia Porter, performance contract, the RPC Commission will be working to find efficiencies through Financial Administrator possibly co‐locating with the Springfield Regional Development Corporation or other Regional entities, sharing staff with other RPCs or adopting technologies that lessen the Angela Esslinger, amount of time staff spends outside the office. Office Manager These are very difficult economic times and the RPC will meet this challenge, like they have met others, in a spirit of cooperation and creativity. SWCRPC Updates
PAGE 2 SPRING 2010
FY 2011 Transportation Enhancement Program
This is a funding opportunity for sidewalks, bike paths, streetscape improvements and landscaping, mitigating highway runoff or vehicle‐caused wildlife mortality. The application is available at the following website: http://www.aot.state.vt.us/progdev/Sections/LTF/Enhancements%20Program/EnhancementsHomePage.htm.
Key dates to remember include: June 4, 2010 – Letters of Intent are due June 22 or 23, 2010 – Required workshop for applicants August 20, 2010 – Complete applications are due
RPC staff is available to help prepare an application. For more information, please contact Jason Rasmussen.
Way to Go!
Sign up at www.waytogovt.org for the commuter challenge the week of May 17 to 21, 2010. This is an annual program encouraging the use of cheaper, healthier and more efficient forms of transportation. Leave your car at home, join the fun and have a positive impact on air quality. The goal is to reduce 500,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions in one week. Everyone is welcome to participate – individuals, businesses, schools, organizations.
Take the bus: public transportation uses about one‐half of the fuel consumed by the average car for every mile traveled. Every $1 invested in public transportation generates $6 in local economic activity. See currently available bus service at: www.crtransit.org/
Carpool: motor vehicles are the single greatest contributor to air pollution in Vermont. Save an average of 31 pounds of pollution by adding just one passenger for part of your commute. Sign up for carpooling at: www.connectingcommuters.org/
Bicycle or walk: A short, four‐mile round trip bicycle commute keeps almost 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe. Walking to work will keep pounds of pollution out of the air and help to keep pounds off you too. Calculate how much air pollution you can save by walking or bicycling at: www.10percentchallenge.org/
For more information, please contact Jason Rasmussen.
Upper Valley Trail Finder Free Energy Audits for Municipal Buildings On Trails Day, June 5, 2010, the The RPC has received grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and Upper Valley Trails Alliance plans Vermont Department of Public Service, which will allow us to assist to unveil a great new website: municipalities to conduct energy audits and purchase energy efficient equipment. We anticipate hiring one or more trained Upper Valley Trails Finder. This energy auditors to complete 10 to 15 municipal building audits will be an easy to use map‐based within the next few months. Please submit a nomination form by database of public, nonmotorized May 14, 2010 if you are interested in an energy audit of a public trails in the greater Upper Valley building in your community. The nomination forms have been sent area, including southern Windsor to towns and are posted on our website at County. Trail Finder’s goal is to http://swcrpc.org/wp/programs/energy/. help people get outside, stay Please contact Jason Rasmussen for more information.
active and explore the region New Energy Planning Tool with up to date trail information. The Renewable Energy Atlas of Vermont is a new online tool for Lots of volunteers have helped gather this informa‐ mapping and analyzing existing and potential renewable energy sites tion. To find out more or get involved check this nd in Vermont. It was released on April 22 at: website: http://www.uvtrails.org/. http://www.vtenergyatlas.com/# SWCRPC Updates
PAGE 3 SPRING 2010
Emergency Planning/LEPC Workshop
On April 8, 2010 Local Emergency Planning Committee 3 sponsored a Basic Emergency Operations Plan (BEOP) workshop held at the RPC offices in coordination with VT Homeland Security Unit. The purpose of the workshop was to acquaint local first responders and selectboard members to the importance and role of the BEOP in emergencies along with identifying strengths and areas for improvement within each town’s current plan. The workshop was well attended with twelve people attending from five different towns along with various volunteer groups and state organizations.
The Basic Emergency Operations Plan provides basic contact information and resources available for use during an emergency event. The plan can be utilized in all situations, from large scale flooding to more localized power outages. For more information about your town’s current BEOP, please contact John Broker‐Campbell.
Article – Fluvial Erosion Hazard Study Outcomes
During the summer of 2007/8, SWCRPC in coordination with South Mountain Research and Consulting completed both a Phase I and Phase II stream geomorphic study on the Black River and some of the major tributaries (Twenty Mile Stream, North Branch, etc.). The Phase I study focused primarily on determining the characteristics of the Black River watershed and identifying the historic changes that have occurred throughout; including road construction, river bank armoring and others. Within Phase II, pre‐identified river reaches were further assessed to determine the current river condition and stressors. As a result of the Phase II study, several potential conservation and mitigation projects were identified as a way to improve current water quality and as a chance to lessen the impacts of the next flooding event.
Stream bank erosion, bank failure and even catastrophic river channel enlargement are all potential fluvial erosion hazards. One potential option for towns is to identify mitigation activities that will reduce the severity of damage from an emergency. The Phase II report from South Mountain Research and Consulting provides a number of possibilities:
Removing constraints to water and flooding Upsizing culverts for adequate water passage Additional zoning protection for those areas above and below river impediments Conserving the remaining areas that allow for water infiltration and sediment storage Greater education and outreach to landowners regarding Low Impact Development practices
For more information about water quality assessment or mitigation projects, please contact John Broker‐Campbell.
If you printed this newsletter, please remember to recycle it. Thank you. Www.vtsolidwastedistrict.org
PAGE 4 SPRING 2010
UPCOMING EVENTS & WORKSHOPS: Calendar of Events May 2010
26 Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting @ 7:00pm in the RPC
Conference Room, Route 5, Ascutney VT June 7—8th: NRRA's 29th Annual Recycling
Conference and Expo; NRRA's 29th Annual 31 Memorial Day; RPC office will be closed. Recycling Conference and Expo will be the one conference to go to for all things recycling. For June 2010 two days, we'll discuss plastics, e‐waste, steel, 9 Local Emergency Planning Committee Meeting @ 6:00 pm, composting, fibers, MSW, single stream, dual location TBD stream, source separation, and much, much more. 12 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management Executive Meeting @ 9:00am, Ludlow
June 16th: Windsor ‐ National Safety Council 16 Brownfields Steering Committee @ 11:30 am in the Martin Defensive Driving Class; A 4‐hour classroom Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield Town Office
training for PACIF member employees offered at 16 Regional Planning Commission Meeting @ 12:00PM in the four Vermont sites. Space is limited! Martin Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield This workshop is designed for any employee who drives a municipal over‐the‐road vehicle is 17 Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting @ 7:00pm in the RPC eligible to take this course. We also welcome Conference Room, Route 5, Ascutney VT. selectboard members to attend. Every driver can benefit from learning safe driving strategies and July 2010 using a defensive attitude! 5 Observance of Independence Day; RPC office will be closed.
For more information on any of these upcoming 9 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste events and workshops please visit www.vlct.org Management Executive Meeting @ 9:00am, Ludlow
14 Local Emergency Planning Committee Meeting @ 6:00 pm, location TBD
Household Hazardous Waste 20 Brownfields Steering Committee @ 11:30 am in the Martin Collections Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield Town Office
May 22 at the Townshend Town Garage 20 Regional Planning Commission Meeting @ 12:00PM in the 9-10 a.m. Martin Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield Town Office
June 12 at the Ludlow Transfer Station 21 Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting @ 7:00pm in the RPC 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Conference Room, Route 5, Ascutney VT. July 10 at the Windsor Town Garage 9-11 a.m. 29 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District Meeting @ 6:00pm, Springfield These “Rural Rover” collections are being offered cooperatively by the Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste August 2010 Management District and the Windham 11 Local Emergency Planning Committee Meeting @ 6:00 pm, Solid Waste Management District. location TBD
For more information, 13 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management Executive Meeting @ 9:00am, Ludlow Please contact Mary O’Brien, Recycling Coordinator, 17 Brownfields Steering Committee @ 11:30 am in the Martin Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield Town Office
Waste Management District with any recycling 17 Regional Planning Commission Meeting @ 12:00PM in the questions: 674‐9235 or [email protected] . Martin Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield
18 Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting @ 7:00pm in the RPC Conference Room, Route 5, Ascutney VT. SOUTHERN WINDSOR COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION Ascutney Professional Building, Route 5 Post Office Box 320, Ascutney, VT 05030 (802) 674 9201 phone (802) 674-5711 fax www.swcrpc.org
Fall 2010 EPA Awards $400,000 Special points of interest:
Chester develops unified standards The Southern Windsor The RPC is a opportunity include the bylaw County Regional cooperative agree- Proctorsville Green New highway signs coming soon Planning Commission ment recipient of a Housing Project in October 4th Public Hearing on was recently awarded previously awarded RLF Cavendish, the State Transportation Program $400,000 in grant and has Windsor Waypoint Supplemental significantly depleted Welcome Center, the COMMISSIONERS: Revolving Loan Funds existing available Bellows Falls from the U.S. funds. The RPC is also Historical Society, Environmental Precision Valley Don Barrett, Chair, Springfield authorized to make Protection Agency to Development Peter Daniels, Vice Chair, subgrants and loans assist towns, property Corporation, and 100 Weathersfield outside the ten towns owners, or prospective River Street, LLC in comprising southern Tom Bock, purchasers of proper- Springfield, VT. Copies Windsor County. To Secretary/Treasurer, Chester ties contaminated or of the application are date, all available suspected of being available online at Joseph Fromberger, Andover subgrant funding contaminated with www.swcrpc.org and ($346,000) has been Carol Lighthall, Baltimore at the SWCRPC hazardous waste. The awarded offices in the Shep Thomas, Alt., Baltimore public is invited to The next RPC meeting is Tuesday through five Ascutney review the application September 21st 12:00pm at Etienne Ting, Cavendish subgrants (4 Professional and provide Martin Memorial Hall. Cecil Waldo, Alt., Chester inside and 1 Building, Route comments. The RPC will outside the 5 South, Norm Vanasse, Ludlow be holding a Region). In addition, all Ascutney, VT. For more Rose Goings, Alt., Ludlow public informational of the information or to submit meeting as part of their available funding for John Mitchell, Reading comments, contact regular monthly board loans ($519,000) has Dan Potter. Hal Pyke, West Windsor meeting on Tuesday, been encumbered for [email protected]. Steve Cottrell, Windsor September 21 at noon one loan at a site in the at the Martin Region. Projects that Memorial Hall in have benefited from Weathersfield, VT. this low/no interest loan STAFF: or subgrant Thomas Kennedy, Executive Director Brownfields Program Changes Hands...Again
Jason Rasmussen, Please welcome our minor in Green Building of work Dan Senior Planner newest Brownfields and Community Design. enjoys hiking, camping, Daniel Potter, Coordinator, Dan While at UVM Dan had skiing, and live music. Potter. Dan grew up in the opportunity to work Assistant Planner Hartland, VT and gradu- on a variety of projects Sad News... John Broker-Campbell, ated from which Planner Hartford High School. included assisting with April has left the SWCRPC Cynthia Porter, He then attended UVM the preparation and for South Carolina. Best of where he majored in production of energy luck to April and her Financial Administrator Community and efficiency workshops family as they Angela Esslinger, International specifically designed for start their new Office Manager Development with a mobile homes. Outside adventure! Can you see me now? Required Town Highway Signage Upgrades.
A new Federal Highway Admini- January 2015 – All local governments will also be required stration (FHWA) rule requires that governments to regularly update towns must develop a program must ensure that their inventory and to inspect and upgrade roadway all regulatory, upgrade signs in order signs. The intent is for all signs warning and to maintain along public roads to meet the ground-mounted compliance. new guide signs Vermont Local Roads retroreflectivity sign standards, comply with the is developing a which increase the amount of new rules. training package for light bouncing off of the signs January 2018 – All local highway making them easier to read at local department personnel. night. governments A Key compliance dates: must ensure that guidebook is available January 2012 – All local all street name online to assist local governments must inventory their and overhead governments to signs, assess sign guide signs address the new FHWA rule: retroreflectivity and establish a comply with the new rules. http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/road process to upgrade existing way_dept/night_visib/retrotoolkit/ Since retroreflective sign materials sub-standard signs. degrade over time, local
Windsor Energy Usage
The SWCRPC is developing a Total municipal CO2 emissions in Rasmussen for more information. regional baseline energy study in 2009: 1,891,690 lbs of CO2 order to profile greenhouse gas emissions, energy use and its Following energy audits associated cost for local that are being governments. Based on the draft analysis for Windsor: conducted this fall, we hope to identify cost- Total cost of municipal effective strategies to energy use in 2009: $249,549 reduce energy use and Total municipal energy use in costs. Please contact 2009: 8661.1 MMBtu Dan Potter or Jason
911 What’s Your Emergency?
SWCRPC is currently working on with potential mitigation will a number of projects related to activities to lessen the impacts of outline potential preparedness, emergency management and each threat. response and recovery activities planning including: along with listing additional In coordination with LEPC 3, resources that may be utilized or Updates to the 2006 All creating an All Hazards needed. Hazards Pre-Disaster Mitigation Resource Guide that can be Plan and associated town utilized by town emergency Assisting the Town of Windsor annexes. This is a FEMA required personnel during an emergency with plan that addresses current event. The new guide will be a addressing the potential hazards the region faces along quick reference for towns that flooding and other issues related
Page 2 SWCRPC FALL 2010 Changes in Chester
Explore regulatory changes The Town of Chester hired the Approximate Edge of Right SWCRPC to develop a unified of Way to encourage the preferred development bylaw [24 V.S.A. alternative for the R40 §4419], funded by a municipal district along VT 103 South planning grant awarded this past New (see the graphic below). Internal Connection spring. The unified bylaws will Grass Chester will be working on this consolidate the zoning, 40’ project over the next 1 ½ years, subdivision and flood hazard max and hopes to develop a public regulations into one document to Curbed Island 40’ make land use regulations more max user friendly. This process will also update the Modify zoning standards to existing zoning district standards encourage a more and allowable uses in order to be in attractive, mixed-use and conformance with the newly pedestrian-friendly “Village adopted 2010 Chester Town Plan. East” in the Commercial District along VT 103 South; Staff will also work with the Chester Planning Commission to consider Examine the minimum lot hearing draft unified development appropriate ways to incorporate sizes/densities and the VT 103 Corridor Management allowable uses to be more bylaw by winter 2012. Plan (CMP) into the Bylaws. The appropriate for village and For more information, please CMP includes recommendations rural areas, respectively contact Jason Rasmussen. such as: (generally increasing densities within the Village Improve access and decreasing densities in management along the VT the R80 and R40 103 corridor (see example districts); photograph above); October 4th Public Hearing on State Transportation Program
At 7 PM on October 4, 2010, It lists project and program will be held at Vermont there will be an opportunity for funding for highways, bridges, Interactive Television (VIT) sites the public to comment on the sidewalks, public transit, with the Howard Dean Statewide Transportation discretionary funding for certain Education Center in Springfield, Improvement Program (STIP) for projects, maintenance and Community College of Vermont federal fiscal years 2011-2014. other transportation activities. A in Wilder the closest VIT locations The STIP is a plan for how VTrans draft STIP is usually released in our region. will spend federal transportation about a week For more information, please money over the next four years. before the hearing. The hearing contact Jason Rasmussen. Water Quality Kristen Underwood of South was to identify areas of river report will be completed by South Mountain Research and Consulting channel movement and Mountain Research and Consulting presented results from Phase 2 streambank erosion that may be after the data collected has Stream Geomorphic work contributing to the sediment thoroughly examined and checked completed on the Black River Main build-up in the lakes. The for quality control. The report will Stem connecting Echo Lake and presentation highlighted both the outline specific mitigation projects Lake Rescue along with Patch current and past land uses in the that can be Brook, Buffalo Brook and Reading area adjacent to Lake Rescue. undertaken by landowners. Pond at the Lake Rescue There was also a discussion of For more information please Association annual meeting on methods to control erosion along contact John Broker- August 7, 2010. The project goal Lake Rescue. A detailed Phase 2 Page 3 Campbell. Upcoming Fall Events and Workshops
September 21, 7:00-9:00 pm PRESENTATION TRANSFORMING & PRESERVING RPC Calendar of Events VERMONT’S CITIES & TOWNS THROUGH FORM BASED PLANNING September 2010
Sugar Maple/Summit Room, 4th floor Davis Center at the University of Vermont in Burling- 21 Brownfields Steering Committee @ 11:00 am in the Martin ton.Free public presentation and Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield Town Office facilitated discussion introducing form-based planning and regulation, 21 Regional Planning Commission Meeting @ 12:00PM in the designed for municipal planning Martin Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield commissioners, selectboard members, managers/administrators, regional planners and commis- sioners, developers, realtors, engineers, architects, aca- October 2010 demics, students and others with an interest in commu- nity planning and design. No registration 8 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste required. Management Executive Meeting @ 9:00am, Ludlow September 22, 8:30 a.m.–3:30 pm
PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP FORM BASED PLANNING & REGULATION FOR VERMONT 11 Observance of Columbus Day; RPC office will be closed. MUNICIPALITIES
Richmond Town Library Community Room, Richmond, Vermont A hands-on workshop based on The 13 Local Emergency Planning Committee Meeting @ 6:00 pm, ABC's of Form-Based Codes: Special One-Day Introduction location TBD geared towards professional planners, architects, landscape archi- tects, land use lawyers, civil engineers and others. Lunch will be provided. Stay tuned for more details on registra- 19 Brownfields Steering Committee @ 11:30 am in the RPC Conference tion and fees. Co-sponsored by Room, Ascutney Professional Building. Vermont Planners Association and the Town of Rich- mond 19 Regional Planning Commission Meeting @ 12:00PM in the October 7: VLCT Town Fair RPC Conference Room, Ascutney Professional Building. Robert E. Miller Expo Center, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Jct. CONTACT: Jessica Hill ([email protected]) 20 Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting @ 7:00pm in the RPC PHONE: 802/229-9111 Conference Room, Route 5, Ascutney VT. WESITE:http://www.vlct.org/eventscalendar/townfair/
Come join VLCT staff for a great day of training, network- 28 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste ing, recognition and exhibitors! At Town Fair, you'll be Management District Meeting @ 6:00pm, Springfield able to learn from a variety of workshops, network with your peers, attend local government organizations’ annual and special meetings, and help set VLCT’s legislative priorities November 2010 for the upcoming year. More details are available on the 10 Local Emergency Planning Committee Meeting @ 6:00 pm, Town Fair page location TBD http://www.vlct.org/eventscalendar/townfair!
October 7&8: NNECAPA Annual Conference 12 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Portsmouth Harbor Events Conference Center, Portsmouth Management Executive Meeting @ 9:00am, Ludlow NH
CONTACT: Julie LaBranche, NNECAPA NH State Director, NNECAPA / NH Planners Association 16 Brownfields Steering Committee @ 11:30 am in the RPC Conference PHONE: (603) 778-0885 Room, Ascutney Professional Building. EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB SITE: http://nnecapa.org/resources/2010-annual- nnecapa-conference/ 16 Regional Planning Commission Meeting @ 12:00PM in the RPC Conference Room, Ascutney Professional Building. For more information on any of these upcoming events and workshops please visit www.vlct.org 17 Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting @ 7:00pm in the RPC Conference Room, Route 5, Ascutney VT. 25/26 Observance of Thanksgiving; RPC office will be closed.
Attention municipal officers, planners, developers and housing providers...2008 Fair Housing Workshop Announcement! Winter 2010 Newsletter
Contact us: Ascutney Professional Building, Route 5 Post Office Box 320, Ascutney, VT 05030 (802) 674 9201 (802) 674‐5711 (fax) www.swcrpc.org
Andover / Baltimore / Cavendish / Chester / Ludlow / Reading / Springfield / Weathersfield / West Windsor / Windsor
SWCRPC Meet Joe Bonanno, SWCRPC’s newest planner ... COMMISSIONERS: Don Barrett, Chair, Springfield Joe is originally from New York City (Bronx), but later raised in Mahopac, NY, a northern suburb of Peter Daniels, Vice Chair, New York City. He earned his bachelor's degree in Weathersfield urban planning at the State University of New York in Tom Bock, Secretary/Treasurer, Albany in 2003; in 2006, he was accepted to Hunter Chester College, in New York City, where he earned his masters degree in urban planning in January 2009. Beginning in June of 2007, Joe began what Joseph Fromberger, Andover was supposed to be a summer internship at the Westchester County, NY, Department Carol Lighthall, Baltimore of Planning, but was asked to continue until December 2009. In his free time, some Shep Thomas, Alt., Baltimore things that he enjoys doing include bicycling, kayaking, photography; in addition, he has an interest in aviation and is a private pilot. Etienne Ting, Cavendish Joe will be working on a variety of things including Transportation, Energy and Cecil Waldo, Alt., Chester Emergency Planning. Norm Vanasse, Ludlow
Rose Goings, Alt., Ludlow John Mitchell, Reading Recently Attended Workshops We’re collecting corks!
Hal Pyke, West Windsor Joe Bonanno recently attended a Steve Cottrell, Windsor Transportation/Land Use workshop Natural and Synthetic presented by the McCormick Taylor are being collected at Engineering and Planning consulting firm Springfield and Rockingham SWCRPC STAFF: on behalf of the Federal Highway Transfer Stations. Administration's National Highway Institute. They are then recycled into Thomas Kennedy, The workshop focused on a multitude of corkboards! current planning topics, including Thanks for keeping one more Executive Director regional planning, corridor planning, public thing out of the landfill. Jason Rasmussen, participation, and the effective integration of Senior Planner transportation and land use. Aspects of this course that could apply to our region April Harkness, include access management techniques, GIS Planner which are methods intended to minimize vehicle ingress and egress access points on main roads, John Broker‐Campbell, thereby allowing traffic to move smoothly; Planner and methods to combine streetscape improvements with transportation, Joseph Bonanno simultaneously beautifying our main streets Planner and improving their functionality. For a more information, please email Cynthia Porter, [email protected]. Financial Administrator Angela Esslinger, Office Manager The SWCRPC newsletter can be found online at www.swcrpc.org SWCRPC Updates
PAGE 2 WINTER 2010
Town Energy Planning Resources
With our new Energy Program as reported in the Fall 2009 Newsletter, the SWCRPC will provide a variety of new planning services to town and county governments. As this new program develops, we will update our website with resources to assist local governments with town plans, land use regulations and the activities of local energy committees. Staff will also be available to provide technical assistance. A number of towns are currently updating their town plans and land use regulations. A few towns have newly established local energy committees. The following resources and town planning considerations for energy efficiency and conservation may be helpful:
Town Energy Planning In our Fall Newsletter, we announced that the SWCRPC had received funding from the Vermont Department of Public Service and the Department of Energy to provide planning and technical services to towns and county owned buildings. Initially, the SWCRPC will be focusing on three tasks: updating our website to provide information and links for use by planning commissions, boards of selectmen and local energy committee on a variety of energy topics. The second task, will be to work with interested towns to develop an energy consumption baseline. The baseline will include electricity, oil, diesel, propane and other forms of energy. The purpose of the baseline is to measure the effectiveness of any changes the towns may implement to reduce energy consumption. The third task will be to assist towns with energy audits of their buildings or if a town has performed energy audits, the SWCRPC will cost share with a town purchase energy saving equipment such as light fixtures, bulbs, etc.
Zoning Limitations for Alternative Energy Structures Any net‐metered facility is subject to approval by the Public Service Board (30 V.S.A. §248(a)(2)). In PSB proceedings, town plans play an important role. Therefore, town plans should have clear policies regarding commercial energy production for use in the PSB Certificate of Public Good procedures. Zoning Bylaws may regulate wind turbines and solar collectors that are not net‐metered per 24 V.S.A. §4412(6). Consideration for local land use bylaws, include: Establishing waiver provisions for height for renewable energy structures; Adopting special use standards for renewable energy structures, including height, setbacks, noise, visual impacts, maybe even standards for protection of solar access; Developing subdivision and/or PUD standards that allow for decentralized heating or power facilities, road layouts that support passive solar building orientation, and other energy conservation standards.
For more information, please contact Jason Rasmussen.
Town of Springfield ~ Congratulations for being such active recyclers! Environmental Impact! This is only one benefit of using this recycled material Recyclable Material Amount Recycled in 2009 rather than natural resources (raw materials) to manufacture new products. Conserved enough energy to run Aluminum Cans 6,678 lbs. a television for 679,553 hours Paper 476 tons Saved 8,088 trees Conserved 49,935 gallons of Plastics 33 tons gasoline Conserved 177,339 pounds of Scrap Metal 177 tons coal Conserved enough energy to run Steel Cans 68,440 lbs. a 60 watt light bulb for 1,779,440 hours
SWCRPC Updates
PAGE 3 WINTER 2010
Four New Town Bridge Projects are Funded Emergency Management
As reported in our Fall 2009 Newsletter, the SWCRPC Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission submitted our top ten regional priority town bridge was granted funding for water quality planning under the needs to the state. These ten bridges included American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) to identify structures on town highways that were evaluated based town and regional barriers to the adoption and application on structural condition, traffic levels and other of Low Impact Development (LID). SWCRPC will develop transportation project criteria required under state statute. Based on this new process, four new bridge specific tools and recommendations to address barriers to projects from this region were submitted by the implementing LID policies and regulations including: zoning, Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) to be subdivision and town plan model language that addresses included in the FY 2011 Governor’s Recommended stormwater runoff concerns. Capital Budget. These new bridge projects, listed by status category, SWCRPC will also be working with the town of Windsor to include: review the areas in or in close proximity to the FEMA identified floodplain or floodway along with the building sizes Development & Evaluation and the amount of impervious surfaces to identify (generally meaning construction within 3‐4 years): development constraints and development opportunities in Bridge #25 (Walker Bridge) over the Black River on the area east of the railroad tracks. Main Street/VT 103, Ludlow Candidate (construction in 5 or more years): For more information, please contact Bridge #58 over the Black River on Depot Street, John Broker‐Campbell . Proctorsville Bridge #54 over the Jewell Brook on Pond Street Extension, Ludlow Bridge #56 over the Great Brook on Main Street between Fairbanks Road and VT Route 10 West, Brownfields North Springfield
Using SWCRPC Hazardous Assessment funds provided by the The Harry Hills Bridge (#57) over the Great Brook on US EPA, the Ludlow Armory Phase II Environmental Site Main Street in North Springfield has been included in Assessment (ESA) is now complete and the site has been the capital budget for many years, and is now purchased by the town of Ludlow. Future activities scheduled as a “front‐of‐book” project with associated with the site include developing a Corrective construction in FY 2011‐12.Candidate town bridge Action Plan and determining the costs for the redevelopment projects will be reevaluated annually based on of the site. The town will be seeking to pass a bond vote for condition and other factors. renovation and construction costs at Town Meeting this year.
Phase II ESA work is continuing at the Edgar May Recreation For more information, please contact Jason Rasmussen. Center in Springfield, VT with all the work being completed by June 2010. In addition, the RPC, using recently awarded EPA Compost Bin and Kitchen Pail Sale funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Keeping organics out of the landfill Act, is requesting the use of funds for remediation and benefits our air and soil. cleanup activities at the J&L Plant 1 and PVDC (100 River St) Pick up an order form sites in Springfield, VT. at your town hall The RPC has remaining Petroleum Assessment funds and limited Petroleum Cleanup funds. or download one at
www.vtsolidwastedistrict.org. For more information, please contact Deadline for orders is March 19, 2010. April Harkness or Tom Kennedy.
Please contact Mary O’Brien, Recycling Coordinator, Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District with any recycling questions: 674‐9235 or [email protected] . PAGE 4 WINTER 2010
UPCOMING Calendar of Events EVENTS & WORKSHOPS:
February 2010
SWANA Meeting ‐ Biosolids, Energy, and 12 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management Executive Meeting @ 9:00am, Ludlow February 11, 2010 http://www.swanachapters.org/Default.aspx? 16 Brownfields Steering Committee @ 11:30 am in the Martin alias=www.swanachapters.org/nne Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield Town Office, Route 5, Ascutney VT. Local Government Day in the Legislature February 24, 2010 16 Regional Planning Commission Meeting @ 12:00 Noon in the Martin Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield Capitol Plaza Hotel, Montpelier, VT http://www.vlct.org/d/eventcalendar/ Town Office, Route 5, Ascutney VT. workshops/Local_Gov_Trifold10.pdf
The Data Resources Your Town Needs For March 2010 Comprehensive Planning 10 Local Emergency Planning Committee Meeting @ 5:30 pm, March 10, 2010 location TBA http://www.vlct.org/d/eventcalendar/ workshops/web_Data_Resources_VIT10.pdf 12 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management Executive Meeting @ 9:00am, Ludlow VCDA Spring Meeting
April 8, 2010 16 Brownfields Steering Committee @ 11:30 am in the Martin http://www.vtcda.org Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield Town Office, Route 5, Ascutney VT. Summer Retreat for Development Review Volunteers 16 Regional Planning Commission Meeting @ 12:00 Noon June 18‐19, 2010 in the Martin Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield http://www.vermontlaw.edu/landuse Town Office, Route 5, Ascutney VT.
NRRA's 29th Annual Recycling Conference 17 Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting @ 7:00pm in and Expo the RPC Conference Room, Route 5, Ascutney VT. June 7, 2010 http://www.nrra.net April 2010
9 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management Executive Meeting @ 9:00am, Ludlow
Free 14 Local Emergency Planning Committee Meeting @ 5:30 pm, Household Hazardous Waste Collection location TBA Saturday, May 8, 2010 Springfield Transfer Station 20 Brownfields Steering Committee @ 11:30 am in the Martin 9:00 a.m.—noon Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield Town Office, Rockingham Transfer Station Route 5, Ascutney VT. 2:00 p.m.—5:00 p.m. For more information, 20 Regional Planning Commission Meeting @ 12:00 Noon please contact Mary O’Brien. in the Martin Memorial Conference Room, Weathersfield Town Office, Route 5, Ascutney VT.
21 Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting @ 7:00pm in If you printed this the RPC Conference Room, Route 5, Ascutney VT.
newsletter, 29 Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste please remember Management District Meeting @ 6:00pm, Springfield to recycle it. Thank you.