Jamaica Town Plan Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION
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Jamaica Town Plan Adopted by the Jamaica Selectboard November 13, 2017 Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 II. COMMUNITY PROFILE .................................................................................................................... 3 III. LAND USE ....................................................................................................................................... 7 IV. NATURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................................. 14 V. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ......................................................................................................... 28 VI. POTABLE WATER SUPPLY AND WASTEWATER ................................................................ 34 VII. ENERGY ........................................................................................................................................ 37 VIII. COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES ........................................................................ 40 IX. EDUCATION ................................................................................................................................. 50 X. HOUSING........................................................................................................................................... 54 XI. TRANSPORTATION ..................................................................................................................... 60 XII. FLOOD RESILIENCE PLAN ........................................................................................................ 66 XIII. TOWN PLAN COMPATIBILITY ................................................................................................. 71 XIV. IMPLEMENTING THE TOWN PLAN ..................................................................................... 73 XV. TOWN RESPONSE TO VERMONT'S PLANNING GOALS ...................................................... 79 Appendix ..................................................................................................................................................... 82 Pumped Energy Storage in the West River Valley ................................................................................. 82 I. INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW This plan, like all plans, is a work in progress. It represents hours of careful discussion, thoughtful deliberation, and interaction between citizens, Selectboard members, and Planning Commissions past and present. Municipal planning commissions are required to review, update as necessary, and adopt their Town Plans every eight years. The Jamaica Planning Commission obtained a municipal planning grant to undergo thorough study and community involvement to assist in the rewriting of this version. Building upon the knowledge gained from a Community Survey completed in 2006 that made extensive study of three issues: water and waste water, affordable housing and conservation, in the fall of 2014, the Jamaica Planning Commission (JPC) working with the Windham Region 1 Commission invited the public to participate in a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis. This reaffirmed that the townspeople valued Jamaica retaining its rural character, but also wanted to ensure that the town had adequate infrastructure and services to make for a livable community, including a strong school, cultural activities, and a viable small business community. In the spring of 2017, the JPC applied for and received a Municipal Planning Grant from the state to facilitate the complete review and updating of the Town Plan. The JPC then hosted community discussions on the above stated three main areas of concentration, which were followed with subsequent meetings to discuss the language in the Town Plan. Interviews were completed with local organizations such as the Fire Department, Library Board, school officials from Leland & Gray, and Jamaica Village and other local business owners. We are grateful to the community for their participation, vision, and guidance and have used the information collected throughout the development of this Town Plan. PURPOSE OF THE TOWN PLAN The Jamaica Town Plan provides a comprehensive statement about where we are as a community, our goals and our needs for the future. Official adoption of the Plan represents a community decision about the future character of the Town, priorities for land use and conservation of natural resources. It is the purpose of the Plan to help the Town achieve its shared vision and values through the development of goals, policies and priorities that establish a standard of review for Act 250 proceedings and other state regulatory processes. The Plan directs state agencies to take only those actions in Jamaica that are compatible with the goals, policies and priorities of the Town Plan. With approval by the Regional Commission, the Town may also request that the Regional Plan be reviewed for compatibility with the Town Plan. The Plan also serves to increase the amount of local control exercised over future development in Jamaica by: 1. Allowing the citizens of Jamaica to have the opportunity to put into writing how a variety of issues may be resolved or acted upon before they arise through the Town Planning process. The Plan therefore is an obligation and a commitment by appointed and elected officials at all levels of government to resolve issues according to the direction that has been established in the Town Plan by the people of Jamaica. 2. Providing a basis for the development and interpretation of Town bylaws, regulations and ordinances. The Town Plan can be thought of as the Town's constitution in that future decisions and local laws should be consistent with the direction set forth in the Town Plan. That is, the Plan establishes standards and the direction for future local bylaws, regulations and ordinances or future amendments to existing local laws. 3. Establishing policies that will be considered in regional and state planning efforts, and for the issuance of permits under Vermont’s Land Use and Development Act (Act 250) and Certificates of Public Good (Section 248) from the Public Service Board. 4. Directing the Planning Commission to develop work programs that address the issues, tasks and studies suggested in the Town Plan. 2 5. Serving as a source of information for the Planning Commission, Board of Selectmen, Zoning Board of Adjustment, citizens and businesses. PLANNING PROCESS GOALS 1. To establish a coordinated, comprehensive planning process and policy framework to guide local decisions. 2. To encourage citizen participation at all levels of the planning process, and to assure that decisions shall be made at the most local level possible commensurate with their impact. 3. To consider the use of resources and the consequences of growth and development for the region and the state, as well as the community in which it takes place. 4. To assist adjoining municipalities to develop and implement compatible Town Plans. The planning process is a continuous process that requires ongoing contributions from Town citizens and community leaders. The planning process goals will guide the Planning Commission in obtaining local input and participation when evaluating important planning issues. 2010 CENSUS The census data is an important aspect to the Town Plan as it shows trends regarding the history of Jamaica. Data elements provided by the census, such as population, employment, income, housing and demographics, are compiled and analyzed to be used in the planning process. Town Plan elements such as Housing and Economic Development are dependent on this census data. Census Data and the American Community Survey There are different sources for data used to inform the Plan. The numbers do not always match precisely, in part because they are generated using differing methodologies and timeframes. The decennial census, conducted once every ten years, collects “point-in-time” data. The American Community Survey (ACS) is conducted year-round to gather “period” data that are five-year rolling average estimates which have a relatively large margin of error; they do not reflect actual counts like population, age, or sex. These estimates can be useful when analyzing tends in small populations, but should be used cautiously when making direct comparisons. While the data inform the discussion of the Town Plan, ACS figures have margins of error and should not be interpreted as literal or precise. II. COMMUNITY PROFILE HISTORY Sculpted by the last ice age, the topography of Vermont was forever altered. Glaciers gouged out valleys and carved mountains that were much steeper and higher than they are today. Erosion led to fertile valleys in the lowlands and to the rocky terrain that characterizes much of the area now known as Jamaica. In Jamaica one can find gneiss rock formations such as Ball Mountain and Attridge Mountain. High terraces above the West River reveal banks of ancient glacial streams. These are a testament to the extraordinary forces that shaped the environment we enjoy today. This area of Vermont was largely uninhabited in early history and used by native peoples primarily for hunting and fishing. Early travel routes passed through the Jamaica area, 3 beginning at the Connecticut River and following the West River. Called “Wantastiquit” (in the Algonkian language “top place of the river”)