fo~+~ ~~ AR~~n~To~ ~,_ PLAnPo eox i6s ~'~~ RED~,IVED A~~~n~To~, ifERMO~T OSZ p SEP 9 2014 Department of Housing Development and CommunizY LEGAL NOTICE ,SEPTEMBER 5, 2014 PERSUANT TO 24 V.S.A., CHAPTER 117, SECTIONS 4385 AND 4387 THE ARLINGTON PLANNING COMMISSION WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2014 AT 7 PM 1N THE ARLINGTON TOWN HALL TO CONSIDER APROVING A NEW TOWN PLAN. GEOGRAPHIC AREA AFFECTED: THE ENTIRE TOWN OF ARLINGTON. THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED ARLINGTON TOWN PLAN IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW IN THE TOWN CLERKS OFFICE DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AND ON LINE AT WWW.ARLINGTONVT.ORG. COMMENTS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES ARE SOLICITATED. 'T'O WN PLAN ARLINGTON, VERMO11oTT'I' TOWN PLAN FOR ARLINGTON, VERMONT Adopted November 2014 Planning Commission Board of Selectmen Daniel Barber, Chairman Keith Squires, Chairman Christian Heins Daniel Harvey Thomas Williams Cynthia Browning John Williams Norman Mattison Elliott Nachwalter Reginald Jennings The Arlington Town Plan was prepared by the Arlington Planning Commission with assistance from the Bennington County Regional Commission. Table of Contents Section Pa e I. Introduction 7 II. Ph sical Descri tion 8 III. Histo and Overview of Arlin on 14 IV. Goals 19 V. Historic Preservation 21 5.1 Introduction 21 5.2 Districts 21 5.3 Historic Preservation Policies and Actions 22 VI. Po ulation, Housin and Economic Develo ment 26 6.1 Po ulation Trends 26 6.2 Housin 29 6.3 Econom 30 6.4 Arlin on and East Arlin on Villa es 33 6.5 Economic Develo ment Policies and Actions 33 VII. Natural Resources and Flood Resilience 35 7.1 Surface Water Resources 35 7.2 Flood Hazard Zones and River Corridors 38 7.3 Surface Water and Flood Resiliency Policies and 41 Action s 7.4 Ground Water Resources 43 7.5 Ground Water Policies and Actions 45 7.6 Air Quali 45 7.7 Air Quali Policies and Actions 46 7.8 A 'cultural Lands 46 7.9 A 'cultural Lands Policies and Actions 46 7.10 Forest Lands 48 7.11 Forest Lands Policies and Actions 50 7.12 Earth Resources 51 7.13 Im ortant Natural Areas 51 7.14 Im ortant Natural Areas Policies and Actions 54 VIII. Land Use 55 8.1 General Descri tion 55 8.2 Land Use Re lations 55 8.3 Future Growth in Arlin on 58 8.4 Land Use Policies 59 8.5 Land Use Actions 59 IX. Public Utilities, Facilities and Services 60 9.1 Water Su 1 and Wastewater Dis osal 60 9.2 Solid Waste 62 9.3 Public Buildin sand Land 63 9.4 Arlin on Fire De artment 64 9.5 Arlin ton Rescue S uad 65 9.6 Law Enforcement and Emer encies Plans 65 9.7 Communi House and Libraries 65 9.8 Electricity, Telephone, Cell Phone, Internet and 65 Cable Television Services 9.9 Childcare 66 9.10 Public Utilities, Facilities and Services Polic 66 Table of Contents Section Pa e 9.11 Public Utilities, Facilities and Services Actions 66 X. Trans ortation 67 10.1 Description 67 10.2 Ca ital Pro'ect Plannin 70 10.3 Trans ortation Infrastructure 70 10.4 S ecial Issues 71 10.5 Transportation Policies 73 10.6 Trans ortation Actions 74 XI. Education 74 11.1 Enrollment and Schools 74 11.2 Facilities 75 11.3 Raisin the Bar 75 11.4 Athletics 75 11.5 NEASC and Rankin s 75 11.6 Banners and Dis la s 76 11.7 Technolo 76 11.8 Goin Forward 76 11.9 Education Polic 77 11.10 Education Action 77 XII. Recreation 77 12.1 Recreation Park 77 12.2 Natural and Recreational Resources 79 12.3 Recreation Policies 80 i2.~+ tcecreauon ticLions $i XIII. Affordable Housin 81 13.1 Introduction 81 13.2 Housin Polic 82 13.3 Housin Actions 82 XIV. Ener 82 14.1 General Information 82 14.2 Ener Polic 83 14.3 Ener Actions 83 XV. Health Care 84 15.1 General Information 84 15.2 Health Care Polic 86 15.3 Health Care Actions 86 XVI. Munici al Administration 86 16.1 Town Government -Structure and Staffing 86 16.2 Town Services and Related Costs 87 16.3 Town and School E enditure Bud ets 88 16.4 Sources of Fti.znds to Meet Town and School 88 Ex enses 16.5 The Budgeting Process and Determination of the 89 T~ Rate 16.6 Ca ital Pro ammin 91 XVII. Im lementation Summ 92 17.1 Direction 92 XVIII. Relationshi to Other Plans 92 XIX. References 93 Table of Contents Section Pa e A endix I. Review of Statuto Re uirements 98 Tables Pa e Table 1. Population trends in Bennington County and 26 ad'acent New York Table 2. Chan es in a e distribution from 2000 to 2010 28 Table 3. Number of housing units by ty e in Arlington, VT 29 Table 4. Number of permits for houses issued from 1998 to 30 2012 Table 5. Structures in flood hazard zones and within river 40 corridors Table 6. NFIP olicies in effect in Arlin on 41 Table 7. Values of town-owned ro erties 64 Table 8. Summary of road mileage in Arlington by 69 Town State hi hwa and class Table 9. Expenditure budgets for the Town of Arlington and 88 the School District from 2008-2012 Table 10. Amount of revenue to be raised by taxes 2008- 89 2012 for the Town of Ariin on and the School District Table 11. Property t~ levies on sample residential 90 properties from 2008-2012 using the total combined t~ rate for the Town of Arlin on and the School Fi re s Pa e Fi re 1. Arlin on o ulation 1950 to 2010 27 Figure 2. Number of households in Arlington from 1960 27 to 2010 Fi re 3. Household characteristics 28 Fi re 4. Number of households b income class 29 Figure 5. Median price of home sales in Arlington from 30 2000 to 2012 Figure 6. Employment by industry in 2011 in Arlington, 32 VT Fi re 7. Income distribution in Arlin on, VT 32 Ma s Follows Pa e Ma 1. Town of Arlin ton 9 Map 2. Arlington Bedrock Geology 9 Ma 3. Arlington Surficial Geology 9 Ma 4. Arlin ton Land Cover 9 Ma 5. Arlin on Historic District 22 Map 6 East Arlin on Historic District 22 Ma 7 Arlin on Green Covered Bride 22 Ma 8. Arlin on Develo ment Patterns 30 Ma 9. Arlin on Surface Water Resources 35 Ma 10. Ariin on Flood Hazard Zones 38 Map 11. Arlington Groundwater Resources 43 Map 12. Arlington Agricultural Soils 46 Ma s Follows Pa e Ma 13. Arlin on Forest Resources 48 Ma 14. Arlin on Natural Features 51 Ma 15. Arlin on Land Use Plan 55 Map 16. Arlington Land and Zoning Urban Compact and 55 Environs Ma 17. Arlin on Public Facilities and Utilities 60 Ma 18. Arlington Transportation 67 Ma 19. Arlin ton O en S ace Lands 77 7~Page I. INTRODUCTION The Vermont Municipal and Regional Planning and Development Act (24 VSA 117) places considerable emphasis on local planning. Town plans are to provide a basis for the type, location, and extent of future development in a community. These documents also should address thirteen goals ranging from environmental protection to affordable housing, and should be compatible with the Regional Plan and with the plans of other municipalities within the region. They should also reference or incorporate other plans, such as a local hazard mitigation plan. This plan was adopted in accordance with 24 VSA 117 Part 5. Arlington last prepared an updated Town Plan in 2008. That plan was written to be consistent with the Planning and Development Act and its "Act 200" amendments. An effort was also made to ensure that the plan was compatible with the Regional Plan and with the Town Plans of Sandgate, Sunderland, and Shaftsbury. Town plans are to be updated every five years to reflect changing conditions and focus on current priorities. This Town Plan retains much of the content of the 2008 plan, while incorporating more current data, acknowledging changes that occurred since 2008, and adjusting certain policies and objectives to reflect present day priorities. In 2011, 24 VSA 4382 was amended requiring that town plans include an economic development element describing current economic conditions and policies, projects and programs to foster economic growth. In 2013, 24 VSA 4382 was amended to add the requirement that town plans contain a flood resilience plan identifying and designating flood hazard and fluvial erosion hazard areas for protection by July 1, 2014. This plan includes both of these required sections. The Town Plan is intended to serve as a tool to guide local residents in their efforts to control the development of their Town and to ensure that Arlington will continue to be an outstanding community in which to live. The importance of private property rights is recognized by the Plan, as is the need to legally safeguard property values through public actions deemed appropriate by the community. The Plan is to be consulted when making public policy decisions, evaluating public investments, reviewing development proposals, and when considering new or amended bylaws and ordinances. The Plan provides clear guidelines to individuals who propose new developments in Arlington and serves as a regulatory document in Act 250 proceedings, where conformance of a proposed development with the Plan is one criterion required for project approval.