CLARENDON TOWN PLAN Photo courtesy of John David Geery Adoption Date: June 13, 2016 The preparation of this plan was funded through the Municipal Planning Grant Program, administered by the Vermont Department of Housing & Community Affairs, Agency of Commerce and Community Development. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................... 4 Preparation and Use of the Plan ................................................................................................. 4 Preparation of the Plan ............................................................................................................... 4 Statutory Authority and Requirements ....................................................................................... 5 CLARENDON YESTERDAY ...................................................................................................................... 6 Land Grants Controversy and Early Settlement ......................................................................... 6 Resorts, Railroads, Mills, and Quarries ...................................................................................... 7 Agricultural Development .......................................................................................................... 8 The Twenty-First Century .......................................................................................................... 8 CLARENDON TODAY................................................................................................................................. 10 Clarendon's Population ............................................................................................................. 10 How large is Clarendon's population and how much has it grown? ........................................ 10 How else is Clarendon's population changing? ........................................................................ 12 How much will Clarendon population grow in the future? ...................................................... 13 Clarendon's Housing................................................................................................................. 13 Clarendon's Economy ............................................................................................................... 14 CLARENDON'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................... 20 Physical Setting ........................................................................................................................ 20 Geology .................................................................................................................................... 20 Land Resources ........................................................................................................................ 20 Land Capable of Supporting Agriculture ................................................................................. 20 Land Capable of Supporting Forestry ...................................................................................... 21 Mineral Resources .................................................................................................................... 23 Wildlife Habitats, Fragile Areas and Geologically Significant Locations ............................... 23 Water Resources ....................................................................................................................... 25 Watersheds ............................................................................................................................... 25 Rivers and Streams and their corridors .................................................................................... 25 Lakes and Ponds ....................................................................................................................... 26 Wetlands ................................................................................................................................... 26 Groundwater ............................................................................................................................. 28 Stormwater Drainage ................................................................................................................ 29 CLARENDON’S FLOOD RESILIENCE ............................................................................................. 31 Mapping Flood Hazard Areas .................................................................................................. 31 History of Flooding .................................................................................................................. 32 Flood Hazard Area Regulations ............................................................................................... 33 Local Hazard Mitigation and Emergency Operations Plans .................................................... 33 NFIP Participation .................................................................................................................... 33 Lands that Minimize Flooding ................................................................................................. 33 Goals ......................................................................................................................................... 34 CLARENDON'S BUILT ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................ 36 Transportation .......................................................................................................................... 36 Highways .................................................................................................................................. 36 Classification ............................................................................................................................ 37 Bridges ...................................................................................................................................... 38 Traffic Volume ......................................................................................................................... 39 Page 1 Accident Locations ................................................................................................................... 40 Highway Problem Areas .......................................................................................................... 40 Town Equipment ...................................................................................................................... 40 Impact of Regional Transportation Element ............................................................................ 40 Other Transportation Modes .................................................................................................... 42 Education .................................................................................................................................. 45 Clarendon Elementary School .................................................................................................. 45 Mill River Union High School ................................................................................................. 46 Fire Protection .......................................................................................................................... 49 Rescue ...................................................................................................................................... 50 Public Safety/Police ................................................................................................................. 51 Solid Waste ............................................................................................................................... 53 Water and Sewer ...................................................................................................................... 54 Recreation ................................................................................................................................. 55 Community Facilities ............................................................................................................... 56 ENERGY .............................................................................................................................................................. 58 Electricity ................................................................................................................................. 58 Residential Energy Demands ................................................................................................... 59 Transportation Energy Demands .............................................................................................. 60 Clarendon's Renewable Energy Sources .................................................................................. 61 Bioenergy ................................................................................................................................. 61 Solar .......................................................................................................................................... 62 Wind Power .............................................................................................................................. 66 Hydro Power ............................................................................................................................. 66 ECONOMIC