Municipal Plan Town of Windsor, Vermont Adopted by the Windsor Selectboard November 12, 2019 This Town Plan was updated in 2019 by the Windsor Planning Commission with assistance from the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission, Ascutney, VT TOWN of WINDSOR Office of Zoning and Planning 29 Union Street Windsor, Vermont 05089 Date: 24 November, 2019 Re: Updates to Municipal Plan, 2019 Much has changed in the years since the town made it initial efforts to formalize a “Town Plan”. A municipal plan is created to provide guidance for all Town of Windsor officials to use in making choices and decisions. Vermont is changing. Population growth has stagnated. The number of older residents is increasing. Even the way we buy things has changed radically in only a few years. The revisions to the Municipal Plans were undertaken with an eye toward revising the specific ideas and goals of the plan. Increasing the focus on sustainability and actively developing housing related projects are just two of the areas that have been enhanced. We believe that Windsor is positioned to take advantage of a number of changes in the next few years. There is an increasing popularity to living in Walkable Downtowns. Sustainability is finally becoming a realistic opportunity. Bicycle paths and outdoor recreation are important parts of life in Vermont in 2019. The Planning Commission would like to thank long time Commission Chair Marv Klassen-Landis for his efforts on behalf of the community. Marv has decided that with the completion of the Town Plan work it is time for him to go on to other interests and to leave it for new faces to continue the work he has been part of for so long. Thank you Marv for a lot of effort and a lot of evenings working on the details. Robert D. Haight Zoning Administrator Town of Windsor, Vermont 802.674.1018 [email protected] Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 About the Town Plan ............................................................................................................................ 1 Background ............................................................................................................................................ 1 History .................................................................................................................................................... 1 Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................................ 3 Windsor’s Relationship to the Region .................................................................................................. 4 2. MUNICIPAL SERVICES, UTILITIES AND FACILITIES ........................................................................... 6 Public Lands (Municipal, State and Federal) ........................................................................................ 6 Town Buildings ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Public Safety .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Public Utilities - Water and Sewer ........................................................................................................ 9 Drainage............................................................................................................................................... 12 Solid Waste .......................................................................................................................................... 13 Recreational Facilities ......................................................................................................................... 14 3. EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE ....................................................................................................... 17 4. ENERGY ........................................................................................................................................... 20 See Appendix A 5. HOUSING ........................................................................................................................................ 21 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................ 21 Housing Analysis .................................................................................................................................. 21 Equal Treatment of Housing ............................................................................................................... 22 6. TRANSPORTATION.......................................................................................................................... 25 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................ 25 Highways .............................................................................................................................................. 25 Bicycling & Pedestrian Facilities ......................................................................................................... 25 Railroad ................................................................................................................................................ 26 Public Transportation .......................................................................................................................... 26 Airports ................................................................................................................................................ 26 Parking ................................................................................................................................................. 26 7. LAND USE ........................................................................................................................................ 29 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................ 29 Existing Land Use ................................................................................................................................. 29 Future Land Use .................................................................................................................................. 33 Timing and Sequence of Development .............................................................................................. 38 8. NATURAL, SCENIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ........................................................................... 41 Groundwater/Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPA) ........................................................................... 41 Shorelands/Surface Waters/Wetlands .............................................................................................. 42 Land and Mineral Resources .............................................................................................................. 44 Steep Slopes ........................................................................................................................................ 44 Agricultural Soils .................................................................................................................................. 44 Forests ................................................................................................................................................. 45 Wildlife Habitat/Natural Areas ........................................................................................................... 45 Earth Extraction ................................................................................................................................... 46 Air Resources ....................................................................................................................................... 47 Scenic Resources ................................................................................................................................. 47 Historic Preservation ........................................................................................................................... 49 9. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................................... 52 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................ 52 Present Economic Conditions ............................................................................................................. 52 Desired Future Economic Development ............................................................................................ 56 Economic Development Strategies .................................................................................................... 57 WINDSOR TOWN PLAN 1. INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE TOWN PLAN The Windsor Town Plan is a comprehensive municipal development plan in accordance with 24 V.S.A. §4381. This Plan is intended to include all required elements per §4382, to be consistent with State planning goals under §4302, and to be compatible with the Regional Plan and adjacent town plans in accordance with §4350.