HIGHGATE TOWN PLAN 2015-2020 2015 - 2020 Highgate Town Plan Adopted by the Highgate Selectboard on July 23, 2015 Amended December 21, 2017 Prepared With the professional assistance and mapping services of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission 75 Fairfield Street, St. Albans, VT 05478 802-524-5958 For the Highgate Planning Commission & Town of Highgate, Vermont PO Box 189, Highgate Center, VT 05459 802-868-4697 Highgate Planning Commission Members: Richard Wilkens – Chair Woodbury Rouse Bruce Ryan Luc Dupuis Larry Simmons Highgate Planning & Zoning Administrator – Heidi Britch-Valenta Highgate, Vermont Town Plan 2015 i TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 PURPOSE ................................................................................................................................................................. 1 AUTHORITY ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 PLANNING PROCESS ............................................................................................................................................ 2 ROLE OF THE HIGHGATE PLANNING COMMISSION ..................................................................................... 2 VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF HIGHGATE ........................................................................................ 4 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 5 HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT ......................................................................................................................... 5 POPULATION ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 HOUSING STOCK................................................................................................................................................... 7 ELDERLY HOUSING ........................................................................................................................................... 10 AFFORDABLE HOUSING.................................................................................................................................... 10 ECONOMY ............................................................................................................................................................ 13 CHILD CARE FACILITIES ................................................................................................................................... 15 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC GOALS .................................................................................................................... 16 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................... 16 NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ........................................................................................... 18 NATURAL RESOURCES................................................................................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. ARCHEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 31 ENERGY ...................................................................................................................................................... 33 ENERGY RESOURCES, NEEDS, SCARCITIES, COSTS, AND PROBLEMS ................................................... 34 TARGETS FOR ENERGY USE AND ENERGY GENERATION ........................................................................ 37 MAPPING ENERGY RESOURCES AND CONSTRAINTS ............................................................................... 39 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................................... 41 ENERGY GOALS .................................................................................................................................................. 42 ENERGY OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................................ 42 TRANSPORTATION ................................................................................................................................. 42 HIGHWAYS AND LOCAL ROADS ..................................................................................................................... 43 ROAD SURFACE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (RSMS) ...................................................................................... 48 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION .............................................................................................................................. 49 BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES FEASIBILITY STUDY ................................................................ 49 TRANSPORTATION GOALS ............................................................................................................................... 50 TRANSPORTATION OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................................... 50 COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES .......................................................................................... 52 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................. 52 POLICE PROTECTION ......................................................................................................................................... 59 FIRE PROTECTION .............................................................................................................................................. 59 AMBULANCE AND RESCUE SERVICES .......................................................................................................... 61 WATER SUPPLY, WASTEWATER DISPOSAL AND STORMWATER ........................................................... 61 Highgate, Vermont Town Plan 2015 ii SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL .................................................................................................................................. 63 TOWN OFFICES .................................................................................................................................................... 64 PUBLIC LIBRARY ................................................................................................................................................ 65 RECREATION ....................................................................................................................................................... 67 ALL HAZARDS RESILIENCY ................................................................................................................... 72 FLOODING ............................................................................................................................................................ 72 FLUVIAL EROSION & LANDSLIDES ................................................................................................................ 75 SEVERE WINTER STORM (ICE STORM) .......................................................................................................... 78 HIGH WINDS ........................................................................................................................................................ 80 STRUCTURE FIRE ................................................................................................................................................ 80 THUNDERSTORMS, LIGHTNING & HAIL ........................................................................................................ 80 ALL HAZARDS RESILIENCY GOALS ............................................................................................................... 81 ALL HAZARDS RESILIENCY OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................... 81 LAND USE .................................................................................................................................................. 83 EXISTING LAND USE .......................................................................................................................................... 83 COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ..................................................................................... 86 AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................... 87 PRESERVATION STRATEGIES .......................................................................................................................... 90 THE LAND USE PLAN ......................................................................................................................................... 92 PROPOSED LAND USE DISTRICTS ................................................................................................................... 92 NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AND THE REGION ......................................................................... 96 A COMPARISON WITH THE TOWN OF SWANTON .......................................................................................