Waitsfield Town Plan Adopted [insert date] Waitsfield Town Plan Adopted by the Waitsfield Selectboard on [date] Approved by the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission on [date] Waitsfield Planning Commission Duncan Brines Robert Cook Fred Gilbert Jordan Gonda, Vice Chair Steven Shea, Chair Brian Voigt Todd White Susan E. Senning, Planning & Zoning Administrator Waitsfield Selectboard Anne Bordonaro Kari Dolan Darryl Forrest Paul Hartshorn, Chair Salvatore Spinosa, Vice Chair Trevor Lashua, Town Administrator Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1.A Authority, History & Purpose 1-2 1.B Participation & Coordination 1-4 1.C Goals 1-6 1.D Policies 1-6 2. Historic Development 2.A Geological History 2-1 2.B Pre-Colonial History 2-1 2.C Formation of the Town 2-2 2.D Early Settlement 2-2 2.E Industry and Commerce 2-4 2.F Transportation 2-6 2.G Agriculture 2-7 2.H Education 2-8 2.I Military Service 2-9 2.J Ski Industry 2-9 2.K Recent History 2-9 3. Population 3.A Population Trends 3-1 3.B Population Profile 3-2 3.C Population Projections 3-4 3.D Seasonal Population 3-4 3.E Goals 3-5 3.F Policies 3-5 3.G Tasks 3-5 4. Housing 4.A Overview 4-1 4.B Current Housing Situation 4-1 4.C Housing Characteristics 4-3 WAITSFIELD TOWN PLAN Table of Contents i 4.D Housing Affordability 4-4 4.E Special Needs Housing 4-6 4.F Goal 4-7 4.G Policies 4-7 4.H Tasks 4-9 5. Economic Development 5.A Overview 5-1 5.B Labor Force, Employment and Wages 5-1 5.C Tax Receipts 5-4 5.D Economic Outlook 5-6 5.E Agriculture 5-7 5.F Sustainable Development 5-9 5.G Municipal Programs 5-10 5.H Goal 5-12 5.I Policies 5-12 5.J Tasks 5-15 6. Education 6.A Overview 6-1 6.B Enrollment 6-1 6.C Waitsfield Elementary School 6-3 6.D Harwood Union High School 6-3 6.E Cost of Education 6-3 6.F Adult Education 6-4 6.G Goal 6-5 6.H Policies 6-5 6.I Tasks 6-5 7. Facilities and Services 7.A Overview 7-1 7.B Town Government 7-1 7.C Town Properties 7-3 7.D Public Safety 7-7 7.E Solid Waste 7-10 7.F Sewage Disposal & Water Supply 7-10 7.G Community Services 7-12 7.H Communications & Media 7-15 ii Table of Contents WAITSFIELD TOWN PLAN 7.I Recreation 7-16 7.J Goals 7-19 7.K Policies 7-19 7.L Tasks 7-23 8. Transportation 8.A Overview 8-1 8.B Roads and Highways 8-1 8.C Traffic Conditions and Safety 8-6 8.D Transportation Alternatives 8-9 8.E Goal 8-11 8.F Policies 8-11 8.G Tasks 8-14 9. Energy 9.A Overview 9-1 9.B Energy Supply and Demand 9-2 9.C Energy Efficiency & Conservation 9-5 9.D Renewable Energy 9-6 9.E Energy Programs & Initiatives 9-9 9.F Facility Siting & Development 9-12 9.G Waitsfield Community Standards 9-13 9.H Goals 9-19 9.I Policies 9-20 9.J Tasks 9-24 10. Cultural & Historic Resources 10.A Overview 10-1 10.B Settlement Pattern 10-2 10.C Archaeological Sites 10-2 10.D Historic Sites and Structures 10-2 10.E Historic Districts 10-3 10.F Scenic Resources 10-4 10.G Cultural Resource Protection 10-5 10.H Goal 10-6 10.I Policies 10-6 10.J Tasks 10-8 WAITSFIELD TOWN PLAN Table of Contents iii 11. Natural Resources 11.A Overview 11-1 11.B Climate 11-1 11.C Air Quality 11-2 11.D Topography 11-3 11.E Water Resources 11-4 11.F Earth Resources 11-8 11.G Soils 11-10 11.H Forest Resources 11-11 11.I Environmentally Sensitive Areas 11-14 11.J Invasive Exotic Species 11-22 11.K Goals 11-24 11.L Policies 11-24 11.M Tasks 11-30 12. Land Use 12.A Overview 12-1 12.B Character of the Area 12-1 12.C Land Use Districts 12-6 Agricultural-Residential District (AR) 12-6 Forest Reserve District (FR) 12-8 Industrial District (IN) 12-10 Irasville Village District (IV) 12-11 Limited Business District (LB) 12-12 Village Business District (VB) 12-13 Village Residential District (VR) 12-14 Adaptive Redevelopment Overlay District (ARO) 12-14 Flood Hazard Overlay District (FHO) 12-16 Fluvial Erosion Hazard Overlay District (FEHO) 12-16 Historic Waitsfield Village Overlay District (HWVO) 12-17 12.D Goals 12-18 12.E Policies 12-18 12.F Tasks 12-19 13. Implementation 13.A Planning 13-1 13.B State Permit Procedures 13-1 13.C Local Regulations 13-2 iv Table of Contents WAITSFIELD TOWN PLAN 13.D Municipal Policies & Programs 13-2 13.E Tasks 13-4 High Priority Tasks 13-5 Medium Priority Tasks 13-9 Low Priority Tasks 13-12 Appendices A. References and Resources 1: References a-1 B. Maps 1: Base Map b-1 2: Topography b-2 3: Slope b-3 4: Agricultural Soils b-4 5: Septic Suitability b-5 6: Natural Resources b-6 7: Rural Resources b-7 8: Utilities and Facilities b-8 9: Growth Centers b-9 10: Irasville Growth Center Circulation Plan b-10 11: Future Land Use b-11 12: Irasville Future Land Use b-12 13: Current Land Use b-13 14: Residential Development b-14 15: Preferred Development Locations b-15 WAITSFIELD TOWN PLAN Table of Contents v 1. Introduction The Town of Waitsfield has a rich history and heritage grounded in the Vermont doctrine of freedom and unity. Our agrarian past has left a legacy that is prominent in our landscape and continues to influence the character of our community. While we are indebted to our past, the town’s recent history has been one of transition. The changes that have affected the town mirror those influencing the state as a whole. Our resource-based economy, founded on agriculture and forestry, is now built on recreation and an enviable quality of life. Thus, Waitsfield has been transformed from a quiet farming town to a resort destination, bedroom community and, increasingly, a center for innovation and commerce. This transformation has not been without costs to tranquility, the landscape, and the insular nature of the community. Waitsfield has managed, however, to retain many of the best elements of its past and merge them with a modern economy driven by tourism, technology, accessibility, and respect for our natural and social heritage. As we look to the future, we can conclude that change will become more rapid and that the consequences of town decisions will become more profound. To best confront the future, the town should look to its past, to the path provided by our forebears. In this way, we can arrive at the following principles that are found throughout this plan: . Open debate, accessible institutions and democracy are the bases of our local gov- ernment; . Economic and cultural opportunities for local citizens enrich the entire community; . Access to quality education, a livable wage and safe and affordable housing are critical elements of a civil society; . All current and future residents of the town share the same rights and respon- sibilities, regardless of status or background; . As our economy becomes more globalized, focusing on sustainable development and the careful stewardship of local resources will become increasingly important; . The town’s heritage, as defined by the historic settlement pattern of concentrated villages surrounded by an open countryside and forested mountains, is among its greatest resources; and . Individual rights and responsibility to the community should be balanced, as pro- vided by local, state and federal law. WAITSFIELD TOWN PLAN 1. Introduction 1-1 1.A. Authority, History & Purpose Authority. Authority to adopt and implement the town plan is provided by the Vermont Planning and Development Act (hereafter referred to as The Act), 24 VSA, Chapter 117. History. Waitsfield’s first plan was the original town charter of 1782, which established a subdivision plan for the town and prescribed how private property would be developed. The modern era for town planning began when the town adopted its first town plan in the early- 1970s. In 1980, the town began to coordinate its planning program with other Mad River Valley towns through the Valley Growth Study, which resulted in a major revision to the town plan in 1983, and a subsequent update of that plan in 1988. In 1993, the Planning Commission undertook a comprehensive re-write of the plan. The result was a plan with a much broader scope and level of detail than the prior plan. It served the community well, and was re-adopted with minor amendment in 1998. In 2005, the Planning Commission completed a significant update of the 1993 plan, and incorporated the outcome of the many planning and community outreach efforts that occurred during the previous decade. Purpose. The town plan is the principal policy statement for the Town of Waitsfield. It articulates the aspirations of the community, and provides a framework for achieving those aspirations. It is intended to guide how the town addresses such diverse community issues as land development, the provision of municipal services and facilities, environmental protection, economic development and transportation.