Whitingham Town Plan - Adopted July 22, 2015 TOWN OF WHITINGHAM VERMONT TOWN PLAN (Plan Adopted July 22, 2015) Funded by a 2015 Municipal Planning Grant Awarded by the Department of Housing and Community Development in the State of Vermont 1 Whitingham Town Plan - Adopted July 22, 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS FIGURES ....................................................................................................... 4 TABLES ......................................................................................................... 4 VISION STATEMENT ................................................................................ 5 TOWN PLAN GOALS ................................................................................. 5 COMMUNITY PROFILE ........................................................................... 7 GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................................... 7 BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WHITINGHAM ........................................................................................ 7 WHITINGHAM COMMUNITY SURVEY .......................................................................................................... 9 POPULATION ..............................................................................................................................................10 HOUSING ...................................................................................................................................................12 ECONOMY..................................................................................................................................................13 COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES ..................................... 16 TOWN FACILITIES ......................................................................................................................................16 PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES .........................................................................................................................16 WASTE WATER DISPOSAL .........................................................................................................................17 ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION ...........................................................................................................................17 SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL ...........................................................................................................................17 LIBRARY ....................................................................................................................................................18 THE LIBRARY CONTINUES TO ASSESS THE COMMUNITY’S NEEDS THROUGH OBSERVATION AND INFORMAL AND FORMAL SURVEYS AND STRIVES TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. ...................................................................19 HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES ................................................................................................................19 COMMUNICATIONS ....................................................................................................................................19 Landline Telephone Service .................................................................................................................19 Cellular Phone Service ........................................................................................................................19 Emergency Communications................................................................................................................19 Internet and Broadband Service ..........................................................................................................20 EDUCATION ...............................................................................................................................................20 Elementary Education ..........................................................................................................................20 Middle and High School Education .....................................................................................................20 Career Education and Lifelong Learning ............................................................................................21 CHILD CARE ..............................................................................................................................................21 HISTORIC RESOURCES ...............................................................................................................................21 PUBLIC RECREATION .................................................................................................................................22 SCENIC RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................................23 POLICIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................................................23 TRANSPORTATION ................................................................................. 26 EXISTING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM .......................................................................................................26 Roads ...................................................................................................................................................26 Bridges .................................................................................................................................................27 VT Route 100 Corridor Study ..............................................................................................................28 Whitingham Village Enhancement Study .............................................................................................29 Alternative Transportation ...................................................................................................................31 Parking.................................................................................................................................................31 ACCESS MANAGEMENT .............................................................................................................................32 2 Whitingham Town Plan - Adopted July 22, 2015 FUTURE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ..........................................................................................................32 POLICIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................................................32 NATURAL RESOURCES ......................................................................... 34 TOPOGRAPHY AND SLOPES ........................................................................................................................34 WATER RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................................35 Surface Waters: Rivers, Streams, Lakes, and Ponds ............................................................................35 FLOOD HAZARD AREAS .............................................................................................................................37 Inundation Flood Hazards ...................................................................................................................37 Fluvial Erosion Hazards ......................................................................................................................37 Groundwater ........................................................................................................................................38 SOILS .........................................................................................................................................................38 MINERALS .................................................................................................................................................38 GEOLOGIC SITES........................................................................................................................................38 WILDLIFE HABITAT AND ENDANGERED SPECIES .......................................................................................39 AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES .....................................................................................................................40 FORESTRY RESOURCES ..............................................................................................................................40 POLICIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................................................41 LAND USE .................................................................................................. 43 EXISTING LAND USE .................................................................................................................................44 PROPOSED LAND USE ................................................................................................................................45 Conservation ........................................................................................................................................46 Rural Lands ..........................................................................................................................................46 Rural Residential .................................................................................................................................46