By Stephen Seitz
posted
Dec 27, 2012
KILLINGTON - Killington is one of 46 towns receiving some of the
$450,000 in municipal planning grants, according to a statement
from Gov. Peter Shumlin's office.
"These grants provide local communities with the tools they need
to map their economic future while protecting their natural
environment," Shumlin said in the statement. "The downtown
development and job creation in Newport, for example, would not be
moving forward today without the planning grant assistance which
helped that community develop a vision for its future and then work
to bring it to fruition."
Killington received $14,024 to, according to the municipal
planning grant summary, "create a smart growth plan for the
Killington Road Commercial District that examines existing
infrastructure, current zoning bylaws and public investments that
recommend enhancements to the physical environment to improve the
gateway to the town and ski resort."
Town Planner Richard Horner said that meant the funds would be
used to study ways to make the Killington Road commercial corridor
more appealing to visitors.
"I haven't met with the planning commission yet," Horner said.
"But basically, we'll be looking to study how best we can improve
the aesthetics of the area, make it prettier. We'd like to maximize
its potential."
Horner said he would be meeting with the planning commission
early in January.
Killington is not the only area town receiving funds. The town
of Mendon was awarded $8,000 to review and update their subdivision
regulations in order to bring them into compliance with state law,
the town plan and zoning regulations.
"We received notice of the grant from the state on December 12,"
said town administrator Sara Tully. "The planning commission is
working on a press release. We haven't executed a contract yet, so
it will probably be in early January."
An attempt to reach planning commission chairwoman Terry
Corsones was not successful.
Other towns and cities receiving grants include: Poultney, which
was granted $7,084 to update their zoning bylaws; Rutland City,
$8,000 to update the town plan to include housing needs assessment,
the capital improvement plan, improve flood resiliency, address
blighted properties, and focus on renewable energy policies; and
Ludlow, given $7,980 for zoning and subdivision bylaw updates.
According to Noelle MacKay, Commissioner of the Department of
Economic, Housing, and Community Development, "These planning
grants help turn the residents' aspirations for their community
into local policies that determine what can be built, where it will
be built, and what it will look like. These local decisions are
critical as we all work hard to revitalize our downtowns and
villages, prepare for our economic future and build stronger
neighborhoods."
The planning grants support a range of locally identified
initiatives to improve the living and working environments and
promote efficient growth and development. The Department of
Economic, Housing and Community Development (DEHCD) selected
projects from a pool of requests from 61 communities requesting
over $610,000.
The funds will be distributed through regional planning
commissions. The full list of towns awarded grants and what they
will be used for can be found at
http://accd.vermont.gov/sites/accd/files/Documents/strongcommunities/cd/mpg/MPGAwardListFY13.pdf.
