By Curt Peterson
The Rutland Regional Planning Commission (RRPC) is about halfway finished creating its 2026 Regional Plan, and RRPC planner Logan Solomon visited the Killington Select Board Monday evening, Sept. 23, to update the board on the progress and next steps for the project.
The 2026 regional plan project has its own website (storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/5018a6bc74d34a59aca763981e78355a).
Solomon said the first “public engagement” event was Wednesday, Sept. 25. The next event will be on Oct. 30 from 6-7:30 p.m. In-person attendees will go to the RRPC offices at 16 Evelyn St. in Rutland, second floor, refreshments provided, and digital attendance will be available as well, link at the project website.
A Phase 1 — December 2023 through March 2024 — survey distributed to regional residents requested their opinions and experiences that might pertain to creation of the new regional plan. Twelve hundred respondents provided valuable information, according to RRPC.
This “second phase” — September 2024 through November 2024 — of the regional plan process starts with a round of town visit events, pop-up presentations, and open-houses, “to provide a first glimpse at the Regional Plan’s goals and policies,” as developed during Phase 1, and solicit questions, comments and suggestions from the general public, as well as another survey to report and evaluate progress.
A second survey called “Report Back” will come with an incentive for respondents providing their email addresses — a random winner will get a $200 gift card usable for Paramount Theater events. This survey will have two goals: To get the public’s reaction to what RRPC has learned from earlier research and input, and to request further comments, thoughts, questions and suggestions.
A third phase of public outreach will take place May through June, 2025.
Vermont’s 11 regional planning commissions provide various forms of support for individual towns, particularly their planning commissions, throughout their defined regions. Twenty-seven towns in southwest Vermont are served by the RRPC, providing “tools and information [member towns] need to make smart decisions about land use,” according to RRPC’s website.
Logan Solomon provides technical support for local planning commissions, as well as helps with planning and zoning issues. He also aids with housing planning as leader of a separate commission.
For more information, visit: RutlandRPC.org.
