[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6101144,"mediaKeyId","2810033-572a3946ce8e846913ac9dcc59f4a7bd","parentId",2810033,"title","Senate committee eyes permitting, appeals and lot rules as top housing priorities","audioSeconds",3523,"startMs",488000,"endMs",4011000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2810033-572a3946ce8e846913ac9dcc59f4a7bd&start=488&end=4011","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2810033-572a3946ce8e846913ac9dcc59f4a7bd/thumbnail_488000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6101144/Vermont/Senate-committee-eyes-permitting-appeals-and-lot-rules-as-top-housing-priorities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101144-15a206225c7dbfa6c6e8cd110a3c50de/orig.mp4?Expires=1773632617&Signature=U8nhTu2MhPP5JdiZQA2JAWXsnOLywyN0t-NJxIS0HqUEqgRqU2Tjb~NP8phu7zVg140LwcU0-t9TrHsXLm8pwTFwj5dzc6Eymdyz4xxFIYzb8gS1GG0h8l5v2E5-c8t2yzm9j07tBJNhB2XkhqTk0s6ceso~r68c-dHB5tw8njb3I407qWRPBqPZFUba6A1jH4ZVgj4tzDk~e9bAQ72-9BRFS2HDakaTTYMvi-oI2x3Ftr7p2Z3Nd0O01aPk0yuA2zjxQkm5nXXpwhccPwhIQelQEupf~5JMtrHKS1bY6szhxzBKbnmk3gVh9DTXOxpQoQr~so~p0w9t5Jxg4HCpaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-28T14:16:29Z","article","Senate members on the Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee opened a post‑crossover session planning hour by identifying permit delays, litigation and local lot‑size limits as the most immediate drivers of high housing costs in Vermont.

“We now have some time, blessed time, before we go on the floor to actually talk about where we are,” the committee chair said, calling for a list of priorities as the legislature moves into the second half of the session.

Why it matters: Senators said litigation and multi‑layer permitting—state, ANR (Agency of Natural Resources)/Act 250, and municipal bylaws—add months or years and materially increase per‑unit construction costs. Committee members repeatedly cited average lot‑size requirements, wetland‑buffer rules, and a three‑acre impervious‑surface threshold as examples that shrink buildable land and raise development costs.

What the committee discussed and asked staff to do
- Permit reform and deduplication: Members urged looking for statutory cleanup that would reduce duplicative reviews between municipal processes, ANR/Act 250 and other state permits. Several senators said the administration supports deduplication language already in a pending housing measure.
- Appeals and litigation: Senators discussed limiting the ability of appeals to indefinitely suspend projects, even when appeals proceed. One senator proposed allowing a project to move forward once it has cleared a defined percentage of local review to avoid seven‑year stalls that raise costs.
- Wetland buffers and ANR processes: The committee noted wetland buffers that expanded in some cases to 50–100 feet and said Natural Resources will take up the buffer question; members wanted the committee to support that work.
- Lot sizes and density: Senators cited a chart showing Vermont’s large average lot size (roughly 2 acres or about 78,000 square feet), and said the requirement makes it harder to achieve cost savings through higher density or infill development.
- Unfinished housing bill provisions: The group agreed to continue work on a set of measures left off the initial housing bill, including the renter credit‑score conversation, ‘‘Buy Right’’ owner‑occupied housing provisions and other items described in testimony to the committee.
- Land banking / eminent domain: Senators discussed giving municipalities tools between tax sale and full purchase—land banking—to return blighted or vacant housing to productive use. Eminent domain was raised for attention value but members framed it as a shock‑value example and asked for testimony on past state‑local efforts (for example, a Waterbury flood‑management episode cited by members).

Evidence and witnesses: Senators cited testimony from developers and organizations including Evernorth and the Pew Charitable Trusts on cost drivers. One member said she will seek testimony from landlords, developers and local officials about barriers to rehabilitating blighted housing and about practical land‑banking tools.

Next steps: The committee agreed to schedule walkthroughs with Natural Resources and to invite witnesses (administration staff, local developers and municipal officials) to present data on permit timeframes, the cost impacts of appeals, and which regulatory changes would yield measurable savings. Members also asked the chief performance officer be invited to help identify consistent outcome metrics for housing efforts.

Discussion vs. decisions: The meeting was a planning session and produced no formal motions or votes. Committee members instructed staff to assemble a list of priority topics and witnesses and to track related bills from the House and other committees.

Ending note: Senators emphasized they will continue the housing conversation after crossover, aiming to pair short‑term reforms (administrative cleanup and permit timing) with longer‑term work on affordability and housing targets.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Economic Development - 2025-01-03-28-10:15 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Senate members on the Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee opened a post‑crossover session planning hour by identifying permit delays, litigation and local lot‑size limits as the most immediate drivers of high housing costs in Vermont.","taxTitle","Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",37662,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6101133,"Committee raises cautions on expanding PACE financing to commercial properties",77,737000,814000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2810033-572a3946ce8e846913ac9dcc59f4a7bd&start=737&end=814","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2810033-572a3946ce8e846913ac9dcc59f4a7bd/thumbnail_737000.jpg","/articles/6101133/Vermont/Committee-raises-cautions-on-expanding-PACE-financing-to-commercial-properties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101133-e100be09095757be44766b94791af44c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773632617&Signature=VSDf3JNRNm1R7lbNgAKesbzDswsFWiZCWWnhY~vwDrVO-Mc8REAn2WTmmOqoQEf4akW~gjYt9WeuPo2tipRaPKHo1NvFuiYsVNSAUDAkBdzYEt2YG~ZXjfnzTQcN0NoWUaanezLnEHdsjN1UJdEOG~K94WGrD5BP6pOAKklAe-cBDAhLEFnemXvO~f6BKZN6HbXz0bDvwuazR0d4u~a~-mOH98h4BLCImImKMamWR2RkkwjxoeHOtBh4neB8rvTVm9CFh0wgZRnPxhUZFIqpDRqM5xmwXCuzCpZAIBZP3xSYaT18zaPZ1LI4eTNHdme3QTlLAFp4OhVRVNIXRNgoDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The committee discussed draft language to expand PACE (property‑assessed clean energy) financing—already enabled in Vermont for residential projects—to commercial properties, but several senators urged caution and additional study.

Why it matters: PACE programs allow owners to repay clean‑energy or efficiency investments through a property‑tax assessment. Expanding the program to commercial properties could broaden financing for energy upgrades but may complicate title transfers, commercial lending and bankruptcy proceedings.

What senators said
- Concerns from banks and practitioners: One member said lenders have warned that PACE obligations can make title transfers and sales more difficult and can complicate closings when PACE providers go bankrupt. That experience was described in a California case cited by a senator who recounted a personal example where a PACE assessment complicated a home sale.
- Difference between residential and commercial: Senators noted commercial PACE is treated differently in other states and that the committee should first consider whether Vermont’s residential experience generalizes to commercial markets.
- Prioritization: Some senators said the PACE expansion should be a lower priority this session unless the committee can resolve title and lender concerns.

Next steps: A senator said she would introduce draft language and the committee agreed to review details, including lender perspectives and consumer‑protections language, before advancing an expansion bill.","Senators discussed a bill to expand Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing from residential to commercial properties, with members citing title-transfer and bankruptcy problems in other states and asking for a careful review before expansion.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6101140,"Committee flags workforce, tech hubs and military‑retiree recruitment among economic priorities",1888,964000,2852000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2810033-572a3946ce8e846913ac9dcc59f4a7bd&start=964&end=2852","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2810033-572a3946ce8e846913ac9dcc59f4a7bd/thumbnail_964000.jpg","/articles/6101140/Vermont/Committee-flags-workforce-tech-hubs-and-militaryretiree-recruitment-among-economic-priorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101140-017aec5189abf8f7a147fb7d8ac2ea73/orig.mp4?Expires=1773632617&Signature=npegZ8uVpDk21ecaoxbBIcBzc9hW372WrQ6bbOPjRIX57y5zAQoHURYBHZnH9nGCEB3fWvXTohAzSaaJXdaZo7Dp5Rkbi7j~K9DcR8tJ3Ug8DScGpdJXnmJHK8giubV401BmIsQDYLNe41gzF2c0mWhSV6LPFWZNZgb7KrSErmPR95Fy35Ry5~3snwOt8sWjT6y78YxbPwSTmfjfKLc4917doRYjKsAyRKKQ4n~mjD62kcq9F7zu2nuP2so0JNpFBGszJkv1jY6t6L6bJjF28wV1I8YmrnnIISd5Nlxq0vo9leGriKhp~AZeZfmqONqJ-S9Xp~Wyp48UqQOz5K3XtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee members said housing and workforce are linked and outlined a multi‑part economic agenda: branding and marketing to attract talent, support for tech‑industry hubs, strengthening career and technical education (CTE), and targeted recruitment of skilled military retirees.

Why it matters: Senators framed housing as integral to economic development and said attracting and retaining skilled workers requires coordinated effort across education, economic development and tax policy. The committee discussed a possible amendment to workforce legislation to include a military retirement pension exemption as a recruitment and retention tool for people with marketable skills.

Key discussion points
- Vermont branding and marketing: Members urged greater investment in statewide branding to support tourism, student recruitment and business attraction; they said prior testimony showed Vermont underinvests in marketing.
- Tech hubs and manufacturing: Senators asked for updates on the state’s tech‑hub activity tied to GlobalFoundries and recent grants (one member mentioned a $40 million grant) and proposed inviting regional tech hub partners, UVM and industry recipients to brief the committee.
- Workforce programs: The committee said it will review CTE expansions in the education bill, Green Mountain Promise, loan‑forgiveness and adult‑education workforce pathways; members flagged dental‑therapy training at Vermont Technical College as an item needing further attention.
- Military retirement pension exemption: Senators discussed a targeted recruitment proposal that would exempt some military retirement pay and pair the tax change with active recruitment of guard retirees whose skill sets (medical, technical, skilled trades) match state workforce needs.

Witnesses and next steps: Members asked staff to invite representatives from GlobalFoundries‑area tech partners, UVM, the treasurer (for newly announced baby‑bond pilots), and the chief performance officer for measurement and outcomes. They also requested follow‑up testimony on loan‑forgiveness program effectiveness and dental‑therapy program barriers.

Decision status: No formal votes were taken. The committee planned to incorporate these requests into its hearing calendar and to coordinate with House bills on workforce development.","Senators identified workforce development, Vermont branding and targeted recruitment— including a proposed military retirement tax exemption —as priorities to pair with housing reforms. They also asked for updates on tech‑hub grants, CTE, loan‑forgiveness programs and stalled dental‑therapy training.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate committee eyes permitting, appeals and lot rules as top housing priorities

Committee raises cautions on expanding PACE financing to commercial properties

Committee flags workforce, tech hubs and military‑retiree recruitment among economic priorities