[{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6208151,"mediaKeyId","3749634-6178263403753d6b6d92bce07d225956","parentId",3749634,"title","Public commenters and a commissioner urge fuller committee engagement after housing committee resignations","audioSeconds",4192,"startMs",1053000,"endMs",5245000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3749634-6178263403753d6b6d92bce07d225956&start=1053&end=5245","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3749634-6178263403753d6b6d92bce07d225956/thumbnail_1053000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6208151/Montpelier-City/Washington-County/Vermont/Public-commenters-and-a-commissioner-urge-fuller-committee-engagement-after-housing-committee-resignations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208151-ddf791610ec6455883321c203d4727e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175430&Signature=ihBiHHE3yzZkA3DhRswZqNv4iG97YynXywk-L98~R7G5k5I3iHa-z0woghOQAGLIYmx5u9aapjfX2USXiXJJqcD6gDh0BZ7YOjsXLORjF0ibnLv6v82mvhEDr8NXrbvQH~HbzGXw75hB4Zl5RgRrHK3QKSNZx7b1SB~J1-B14KXswFBAEIb0f8JzVal-y2h8Sgb9sYb7VQkOqbUArVsoBn97d-rMCNZ6dLEBNyPlVvQacF3NiLpsO8-fSFvRjz0gWNWzSv4fT4TFWmCLajz4dxer1TeGmJHf9ZBVPHLhBMXFdNi~y-rT6GD3ogN9OUhR0ooWLX-WBcARN-pOsWC7kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montpelier City, VT","date","2025-06-11T00:33:12.413Z","article","Several public commenters and at least one commissioner told the Planning Commission they were concerned about the level and timing of committee engagement in recent city‑plan work and urged the commission to seek more direct review from standing committees amid reports of resignations from the city's housing committee.

\"Apparently, we aren't operating under a legally adopted plan currently, and, therefore, we don't have the right to be amending the bylaws even on an interim basis,\" Steven Whitaker said during public comment, arguing that a public‑hearing requirement was missed after city council revisions in 2017. \"You have not... you have allowed Mike to write your stuff and you have rubber stamped it, and you have left out most of the public engagement, which is required by law,\" he added.

Commissioners and staff responded that the planning department had met with committees and that some committee input arrived late or in formats that were difficult to integrate. Mike, a planning staff member, said he had met with the housing committee after the March 25 public input session and that some materials were not provided in an editable format for direct incorporation.

Commissioner Peter asked whether the memo about housing committee resignations would be discussed given staff's limited time that night. Several commissioners said they would work to make sure future city plan chapters returned to the commission with clearer committee input and suggested assigning at least one commissioner to attend relevant committee meetings to strengthen communication.

Public commenters suggested the commission reject the draft regional plan or ask the council to refer it back for more committee work. The commission agreed to continue incorporating committee submissions into the plan and to seek better coordination; no formal vote or action on the housing committee resignations occurred at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Montpelier Planning Commission - Jun 9, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public commenters, including a longtime resident, criticized the planning process and said several advisory committees felt disenfranchised; commissioners discussed next steps for outreach and review of the city plan chapters.","taxTitle","Montpelier City, Washington County, Vermont","taxId",68799,"location","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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6208155,"City reports three flood buyouts approved; three building elevations funded with $900,000 in state money",134,353000,487000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3749634-6178263403753d6b6d92bce07d225956&start=353&end=487","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3749634-6178263403753d6b6d92bce07d225956/thumbnail_353000.jpg","/articles/6208155/Montpelier-City/Washington-County/Vermont/City-reports-three-flood-buyouts-approved-three-building-elevations-funded-with-900000-in-state-money","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208155-9f11689bae26ca57184b3af2a503e0c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175430&Signature=keyTWNT-9UA9~zVJN60NSU6QXvKN6m32~evH6gpyqYqEwkJd1QZHBkexGiIkdMvoBLEyI3Z8fcjp8ecNJP1tKBjiZkeDvSnOBqbz1GTJMWmMzTwlTHRNO0bFRx3OFRUAkLtQ0ZSIyeffZjtk0G9OQKVvJYOBcO-pJGDpSyQvm~maYx3ygwTmInqOQ4eTSXp11z2pidGmtwsg~8aHosi0f0F5BUq8I6~OhzDDwSZBpX9UWYoeCzf75k~4n7SwR8wnvJKVZ9LFzZ~V4yAbpORGVHgRtBfRKMPy49-AE8EYl4bf76GTBnAGkgvAIW3FOJiqGvujIpAeMcBMWfnmY5j40g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planning staff told the Planning Commission the city has three properties approved for FEMA buyouts and three separate building elevation projects funded with state money from a larger $3 million request.

\"The initial request that went into the legislature last year was for $3,000,000 with 1 and a half of that, 1 and a half million to go to the city, and 1 and a half to go to Barre City... So we got 900,000,\" a planning staff member said, summarizing recent state funding allocations and the city's share.

The staff member said the city will elevate three buildings and has buyout agreements for three other buildings that are \"in process of getting to closing.\" The buyout properties will be demolished and made permanent no‑build parcels consistent with FEMA buyout program requirements, the staff member said.

Staff described the current schedule for elevations as design work underway and engineers and architects under contract, with the aim of completing at least two of the elevation projects before winter. One elevation could be delayed until next spring if schedules slip. Design work is being run by city staff and assigned project leads after prior staff left the office.

Commissioners asked whether the state has a plan for other vacant or shuttered state‑owned buildings in town; the planning staff said they were not aware of finalized state plans and that some state discussions were ongoing but not finalized.

The staff member said locations for the buyouts include one property on Elm Street and two on Lower State Street. Commissioners asked how properties were selected for elevation; staff said projects were scored by how far below base flood elevation a building sat, with deeper or more flood‑exposed structures ranked higher.

No formal action was taken by the commission on the buyouts or elevation projects during the meeting; staff said they would continue design work and monitor closing timelines.","Planning staff told the commission the city has three FEMA buyouts in closing and is funding elevations on three buildings with state money allocated from a $3 million request.",{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6208161,"Planning commission adopts interim switch to 10‑meter steep‑slope map, narrows slope review categories",2796,1438000,4234000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3749634-6178263403753d6b6d92bce07d225956&start=1438&end=4234","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3749634-6178263403753d6b6d92bce07d225956/thumbnail_1438000.jpg","/articles/6208161/Montpelier-City/Washington-County/Vermont/Planning-commission-adopts-interim-switch-to-10meter-steepslope-map-narrows-slope-review-categories","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208161-f70de8916aab5082ef683e24188316f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175430&Signature=NTSRy-IVlLwjExKvlRovyalViz0f3I5OZRROkb23B~T1atmLg30r84xllBIT7fpVEF-fnex8c5TMpdp7ni-~DJyM2ZE3d2bojD5mMB7a-vKPxjyDMXtehKQUbbQ9OG8yvi-5RusuiAcIt6Xb2ps~zXAPEErhEkMyz7KaXMFPyUMpFLmfl-KCmxyZsinQ0yZDgGWVJOKw7SN3qpFyIF5PbjQAQQW2DUhQPWzLSF3EGXFR697tH50fbVSKKFNVm1Y1mgEsz7XmDpmrHfJz-an68S5AURerpBNvSM7jslJftoQO7gEGBGyXO1t~x374TeEibzER0DgRRjRdYndpS6lmXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montpelier Planning Commission voted to use 10‑meter resolution elevation data as an interim steep‑slope map and to adopt three slope categories — 0–15%, 15–30% and 30% and above — to reduce the number of small projects subject to Development Review Board review.

Commissioners said the change is intended as a short‑term fix while staff and the commission work on a longer rewrite of the slope provisions. \"Most planning documents, zoning documents, including ours, use percent slope instead of degree slope,\" Tim said during a presentation on mapping and data resolution. \"A 100% slope is only a 45 degree angle, a 30% slope comes in at 16.7 degrees, and a 15% slope is right at that like 7 to 8 degree threshold.\"

The commission also agreed to clarify the steep‑slope applicability language to exempt very small disturbances. Staff had proposed a 50‑square‑foot exemption for disturbances not associated with a building — for example, a short flight of external stairs — to keep minor projects out of the more intensive review tracks. Meredith, the planning and zoning administrator, described the exemption as an attempt to \"get some small projects out\" of the regulatory cascade and said the city could expand the exemption after collecting more data.

Supporters of the interim change said the existing 1‑meter LIDAR‑based map has produced many false positives — tiny pockets of steep slope captured by the very high‑resolution data — and that those pockets force otherwise routine projects into a public DRB hearing. \"We capture ditches, we capture building footprints because of the way the data is collected,\" Tim said, contrasting 1‑meter and 10‑meter datasets and showing that the coarser data captures larger, contiguous steep areas while dropping minute features.

Commission members, staff and several public commenters said DRB hearings can slow projects because neighbors receive notice and may raise broad design objections beyond technical slope or engineering concerns. \"Anything you can do to give Meredith or whoever the zoning director is more expert leeway to make a ruling so that it doesn't go before the DRB would be a major and important change,\" a commenter said.

The motion to adopt the 10‑meter map and the revised categories passed by voice vote with \"Aye\" responses. The change was described as interim: staff said the map change can be used while the commission develops permanent edits to the slope regulations and the erosion‑control matrix.

Commissioners and staff flagged follow‑up work: revising the matrix that triggers engineered plans and DRB review, aligning erosion‑control thresholds with the new map, and considering whether administrative permits should include additional notice for nearby property owners in some cases. Meredith noted existing practice already allows staff to use more accurate parcel‑level elevation data for site‑specific evaluations.

The commission also asked staff to ensure the chosen map can be distributed in both printable and online formats and to return with recommended permanent text and mapping edits.

The interim edits will amend the map used by the steep‑slope regulations and related erosion‑control triggers pending a full rewrite.","The Montpelier Planning Commission voted to adopt a lower‑resolution steep‑slope map for interim use, change slope category thresholds and add small‑disturbance exemptions to reduce the number of projects routed to the Development Review Board.","actionData","errors"]

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Public commenters and a commissioner urge fuller committee engagement after housing committee resignations

City reports three flood buyouts approved; three building elevations funded with $900,000 in state money

Planning commission adopts interim switch to 10‑meter steep‑slope map, narrows slope review categories