Rutland seeks land-record notice and state coordination for shared-use path, road diet

The select board discussed the shared-use path project along Route 7 and decided to record a land-record notification to alert future property buyers about the planned sidewalk alignment that will affect several parcels, including a commercial property near the appliance store. The town will work with mapping staff to identify affected parcels and record a notice naming the parcels and the planned path so title searchers see the project during property transactions.

Board members also reported that VTrans and the Vermont Traffic Committee retained a 35 mph limit on a portion of US 4 and reduced a previously 45 mph section to 40 mph easts of the Mendon town line; the board said VTrans suggested repainting or paving options for extending the Route 7 road diet past McKinley Avenue but that the state wants to tie the change to the next paving cycle. The board instructed staff to coordinate with regional planning and the town’s regional commissioners to press for repainting or scheduling that work to coincide with sidewalk construction rather than waiting for a full paving cycle.

Why it matters: Recording a land-record notice ensures prospective buyers see a pending public improvement that could change property access and parking; coordinating road-diet and sidewalk work reduces pedestrian/cyclist safety risks and avoids piecemeal pavement changes.

Next steps: Town staff will identify affected parcels for a land-record notice, prepare a one-page record to be indexed for title searches and work with the regional planning commission and VTrans to pursue repainting or scheduling to align the road-diet with sidewalk construction.