Planning Department staff briefed the Planning Commission on ongoing and proposed work for the Shelburne Road corridor, describing a multi‑year program of intersection safety studies, active transportation planning, parks and open‑space analysis and potential state funding under Act 181.
Staff framed the corridor as a candidate for focused growth tools in the state’s Act 181 framework and said the area’s existing conditions — limited park space, hostile pedestrian crossings and complex right‑of‑way ownership along Route 7 — make early planning useful. “This center … did not come up overnight,” a staff presenter said, noting lessons learned from previous city center development and the opportunity to apply those lessons to the Shelburne Road area.
Planned and ongoing work includes follow‑up active transportation studies to clarify preferred multimodal strategies, an intersection study for pedestrian safety, coordination with the regional planning commission and a parks and open‑space master plan that will review potential new neighborhood parks. Staff said some investments — for example, adding bike facilities on Route 7 itself — would be “a very long term project, and it would be extremely expensive,” a state transportation representative told the commission.
Staff also described the city’s interest in preparing for Tier 1A status under Act 181, which creates a process for locally designated focus areas to be treated differently than broader Act 250 review. The city intends to continue working with the regional planning commission and state agencies; staff said they will meet with the Agency of Natural Resources to discuss rare and threatened species (RTE) requirements and to explore what a practical local approach could look like. “There is no action needed today,” staff said about the Tier 1A topic, but they urged early engagement with state partners so the city can help shape guidance.
Commissioners and members of the public raised connectivity and park access as priorities. Several speakers suggested short‑term, low‑cost pilot projects — painted wayfinding and interim neighborhood routes — to improve bike and pedestrian connections while long‑term options and funding are pursued. Staff said potential funding windows include the municipal planning grant cycle (opens in January) and other state programs similar to tax‑increment or special financing mechanisms used elsewhere.
Outcome: commissioners received the presentation; no formal action was taken. Staff will continue the studies, coordinate with CCRPC and ANR, pursue grant and funding opportunities and prepare the background materials needed for any future Tier 1A application.
Next steps: staff will follow up with ANR, CCRPC and state transportation partners, continue the active transportation and parks analyses, and evaluate potential funding and timeline for Tier 1A application work.