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RPC walks council through Act 181 future land‑use tiers; Barre leans toward tier 1B
Summary
Regional planners presented the Act 181 regional future land‑use mapping framework to the Barre City Council on Aug. 26. Council members signaled interest in pursuing a limited tier 1B designation (up to 50‑unit exemption) in specific core growth areas but expressed staff-capacity concerns around a full tier 1A transition.
The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission briefed the Barre City Council on Aug. 26 about Act 181, the 2024 Vermont law that updates land‑use jurisdiction previously tracked under Act 250. The RPC described a tiered mapping framework — tier 1A, 1B, tier 2 (status quo) and tier 3 — and outlined how municipalities may opt in for areas that would secure more local decision-making for planned growth.
Why it matters: Act 181 shifts more development review focus from project size to location and gives municipalities a pathway to assume some jurisdiction currently handled under Act 250. For municipalities that can demonstrate administrative capacity, tier 1A offers broader local authority; tier 1B offers limited exemptions (for example, up to 50 housing units on parcels under 10 acres can be exempted from Act 250 review and decided locally).
What planners told the council: RPC staff said the regional future land‑use map does not supersede municipal zoning and that the mapping methodology is statewide but allows for limited, documented departures. Nikki Sabado, RPC planner, and Brian Boyd, RPC senior planner, said municipalities must show administrative capacity to implement local regulations to pursue tier 1A or 1B. Boyd emphasized that tier 3 critical‑resource areas will be identified by the Agency of Natural Resources and are not a municipal choice.
Council reaction and next steps: Councilors and the planning director said staff capacity is a key constraint; Janet (planning director) told council she would not recommend pursuing tier 1A now because the planning department is short‑staffed. Councilors expressed interest in exploring a tier 1B designation for specific core growth areas and asked staff to work with the RPC to model potential tier 1B areas. RPC staff said they will publish an interactive map in November and aim to submit the regional map for state review in early 2026; they told the council that a municipality’s tier 1B decision is best made during the current mapping round because changes above a 10‑acre threshold trigger a longer regional plan‑amendment process.
Taper: The council directed staff to work with RPC staff on draft tier 1B area suggestions and to coordinate council feedback through the planning director. RPC staff recommended submitting feedback as a single municipality response through Janet to streamline the regional review process.
