Committee considers letting tier 2 sites qualify if projects create necessary infrastructure

The House General and Housing committee debated May 1 whether projects in tier 2 areas should qualify for housing infrastructure funding when the proposed improvements would make the site functionally equivalent to tier 1B.

Committee chair summarized testimony from rural communities that fear overly strict tier limits would block development opportunities. Members discussed a compromise: allow tier 2 parcels to qualify if the proposed housing infrastructure improvements and zoning would enable the site to meet tier 1B criteria once completed.

Members noted tier 1B already covers many small villages and that wastewater/sewer capacity is a common determinant. Committee members discussed other infrastructure markers — sidewalks, transit access and public facilities — and argued the bill’s eligibility language should refer to the proposed improvements rather than strictly the existing map designation.

The committee also considered whether to expand buffer zones or otherwise alter the maps, but members said map changes or Act 250 work would be time-consuming. The group asked counsel to draft language that would allow sites where proposed improvements would bring the area to tier 1B standards to be eligible, while preserving the statutory maps as a baseline.

Committee members asked staff to circulate any language produced by the environment or other committees before the next meeting. The discussion did not produce a final vote; members instructed counsel to prepare draft language for the afternoon session.