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Candidates back partnerships, not city-led development, for Country Club Road housing
Summary
At a candidate forum, Montpelier City Council hopefuls said housing at the Country Club Road site should proceed with partners and a clear long-term vision; none proposed the city itself act as primary developer.
Candidates at a Montpelier Rotary forum said housing is a top priority and that development of the city-owned Country Club Road property should proceed through partnerships with developers and housing organizations, not via direct city-led development.
Why it matters: Candidates described housing as the long-term solution to affordability and fiscal resilience. Ben Doyle said the city must be “pretty aggressive” about housing goals and create an ecosystem for partners such as Downstreet and Evernorth to build housing. "It's not about the city being a housing developer," Doyle said; instead, he emphasized creating conditions for others to deliver units.
Jim Sheridan, a former councilor and one of the founders of Montpelier’s 1999 housing task force, said the city lacks the development expertise and should work with organizations that do. Mark Gwynn said the council needs a shared vision of what Montpelier should look like in 10 to 50 years and urged focusing on downtown infill as opportunities emerge from post‑flood recovery.
Pelin Khan said the council should support developers and nonprofits that build housing, noting recent meetings she has held with local nonprofits and private developers. Candidates differed on the scale and timing of city investment — Doyle noted a wide range of potential costs from a few million dollars to much larger investments depending on infrastructure needs — but all emphasized partnering with experts.
No final decision on Country Club Road was reported in the forum transcript; candidates urged further study, a defined vision and coordination with development partners and state recovery efforts.
