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Rutland planning commission reviews budget, river-corridor ordinance, trail grant pre-application and solar notice
Summary
Commissioners discussed next fiscal year budget and potential increase in legal-fee padding, reviewed progress on subdivision and river-corridor ordinance drafts, agreed to prepare a pre-application for a recreational-trails grant (pre-app due Dec. 6) and noted a proposed 500 kW solar project filing for a Certificate of Public Good.
At its Nov. 14 meeting the Town of Rutland Planning Commission reviewed the planning commission’s draft budget for July 2025–June 2026, discussed ongoing ordinance work, agreed to pursue a recreational-trails grant pre-application and received notice of a proposed 500-kilowatt solar array.
On the budget, Speaker 1 led a line-by-line review and said the commission has incurred higher-than-expected legal fees this year. "It is a total of of $5,251, and our budget's $11.04 11 thousand 4 hundred," Speaker 1 said, and commissioners discussed whether to increase the legal-fees line from $2,000 to $3,000 to provide padding. Commissioners also discussed regional-commission stipends and whether planning-commission members will record time sheets for stipends; a 3% cost-of-living adjustment to commissioner stipends was noted by Speaker 5.
Commissioners reviewed work done by legal counsel Kevin Brown and staff input from Bill on a wholesale rewrite of the subdivision regulations. Speaker 5 praised the effort, saying the combined work "was really something" and described the ordinance as "modernized… much more in conformity with what the authorizing statutes provide." The commission agreed to continue review and to consult Kyle Modash at the state DEC to ensure river-corridor language aligns with state and FEMA requirements.
On parks and trails, Speaker 1 said the select board asked the commission to pursue a pre-application to the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation recreational-trails program (pre-app due Dec. 6). The grant can provide up to $50,000 with roughly a 28% town match; commissioners agreed to seek trail-builder cost estimates and to finalize land-transfer or lease status with town staff so the pre-application can include ownership information.
On energy, Speaker 1 notified the commission of a proposed solar array near Woodstock Avenue and Prior Lane — about 500 kilowatts and roughly 1,200 modules — reportedly owned by Clement Abbatial with eventual ownership by Coughlin Inc. Applicants had not yet completed a 45-day Certificate of Public Good notice. Commissioners noted the filing for their information.
The commission approved the Oct. 24 minutes with a minor wording correction (change to 'hazard mitigation plan' capitalization) and adjourned.
