Vermont witnesses urge broader use of form-based codes and Act 181 exemptions to speed housing in growth centers

Samantha Sheehan of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns told a legislative panel on Jan. 15 that form-based codes — prescriptive zoning that specifies building materials, window-to-wall ratios and other design details in advance — can shrink discretionary permitting and sharply reduce municipal permit appeals.

Sheehan said several Vermont municipalities have adopted form-based codes for parts of their downtowns and growth districts, citing Newport (adopted 2010), Burlington and South Burlington, Winooski, and Jericho as examples. She described Burlington’s downtown effort as a years-long process that began with HUD grant funding and produced a code the city adopted in 2017 and amended recently. "Since the passage of Act 181, that area has also been totally Act 250 exempt," she said, arguing the two tools together have been…