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CCRPC PAC outlines seven‑phase timeline to produce Act 181 regional future land use map
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Summary
The Chittenden County RPC Planning Advisory Committee reviewed a seven‑phase engagement schedule to produce a draft Regional Future Land Use Map under Vermont’s Act 181, aiming for a June 2025 draft and asking for VAPDA guidance before Thanksgiving, staff said.
The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission’s Planning Advisory Committee on Wednesday outlined a seven‑phase process to develop a Regional Future Land Use (FLU) Map required under Vermont’s Act 181 (H.687), with staff targeting a draft by June 2025.
Sarah Muskin, CCRPC planner, said the process will include planning and coordination, inform-and-educate work, an assessment of environmental benefits and burdens for environmental justice (EJ) focus populations under Act 154, municipal engagement to review draft maps, incorporation of housing targets, formal review and state submission, and a post‑adoption evaluation and support phase. "We want to be clear in the decision‑making process," Muskin said about how staff will summarize engagement and explain mapping choices.
The FLU mapping is intended to reflect input from all 19 member municipalities. Muskin told the committee staff will develop draft municipal maps and that CCRPC plans to have draft maps available by the end of November; staff will then fold municipal input into a regional draft. Paul Conner, a PAC member representing South Burlington, said town plans should carry significant weight during engagement; Muskin and Taylor Newton, Planning Program Director, both stressed staff aim to be "considerate of the good planning work that municipalities have done." Newton clarified staff want VAPDA guidance on mapping approach and said staff would like that guidance before Thanksgiving.
Committee members pressed staff on how housing targets will be set. Newton said CCRPC intends to pair the FLU mapping with regional and municipal housing targets later in the process, noting map geography (the size and location of areas allowing housing) will influence targets. Darren Schibler, senior planner, added that the state housing needs assessment has been released and will inform targets.
Several members noted timeline and implementation concerns. Cathyann LaRose questioned whether areas identified for growth could reasonably expect water and sewer service by 2030 unless a town already has a plan and funding; Muskin and Newton replied staff will document such constraints and summarize engagement findings for the Regional Long Range Plan Committee (LRPC) and CCRPC Board.
Next steps: staff will continue Phase 1 coordination and Phase 2 outreach, begin municipal coordination in November, produce draft municipal maps by the end of November, and aim for a June 2025 draft Regional FLU Map to present to the LRPC and CCRPC Board before formal state review.