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Milton Selectboard hears public comment on Draft 2026–2034 Town Plan
Summary
Planning staff presented the Draft 2026–2034 Town Plan and residents questioned the placement of a concentrated growth area, infrastructure priorities, and map definitions; staff said the plan reflects CCRPC recommendations and noted a planned water-capacity study.
Milton planning staff presented the Draft 2026–2034 Town Plan at a public hearing on April 6, outlining an eight-year roadmap intended to guide growth, help secure grants and funding, and provide a policy framework for state-level advocacy. Amanda Pitts, the town’s Planning & Zoning Director, and Cassandra LaFayette, Planning & Zoning Officer, said the plan seeks to balance community priorities with Milton’s operational and infrastructure capacity.
"The plan is a document that connects community values to real-world decisions regarding how Milton will grow over the next eight years," Pitts said during the presentation. She and LaFayette described the proposed planned growth area as the Town core from the dam to the diner, a boundary drawn, they said, based on Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) Tier 1A/1B recommendations, existing water and sewer infrastructure, and emergency-access considerations.
Several residents urged changes and clarifications. Brenda Steady questioned why the planned growth area is concentrated in a single location rather than distributed among other districts such as NC1 or R7. Michael McCormick recommended that the town explicitly distinguish the "town core" identified in the plan from the "downtown core" centered on the Hourglass project to avoid confusion in public materials.
Attendees also raised environmental and capacity concerns. Wendy Wilton asked whether the pink area labeled "Enterprise" on the map corresponds to Husky’s property and requested a definition of "rural conservation." Staff responded that CCRPC defines "rural conservation" as land with permanent legal protection such as conservation easements. Ben Dewey asked about near-term infrastructure investments; staff said a water-capacity and storage study is a high priority and that the town currently has ample sewage treatment capacity. Selectboard members and staff estimated roughly 60% of Milton land falls into rural residential, agricultural or conservation categories, though that figure was presented as an estimate rather than a formal calculation.
The Selectboard opened the hearing on a motion by Member Betsy Paret, seconded by Member Leland Morgan, and later closed the hearing on a motion by Leland Morgan, seconded by Betsy Paret; both motions passed unanimously. All meeting materials and the draft plan are available on the town website for review.
