CCRPC staff review legislature-requested study considering evolution of RPCs toward a COG model

Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Charlie Baker presented an executive-summary review of a legislature-requested study on March 5 that explored evolving Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs) toward a Council of Governments (COG) model.

Baker said a COG model would retain RPC planning functions while adding a separate COG side focused on shared services — for example, a regional zoning administrator contracted to serve several municipalities. Under the described model, chief elected officials from each municipality would sit on the COG board and have authority to vote on shared-service decisions.

Baker said the report interviewed state legislators and agency staff and surveyed RPC board members and municipal elected officials. He cautioned that implementing a COG in Chittenden County could be complicated by the number and variety of existing multi-municipal districts and shared-service arrangements. Committee members said the idea raises opportunities to scale municipal functions efficiently (for example, regionalizing certain emergency services or administrative positions) but flagged governance and operational complexities.

No formal action was taken; the study is likely to inform discussion in the next legislative biennium and possible follow-up at the Board level.