Putney residents press Selectboard to oppose Act 181 and Act 59; board to draft letter asking for clarity

Logan Sears read a residents’ petition asking the Selectboard to submit a letter of NON-support to Vermont legislators for Act 181 (Tier 2 & 3/ Road Rule) and Act 59, saying the laws expand Act 250 jurisdiction and will create “undue hardship” for rural landowners. The board discussed whether the materials represented regulatory mapping and heard from Sue Coakley, Planning Commission chair, that they are not regulatory maps.

The petitioners’ letter argued the laws would “shift decision making away from our local government,” disproportionately affect rural landowners, and add costs and complexity to land projects. Emily Peyton separately read a statement submitted as “We the People of Vermont” asserting Act 181 and Act 59 raise constitutional questions about delegation of authority and property rights and asked legislators to scrutinize implementation for constitutional compliance. Peyton’s statement urged review of both state and federal constitutional protections for property and accountability.

Selectboard members said they wanted more clarity before taking a formal position. Board discussion focused on whether the Selectboard’s response should call for clarification from state agencies or an outright non-support letter. Logan Sears volunteered to draft a Selectboard letter requesting clarification and to present it at the next meeting. No formal motion to send a non-support letter was recorded; the board’s planned next step is the draft and review at a future meeting.

The record includes two resident letters submitted into the public record outlining concerns about mapping and property impacts and a formal statement asking state legislative leaders to review the statutes’ implementation.