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Leicester selectboard hears town-plan update and questions state housing and conservation targets
Summary
Board members reviewed Act 181 outreach on future land-use mapping, noted Act 59 conservation targets and the HOME Act housing target of 51 new houses for Leicester by 2030, and raised concerns about topography, floodplain and habitat constraints that may limit meeting the state goal.
The Chair summarized materials from Addison County Regional Planning about Act 181 (future land-use mapping) and said the regional office invited selectboard members to an Oct. 16 discussion on village-center opt-in options. "If the town wants to opt into this village center, we have to do it by the end of the year," the Chair said, noting timeline constraints for the town plan.
Board members also discussed Act 59 conservation goals (30% conserved by 2030; 50% by 2050) and the HOME Act, which sets housing targets administered in part by the Vermont Housing Finance Authority. The Chair cited a target of "51 new houses for the town of Leicester between now and 2030." Members questioned how the town could meet those numbers given topography, floodplain and identified habitat blocks that limit buildable land.
Next steps: the board will request a timeline from regional planning to meet the December 31 target for town-plan approval and will continue editing the plan to reflect realistic local constraints.
