2012 Vermont Statutes
Title 24 Municipal and County Government
Chapter 117 MUNICIPAL AND REGIONAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
§ 4348a Elements of a regional plan

§ 4348a. Elements of a regional plan

(a) A regional plan shall be consistent with the goals established in section 4302 of this title and shall include but need not be limited to the following:

(1) A statement of basic policies of the region to guide the future growth and development of land and of public services and facilities, and to protect the environment;

(2) A land use element, which shall consist of a map and statement of present and prospective land uses:

(A) indicating those areas proposed for forests, recreation, agriculture (using the agricultural lands identification process established in 6 V.S.A. § 8), residence, commerce, industry, public, and semi-public uses, open spaces, and areas identified by the state, regional planning commissions or municipalities, which require special consideration for aquifer protection, wetland protection, or for other conservation purposes;

(B) indicating locations proposed for developments with a potential for regional impact, as determined by the regional planning commission, including but not limited to flood control projects, surface water supply projects, industrial parks, office parks, shopping centers and shopping malls, airports, tourist attractions, recreational facilities, private schools, public or private colleges, and residential developments or subdivisions;

(C) setting forth the present and prospective location, amount, intensity and character of such land uses and the appropriate timing or sequence of land development activities in relation to the provision of necessary community facilities and services;

(D) indicating those areas that have the potential to sustain agriculture and recommendations for maintaining them which may include transfer of development rights, acquisition of development rights or farmer assistance programs;

(3) An energy element, which may include an analysis of energy resources, needs, scarcities, costs, and problems within the region, a statement of policy on the conservation of energy and the development of renewable energy resources, and a statement of policy on patterns and densities of land use and control devices likely to result in conservation of energy;

(4) A transportation element, which may consist of a statement of present and prospective transportation and circulation facilities, and a map showing existing and proposed highways, including limited access highways, and streets by type and character of improvement, and where pertinent, anticipated points of congestion, parking facilities, transit routes, terminals, bicycle paths and trails, scenic roads, airports, railroads and port facilities, and other similar facilities or uses, and recommendations to meet future needs for such facilities, with indications of priorities of need, costs, and method of financing;

(5) A utility and facility element, consisting of a map and statement of present and prospective local and regional community facilities and public utilities, whether publicly or privately owned, showing existing and proposed educational, recreational and other public sites, buildings and facilities, including public schools, state office buildings, hospitals, libraries, power generating plants and transmission lines, wireless telecommunications facilities and ancillary improvements, water supply, sewage disposal, refuse disposal, storm drainage, and other similar facilities and activities, and recommendations to meet future needs for those facilities, with indications of priority of need;

(6) A statement of policies on the preservation of rare and irreplaceable natural areas, scenic and historic features and resources;

(7) A program for the implementation of the regional plan's objectives, including a recommended investment strategy for regional facilities and services based on a capacity study of the elements in this section;

(8) A statement indicating how the regional plan relates to development trends, needs and plans and regional plans for adjacent municipalities and regions;

(9) A housing element that identifies the need for housing for all economic groups in the region and communities. In establishing the identified need, due consideration shall be given to data gathered pursuant to subsection 4382(c) of this title. If no such data has been gathered, the regional planning commission shall gather it.

(10) An economic development element that describes present economic conditions and the location, type, and scale of desired economic development, and identifies policies, projects, and programs necessary to foster economic growth.

(b) The various elements and statements shall be correlated with the land use element and with each other. The maps called for by this section may be incorporated on one or more maps, and may be referred to in each separate statement called for by this section. (Added 1981, No. 132 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; amended 1985, No. 188 (Adj. Sess.), § 9; 1987, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 26, 27, eff. July 1, 1989; 1997, No. 94 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 15, 1998; 2011, No. 52, § 32, eff. July 1, 2012.)