Mary J. Vogel

This Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Belgrade outlines strategic goals and actions for managing growth and preserving community assets. It prioritizes protecting the quality of Belgrade's lakes and natural resources, conserving the traditional character of its village and rural areas, encouraging economic development compatible with the town's character, and minimizing municipal service costs through responsible growth management. Key focus areas include safeguarding historic and cultural assets, promoting community recreation, ensuring efficient public services, supporting the transportation system, fostering local economic development, encouraging housing development, and protecting agricultural and forest resources. The plan aims to build a cohesive community with a strong sense of place, a high-quality outdoor environment, and a sustainable economy.

This document presents a comprehensive set of policies and strategies for the town of Belgrade, designed to address community issues and guide sustainable development. It focuses on preserving historic resources, fostering local economic development, promoting affordable housing, ensuring efficient public facilities and transportation, enhancing recreation opportunities, safeguarding agricultural and forest resources, protecting natural and water resources, maintaining fiscal capacity, and guiding future land use to preserve rural character.

The meeting included a public hearing for a liquor license application for Cork & Cow, which was approved. The board discussed installing dashcams in trucks, transparency efforts, and updates on the Belgrade Stream Subdivision. They reviewed and approved minutes from a previous meeting, discussed the Burgess property septic system, and reviewed updated permit fees. Committee appointments and resignations were addressed, including tabling an appointment and accepting resignations from various boards. The board also discussed issuing an RFP for legal services and reviewed warrants. The Town Manager provided a report including budget updates, a speed study request, and updates on the Field Use Agreement. An executive session was held for attorney/client consultation.

The board conducted a public hearing and approved junkyard permit renewals for Francis Frappier Jr. and Raymond Frappier. Road safety concerns were raised regarding the intersection of Knowles Road and Penney Road. There were discussions regarding the shared use of a room at the Center for All Seasons between the Historical Society and the Parks and Recreation Department, as well as a septic system inspection at the Burgess property. The board approved Lori Fulton as an alternate member of the Board of Parks and Recreation and a new sign for the Old Town Meeting House. They also discussed updating the Town Building and Land Use Fee Schedule and implementing fees for catering and liquor permit applications. Additionally, the board approved funding for a rabies clinic and paving work at the North Belgrade Fire Station. The Selectboard offered the Town Manager a contract for employment.

The meeting addressed several key areas, including communications policy updates, ADA pathway bids for the Center for All Seasons, and tree cutting at cemeteries. The board also discussed and set the date for the June 2026 Annual Town Meeting. New business included committee appointments, a request for a lane name change, and a discussion on waiving the bid process for the fire station entrance. Other business involved budget process clarification, an employee recognition event, dam erosion remediation, and an intersection safety concern. The Town Manager provided updates on various projects and meetings, including FirstNet device changes, Dalton demo completion, budget meetings, and paving updates.