Lamoille County Planning Commission

The Board conducted a public hearing and subsequently adopted the 2026 Lamoille County Regional Plan and its Enhanced Energy Plan, authorizing their submission to relevant state review boards. Other business included financial updates and discussion on reserve fund goals, the selection of Marvin Award nominees, approval of the slate of County Director candidates, and acceptance of a grant for flood restoration. Additionally, the Board reviewed and approved updates to the Personnel Policy, received an Executive Director's report covering various administrative and project updates, and heard community-specific reports.

This strategic plan outlines a comprehensive framework for flood restoration, mitigation, and community adaptation within Lamoille County, focusing on recovery from the DR 4720 flood event and building long-term resilience. The plan is structured around three key components: flood restoration and mitigation planning in affected municipalities, the relocation and development of critical facilities and services to mitigate future flood risks, and comprehensive community adaptation planning. This adaptation includes providing technical assistance for land use planning, infrastructure development in safer areas, and housing initiatives to address displacement and support the creation of low-to-moderate income housing outside floodplains.

The Board of Directors held a public hearing regarding a regional Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery for long-term flood mitigation planning. The Board authorized the signing of resolutions and letters of support for several community projects, including wastewater initiatives, floodplain restoration, a bridge culvert, and municipal water system improvements. Additionally, the Board approved funding for an environmental site assessment at the old Wolcott Schoolhouse, received updates on the regional plan process and future land use maps, and discussed changes to the administrative process for managing Brownfields grants. The meeting concluded with reports from the executive director and various community updates from member towns.

The Board discussed and approved the working draft of the 2025 Regional Plan Amendment for submission to the Vermont Land Use Review Board. Key topics included an overview of the Economic Development Agency's resiliency planning grant and flood modeling for the Lamoille River, a quarterly financial update indicating stable health, and an Executive Director's report detailing grant approvals for community projects. Additionally, representatives provided community updates regarding infrastructure improvements, local events, and municipal planning initiatives across various towns.

The meeting included community updates from various towns regarding local projects and governance. A presentation was provided on the fundamentals of land use planning, focusing on historical background, regional versus municipal plan distinctions, and development guidelines. The board received an overview of an Economic Development Agency grant focused on flood modeling for the Lamoille River to enhance long-term resilience. Additionally, progress on the Regional Plan Amendment was discussed, highlighting upcoming reviews and public hearings, and the Executive Director provided operational updates regarding staff changes, future town administrator meetings, and municipal planning grant applications.