RamaSchneider/test huggingface dataset:
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 1
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 2
We want to thank the following people for all their help and support putting together the Williamstown Town Plan, April 2016:
TOWN HALL
Jackie Higgins - Town Manager
Barbara Graham - Town Clerk
Don Angolano - Administrative Assistant
THE SELECT BOARD
Larry Hebert - Chairperson
Matt Rouleau - Vice Chairperson
Edward McGlynn
Scott Vailancourt
Francis Covey
CENTRAL VERMONT REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
Dan Currier - The Map Maker
Richard Amore - Village Center Designation
Gail Aloisio
PLANNING COMMISSION
Matt Rouleau - Chairperson
Don Angolano
Horace Duke
Margaret Phillips
Karen Rielly
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 3
Chapter I. Purpose Page 7
A. Why Plan? Page 7
B. Required Goals and Elements Page 7
C. Implementation Page 7
D. Planning Process Page 8
E. Vision Statement Page 8
Chapter II. Community Profile Page 9
A. Overview Page 9
B. Demographics Page 9
1. Population Trends
2. Population Density and Characteristics
3. Regional Comparisons
C. Community Identity Page 12
D. Community Profile: Goals, Policies & Tasks Page 13
Chapter III. Natural Resources, Features & Hazards Page 14
A. Overview Page 14
B. History of the Landscape Page 14
C. Productive Resources Page 14
1. Forest Lands
2. Agricultural Lands
D. Earth Resources Page 15
a. Topography/ Slope
b. Geology
c. Soils
E. Protective Resources Page 17
1. Surface Water
2. Wetlands
3. Natural Heritage Sites
4. Wildlife Habitat
5. Scenic Areas
F. Environmental Hazards in Williamstown Page 19
2. Soil/Water/Air Pollution
3. Noise Pollution
Chapter III-A. Flood Resiliency Page 22
A. Introduction Page 22
B. History Page 23
C. Hazard Identification Page 24
1. Dam Failure
2. Flash Flooding/Fluvial Erosion
3. Hurricane/Tropical Storms
D. Understanding Risks of Flooding Page 26
E. Identify Vulnerable Areas & Determine Consequences Page 27
F. Mitigation Page 30
G. Natural Resources & Cultural Features, Chapter 111-A: Goals, Policies and Tasks Page 36
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 4
Chapter IV. Education & Learning Page 39
A. Overview Page 39
B. EducationAttainment Page 39
C. Schools: Page 39
1. History
2. Enrollment Trends
3. Funding Challenges
4. Williamstown Elementary School WES
5. Williamstown Middle High School WMHS
6. Physical Location/ Condition
7. Home Schooling
D. Adult Education Page 45
E. Education & Learning: Goals, Policies & Tasks Page 46
Chapter V. Housing Page 47
A. Overview Page 47
B. General Trends & Conditions Page 47
1. Unit Growth & Household Size
2. Unit/ Type Condition
3. Density, Location & Distribution
C. Affordability Page 50
D. Special Needs Housing Page 51
1. Elderly/ Low Income
2. Disabled Population
3. Homeless
E. Fair Housing Laws & Municipal Response Page 52
F. Federal Programs Page 53
G. On-line Resources Page 54
H. Housing: Goals, Policies & Tasks Page 56
Chapter VI. Community, Utilities, Facilities, Services & Organizations Page 57
A. Overview Page 57
B. Utilities Page 57
1. Water Supply
2. Wastewater
a. Public
b. On-site
3. Electricity
4. Telecommunications
C. Facilities Page 60
1. Municipal Buildings & Land
a. Town Hall
b. Public safety Building
c. Town Garage
d. Old Town Landfill
e. Ainsworth Public Library
f. Cemeteries
g. Recreational Resources
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 5
D. Services Page 62
1. Municipal Government
2. Post Office
3. Animal Control Officer
4. Emergency Services
a. Police/ Crime
b. Fire
c. Enhanced 911
d. Ambulance
5. Health and Wellness,
6. Childcare
7. Solid Waste
8. Salvage Yards
E. Organizations Page 64
1. Churches
F. Community, Utilities, Facilities, Services & Organizations: Goals, Policies & Tasks Page 66
Chapter VII. Energy Page 68
A. Overview Page 68
B. Energy Sources Page 68
1. Fossil Fuels
2. Hydro-Power
3. Biomass
4. Vegetable Biofuels
5. Windpower
6. Solarpower
C. Conservation Page 71
1. Demand Side Management
2. Transportation
3. Buildings and Structures
D. Energy Programs & Resources Page 73
E. Energy: Goals, Policies & Tasks Page 75
Chapter VIII. Economic Development Page 76
A. Overview Page 76
B. History Page 76
C. Current Conditions Page 76
D. Trends Page 78
E. Williamstown Economic Plans Page 79
F. Development Issues Page 80
1. Diversity & Self Sufficiency
2. Education/ Workforce Demographics
3. Access: Transportation & Communication
4. Quality of Life/ Village Vitality
5. Industrial & Commercial Development
G. Summary Page 84
H. Economic Development: Goals, Policies & Tasks Page 85
Chapter IX. Transportation Page 86
A. Overview Page 86
B. History Page 86
C. Current Conditions Page 86
1. Interstate System
2. State Highways/ Interstate Access Rofds
3. Town Highways
4. Commuting Patterns
D. Maintenance Issues Page 89
1. Road Maintenance
2. Ancient Roads
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 6
E. Safety Issues Page 89
1. Accident Locations & Initiatives
2. Town Bridges & Culverts
F. Traffic Solutions/ Alternatives Page 91
1. Traffic Calming/ Access Management
2. Bicycle & Pedestrian Access
3. Public Transportation
G. Transportation: Goals. Policies & Tasks Page 93
Chapter X. Land Use Patterns Page 96
A. Overview Page 96
B. History Page 96
C. Evolving Land Use Patterns Page 96
D. Desired Land Use Page 97
2. Village/ Mixed Use Areas
3. Residential/ Agricultural Areas
4. Interstate Interchange Areas
5. Conservation & Forestry Areas
E. Growth Management Tools Page 100
1. Act 250
2. Local Land Use Regulations (Zoning and Subdivision)
3. Non-Regulatory/ Incentive Based Programs
a. Land Trusts/ Use Value Appraisal
b. Village Center Designation
c. Vermont Greens Initiative
d. Landowner/ Developer Education
F. Land Use Patterns: Goals, Policies & Tasks Page 103
Chapter XI. Adjacent Municipalities & Regional Coordination Page 104
A. Overview Page 104
B. Summary of Contiguous Towns Page 104
1. Barre Town
2. Brookfield
3. Berlin
4. Northfield
5. Chelsea
6. Washington
C. Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission Page 105
D. Adjacent Municipalities & Regional Comparisons: Goals, Policies & Tasks Page 105
E. Chapter XII. Implementation Priorities Page 106
Appendix I. 107
Town Officials
Appendix II. Maps Page 108
Map 1. Town of Williamtown , VT Roads and Buildings Locations
Map 2. Town of Williamstown, VT Wetlands, Wildlife Habitat and Natural Resources
Map 3. Town of Williamstown, VT Land Use Plan
Map 4.Town of Williamstown, VT Soil and Mineral Resources Map
Map 5. Town of Williamstown, VT Future Development Sites
Map 6. Town of Williamstown, New Houses Built 2009-2014
Town of Williamstown, VT New Proposed Boundaries Village Center Map
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 7
Chapter 1. Purpose
A. Why Plan?
Act 250 is Vermont's land use and development law, established in 1970. The law provides a public, quasi-judicial process for reviewing and managing the environmental, social and fiscal consequences of major subdivisions and development in Vermont through the issuance of land use permits. The Governor appoints citizens to the nine District Commissions and the Natural Resources Board. Activities include review of land use permit applications for conformance with the Act's ten environmental criteria, issuance of opinions concerning the applicability of Act 250 to developments and subdivisions,monitoring for compliance with the Act and with land use permit conditions, and public education.
Town planning is required by law. The town plan is a major component of the information used by Act 250 commissioners in making decisions. A town plan is NOT zoning and zoning is NOT required by law.
Planning is the act of designing a strategy, in advance, to avoid errors and seize opportunities. Land use decisions made without a clear direction can result in haphazard, inefficient development. Unplanned growth can cause conflicts between neighbors, engender unnecessary public expenditures, cause environmental damage, erode the character of a community and generally reduce quality of life for residents. This document makes recommendations about how Williamstown residents and town officials can support the overall health of our town. Williamstown can achieve great things by planning, learning, growing, and prospering together.
B. Required Goals & Elements
Two major pieces of legislation and amendments have determined the structure for planning in Vermont. Act 250, Vermont's development review law regulates new development projects over a certain threshold size, The Vermont Municipal and Regional Planning Act (aka 24 VSA, Chapter 117) enables municipalities to adopt local plans and land use regulation and provide guidelines for the development, adoption and enforcement of the same.
Amendments to the Act in 1988, known as Act 200, included provisions designed to help agriculture and forestry remain viable by encouraging new growth to be developed in conformance with the historic settlement pattern of compact villages and towns surrounded by countryside. Act 200 also offered incentives to towns for drafting comprehensive plans that are consistent with the state's recommendations.
C. Implementation
A municipal plan is a guidance document. It is generally not legally binding. The Town Plan, however, can provide a town with a legal framework for any municipal ordinance. In addition it has legal standing in the Act 250 process. Williamstown intends to use this Plan for the following purposes over its five year statutory life:
Informing residents and others about Williamstown
Guiding the community towards its short (5 year) and long-range goals by assisting town officials in making smart and responsible decisions for community development
Providing the town with a unified voice in the Act 250 and Act 248 proceedings and a framework for evaluating development projects
Ensure the continuing viability of the community's cultural, historical, and rural character
Helping the Town qualify for, and prepare, state and federal planning grants
Prioritizing and planning for public expenditures
Providing strategies for the revitalization of Williamstown Village
Balancing competing interests and demands in a fair and equitable manner that recognizes the rights of individuals and protects the welfare of the general public
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 8
D. The Planning Process
The Vermont Municipal and Regional Planning Act (24 VSA, Chapter 117) states that municipal plans must be re-examined, updated, and readopted every 5 years. This document replaces Williamstown's previous plan, adopted on June 11, 2010. During the development and preparation of that plan, members of the Williamstown Planning Commission met with the community to gather information through focus groups, individual interviews, and surveys. They also held a public map display and a workshop on land use. Answers to open- ended questions reflected a wide range of views and provided valuable insights. During this same time period, the newly developed Economic Development Committee also distributed a survey. The information gathered identified a community vision and the results were incorporated in the plan.
Among the common values and themes expressed in the surveys were:
Protecting the lifestyles and traditions of Williamstown
Promoting good citizenship
Revitalizing the Villages
Preserving Williamstown's rural character
Improving the business climate
Providing citizens with a good education
Protecting the public health, safety and welfare
Historically residents have wanted all of these goals accomplished in a cost effective manner and with minimal infringement on individual land rights. The current planning commission believes these ideals still reflect the opinions and desires of the community. As such, they will be guiding principles for this, the 2016 Plan, as well.
E. Vision Statement
Change is inevitable, Williamstown like other communities is changing. A town plan is a way for us all to visualize what we want Williamstown to be in 5, 10, 25 or perhaps 50 years from now. It's where we want to be living in the short-term and where our children will be living. Williamstown is a rural community adjacent to Berlin, Barre and Montpelier with mostly homes and little in the way of business. The Planning Commission would like Williamstown to be a vibrant village center with an outlying landscape of open farm lands and forests. Your planning commission feels that the road toward that future landscape starts now, with this plan. We hope you will join us in envisioning the town's future.
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 9
Chapter 2. Community Profile
A. Overview
Williamstown was established on November 6, 1780 (by Elijah Paine who later became Justice of the State Supreme Court and a United States Senator) and was chartered on August 9, 1781 by the Republic of Vermont. The first settlements took place in 1784 on the West Hill, along the present day Stone Road.
The town is located in the northwest portion of Orange County, abutting Washington County on its northeastern and western borders. Covering an area of around 28,180 acres (40 square miles), it has a quiet beauty conjuring images of buckets hanging from sugar maple trees and stonewalls following pasture lines; with its patchwork field patterns so very common in New England It is surrounded by the towns of Berlin and Barre Town (on the north), by Northfield (on the west), by Washington (on the east) by the towns of Brookfield and Chelsea (on the south). The Green Mountains shape much of the town's land into hills and valleys. Near the middle of the southern boundary is a deep gorge known as Williamstown Gulf that has cut its way through two steep mountains.
Williamstown is fortunate to have beautiful geography, rural qualities and a convenient centralized location with a good balance of residential, small businesses, agricultural, recreational, forested, and open spaces. It is only a short drive to cultural facilities (Barre Opera House and others), Berlin Mall, Central Vermont Hospital, outdoor activities, small specialty shops located in surrounding towns, and nearby New York, New Hampshire and Canada.
The town is anchored by two villages, Foxville and Williamstown. Foxville, locally known as Graniteville, is located about 4 miles from Williamstown Village and borders the town of Barre. A dense cluster of residential uses define the hamlet. Forests in this area are shaped by discarded granite deposits from neighboring quarries.
Williamstown Village is situated 6 miles south of Barre City and 13 miles southeast of Montpelier. The village sits along a valley floor at the base of a long, winding hill and is accessed from Interstate 89 via Route 64 or by Route 14. Chartered in 1781, the village has managed to retain some of its historical features. The following old Main Street homes and buildings remain: the churches, Beckett Block, the town hall, Historical Society, and feed store buildings. Williamstown Village offers a mix of stores, library, homes, businesses, churches, and town offices, but has no traffic signals and people can still park along Main Street. (See Chapter IX)
B. Demographics
Williamstown's current total 3,376 residents population until recently, has grown steadily since the first settlers arrived around 1780, changing it from a wilderness to a modern community. According to the U.S. 2010 Census, Williamstown's population grew by 85 between 2000 to 2010, a change of .04%.
Only five of Vermont's 14 counties have more residents today than they had when the 2010 Census was taken. In fact, Williamstown population almost tripled from 1,038 in 1980 to 3,389 in 2010. The Vermont Department of Health estimate suggests that population growth in Williamstown has stalled in the current decade. In spite of this lull, CVRPC projections (made by the consulting firm EPR) forecast that Williamstown's population will be around 4,224 in 2020. If Department of Health estimates are accurate, this projection appears highly unlikely.
One of the sources of the declining population is that deaths outnumber number births; what demographers call the natural rate of increase-or in this case, the natural rate of decrease. In over half of Vermont's counties deaths outnumber births, and even where population is growing, in Addison and Grand Isle Counties, the difference between births and deaths is very small. Williamstown lost 40 residents in 2014 and 26 new residents were welcomed. If you drew a circle, centered in Burlington, with a radius of about 40 miles, it would take in all of the growing counties in the state - Addison,Franklin, Grand Isle and Lamoille counties. Orange County ranks 8th with a loss of 82 residents or a .03% decline.
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 10
"2012 Population Growth and Population Statistics","Williamstown, VT 05679","Vermont","United States"
"Total Population","3,281","626,874","312,796,426"
"Square Miles","39.12","9,627.16","3,794,083.06"
"Population Density","83.90","68.00","88.60"
"1990 Population","2,727","562,873","248,704,247"
"2000 Population","3,124","608,820","281,421,535"
"2010 Population","3,252","625,741","308,745,538"
"5 Year Population Projection (2017)","3,297","630,509","324,478,770"
"Population Change Since 1990","20.35%","11.37%","25.77%"
"Population Change Since 2010","0.91%","0.18%","1.31%"
"Forecasted Population Change by 2017","0.49%","0.58%","3.73%"
"Median Age","42.40","42.00","37.50"
According to the state, "A rural town is
described as a municipality with a
population of less than 2,500 persons, or
one that has voted, by Australian Ballot to
be considered a rural town.
Williamstown's land area has not changed, with increasing population comes an increasing population density. The chart to the left shows the average number of inhabitants per square mile for Williamstown.
These figures were derived by dividing the total number of residents by the number of square miles of land area in the specified geographic area. The Census Bureau data shows that from 1810 to 1950 the population density was stable. Population density has been dramatically increasing since the 1970s, and currently stands at just over 84.2 person/square mile (2010 Census).
Statistics indicate that Americans are living longer. According to Vermont Department of Health projections, by the year 2030, there will likely be twice as many elders as there were in 1996. According to this projection, people age 65 and older will make up 20% of the population.
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 11
In Williamstown, according to the 2010 Census:
Children under five years made up 5% of our population
Children five to nineteen years made 22% of our population
Adults twenty to thirty-four years made up only 8% of our population
Adults thirty-five to 64 years made up 47% of our population
People sixty-five and older made up 18% of our population
The natural decrease in population is exacerbated by an even more severe problem here at home. Within Vermont the major factor accounting for the decline in county populations is that more people are moving out than moving in. Between 2010 and 2014, 4,000 more people left Vermont for other states than moved here from other states. Burlington Free Press
A goal of this plan is to get more people actively involved in their town by organizing citizen groups to educate themselves on complex issues and work together to solve them. Such citizen groups may be an untapped resource and can become a potent force for dealing with these and other local problems. Williamstown citizens will make, or break, our future.
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 12
According to the 2010 Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce Profile, Williamstown ranks as follows out of 23 Towns and Cities in the Central Vermont Region:
6th in land area (40 square miles)
6th in population (3,204, slight decrease)
6th in number of students ( 543, slight decrease)
6th in households (1,285, decreasing)
6th in labor force (1,920, steady)
10th in number of employers (63, slight increase)
10th in employment (570, increasing )
13th in average annual wage ($33,604, increasing)
Williamstown has an unusually high percentage of residents who are native born Vermonters (77% vs. 41% for Orange County and 52% for the State)
C. Community Identity
Williamstown is starting to feel the impacts of growth and associated development. Unplanned development can cause stress on our community by limiting jobs and housing, placing more demands on the town's infrastructure, increasing the demand for our schools, increasing conflict regarding privacy and space issues, and by threatening those scenic areas we enjoy so much. In recent years, citizens have had some conflicting ideas about their town. Williamstown residents still have a strong sense of tradition and pride. They highly value seeing their neighbors pass by to get updates about their family members, and storekeepers still know all about what is going on in town. Many of our residents offer community dinners and annual events that bring people together. These rural values make Williamstown a great place to grow up and to remain.
The Town celebrates Memorial Day with a parade put on by the Fire Department and Town. Residents enjoy a chicken barbecue at the new Public Safety Building. At dusk a glorious fireworks display starts with people claiming their spots to watch early in the day. This year Williamstown celebrated and honored its Veterans with the dedication of the Veteran's Memorial Park. The dedication was held on 11/11/2015 at 11:00 am, the day and hour in 1918 the war ended. This memorial was a long time in the making, decades of committees being formed, then falling apart with nothing to show for their efforts. Three years ago a committee was formed and on Veteran's Day the Town was able to celebrate the monument to the Town's Veterans the committee made possible, with help from the community. School children, Town's Officials, Fire Department and Ambulance crews all participated in the dedication ceremony. Despite a cold, rainy day there was a large gathering. Afterwards there was a reception in the Public Safety building with cider and donuts. This speaks of Williamstown's community identity and pride in their Town.
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 13
Goal 1:
Encourage ways to enhance and maintain a strong sense of community in Williamstown
Goal 1 Tasks:
A. Organize an annual Celebration of Williamstown
B. Maintain the Farmer's Market in the Village
C. Encourage the Town's and Business sector utilization of Williamstown's Village Center Designation's funding and benefits for landscaping design, historically aesthetic improvements and Celebrations
D. Enlist the media to promote the Charming and Pleasant town Williamstown is
Goal 2:
Create an environment where people deal with conflict productively and respectively
Goal 2 Tasks:
A. Maintain a high level of professionalism in Town Government and an atmosphere for mutual respect between
WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN PLAN JANUARY, 2016 PAGE 14
Chapter III. Natural Resources, Features & Hazards
Natural resources (plants, animals, soils, minerals, air, and water) provide us with the foundation of our basic life supports: the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we live on, and the food we eat. They also play an important role in dictating where we build our houses and develop our streets. Our quality of life, including our health, depends upon the quality and quantity of these natural resources and their role in the larger ecosystem. We expect that these natural resources will be available when needed, sometimes without a great understanding or appreciation of how fragile they are. Unfortunately, natural resources are limited and our everyday activities can impact them profoundly. The consequences of our actions are not always apparent until resources are gone, diminished, or unusable. Natural areas have intangible benefits, as well, as sources of inspiration, learning, and beauty. It is in the town's best interest to use its critical resources wisely and protect those that are most vulnerable, fragile and irreplaceable.
B. History of the Landscape