Some Republican legislators think the state is too bureaucratic in controlling development.
One Republican representative has resubmitted a bill that he said would simplify the appeal process for builders, or members of the public not happy with decisions made by regional development panels. Gov. Howard Dean wants to loosen the Act 250 development law to allow easier building of low-income housing. Republicans in the House want the final bill to include a measure to streamline appeals from District Commission decisions, but Senate Democrats say the proposal would handicap those who object to large development projects. The Senate is expected to take a final vote on changes to Act 250, the state law that controls development. Some Republicans in the Senate have said they might attempt to amend the bill with a controversial proposal that would require a builder and any opponents of a project to have all their evidence presented once at the District Commission, and then simply recorded and presented in exactly the same way at a possible appeal at the Environmental Board.