Weathersfield Vermont News: Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission

Friday, October 4, 2013

Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission - Upcoming Events

http://swcrpc.org/wp/

Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission (SWCRPC) is a compact of ten municipalities in southeastern Vermont, founded in the late 1960s. The ten member towns are Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow, Reading, Springfield, Weathersfield, West Windsor, and Windsor. The Region is bordered by the Connecticut River on the east, Windham County on the south, and Rutland County on the west.

VT Transportation Board Hearing – 10/16 in Springfield

The Vermont Transportation Board will be holding a public hearing on October 16th at 6pm at the Springfield Town Hall, Third Floor Selectman’s Meeting Room, 96 Main Street in Springfield, VT.
The purpose of the hearing is to ensure that state officials understand what is important to you and your community. While the Board has identified six “hot” transportation topics for discussion, it also wants to talk about whatever transportation issues are most important to you. The six topics are:

Transportation Revenues and Energy, Including Alternate Fuel Vehicles
Bike & Pedestrian Issues
The Future of Both Freight and Passenger Rail Services
Park & Ride Expansion
Roadway Safety
Public Transit – Intercity Service and Service for the Elderly

At the hearing, the Board will present background information regarding each of these topics to set the stage for discussion and comment. Following this hearing, and others like it being held around the state, the Board will submit a written report of its findings to the Vermont Legislature. Anyone who cannot make the hearing can still participate by submitting written comments via the Board’s website at http://tboard.vermont.gov/.
For more information, please visit the Board’s website or contact John Zicconi at john.zicconi@state.vt.us or by calling 802-828-2942.

2013 Transportation Alternatives Program Grants – Due 10/16

The Vermont Agency of Transportation just announced the 2013 round of the the Transportation Alternatives Program Grants. Applications are due October 16, 2013. Mandatory informational workshops will be on 9/17 and 9/24. See http://vtransengineering.vermont.gov/sections/ltf/transportationalternatives for more more information.

Weatherization Workshops – September and October

Efficiency Vermont is sponsoring a series of Weatherization Skillshops throughout the state in September and October 2013. The Skillshops are designed to help homeowners:

Gain the knowledge and confidence to weatherize your home,
Get a basic overview of building science from a certified Home Performance with Energy Star contractor,
Have an opportunity for hands-on practice in weatherization skills,
Receive guidance on how to participate in Efficiency Vermont’s Home Performance with Energy Star incentive program.

The Skillshops are scheduled for Middlebury (9/7), Manchester (9/14), Brattleboro (7/21), Essex (10/5), Barre (10/12) and Thetford (10/19). All are welcome to attend a Weatherization Skillshop. Each skillshop will run from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. The registration cost is $25/individual which covers lunch, cost of the presenters, and a guidebook. More information about Efficiency Vermont’s DIY program and about signing up for the Weatherization Skillshops can be found here.

East Central Vermont (ECV) Consortium Outreach Plan

SWCRPC is joining efforts with the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) to develop a regional plan for East Central Vermont (ECV) that will guide decision-making and investments aimed at maintaining the place we call home. Several of the towns in our region have already signed up as Consortium members and, as this is a public process, we are attempting to put out the word that involvement is desired. Several draft documents and information about working groups is available at http://ecvermont.org/news/ Please contact Dan Potter at dpotter@swcrpc.org for additional information.

New Neighborhood Development Area Designations

The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) has just introduced a new community designation. The Neighborhood Development Area designation encourages municipalities and/or developers to plan for new and infill housing in the area within walking distance of its designated downtown, village center, new town center, or within its designated growth center and incentivizes needed housing, further supporting the commercial establishments in the designated centers.
More information and the complete application packet can be downloaded here: http://accd.vermont.gov/strong_communities/opportunities

Vermont Complete Streets Guidebook

The new Vermont Complete Streets Guidebook is now available online. Check it out at http://healthvermont.gov/family/fit/target.aspx#streets. For more information about the Complete Streets Act which took effect on July 1, 2011, check out our Vermont’s Complete Streets Law Technical Bulletin.

North Springfield Sustainable Energy Project: Documents and Testimony

Proposed Location of the North Springfield Biomass Plant “The North Springfield Sustainable Energy Project, proposed to be built on 20 acres about a half-mile from Main Street, would generate electricity for more than 25,000 homes in the area by burning wood chips purchased locally, according to developers Winstanley Enterprises, of Concord, Mass., and Weston Solutions Inc., of Concord, N.H.
The plant would also provide heat to other buildings in the park through a hot-water “thermal loop” that uses excess energy from the plant. Lead developer Adam Winstanley called the resulting below-market heating rates a “major economic incentive” to assist the park’s current businesses — and entice new ones“.
-From the Valley News 1/8/2012
To read documents and testimony related to the case click here. A Citizen’s Guide to the Application Process can be found here. Answers to frequently asked questions can be read by clicking here.

Weathersfield Vermont News

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