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Vermont is short tens of thousands of homes, and the shortage is hitting communities of every size and households of every income level. Rents are out of reach for too many, starter homes are scarce, and young families, retirees and workers alike are struggling to find a place to live in the places they love. Communities that want to grow and welcome new neighbors often find that a patchwork of regulations, including their own zoning rules, make it slow, expensive or even impossible to do so.
That’s the problem Let’s Build Homes has been working to solve with the Vermont Model Code – a tool for communities that want to grow and thrive.
The idea is gaining momentum and we will publish a draft for public feedback soon.
Since some misunderstandings are starting to circulate, here’s a quick summary of what the Vermont Model Code actually is:
A ready-to-use-zoning code. The Model Code is a lightweight, off-the-shelf, local zoning ordinance that any Vermont community can adopt to allow homes of different shapes, sizes and budgets to be built.
Faster, less expensive, more predictable. Under the Model Code, the permitting of new homes will be faster, less expensive, more predictable, and much less vulnerable to the obstructionist, costly, multi-year appeals that have derailed so many housing projects in the past.
Clear rules, not guesswork. Unlike most traditional zoning, the Model Code relies only on clear and objective standards. This means community members, town officials, property owners and builders all know what can be built and what can’t.
Communities retain control. Under the Model Code, communities choose the kind of housing growth they want from a range of Vermont-scaled options, and the VMC helps them actually build it.
Made for Rural Vermont too. The Model Code is designed so even the smallest, most rural Vermont communities can adopt and manage it affordably.
Right now, rural Vermont is being left behind. Act 181 includes relief from Act 250 for housing near many downtowns. But more than 200 small village areas around the state — places like Hartland, Hancock, Peacham – will get no relief under current law. The VMC is built to reach exactly these communities.
We will be publishing our first draft of the Vermont Model Code in the next few weeks. And because seeing is believing, it won’t read like typical zoning. It will include illustrations (like the images below), so folks can see what is allowed, not just parse legal text.
In the meantime, write us at info@letsbuildhomes.org if you or your community is interested in knowing more as this initiative evolves.
