PLYMOUTH, Vt. – On Monday, Nov. 28, the Vermont Downtown Board unanimously approved Plymouth’s village center designations for Plymouth Union and Tyson. The village center designation process recognizes and encourages local efforts to revitalize Vermont’s traditional villages. Once designated, the community receives priority consideration for state grants (Municipal Planning Grants, Vermont Community Development Program) and other resources and support. Commercial property owners are eligible for tax credits to support building improvements.
Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission staff were instrumental in helping Plymouth develop the applications for the program. With assistance from the Downtown Board’s Planning Coordinator, Richard Amore, Plymouth was able to create village center areas consistent with the intent of the program. The Plymouth Selectboard sees village center designation as an opportunity to encourage economic growth and vitality in Plymouth’s village centers through tax credits for local businesses and priority consideration for state grants. Plymouth has accessed these funds in the past and may do so again to encourage economic development in the villages.
For more information, including how to apply for downtown and village designation, please visit the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Community Revitalization website.
If your community is interested in applying for village designation, contact Sydney Steinle at 802-457-3188 ext. 3006 or at ssteinle@trorc.org.