REGION – The Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission is in the process of updating its Regional Plan. The first round of hearings will be held in November, on the draft to gather public comment. The Regional Plan, and TRORC, exist to assist the people and towns of the region to maintain and improve our economy, and natural and built environments. TRORC serves 30 towns in eastern Vermont, from Newbury to Hartland, and westward to the Green Mountains.
The TRORC Regional Plan is the only overarching policy document that covers this geographic area. The scope of the Regional Plan is broad, including a landscape-level view of where development should be maximized and minimized to meet a set of intersecting goals. The Regional Plan covers land use, natural resources, energy, housing, utilities and facilities, recreation, education, economic development, working lands, water quality, flood resilience, transportation, emergency management, and health.
While the Regional Plan has regulatory effect in Act 250 cases, or in permitting of cell towers and solar fields, it sets out goals, policies, and recommendations on a wide set of topics as required by Vermont law. As the Regional Plan covers the same topics as Town Plans, it offers a useful template for town officials in the region on how to meet state planning goals as they undertake their own town-level planning. The Regional Plan is used by TRORC to guide its own actions in reviewing Town Plans and influencing state and federal actions.
The draft has undergone extensive editing to make it more concise and readable. Residents are encouraged to review the draft, and attend public hearings or provide written comments.
The draft and hearing notices can be found at www.trorc.org/regional-chapters-draft.
Hearings will be held at different locations on Nov. 4, 6, and 7. Comments on the Regional Plan draft are welcome, and can be sent to Geena Baber, planner, at gbaber@trorc.org.
For general information on regional planning, or the current drafting process, please contact Kevin Geiger, chief planner, AICP CFM, at 802-457-3188 extension 3003, or kgeiger@trorc.org.
TRORC provides professional planning, mapping, facilitation, grant writing, and project management services for its 30-member towns in east-central Vermont.