Vermont

The Vermont legislature passed a bill that encourages residential construction in village and town centers by offering tax credits and reducing permitting requirements. 20% of the homes and rental units must be affordable.

By day, Nicole Losch works on the Sidewalk Strategic Plan for Burlington Public Works. But in the evenings, look out.

A bill intended to expand the stock of affordable housing in Middlebury, Vermont, is coming under criticism for actually making it harder for developers to build affordable housing.

Measures are moving forward in Connecticut and Vermont that would protect the rights of residents to dry their laundry on clotheslines -- an act many opponents say drives down property values.

Despite thousands of signatures in its support, a proposed law that would have banned public nudity in the city of Brattleboro, Vermont, was voted down recently. A temporary ban will end next month.

In the wake of a recent wave of people roaming naked in its streets, the Vermont town of Brattleboro is considering imposing a ban on public nudity. Vermont has no state laws against the act.

Three plans have been put forward to improve access and circulation around the waterfront in Burlington, Vermont. Many residents are concerned that all three plans place too much emphasis on providing parking.

The New England region's population growth rate continues to drop below that of the nation as a whole, measuring at a rate of just 0.2 percent between July 2005 and July 2006. This compares with a national growth rate of about 1 percent.

The region's transportation network is beginning to buckle under the strain of auto-dependence, write Neal Peirce and Curtis Johnson.

City slickers go on farm vacations to get respite from modern life.

Wal-Mart and an Ohio developer run a successful campaign to overturn a Vermont town's local ordinance governing large-scale retail stores.

Voters in Bennington, Vermont reject a cap on retail store size.

A visual comparison of a Walmart "Supercenter" with other store sizes.

The U.S. state that is considered most endangered historic places in America has to be inventive to survive the impact of Wal-Mart.

National Trust for Historic Preservation says the entire state of Vermont is endangered by Wal-Mart.

Wheelock, Vt., a town of 623 in one of the poorest counties in Vermont, has a big perk that realtors in the area often use as a selling point.

A Vermont house by "provocative" architect Peter Eisenman is restored.

The Orton Foundation is inviting cities to participate in a beta test of a software package for community planning.

The Governer calls is a "real renaissance in rail" while opponents say it is a waste of federal and state money.