The Vermont State Senate voted unanimously to approve legislation that would reduce barriers to more compact residential development. The Vermont House of Representatives is up next.
"Vermont is now proposing legislation that will make it easier to build compact housing types in downtowns, neighborhoods, and village centers throughout the state," according to an article by Rober Steuteville.
The bill (S.237), has already cleared the State Senate with unanimous support, reports Steuteville, and would support missing middle housing types like multiplexes, ADUs, and small-lot units—in walkable places.
"The legislation addresses specific barriers to more compact development—including lot sizes that make housing exclusive and unaffordable," explains Steuteville of S.237.
Specifically, the bill would ban zoning laws that set minimum lots sizes greater than an eighth of an acre (5,400 square feet) where water and sewer service is available. It would also allow 2-unit dwellings on such lots. Where zoning laws specifically allow duplexes, quadraplexes would also be permitted. By loosening restrictions on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), ADUs would be more practical to build. If property owners lease parking separately, the minimum parking requirements would be cut in half.
Steuteville's description of the current state of zoning in Vermont notes that the traditional development patterns cherished in the state's communities, all relatively small in population, have been rendered illegal by the status quo of zoning. The state is also dealing with rising housing costs. "The median price of a house in Vermont has risen rapidly since 2016 and now is $261,000," according to Zillow data cited by Steuteville in the article.
FULL STORY: State moves forward with zoning reform
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.