In this section of the Toolbox, you will find an overview of key land use issues facing Vermont communities. Discussion of these issues is presented in the context of smart growth principles, such as preserving the working landscape, revitalizing of our village centers or enhancing public engagement.

Each issue provides a short overview followed by a more detailed summary. Each issue page also provides one or more links to planning tools that communities can use to effectively address the respective issue. These are intended to provide more information on various smart growth topics, and put them into a community planning context.

There are various ways a community can use the information presented in the Toolbox, from starting a community conversation, putting a local issue into perspective, identifying appropriate tools to address the issue locally, or learning from the experiences of other communities.

Search Issues

Use the drop down menu below to browse among issues, or enter a keyword of interest in the search box on the right.