Sustainable Communities
Smart growth is a pattern of land development that creates compact, walkable, transit-accessible communities with a range of affordable housing opportunities and choices. In Vermont, it builds on and maintains the state’s historic settlement pattern of higher-density downtown and village centers surrounded by farm, forest, and natural areas.
Using smart growth principles as a guide, VNRC promotes land use planning that creates communities that are environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and resilient. To do this, we ensure the continued strength and effectiveness of Act 250, Vermont’s landmark development review law, as well as complementary state policies that promote smart growth and reduce sprawl. And we support the state’s farming and forest economies to ensure long-term land availability and economic health.
Kati Gallagher, Sustainable Communities Program Director
802-223-2328 x114

Initiatives

Transportation for Vermonters
VNRC coordinates T4VT, a statewide advocacy coalition dedicated to a sustainable & accessible transportation system for Vermont.
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Upcoming Sustainable Communities Events, Resources, and Opportunities
Learn more about upcoming opportunities to strengthen resilience and sustainability in your community.
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Smarter Growth Summit
The Smarter Growth Summit will convene Vermont's most engaged land use professionals - including those in the planning, development, environmental, and economic development fields - to discuss challenges and opportunities for sustainable development in Vermont.
Read MoreSmart Growth News

VNRC is Accepting Nominations for the 2025 Arthur Gibb Award!
In honor of Arthur Gibb, the former legislator who dedicated much of his life to public service to ensure that Vermont is a better place for future generations, VNRC is…

Smarter Growth Summit Looks at the Future of Land Use in Vermont
March 11, 2025 Montpelier, VT – Yesterday in Montpelier, the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC), the Preservation Trust of Vermont, and AARP Vermont convened stakeholders from across the state to…

Commentary: We can have abundant housing and a healthy environment
Contact: Kati Gallagher, Sustainable Communities Program Director 802-223-2328 ext: 114 | kgallagher@vnrc.org Vermont can both grow housing and protect our natural resources. The state faces an array of complex challenges—from…
