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

Upcoming Sustainable Communities Events, Resources, and Opportunities
Learn more about upcoming opportunities to strengthen resilience and sustainability in your community
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Policy Position: The "HOME" Bill
Increasing housing choice and affordability in Vermont’s downtowns and village centers is a critical climate solution
Read MoreSmart Growth News

Two Things: Small Grants for Smart Growth and our Mollie Beattie Internship!
Two Things: We’re accepting applications for this year’s Small Grants for Smart Growth program and looking for our next Mollie Beattie Intern. Stay informed, stay connected – two things. Apply…

Three Things: Coventry Landfill Violations, Rural Caucus Public Forum, and a New VNRC Staff Member
Three things: Sharing an update on Coventry Landfill violations, inviting you to a public forum with the Legislature’s Rural Caucus, and welcoming Dan Fingas to the VNRC team. Stay informed,…

Two Things: Our Newly Released Vermont Environmental Report and AVCC’s 2023 Virtual Summit
Two things: Sharing our Fall 2023 Vermont Environmental Report, and inviting you to join the Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions (AVCC) for this year’s virtual annual summit! Stay informed, stay…

