Calendar

Beginning in 2018, Vermont’s Act 171 requires that municipalities and regions that are updating their municipal and regional plans identify areas that are important as “forest blocks” and “habitat connectors” and plan for development in those areas to minimize forest fragmentation. As town and regional plans come up for revision, many communities are now attempting to create the required maps and write appropriate language. This webinar will provide background, tools, and samples for this implementation process.

We will cover:

• What Act 171 requires of towns and regional planning commissions
• Sample town and regional plan language
• Guidance on finding, interpreting, and creating the required maps using the VT Agency of Natural Resources’ BioFinder website
• Case studies of policies that maintain and protect forests and connectivity

We’ll also leave time to respond to questions. The panel of presenters includes: Jens Hilke or Monica Przyperhart, VT Fish & Wildlife; Jamey Fidel, VT Natural Resources Council; Clare Rock, Central VT RPC.

The webinar will be offered on the following dates and times:

• January 29, 2018, 6-7:30 pm
• February 12, 2017, 2-3:30pm
• March 1, 2018, noon – 1:30 pm

To register please visit: https://vcgi.vermont.gov/events/list

For a copy of the agenda, please click here:Executive Committee Agenda 2-14-18

Town energy committees are invited to attend an informational workshop on Vermont Climate Action Communities (VCAC). The workshop is being held as part of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns’ Local Government Day on February 15^th.  VCAC is designed to engage Vermont municipalities to make and fulfill commitments under the Vermont Climate Pledge Coalition – a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions levels from 2005 by 26-28% by 2025.  Under the program, municipalities are encouraged to achieve deep energy efficiency savings, reduce local emissions, improve resilience in the face of climate change, and provide locally supported renewable energy generation for municipalities and the communities they serve.  The workshop will include an overview on how municipalities can participate, along with presentations from municipalities who are implementing creative solutions. The workshop will be held on Thursday, February 15^th from 1:30-3:00 pm at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier.  Click here to register for the workshop.   Questions: feel free to contact Lisa Goodell, VLCT at (802) 229-9111 or [email protected].

TRORC Road Foreman Regional Meeting

Meeting agenda for Tues. February 27, 2018 (snow date Wed. Mar. 14)

VTrans District 4 Garage

9:30am-11:00am

1. Introductions (930am)
2. Tier 2 – Hazardous Materials Reporting – Todd Cosgrove, Hazardous Materials Tram Chief, VT Dept. of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety (45 minutes)
   Todd will give a brief overview of Tier2 compliance for Towns, especially road crews. Towns must report hazardous materials (such as sand and salt) on a yearly basis if they meet the state threshold. This will also include a training on how to use the free Tier2 Submit software to electronically submit your reports.
3. NUTS (not up to standard) and other nuggets (brief final MRGP overview) – Pete Fellows
4. Other Stuff:
   Better Roads 2018 awards
   Municipal Grants in Aid (Year 1 and 2)
   2018 VT Walk Bike Summit – May 4, 2018, WRJ
5. Meeting Adjourn

Please RSVP To Rita

[email protected] or call 457-3188

Location:
VTrans District 4 Garage – 221 Beswick Drive, WRJ, VT
Phone: (802) 295-8888

Directions:
From Exit 11 of I-91 (WRJ), go north on US5, right onto Sykes Mountain Ave, right onto Beswick Drive (McDonald’s corner).

Thank you for attending last year’s ANR listening session. I really appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from you about the challenges surrounding the management of our natural resources and possible solutions. This year, I’m taking these conversations a step further by hosting a series of open forums focusing on specific topics that are top-of-mind for many of us right now, including clean water, the long-range management of state lands, and the health of Vermont’s moose herd.

I’d like to invite you to attend one, two or all three of these upcoming community meetings to discuss current challenges and talk about crafting a better Vermont together. And although each session will center around a specific issue, we’ll open the floor at the end of the hour for questions or comments on any topic that you wish to bring forward. Seating is limited to ~35 people so please come early if you’d like a seat.

The first meeting will be held February 27^th from 4:00-5:00pm in Montpelier and we will be discussing a very hot topic right now, clean water. The full spring schedule is listed below. I look forward to seeing and hearing from you!

All meetings at Dewey Building, 1 National Life Drive, Montpelier. Seating is limited to ~35 people so please come early if you’d like a seat.

• # 1 – Discussing Vermont’s Clean Water

Feb 27, 2018 4:00 – 5:00 PM

• # 2 – Talking about Long-Range Management of Agency Lands

April 24, 2018 4:00 – 5:00 PM

• # 3 – Update on the Health of Vermont’s Moose Herd

June 26, 2018 4:00 – 5:00 PM

If you’d like more information on any of these meetings, please reach out to Elle O’Casey at [email protected].

THE 1st OF BALE’S 6-PART SERIES ON BUILDING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES THAT RACDC IS PLEASED TO CO-SPONSOR!!!

Hear stories from Lindsey Warren, Kirk White, Kevin Barry and Christopher Piana about area where people have pulled together around common goals. Flexibility, collaboration and intention to draw people together are the common elements. Hear from those who have come together with a vision and often few resources to create vitality, cohesion and a strong sense of community. Come, be inspired!!! 

Cost: Suggested donation $5. Program will have light food fare provided by Black Krim Tavern. No one will be turned away due to cost. Supported by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Sustainable Future Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation
For more information contact 802-498-8438 or [email protected].

For a copy of the agenda, please click here: TRORC Board Meeting Agenda 2-28-18

Beginning in 2018, Vermont’s Act 171 requires that municipalities and regions that are updating their municipal and regional plans identify areas that are important as “forest blocks” and “habitat connectors” and plan for development in those areas to minimize forest fragmentation. As town and regional plans come up for revision, many communities are now attempting to create the required maps and write appropriate language. This webinar will provide background, tools, and samples for this implementation process.

We will cover:

• What Act 171 requires of towns and regional planning commissions
• Sample town and regional plan language
• Guidance on finding, interpreting, and creating the required maps using the VT Agency of Natural Resources’ BioFinder website
• Case studies of policies that maintain and protect forests and connectivity

We’ll also leave time to respond to questions. The panel of presenters includes: Jens Hilke or Monica Przyperhart, VT Fish & Wildlife; Jamey Fidel, VT Natural Resources Council; Clare Rock, Central VT RPC.

The webinar will be offered on the following dates and times:

• January 29, 2018, 6-7:30 pm
• February 12, 2017, 2-3:30pm
• March 1, 2018, noon – 1:30 pm

To register please visit: https://vcgi.vermont.gov/events/list

THE 2nd OF BALE’S 6-PART SERIES ON BUILDING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES THAT RACDC IS PLEASED TO CO-SPONSOR!!! Program Sponsor: Rural Vermont

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, PERSISTENT CHALLENGES: LAND ACCESS FOR NEW FARMERS. All area farmers invited; seating limited to first 100. 
The future of Vermont’ working landscape depends on equitable land access and successful transition of current operations. In an era of increasing real estate prices, challenges of development pressure and marginalized farm viability, how can the working lands future we all envision for Vermont be realized? Presenters are: Lila Bennett – Tangletown Farm, W. Glover, Corie Pierce – Bread & Butter Farm, shelburne, and Graham Unangst-Rufenacht, Robinson Hill Beef, Calais/Plainfirld. This evening is also “Feed Your Farmer” night; a full-course dinner served by Black Krim Tavern. . Come, be inspired!!! 

March 14 program with full-course dinner is
a suggested donation of $10-$15 (all farmers are free). No one will be turned away due to cost. Supported by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Sustainable Future Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation. For more information contact 802-498-8438 or [email protected].