For Immediate Release
October 21, 2016
(Woodstock, VT)— Today, the Vermont Supreme Court reversed a lower Court decision and denied an Act 250 permit for B & M Realty’s proposal for a large, multi-use development in Quechee at Exit 1 on I-89.
The Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) has been a statutory party in this Act 250 case from the beginning and appealed the lower Court decision, along with the State of Vermont and a number of other interested parties.
The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision was a strong reaffirmation of the intent of the Vermont Legislature and the planning and regulatory laws in place.
Peter Gregory, Executive Director of TRORC was pleased with the decision. “The Supreme Court was crystal clear on the value and weight of regional planning in Act 250 proceedings. This establishes an even stronger precedent for that input. This decision is important for planning all over the state and signals to Vermonters who take the time to articulate a vision for their regions, that it is valuable, it is legitimate and it does make a difference.”
Vermont law requires regional planning commissions to prepare and adopt regional plans and to use those plans in the Act 250 process. The TRORC Regional Plan was adopted by representatives of 30 towns in east central Vermont, after numerous formal and informal discussions with residents, organizations and local officials.
TRORC provides professional planning, mapping, facilitation, grant writing, and project management services for its thirty member towns in east-central Vermont.