July 9, 2014
Hello All,
I hope this email newsletter finds you well and enjoying summer.
Now that the legislature is adjourned I am working at home and it has been good to hear from
constituents and to focus on local projects.
There are also meetings to attend and it has been good to see many of you there and around
town. On the subject of meetings, here are three announcements I’ve received about upcoming
events. All are important to our towns. I hope you will find them useful and attend.
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Thursday July 17, Bennington County Regional Commission Meeting, Pownal Elementary
School
Jim Sullivan, Executive Director of the BCRC writes the following.
Greetings,
This month’s meeting is particularly timely and important. Residents, businesses, and entire
communities are affected by the many changes to the way health care services are delivered and
funded. James Trimarchi, Director of Planning for Southwestern Vermont Health Care will be
on hand to provide an overview of how health care providers in this region are responding and
what types of changes may be anticipated in the future. There will be time for questions and
answers after his presentation.
We’ve also reached the middle of the timeline we established for developing an updated
Bennington County Regional Plan. We want to stay on course, so it is important to obtain input
on the chapters that have been drafted to date from our commissioners, local officials, and any
interested parties. Please take a look at the preliminary draft
at: http://bcrcvt.org/documents/RegionalPlanWorkingDraft6-20-2014.pdf and come prepared
with any questions or comments. You also can submit emailed comments directly to me
(jsullivan@bcrcvt.org) and I will pass them along to the plan update committee.
A sandwich platter, salad, and drinks will be available at the meeting, beginning at 5:30 PM.
{Meeting at 6 PM)
I hope to see you there!
Jim
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Monday July 21, Shorelands Protection Act for Municipalities and Homeowners,
Woodford Lake Estates Pavillion, Woodford, 6:30 to 8:30 PM
Carol Swanson, President of Woodfod Lake Homeowners Assoc, Sen. Hartwell and I have been
working with Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation’s Lakes and Ponds Division to
make sure there is an informational workshop on the new Shorelands Protection Act in Southern
Vermont. Here is information on the meeting and the Shorelands Protection Act from Vermont
Agency of Natural Resources.
As you may be aware, this May the Vermont General Assembly passed shoreland
protection legislation that applies to activities within 250 feet of a lake’s mean water level for all
lakes greater than 10 acres in size. The Shoreland Protection Act (Chapter 49A of Title 10 §1441
et seq.), effective July 1st of this year, establishes a new state regulation for guiding shoreland
development. The intent of the Act is to prevent degradation of water quality in lakes, preserve
habitat and natural stability of shorelines, and maintain the economic benefits of lakes and their
shorelands by defining standards for the creation of impervious surface and cleared area in
shorelands.
The VT DEC Lakes and Ponds Program administers the Shoreland Protection Act.
Please join them on July 21st from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., for a review of the Shoreland Protection
Act and to answer any questions you may have. The meeting will be held at the Woodford Lake
Estates Pavilion.
Permit applications, guidance materials, etc. are available on our website:
http://www.watershedmanagement.vt.gov/permits/htm/pm_shoreland.htm.
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VERMONT AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES
PRESS RELEASE
Vermont's Shorelands Protection Act Goes Into Effect July 1, 2014
June 30, 2014
MONTPELIER- Vermont’s recently created Shoreland Protection Act goes into effect beginning
July 1st. In May, the Vermont General Assembly passed shoreland protection legislation that
applies to activities within 250 feet of a lake or pond’s mean water level for all lakes and ponds
greater than 10 acres in surface area. The Act establishes a new state regulation for guiding
shoreland development. The intent of the Shoreland Protection Act is to prevent degradation of
water quality in lakes, preserve habitat and natural stability of shorelines, and maintain the
economic benefits of lakes and their shorelands by defining standards in creation of buildings,
driveways, and cleared areas in shorelands.
The Act recognizes that many shoreland properties in Vermont are already developed or are
small parcels that cannot meet the new standards. Developed properties are “grandfathered” until
the owner proposes redevelopment. On existing small parcels, the Shoreland Permit Program
staff will work with homeowners so that the standards are met to the extent possible in cases of
development and redevelopment.
The Shorelands Protection Act requires the use of Vegetation Management Practices to protect
vegetation within 100 feet of the mean water level of lakes and ponds. Within the first 100 feet
the Act requires that new development be setback at least 100 feet. On existing small parcels the
specification is setback as far as the parcel allows. Additionally, the Act requires the permit
applicant to demonstrate building on a slope greater than 20% will not compromise slope
stability. It also creates a maximum 20% impervious surface and 40% cleared area coverage;
unless best management practices are utilized to mitigate the effects of additional impervious
surface and cleared area.
The Act allows the following to be registered once per parcel for the lifetime of the parcel: (1)
creating no more than 100 square feet of impervious surface or cleared area at least 25 feet from
mean water level; and (2) creating no more than 500 square feet of impervious surface or cleared
area at least 100 feet from mean water level of the lake. Any project involving new cleared area
or impervious surface that exceeds the registration limits of a parcel will require a shoreland
permit. Shoreland registrations and permits will require compliance with the standards outlined
in the Act, and must consider all impervious surface and cleared areas on a parcel, including
those created prior to July 1, 2014.
Although the Act requires shoreland owners either register or apply for a permit when proposing
a project within 250 feet of the mean water level of a lake, a variety of activities along lake
shorelines do not require a permit. These activities include:
•
Maintenance, but not expansion, of lawns, gardens, landscaped areas, and beaches in
existence on July 1, 2014
•
Creation of one six foot wide footpath to mean water level
•
Construction within the impervious surface footprint in existence July 1, 2014
•
Wastewater systems and potable water supplies
•
Repair and replacement of transportation infrastructure, including private roads
•
Silvicultural activities
•
Agricultural activities
•
Utility projects and lines
•
Projects with an Act 250 permit
•
Projects within designated downtowns and village centers
•
Certain urban and industrial redevelopment.
Regarding municipal delegation, the Act allows the Vermont Dept. of Environmental
Conservation to approve municipal bylaws or ordinances that achieve functionally equivalent
protection for lake shorelands and delegate regulatory authority to those partner
municipalities.
The Shoreland Permit Program has prepared guidance documents to help explain the Act,
available on the Program’s website:
http://www.watershedmanagement.vt.gov/permits/htm/pm_shoreland.htm
The Program is also hosting a series of field training workshops and information sessions, free
and open to the public. The schedule for these meetings is also available at the web address listed
above, or by calling (802) 490-6196.
For more information contact the Shoreland Permit Program at
ANR.WSMDShoreland@state.vt.us or by phone at 802-490-6196. Questions regarding
municipal delegation can be directed to Susan Warren at Susan.Warren@state.vt.us, or 802-4906134
For Further Information please contact:
Susan Warren at 802-490-6134 or email to susan.warren@state.vt.us
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Business Lending Information Meeting, August 18, Community College of Vermont, Main
Street, Bennington
Chris Herriman, Economic Development Specialist and Veteran Business Officer with the Small
Business Administration writes about a meeting she has organized for our area to help connect
businesses with lenders. Here is her message.
As promised I wanted to give you the details of the event that will be held in August. Peter
Odierna with the Bennington County Industrial Corp. , Vallerie Morse with SBA, and I, will be
making arrangements for the event
When:
August 18th
Where:
CCV conference room, Bennington
10:11:30am
Subject:
A discussion about business lending, grants, and technical assistance
programs available In Bennington County. Several speakers will be there to describe their
programs.
Audience:
Business Owners and lenders
Best regards,
Chris Herriman
(802) 828-4422 X206
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Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing from you—and enjoy
summer!
Stay in touch,
Bill
Rep. Bill Botzow
1225 South Stream Rd.
Bennington, VT 05201
802 447-7717
botzow@sover.net
bbotzow@leg.state.vt.us