Development

The Planning Commission meetings are all held at the Town Offices at 81 Main Street in Essex Junction, in the downstairs conference room on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. The public is always welcome, and the meetings start promptly at 6:30 PM. If special accommodations are needed please call. 802-878-1343.

Neighborhood Planning Assemblies (NPAs) are grassroots, neighborhood organizations that were established in each of Burlington's seven Wards to encourage citizen participation in City government. Working as neighborhood advocacy groups, Neighborhood Planning Assemblies help improve communication between the citizens of Burlington and City government through regular meetings scheduled in each Ward. Ward 6 meets the first Thursday of the month. Meeting place: Greek Orthodox Church 600 South Willard Street.

Governor Peter Shumlin holds his weekly press conference at the former Sha Na Na's Nightclub, 101 Main Street in Burlington, part of the Hilton Gardens development project.  Joined by key lawmakers, supporters of Vermont’s downtown tax credit program and others, Gov. Peter Shumlin outlined a proposal to provide an additional $500,000 annually to strengthen city and town centers, while restricting until 2020 some of the big-box retail development that can sap the economic vitality of community centers.

Under the plan, lawmakers will be asked to approve a 30 percent increase in the $1.7 million Downtown and Village Tax Credit program, which supports historic renovation, housing, job creation and other qualifying efforts to strengthen the economic vitality of the 24 Designated Downtowns and 107 Villages in the program. That money was used in 2013 for 21 projects and leveraged over $22 million worth of construction activity.

The Colchester Planning Commission meets at 7:00 PM on the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Colchester Police Station, Kirker Community Room. Further information on can be obtained by contacting the Department of Planning and Zoning.