Vermont H. 748: An act relating to State designations and electronic filing of proposed plans, plan amendments, and bylaws under Title 24

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.748
2026 Page 1 of 4

VT LEG #386122 v.1
H.748 1
Introduced by Representatives Duke of Burlington and Holcombe of Norwich 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Conservation and development; land use; regional planning; regional 5
plan maps 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to make multiple 7
changes to the regional plan map land use categories related to their use in Act 8
250 Tier 1. 9
An act relating to regional plan future land use maps 10
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11
Sec. 1. 24 V.S.A. § 4348a(a)(12)(C) is amended to read: 12
(C) Village areas. These areas include the traditional settlement area 13
or a proposed new settlement area, typically composed of a cohesive mix of 14
residential, civic, religious, commercial, and mixed-use buildings, arranged 15
along a main street and intersecting streets that are within walking distance for 16
residents who live within and surrounding the core. These areas include 17
existing village center designations and similar areas statewide, but this area is 18
larger than the village center designation. Village areas shall meet the 19
following criteria: 20

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.748
2026 Page 2 of 4

VT LEG #386122 v.1
* * * 1
(iv) The municipality has either municipal public water or, public 2
wastewater. If no public wastewater is available, the area must have, or soils 3
that are adequate for wastewater disposal. 4
* * * 5
Sec. 2. 24 V.S.A. § 4348a(a)(12)(D) is amended to read: 6
(D) Transition or infill area. These areas include areas of existing or 7
planned commercial, office, mixed-use development, or residential uses either 8
adjacent to a planned growth or village area or a new stand-alone transition or 9
infill area and served by, or planned for proximate to an area served by, public 10
water or wastewater, or both; areas where public water or wastewater is 11
planned for; or areas with soils that are adequate for wastewater disposal. The 12
intent of this land use category is to transform these areas into higher-density, 13
mixed-use settlements, or residential neighborhoods through infill and 14
redevelopment or new development. New commercial linear strip 15
development is not allowed as to prevent it negatively impacting the economic 16
vitality of commercial areas in the adjacent or nearby planned growth or 17
village area. This area could also include adjacent greenfields safer from 18
flooding and planned for future growth. 19

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.748
2026 Page 3 of 4

VT LEG #386122 v.1
Sec. 3. 24 V.S.A. § 5804 is amended to read: 1
§ 5804. DESIGNATED NEIGHBORHOOD 2
(a) Designation established. 3
(1) A regional planning commission may request approval from the 4
LURB for designation of areas on the regional plan future land use maps as a 5
designated neighborhood under 10 V.S.A. § 6033. Areas eligible for 6
designation include planned growth areas and village areas identified on the 7
regional plan future land use map. This designation recognizes that the vitality 8
of downtowns and villages is supported by adjacent and walkable 9
neighborhoods and that the benefits structure must ensure that investments for 10
sprawl repair or infill development within a neighborhood is secondary to a 11
primary purpose to maintain the vitality and livability and maximize the 12
climate resilience and infill potential of centers. 13
(2) The areas eligible for designation are planned growth areas and 14
village areas identified on the regional plan future land use map. Transition 15
areas and infill areas are also eligible if located within a workforce housing 16
zone. 17
(3) Approval of planned growth areas and village areas or transition 18
areas and infill areas within a workforce housing zone as designated 19
neighborhoods shall follow the same process as approval for designated 20

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.748
2026 Page 4 of 4

VT LEG #386122 v.1
centers provided for in 10 V.S.A. § 6033 and consistent with sections 4348 and 1
4348a of this title. 2
* * * 3
Sec. 4. 24 V.S.A. § 5801 is amended to read: 4
§ 5801. DEFINITIONS 5
As used in this chapter: 6
* * * 7
(16) “Centroid” means a point in a U.S. census block located in the 8
geographic center of the polygon it represents, and containing the same 9
attributes. 10
(17) “Workforce housing zone” means an area in Vermont with an 11
enhanced demand for housing due to its proximity to a job-rich census tract in 12
Vermont or an adjoining state. Specifically, it is an area within: 13
(A) six miles of the centroid of a census tract that has 7,200 or more 14
jobs; 15
(B) five miles of the centroid of a census tract that has 5,000 to 7,199 16
jobs; or 17
(C) 3.5 miles of the centroid of a census tract that has 2,500 to 4,999 18
jobs. 19
Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE 20
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026. 21