2024 Village Center Zoning Updates

In early 2024, Jericho applied for and received a Bylaw Modernization Grant (BMG) from the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Funding from this grant program is for municipalities for land use, development, and zoning bylaw updates in support of a pedestrian-oriented development pattern that increase housing choice, affordability, and opportunity in areas planned in accordance with Vermont’s smart growth principles (24 V.S.A. §2791). This funding is intended to help municipalities confront the State’s housing shortage and ready areas for new housing investments.

Throughout 2024, the Planning Commission (PC) will be working with David White from Sterling Mountain Community Planning and Design to review the Village Center (VCTR) zoning and Character Based Zone (CBZ) bylaws and identify areas for amendments. The Enabling Better Places document published by the DHCD will be used as a guide for the zoning amendments.

Proposed changes simplify an existing form-based code in the Riverside Village Center, align with the Town Plan, and establish regulations appropriate for an area serviced by a future municipal wastewater system in Riverside.

The amendments address five topics:  

1. Dimensional Standards – lot sizes, lot coverage, building setbacks and height, number of principal buildings on a lot, non-conforming conditions, required architectural treatments, and character-based frontage requirements; 

2. Parking –number of on-site parking spaces, on street parking, and location of parking that can reduce costs and are appropriate for walkable neighborhoods. 

3. Allowable Uses – reduce restrictions for housing, contemporary definition of family composition, and reduce unnecessary subdivision of land to support diverse uses and barriers to housing. 

4. Street Standards – Allow on-street parking, public realm standards, reduce lane widths, and implement complete-street principles to create streets that support more intense land use and walking, biking, and driving; and,

5. Development Review Processes – Reduce requirements for conditional use approval and discretionary site plan review, simplify requirements for small-scale development, allow limited deviations from certain zoning standards, avoid overreliance on PUD reviews, and make staff responsible for site plan review – all updates that can reduce costs and time associated with permitting housing.

In early 2024, Jericho applied for and received a Bylaw Modernization Grant (BMG) from the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Funding from this grant program is for municipalities for land use, development, and zoning bylaw updates in support of a pedestrian-oriented development pattern that increase housing choice, affordability, and opportunity in areas planned in accordance with Vermont’s smart growth principles (24 V.S.A. §2791). This funding is intended to help municipalities confront the State’s housing shortage and ready areas for new housing investments.

Throughout 2024, the Planning Commission (PC) will be working with David White from Sterling Mountain Community Planning and Design to review the Village Center (VCTR) zoning and Character Based Zone (CBZ) bylaws and identify areas for amendments. The Enabling Better Places document published by the DHCD will be used as a guide for the zoning amendments.

Proposed changes simplify an existing form-based code in the Riverside Village Center, align with the Town Plan, and establish regulations appropriate for an area serviced by a future municipal wastewater system in Riverside.

The amendments address five topics:  

1. Dimensional Standards – lot sizes, lot coverage, building setbacks and height, number of principal buildings on a lot, non-conforming conditions, required architectural treatments, and character-based frontage requirements; 

2. Parking –number of on-site parking spaces, on street parking, and location of parking that can reduce costs and are appropriate for walkable neighborhoods. 

3. Allowable Uses – reduce restrictions for housing, contemporary definition of family composition, and reduce unnecessary subdivision of land to support diverse uses and barriers to housing. 

4. Street Standards – Allow on-street parking, public realm standards, reduce lane widths, and implement complete-street principles to create streets that support more intense land use and walking, biking, and driving; and,

5. Development Review Processes – Reduce requirements for conditional use approval and discretionary site plan review, simplify requirements for small-scale development, allow limited deviations from certain zoning standards, avoid overreliance on PUD reviews, and make staff responsible for site plan review – all updates that can reduce costs and time associated with permitting housing.

Page last updated: 25 Jun 2025, 12:09 PM