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.

The Planning Commission (PC) worked 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. New Town Planner, Chris Shaheen, who joined Jericho's staff in September 2025 has helped the PC take this project to completion in May 2025 when the proposed zoning amendments were forwarded to the Selectboard for their consideration and adoption.

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.

The Planning Commission (PC) worked 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. New Town Planner, Chris Shaheen, who joined Jericho's staff in September 2025 has helped the PC take this project to completion in May 2025 when the proposed zoning amendments were forwarded to the Selectboard for their consideration and adoption.

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.

  • Project Introduction Slides

    Click the image below to view a slides presented at the 1/16/24 Planning Commission meeting to introduce the Village Center Zoning Update project.

  • Zoning District Map

    supporting image

    This map shows the zoning districts in Jericho. This zoning update project will focus geographically on the Village Center (VCTR) district and the Character Based Zone (CBZ). The VCTR is shown on the map in red and includes the villages of Jericho Corners, Jericho Center, and Riverside/Underhill Flats. The CBZ is shown on the map inset in the village of Riverside/Underhill Flats.

Page last updated: 20 Aug 2025, 01:30 PM