Proposed Updates to Jericho’s Land Use Rules
The Jericho Selectboard is considering changes to Land Use and Development Regulations ("zoning").
These proposed updates focus on removing barriers to development in the Village areas. They aim to make it easier to build housing, support local businesses, and create compact neighborhoods where people can live, work, and get around safely.
Highlights of the changes proposed:
Simplify the review process for multi-family homes and other smaller projects by authorizing the Zoning Administrator to approve certain site plans, instead of requiring Development Review Board hearings, so it's quicker and less expensive to build housing.
Remove the requirement in Villages for “¼ acre per unit”, so there is no longer a housing density limit or minimum lot size, which removes barriers and supports our community’s desire for greater variety of housing types in Jericho.
Smaller lots, smaller setbacks, and more than one building can be allowed on a lot, to encourage building houses of different types, sizes, and prices.
More flexible rules for building types and forms so multi-family homes, single family homes, and businesses, can all fit together into walkable village neighborhoods.
New street standards, including flexible options for on-street and shared parking, will calm traffic to make driving, walking, and biking safer, and make development less costly.
The Planning Commission recommended these changes to the Selectboard, after about a year of research, consultation, and public outreach. The PC relied on the Town Plan, a state guide called Enabling Better Places: A Zoning Guide for Vermont Neighborhoods, a local planning consultant, the Affordable Housing Committee, the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, and dozens of public forums, to develop the recommendations.
A future batch of changes will focus on rural areas, where residential development regulations need to consider natural resources, farmland, and forests.
The Town of Jericho (Town) is considering amending its Land Use and Development Regulations to change the residential density per minimum lot area by zoning district in four zone that allow residential use, enabling most residential uses allowed in each zone to be permitted on the minimum lot for each zone.
More information on proposed amendments are posted here.
If you have questions about the proposed amendments, contact Chris Shaheen, Town Planner, at cshaheen@jerichovt.gov(External link) or (802) 899-2287 x 103.
The Town of Jericho (Town) is considering amending its Land Use and Development Regulations to include “Town Garage/Maintenance Facility” as a conditional use in the Open Space District. The Town’s existing garage and maintenance facility is in an Open Space zone where Municipal Facilities are not permitted. The purpose of the amendments is to allow the Town to continue providing adequate public services in an expanded and modern facility at its current location.
More information on proposed amendments are posted here.
If you have questions about the proposed amendments, contact Chris Shaheen, Town Planner, at cshaheen@jerichovt.gov or (802) 899-2287 x 103.
The Planning Commission would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Town Planner, Chris Shaheen. Chris came on board in the first week of October and brings his extensive experience from over 20 years with the Planning Department in Washington D.C. to join Jericho's Town Hall staff. Chris will primarily support and advise the PC, and we are excited to work with him. Chris is our Community Member feature for November - read more here.
The Planning Commission, guided by Chris Shaheen and our planning consultant, David White, continues our work on updating zoning for the Village Centers. The Bylaw Modernization Grant project scope (as defined in the grant agreement with VT Department of Housing and Community Development) focuses on Jericho's three designated Village Centers. Our deliberations consider the following points:
- Develop amendments to simplify Character Based Zoning overlay in Riverside
- Update Village Center zones using Enabling Better Places as a guide
- Create vibrant, walkable, mixed-use village centers
- Align with our Town Plan and anticipated future wastewater infrastructure
The PC will continue its review/edits of the zoning through the remainder of 2024 and we plan to begin public review and public hearings regarding our proposed changes in early 2025. The Selectboard would then hold two warned public hearings prior to adopting the proposed amended zoning bylaws.
In 2024 the Planning Commission has been focused on updating the town's Land Use and Development regulations, to align the zoning rules with the Town Plan. The first update will address the need for more housing, especially for first-time home buyers, young families, and seniors. The town secured a Bylaw Modernization Grant to hire a consultant to update zoning to create better neighborhoods, in sync with state requirements and recommendations. The PC intends to recommend specific zoning amendments to the Selectboard by November, for adoption by the end of the year. Please visit the project page for more information. jerichovt.org/2024-village-center-zoning-updates
Now that the Town Plan has been adopted by the Selectboard the PC is starting 2024 with an invigorated mission. The "Getting It Done" chapter outlines goals and priorities for 2024 and beyond and the PC is using that as a guide for creating a Work Plan for the year. The PC hopes to work with the Selectboard, other Town committees, and staff, to accomplish many of the Town Plan goals in a transparent and timely way.
The first item on the PC’s list for 2024 is to begin work to update parts of the Town’s land use regulations (“zoning”). The Jericho Planning Office received a Bylaw Modernization Grant from the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development to align the zoning with the new Town Plan. The Town Planner and PC will be working with a consultant to review and update zoning items such as dimensional requirements, allowable uses, street standards, and the development review process. The focus will be the Village Center zoning district and the Character Based Zoning overlay for Riverside. The goal of these zoning updates is to support a pedestrian-oriented development pattern that increases housing choice, affordability, and opportunity in areas planned in accordance with Vermont's smart growth principles (24 VSA 2791). Updates will be guided by recommendations from the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development's publication Enabling Better Places: A Zoning Guide for Vermont Neighborhoods. Visit the 2024 Village Center Zoning Update project page to learn more about this work.
Questions? Comments? Please share your thoughts with Linda Blasch, Town Planner - lblasch@jerichovt.gov
The Planning Commission has prepared an Executive Summary of the new Town Plan, for those who want a brief overview of the new Town Plan. If you are short on time, want a quick snapshot, or need to decide if you should dig into more details, this Executive Summary is for you...
The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission reviewed a draft of Jericho's new Town Plan. CCRPC determined the Plan complies with all state statute requirements and is compatible with the Regional Plan, in preparation for review and adoption by the Jericho Selectboard, currently planned for December 2023 or early January 2024 after two public hearings are conducted.
The Town Plan report was submitted to the CCRPC by Town Planner, Linda Blasch, as required by Vermont State statute.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE TOWN PLAN REPORT
The Planning and Housing Commissions collaborated to create a Resolution on Housing Construction Goals in Jericho. The committees have jointly submitted the Resolution to the Selectboard for review and recommend adoption. Once adopted the resolution will help guide the Town Selectboard in their work to promote and provide infrastructure to create a more diverse housing stock.
Read the resolution here: Resolution on Housing Construction Goals in Jericho
Read The Plan
Connecting Jericho Corners and Riverside - Multimodal Path
