Planning Commission

The Jericho Planning Commission (PC) is made up of seven volunteer-members appointed by the Select Board. We do our work through a lens which attempts to balance the public good with private rights and interests by listening to public input, researching issues and solutions, and following state and regional laws and guidelines.

The primary duties and responsibilities of the PC include:

  • Prepare the Comprehensive Plan, for consideration by the Selectboard. The Comprehensive Plan, also known as the Town Plan or Municipal Plan, describes the future visions and goals of the community, and it sets forth how the Town intends to achieve its goals.

  • Propose by-laws, for consideration by the Selectboard. The by-laws, also known as Land Use and Development regulations or zoning regulations, implement the growth and development goals of the community, and they must conform with the Town Plan.

Meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Public participation and comment is welcomed and encouraged. Click Here For PC Meeting Procedures

Other roles of the PC:

  • Advises the Selectboard and other Town committees (e.g. Conservation Commission, Trails Committee, Affordable Housing Committee) on planning topics, projects, and the capital program.

  • Assists town committees and staff with actions that will implement the visions and goals of the adopted Town Plan. Each town committee has a liaison on the Planning Commission so we remain apprised of each others' work.

The PC is assisted and guided by the Town Planner, who is a town employee. Through this collaboration the PC and Planner:

  • Collect information and recommend town policies related to land use and development, housing, public spaces, transportation, economic and social development, historic and scenic preservation, recreation, energy use and conservation, and natural resources protection.
  • Identify grants from government and nonprofits to fund projects.

  • Ensure Jericho complies with state planning goals and smart growth principles.

  • Work with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, our neighboring towns, and state agencies like the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development and the Agency of Natural Resources.



Click on any of the buttons below to read the documents:

Click this link to view more planning documents on the Town Documents Page. You can also find all old versions of the Town Plan and Land Use Regulations Here. You can also find more Planning Documents on the sidebar of this page.


Here are some of our current projects - click on each image for more information.

Read The Plan



Smart Growth in Jericho, VT



Connecting Jericho Corners and Riverside - Multimodal Path










The Jericho Planning Commission (PC) is made up of seven volunteer-members appointed by the Select Board. We do our work through a lens which attempts to balance the public good with private rights and interests by listening to public input, researching issues and solutions, and following state and regional laws and guidelines.

The primary duties and responsibilities of the PC include:

  • Prepare the Comprehensive Plan, for consideration by the Selectboard. The Comprehensive Plan, also known as the Town Plan or Municipal Plan, describes the future visions and goals of the community, and it sets forth how the Town intends to achieve its goals.

  • Propose by-laws, for consideration by the Selectboard. The by-laws, also known as Land Use and Development regulations or zoning regulations, implement the growth and development goals of the community, and they must conform with the Town Plan.

Meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Public participation and comment is welcomed and encouraged. Click Here For PC Meeting Procedures

Other roles of the PC:

  • Advises the Selectboard and other Town committees (e.g. Conservation Commission, Trails Committee, Affordable Housing Committee) on planning topics, projects, and the capital program.

  • Assists town committees and staff with actions that will implement the visions and goals of the adopted Town Plan. Each town committee has a liaison on the Planning Commission so we remain apprised of each others' work.

The PC is assisted and guided by the Town Planner, who is a town employee. Through this collaboration the PC and Planner:

  • Collect information and recommend town policies related to land use and development, housing, public spaces, transportation, economic and social development, historic and scenic preservation, recreation, energy use and conservation, and natural resources protection.
  • Identify grants from government and nonprofits to fund projects.

  • Ensure Jericho complies with state planning goals and smart growth principles.

  • Work with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, our neighboring towns, and state agencies like the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development and the Agency of Natural Resources.



Click on any of the buttons below to read the documents:

Click this link to view more planning documents on the Town Documents Page. You can also find all old versions of the Town Plan and Land Use Regulations Here. You can also find more Planning Documents on the sidebar of this page.


Here are some of our current projects - click on each image for more information.

Read The Plan



Smart Growth in Jericho, VT



Connecting Jericho Corners and Riverside - Multimodal Path










CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

Do you have any questions for the Planning Commission?  Do you wonder what is going on around town?  Would you like to see some different type of development occur?

  • Did the Planning Commission or the Town Select Board hire the Public Engagement Specialists for the May 3rd meeting at MMU? What was the cost? Cost shared with any other entity? What specific duties will these specialist perform? Will they be independently evaluated for their performance? Please reply. Thank you.

    Robert D asked 12 months ago

    The Town hired consultants to help Jericho to update our Town Plan, which is required once every eight years. The entire project spans about 18 months. The Town applied for and received a grant which covered about half of the consultants' costs. In 2022, the Planning Commission scoped the project, applied for the grant, developed an RFP to solicit consultant bids, developed evaluation criteria, reviewed bids, and selected a consultant to help with the entire project. From the beginning, the Planning Commission emphasized public participation and chose consultants with strengths in public engagement as well as planning. The Community Forum is only one of many meetings, online surveys, and other tools jointly organized by the PC and the consultants. The total consultants' contract is about $45k, with half covered by the grant, and the Town's half share of expenses is spread across two fiscal years. The Selectboard approved the consultants' contract and funded the project as part of the overall Town budget process, which was approved at Town Meetings. The Selectboard, the PC and Town staff manage the grant and evaluate the consultants' performance of each deliverable stipulated in the contract. We look forward to a robust conversation about Jericho's future with as many residents as possible. As volunteers, the PC members appreciate the support and guidance from the consultants.

  • I attended the February 21 Local Concerns meeting (by Zoom). I think the multi-use path is a great idea, and the old B&LRR right-of-way sure seems like the logical location, except that it apparently has wetlands issues. In my experience, that strongly suggests considering a different route, unless you want to spend the next two decades in permitting and engineering rather than construction. How about building the path along the north side of Route 15 from the Post Office to Packard Road, then crossing to the south side for the remainder of the distance to Riverside? This routing offers the advantage of building in an existing utility right-of-way, avoiding the few houses (on the south side of 15) that are very close to the road. The disadvantage is having to cross Route 15, which would require a signal. This routing might also provide an opportunity to bury the power and communications lines along Route 15, from the Red Mill bridge to the Riverside bridge. Taking down the poles would open up a spectacular view of the mountain. It would also eliminate the hazardous utility poles between the Town Hall and the Red Mill that are too close to the road (looks like several have been clipped by traffic). Just a thought.

    Andrew Albright asked about 1 year ago

    Thanks for submitting your idea. It will be shared with the engineers working on the scoping study. Potential wetland and utility impacts will be reviewed and considered as part of the study for each path option. 

  • I just received in the mail a Notification of Presumptive Isolation Zone for a new house to be built across Milo White Rd from my house. My first concern is the Wastewater System Isolation Zone crosses on to my property. I have questions and concerns. Who in our Town of Jericho government to I address my questions and concerns. Please reply. Thank you.

    Robert D asked over 2 years ago

    Robert, thank you for reaching out with your question. Wastewater permits and concerns are issued/addressed by the state.  Here is the state wastewater division's contact info for Ernestine Chevrier: ernestine.chervrier@vermont.gov and phone 879-5661.

    If you want to talk more with a local Jericho person on this, the Zoning Administrator, Chris Flinn is your best best.  He is in the office on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  His email is: cflinn@jerichovt.gov and phone number is 899-2287 (ext 103).

    thanks again and Happy New  Year! 

  • Why was that enormous Kate’s food truck sign approved? It is in no way a reflection of Jericho and it makes us look like we are turning into Williston. A lot of folks are unhappy about this. Even the Dollar General sign is tiny, why not Kate’s?

    MLynn83 asked almost 3 years ago

    Thank you for you question on the sign for Kate's Food Truck. The Zoning Administrator issued a notice of violation for the sign as the sign area doesn't comply with Zoning requirements - yes, it it too big. The property owner is currently fighting the violation notice. The Zoning Administrator is continuing to pursue this issue. Stay tuned.

  • As a 30-year-plus resident of Underhill Flats, I've watched the slow change of opinions of this sweet little village. It used to be the poor cousin and now it's considered, hey, kinda neat. It's got a cool park and a terrific grocery store and the library. Rte 15 was a very attractive corridor coming from Jericho, the way the road curved and slowly revealed the village. I thought we had develop guidelines to protect scenic corridors but for some reason the new Union Bank was permitted to build right next to the road! As the Rte 15 turns north it looks like the new bank is sitting right in Rte 15. It obscures what was a lovely view of the village, especially the historic Calvary Church. How ironic that the expansive view of the large bank blocks the sweet little church (I'm not a member of Calvary) - I guess it reflects what we as a society now hold dear. This building is going to interfere with sight lines for cars leaving Jericho Market and cars driving west on Dickinson once that street becomes 2-way traffic. Pedestrians trying to cross Rte 15 are going to have to be extra vigilant. Oh well. Can't fix it now. But I would urge you to be more attentive to scenic corridors, historic buildings and pedestrian safety as the development of the Tatro property goes forward. A village is at stake. Vicki Milton

    VickiM asked over 5 years ago

    Thanks for the question, Vicki.  You clearly care about the Underhill Fats/Riverside village and its future development.  As you noted, some exciting things have been happening there over the last few years and we believe there is more to come! 

    As you may recall, the community has invested a significant amount of effort in planning for the smart future growth of the village over a number of years.  You can see more about that on the "Riverside, What is New" Page of this website.  A good part of the planning has focused around the sawmill site, with the hope that any of the new development would be in character with the existing village that surrounds this site. 

    The largest planning effort involved the creation of zoning called "character based zoning," which is a way to regulate development that controls building form and location first and building use second.  In Jericho's case, the building form and location requirements are developed to conform with the existing local neighborhood character, which includes historical building placement in relation to roads. You can see that along RT 15 and Park Street, where most of the existing buildings are set back around 25 feet from the roads and the bank is set back just about the same distance, around 30 feet.  Also, the size of the bank building is just over 2,000 square feet, which also is the size of many of the surrounding buildings, including the neighboring church.  The architectural standards required for the bank were also developed to match the existing village building styles.

    Another one of the goals of the character based zoning is to provide for a safe and enjoyable pedestrian experience.  With that in mind, just as with the current historic village, any future development of the sawmill site will be required to provide sidewalks and pedestrian scale development.


  • how do we get the public more involved?

    Jason Cheney asked over 5 years ago

    That's a great question and part of what this site is about!  We need to get people HERE to see what's going on! Tell your friends, let me know your thoughts and ideas.  A newsletter is coming out to envite people to engage. Also a post on FPF get people here.  Also.... we need more interactive creativity.  Any ideas on that front would be well received.

    speak-up,engage,inform,check it out
    speak-up engage inform check it out
Page last updated: 19 Apr 2024, 11:29 AM