By Jenevra Wetmore and Harry Falconer
The East End of Woodstock has potential to be revitalized through adaptive reuse of historic structures, construction of new infill projects, and enhancement of public open space and transportation amenities. Source: East End Gateway Conceptual Plan.
We are thrilled to announce that the Town of Woodstock has been awarded a Municipal Planning Grant (MPG) by the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development. This grant will fund critical updates to Woodstock’s unified Town & Village Plan– an important step towards developing walkable, dense, mixed-use communities in Woodstock.
A major focus of the update will be revising the Future Land Use (FLU) map. Currently, the FLU map is a duplicate of the districts defined in the zoning bylaws. A FLU map ideally looks to the future, providing a rough outline of growth and development of a community that zoning can then fill in with detail. As it stands, the FLU map of our town depicts a future where zoning is the same as it is right now. The problem with this is that, by law, a town’s zoning maps are required to conform with the Future Land Use map. Because Woodstock’s FLU map and zoning map are identical, Woodstock cannot change the boundaries of its zoning districts or consolidate districts. With this grant, we now have the opportunity to create a FLU map that looks ahead and aligns with Woodstock’s long-term vision for smart development.
In addition to updates to the FLU map, the plan revision process will include extensive discussion of land use, with a focus on designating areas suitable for concentrated new housing stock with access to municipal utilities. It will also focus on identifying infrastructure project priorities and potential funding sources, with an implementation timeline for each item.
The Woodstock Selectboard and Village Trustees have deemed addressing the town’s workforce housing shortage, growing the Grand List, and reforming the local regulatory environment high priorities. There have been efforts in the past to address these issues– the Town has made serious attempts in the past to explore and encourage infill development in the East End of the Village. This area of the Village is connected to the municipal sewer and water systems, but features an overabundance of low density, car-centric commercial uses, including gas stations, drive thru banks, and strip malls. In 2016, the Woodstock Economic Development Commission and Sustainable Woodstock commissioned a prospectus of “East End Development Opportunities,” followed by the “East End Conceptual Gateway Plan” in 2017, to quantify and visualize the area’s development potential. However, large-scale development has not followed from these plans, and the restriction on new water system connections has largely forestalled any build-out of the plans’ vision.
The update process will also address the future of the Aqueduct, Woodstock’s newly acquired water utility. Voters recently approved the purchase of the private utility and passed a bond measure to fund urgent repairs aimed at resolving system deficiencies—especially low fire hydrant pressure that was preventing new connections to the system. While bond-funded improvements are expected to bring 90%+ of the hydrants into compliance, allowing for new water connections, other critical needs—such as a new supply tank and replacement of aging mains—remain unfunded. The plan will assess these needs, identify funding strategies, and establish a project timeline.
The total grant award is $18,756, with a required local match of $2,084 from the Town. A consultant will be hired through a public request for proposals, and the project must be completed within two years. The grant application was written by Harry Falconer, Woodstock’s Shared Energy Coordinator, who is currently working with the Planning Commission to modernize zoning bylaws. Harry’s position is administered through the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission and guided by a steering committee that includes Sustainable Woodstock’s Executive Director.
This grant represents a meaningful investment in Woodstock’s future, paving the way for a more vibrant, resilient, and inclusive community.
