2006 Windham Regional Plan

The 2006 Windham Regional Plan is now available. Paper copies are $20 each and are available at the WRC office. The text of the plan is available as a PDF file (777k) here. The maps are available here.

Other WRC Publications:

(2009) Weston Housing Survey Report
(2005) Libraries: The New Heart of the Old Village Center
(2005) Town Profiles
(2004) Guidelines for Addressing the Vermont Child Care Planning Goal
(2002) Childcare Needs Assessment
(2000) Bondville Village Water and Septic Capacity Study
(2000) Eliminating Illegal Dumping in Vermont
(2000) Open Burning: An Unhealthy Tradition in Vermont
(2000) Ridgeline/Hillside Conservation Strategies for the Town of Putney
(2000) Windham Regional Bike/Ped Plan
(1999) Brattleboro Regional Growth Center Study
(1999) Scattered Site Housing Rehab Design Study
(1998) Assessment of Passenger Rail Station Amenities in the Windham Region
(1998) West River Tributaries Non-point source Pollution Stream Assessment Report
(1995) Vermont Better Backroads Manual
(1991) Hazardous Wastes
(1991) Solid Waste Planning Project
(1991) Taxation-The Foundation Formula and the Windham Region
(1990) Farmland Protection and Town Planning
(1990) Implementation Guidelines for Vermont's Planning Goals

All Publications, are available to be viewed in the WRC Resource Room. Copies of publications or pages can be purchased.

The Following Publications are available to Commissioners and Town Officials at the WRC Office:

(Continuously Updated) Windham Regional Commission Commissioners' Manual
(2009) Family Emergency Prepardness Workbook
(2009) Preparing for the Next Flood: Vermont Floodplain Management
(2007)Vermont Land Use Planning: Implementation Manual
(2006) Vermont by Design
(2006) Vermont Municpal and Regional Planning and Development Act: Title 24 VSA Ch. 117
(2005) SERC and LEPC Handbook
(2000) Planning Manual for Vermont Municipalities

Town Demographic Profiles

Profiles of each town in the Windham Region were created in 2005 using the 2000 U.S. Census data. Profiles include demographic information on housing, income, employement, etc.

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The Bondville Water and Septic Capacity Study

The Bondville Water and Septic Capacity Study is an analysis of the ability of the Village of Bondville infrastructure and services to handle the expansion of new growth and services and identifies problems or inadequacies that already exist. Private waste and water systems are the primary methods used to treat waste and deliver potable water to businesses and residences. Limitations to future development are parcel size, soil compatibility and the age of existing systems. A discussion of conventional and alternative systems and the comparative advantages and disadvantages of various systems is included. The study concludes that an educational packet for the Town and Village should be developed that explains how to properly maintain individual septic systems and that the expansion of Village facilities and businesses which would require increased septic and water capacities will be difficult using current septic system technology.

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Eliminating Illegal Dumping & Open Burning an Unhealthy Tradition

These reports were prepared by the WRC for the Agendy of Natural Resrouces: Department of Environmental Conservation Waste Managemt Division. Each report explains the hazards of each practice and how and why they should be eliminated.

Ridgeline / Hillside Conservation Strategies for the Town of Putney

In recent years, there has been considerable ridgeline/hillside development in the Town of Putney. In response to that, the Putney Conservation Commission set out to develop strategies for ridgeline/hillside conservation.

The Conservation Commission's goals include preserving large blocks of undeveloped lands, preserving the ridgeline corridors and connections between them, minimizing visual impacts of ridgeline development, and using environmentally and site sensitive construction and forestry techniques. This report also establishes values and concerns related to ridgeline/hillside development, describes the various strategies considered, and outlines recommendations for conservation.

Windham Regional Bike/Pedestrian Plan

This plan seeks to better integrate bicycling and walking into the Region's transportation system and to encourage the use of these modes for transportation purposes. The Plan also seeks to understand existing bicycling and walking conditions and to determine improvements that could result in greater bicycling and walking in the region. The three primary goals of the plan are to improve regional linkages through new and improved routes, to support and enhance the Region's villages with pedestrian improvements, and to provide a set of tools to help improve overall bicycling and pedestrian conditions.

The Plan presents a series of recommendations and maps of improvement locations. The recommendations are organized in the following categories: encouragement, education, enforcement, effective design / engineering. These recommendations will require participation and coordination by a variety of government entities and regional organizations.

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Brattleboro Regional Growth Study

The Towns of Brattleboro, Dummerston and Guilford, with assistance from the WRC,completed the Brattleboro Regional Growth Center Study in 1999. The Study, done in three phases starting in 1993, has been an extensive planning process.

Phases 1 & 2 contain resource inventories and assessments, demographic information, regional issues identified by neighboring towns, projections and a build-out analysis, a utility plan, a land use plan for the growth center area and an implementation plan. Phase 3 includes: revitalization plans for Brattleboro's Downtown, Putney Road and Marlboro Road; a summary of transportation planning projects in the Growth Center; a scattered site housing rehabilitation model; a recommended growth center boundary delineation; an implementation plan for the Dummerston Route 5 Corridor Study, a growth management strategy for the Algiers Fire District #1, a resource protection and open space plan for areas in and near the growth center; an analysis of fiscal impacts and the cost of residential scattered development; and a list of possible funding sources. This is the first growth center study completed in the region and one of the firsts in Vermont.

Windham Region Scattered Site Housing Rehab Program Design Study

The WRC has, in the past, worked with towns to help low and moderate income households rehabilitate their homes for safety to achieve at least the minimum federal standards for basic housing. Since these projects are difficult and very costly to run, the WRC, like other organizations in the state, has found that it may not longer be able to provide these services. In response, the Vermont Community Development Program funded this study - a search for a more workable way to deliver scattered site housing rehab assistance to households in the Windham Region. This study presents an alternative model designed to provide a more affordable and long-term program to serve all eligible households in all of the region's towns.

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Assessment of Passenger Rail Station Amenities in the Windham Region

A 1998 Study looking at the Vermont Rail station and services offerered in the Windham Region and the condition of those stations and services.

West River Tributaties Non-point Source Polution Stream Assessment Report

A 1998 report on the condition of the West river streambanks, promted by a 1996 State Water quality Assessment statings that streambank erosion was the leading source of river and stream pollution.

Vermont Better Backroads Manual

This manual provides a variety of cost-effective techniques and actions that can be used to enhance maintenance of graveled backroads while improving the quality of water in the affected areas. Road crews, construction companies, Select boards, Conservation Commissions, Watershed and Lake Associations can effectively use this manual.

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Hazardous Wastes

A preliminary assessment and management and siting criteria for collection facilities in the Windham Region.

Solid Waste Project

A resource manual for backyard and community composting for towns in the Windham Region. Guides and articles for composting.

Taxation: The foundation formula and the Windham Region

The final report of the WRC taxation committee on taxation and their recommendations in the Windham Region.

Farmland Protection and Town Planning

A manual written by the WRC in 1990 to help municpal officials integrate farmland protection into town plans.

Implementation Guidelines for Vermont's Planning Goals

This guide was written in 1990 to lead town planners in how to use the Vermont Planning Goals in their town plans.

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