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Time to order Trees and Trout!
The Winooski Conservation District Tree and Trout Sale will happen on
April 27th, but orders need to be in by March 22nd. For a brochure and ordering info, visit: http://winooskinrcd.org/trees-and-trout/
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Coming soon...
Neighbor Rides!
Want to make new friends and connect with your neighbors?
Be a volunteer driver!
Volunteer drivers use their personal vehicles to transport seniors and persons with disabilities so they may maintain as much independence as possible. Trips may include visits to medical appointments, grocery stores, adult day centers and other essential errands. This program is just getting underway, so watch for more info.
This initiative is supported in part by the ECOS Grants.
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Burlington Waterfront
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Greetings!
Michele and I have been spending a lot of time down in monitoring developments in Montpelier, with several Committee sessions exploring state designations, water quality, energy planning, and transportation issues. Areas to watch include the renewable energy facilities siting bill which proposes significant changes to the role of municipal and regional planning in the permitting of electrical generation locations and transportation funding strategies to address the ever widening gap between revenues and needs. We'll keep you posted as important bills are moving. Back in Chittenden County we're in the comment period before the first public hearing of the new ECOS Regional Plan, which will take place on March 20th at the Sheraton. If you would like to comment on any aspect of the plan -- indicators, strategies, MTP, CEDS -- please do so sooner than later, so we can prepare the comments for the CCRPC Board to review. The full plan and means for commenting can be found at www.ecosproject.com/plan. We hope to solicit all substantive comments during this first public hearing period. A second public hearing will be held later in the spring with the anticipation of adopting the plan in June. Wishing you all a productive and enjoyable Town Meeting.
Sincerely,
Charlie Baker
Executive Director
Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
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Of Note
What's the latest with the CIRC Alternatives?
Want to know the latest updates on the many studies and projects slated as CIRC Alternatives? Then check out the latest CIRC Alternatives Newsletter - February 2013 -- it's packed with info.
The Vermont Planning Information Center Check out the new and improved website for Vermont's volunteer and professional land use decision-makers consolidates access to the resources you need including: - All planning and zoning publications produced by Land Use Education and Training Collaborative
- An improved calendar of training events (trainers can post events directly)
- Links to key websites and documents
- It's all at: www.vpic.info
Send questions and comments to Peg Elmer elmer.peg1@gmail.com or to obtain access to the calendar contact Alison Low alison@nvda.net. New England ADA Center Announces Training Opportunity The Vermont Center for Independent Living invites cities and towns to submit proposals to compete for a field-based training day to help New England municipalities identify facility needs. Twenty applicants will be chosen to participate. Are you planning to make access improvements to a municipal building in your town? If so, you are encouraged to apply for a full day of training with experts who will work with you to identify barriers and create a list of solutions to improve accessibility under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Participating municipalities will also receive a $1,000 award towards improving accessibility. Questions? Kim Brittenham 800/ 639-1522 kbrittenham@vcil.org VT Center for Independent Living 802/ 229-0501 New England ADA Center 800/ 949-4232 Creating Equitable, Healthy, and Sustainable Communities: Strategies for Advancing Smart Growth, Environmental Justice, and Equitable Development is a new EPA report that offers low-income, minority, tribal, and overburdened communities approaches to shape development that responds to their needs and reflects their values. The report provides a menu of land use and community design strategies community-based organizations, local and regional decision-makers, developers, and others can use to revitalize their communities: The report was developed jointly by the Office of Sustainable Communities and Office of Environmental Justice. |
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Save the Date
First Public Hearing for the 5-Year ECOS Regional Plan March 20th
March 20th at 6:00pm, at the Sheraton Hotel, South Burlington
This meeting will mark the end of the first public comment period on the Regional Plan. The CCRPC Board would like to consider your comments in the refinement of the plan. Comments are requested to be submitted in advance at www.ecosproject.com/plan.
Vermont Worksite Wellness Conference Wednesday, March 27th, 7:30 - 11:30 a.m. Vermont Department of Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and Governor's Council on Fitness and SportsSheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center, South Burlington. Get a conference poster and registration form. 68th Annual Town Officers Education Conference Wednesday, April 3rd, Hilton Burlington, 8:00am - 3:30pm Over 20 breakout sessions, and a panel discussion on "Great Communication: Whose Job Is It, Anyway? Leaders, Citizens and Inclusive Democracy." $70 fee includes lunch and AM and PM refreshments. More info and registration options a the Conference Website.
UVM TRC Transportation Research Expo
Wednesday, March 27, 2013, Billings Library, UVM, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
The Transportation Research Expo is an opportunity to showcase innovative research by UVM and partner institutions, with respect to critical issues facing the field of transportation and support for building sustainable
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Opportunites/Grants
Regional Economic Development Grants
The goal of the program is to provide competitive grants to municipalities as defined in Chapter 117 of Title 24 V.S.A. § 4303 and to non-profit organizations to stimulate the creation and development of or retention potential opportunities that provide regional economic development in either an individual community or recognized community service area in Vermont communities. This grant program is open to municipalities and non-profit organizations that provide Regional Economic Development in either an individual community or recognized community service area. The maximum available grant is $25,000 per project. For each dollar requested, documentation must be provided to show that one dollar has been raised (on hand or pledged) from non-state sources. Projects that are in the conceptual stage should not apply at this point. Preference will be given to those projects that have a demonstrated longevity of support within a community.
The Citizens' Institute on Rural Design (CIRD) is issuing a request for proposals to rural communities facing design challenges to host local workshops in 2013.Successful applicants will receive a $7,000 grant and in-kind design expertise and technical assistance valued at $35,000. The Request for Proposals is on the new CIRD website: www.rural-design.org.
The deadline for submitting a proposal is Tuesday March 5, 2013 at 5:00 pm EST.
Smart Growth Implementation Assistance
EPA's Smart Growth Implementation Assistance (SGIA) program is accepting applications from tribal, local, regional, and state governments and nonprofit organizations that have partnered with a governmental entity. Applications will be accepted until March 1, 2013.
EPA is seeking applications in the following four categories:
- Community Resilience to Disasters and Climate Change
- Redevelopment for Job Creation
- Manufactured and Modular Homes in Sustainable Neighborhood Design
- Medical and Social Service Facilities Siting
Find additional information, including the Request for Letters of Interest, at http://epa.gov/smartgrowth/sgia.htm.
$986,500 in Grant Funds available from the Working Landscape Enterprise Board
The Working Lands Enterprise initiative will invest in three areas related to Agriculture, Forestry & Forest Products:
1. Enterprise Investments ($3,000-$15,000 grants, Required Minimum 25% cash match of grant amount requested)
2. Working Lands Service Provider Grants ($10,000 - $100,000 grants, Required Minimum 50% cash and in-kind match of grant amount requested)
3. Capital and Infrastructure Investments ($15,000 - $100,000 grants, Required Minimum 1:1 Match (in-kind and at least 50% cash) of grant amount requested)
More info and applications available at VermontWorkingLands.com.
Contact Noelle.Sevoian@state.vt.us with questions.
Transportation Alternatives Program
VTrans is now accepting applications for the Transportation Alternatives Program, which is part of the new federal transportation legislation entitled Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). The Transportation Alternatives Program provides funding for a variety of project types, many of which were previously eligible under the former Transportation Enhancement Program. Visit the VTrans Transportation Alternatives website for more information.
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