Update 5/30/2023
The City Council has made additional changes to the LDC amendments and has scheduled a public hearing for Wednesday, June 14, 2023, 6:30pm. The hearing will be held in person, at 2 Lincoln St, and on Zoom. Visit the City Council page to view the agenda.
The Council’s additional changes to the LDC amendments include the following:
- Increasing the sewer connection fee for new construction and adding a sewer capacity allocation fee to prepare for future capital expenses that may result from increased development.
- Zoning bylaw adjustments to comply with the requirements of the newly enacted H.100 State Housing Bill. These state-imposed rules are meant to increase housing supply statewide while preventing urban sprawl.
- Allowing up to four dwelling units per lot in the Residential Zoning Districts (R-1 and R-2)
- Allowing qualifying affordable housing developments to exceed existing height limits by one story
The latest LDC amendments mark-up document is available here.
At a recent City Council meeting, the Council was presented with changes to the Land Development Code (LDC) amendments that the Planning Commission drafted with input from the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission. The City Council is requesting community input on the proposed LDC amendments. A short survey can be found on the City’s website here and will be available until June 7, 2023. The City Council will also hold a public hearing on the proposed amendments anticipated to be held in June 2023.
The LDC is the zoning bylaws regulating what can be built in different parts of the City and is updated periodically. The Planning Commission is responsible for making amendments to the LDC that are then sent to the City Council to review and adopt. Changes to the LDC this year include statutory changes and six significant changes:
- creating opportunities to build more housing,
- strengthening standards for design and historic preservation,
- adding flexibility for the provision of parking,
- improving standards for bicycle parking facilities,
- incorporating Green Stormwater Infrastructure and enhanced landscaping practices, and
- adjusting the Permitting Fee Schedule to reflect the cost of processing and review better.
For additional information on the LDC amendments, contact Chris Yuen, Community Development Director, at cyuen@essexjunction.org or 802-878-6944 or check out the following information: