Welcome to Planner's Corner, a monthly update on the
activities of the Williston Planning and Zoning Department.
In the first
month of the new decade, the Planning and Zoning office has been reflecting on
how we can engage more folks in town planning and communicate its nuances so
that the vision for Williston can become a reality.
This is a
task which we do not take lightly. The mission Statement of the Williston
Planning department states: “It is our mission to help the town create and
realize a vision for its future. This vision is encompassed by the Williston
Comprehensive Plan which we use to identify goals, objectives and policies. The
Comprehensive Plan is administered through the Williston Unified Development
Bylaw. We hope to empower citizens so that we may work together to build,
finance, protect, support, and create an equitable, sustainable, and healthy
community for present and future generations.”
We are
working on ways to make all of these processes easier to understand and
navigate. We are creating FAQ sheets and infographics about the development
review process; the roles of the different boards and commissions; how they
interact; and how you can take part in those operations. You can find a new
infographic on the Discretionary Permit process on our website and while we are
still preparing other information, there are several ways to get involved. We
have four boards and commissions directly involved with the planning process:
The Planning
Commission, whose function is long range planning including preparation of the
Town’s Comprehensive Plan of Development, Zoning Regulations, and Subdivision
Regulations.
The Development
Review Board, which is responsible for reviewing and approving all proposed
development projects. This includes conditional use, variance, site plan, and
subdivision approvals. All meeting agendas, minutes, project proposals, and
staff reports are posted to our website.
The Historic
and Architectural Advisory Committee, which is responsible for making recommendations to the
Development Review Board on applications subject to the Unified Development
Bylaw. They also make recommendations regarding Certificates of Appropriateness
for proposed construction, reconstruction, alteration, subdivision or other
specified development in the Historic Preservation District.
The
Conservation Commission, which advises the Planning Commission and Selectboard
on matters relating to the Town's natural resources, including wetlands, open
space, wildlife habitat, viewsheds, and rare and endangered animal and plant
species. The Conservation Commission promotes open space and conservation
through studies, negotiations and advice on the use of the Town Environmental
Reserve Fund.
These are
volunteer citizen boards who welcome participation from their fellow community
members. Each meeting is open to the public and you can find the schedules,
agendas, and minutes on our website. All meetings begin with time for general
public comment not related to the agenda items. If you have a topic you’d like
to discuss in depth, you can get in contact with the Planning and Zoning staff
to see if it can be an agenda item. We hope that folks will continue to engage
in productive dialogue and attend meetings so that the town may know the ideas
of the citizenry which we work for.
Here’s
a summary of what’s coming up for our boards during the month of February.
Agendas, meeting minutes, and supporting documents for the items discussed
below can be found on the “Public Records and Documents” page of Williston’s
website.
Development
Review Board (DRB)
WHEN: 7:00 PM on February 25th
WHERE: Town hall meeting Room, 7900 Williston Road
WHAT: DP 20-03.1
Historical
and Architectural Advisory Committee (HAAC)
WHEN: 5:30 PM on February 18th
WHERE: Planning & Zoning Office, 7878 Williston
Road
WHAT: Design review of DP 09-01.17; DP 20-03.1
Williston
Conservation Commission (WCC)
WHEN: 7:00 AM on February 19th
WHERE: Planning & Zoning Office, 7878 Williston
Road
WHAT: Five Tree Hill Management Plan update; Allen
Brook water quality monitoring.
Planning
Commission (PC)
WHEN: 7:00 PM on February 18th
WHERE: Police Station Meeting Room, 7928 Williston
Road
WHAT: Energy
Plan; Parking Standards
For more information, visit www.williston.vt.us, click on the “Boards and Commissions” Tab on the
left side of the page, then click on the relevant board or commission link. Our
staff is ready to assist you from 8:00-4:30, Monday through Friday. We can be
reached at 802-878-6704 or by email.
