How Does the Town of Greensboro Review and Approve Zoning Bylaws?

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The Greensboro Association has received the following information to clarify the process of reviewing and approving new zoning bylaws in Greensboro.  This information has been prepared for the GA by the zoning administrator for the Town, Brett Stanciu.  Her contact details are below.

Currently, there are four new zoning bylaws being considered – For more information, see our prior posts    New Greensboro Zoning Proposals You Should Know About   and  December 19 Update – New Short Term Rental Bylaw Proposal has changed

 

January 1, 2021

Dear Greensboro Association Members,

As Greensboro’s Zoning Administrator, I’m reaching out to facilitate communication among interested parties regarding proposed changes to Greensboro’s zoning bylaws. The process to amend Greensboro’s zoning bylaws is a lengthy one, requires a significant period of time to complete, and provides opportunities for everyone to be heard. 

The Greensboro Planning Commission is charged with drafting proposed amendments to the Town’s zoning bylaws, guided by the Greensboro Town Plan. Subcommittees of the Planning Commission are in the process of drafting four proposed amendments. This material is posted on the Planning Commission’s page on the Town’s official website. 

At this date, the Planning Commission has not yet voted upon any of the proposed amendments. The Planning Commission’s next meeting, open to the public and held via Zoom, is scheduled for January 13. After the Planning Commission approves any or all amendments to the bylaws, additional steps in the process are required. These include:

  • The Planning Commission will hold a hearing to gather public input, with a warning at least two weeks in advance. For homeowners who wish to offer their comments, this hearing (which will be held via Zoom) will provide an opportunity for them to do so in person.
  • The Planning Commission may make changes to the proposed amendments and then submit the amendments to the Select Board. If the Select Board votes to approve the amendments, the Select Board will hold a second public hearing (warned at least two weeks in advance) to gather public input. Again, for homeowners who wish to offer their comments, that Select Board public hearing (which will be held online via Zoom) will provide another opportunity to comment.
  • After this public hearing, if the Select Board votes to make significant changes to the amendments, then the Select Board will schedule an additional public hearing. If the Select Board approves the proposed amendments without significant changes, the proposed amendments would then proceed to a town vote.

This process is established by Vermont State Statue §4441 (Preparation of bylaws and regulatory tools; amendment or repeal) and Vermont State Statue §4442 (Adoption of bylaws and related regulatory tools; amendment or repeal).

Additional important information:

  • The dates for the public hearings have not yet been set, since the Planning Commission has not yet approved the proposed amendments.
  • The town website will post agendas, virtual warnings, and supplementary materials when available. Please note that all public hearings require a two-week warning. This information is available at greensborovt.org/planning-commission/.
  • The Planning Commission meets on the second Wednesday of each month. These meetings are open to the public, but these are working meetings and cannot accommodate lengthy public comment. The warned public hearings will be devoted exclusively to public comment. Due to the pandemic, all public hearings will be virtual until further notice.

Last and by no means least, community input is an important part of this process. The Planning Commission has asked me to collect all comments, so please send any written comments to me. I will copy all emails and letters that I receive and distribute those to the Planning Commission members for their review.

Please let me know if you have questions or input regarding this process.

Brett Stanciu, Zoning Administrator
Town of Greensboro
PO Box 119
Greensboro, VT 05843
[email protected]
802-533-2640