The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 24: Municipal and County Government

Chapter 075: Economic Development

• Subchapter 001: BUILDING FOR INDUSTRIAL USE [REPEALED]

• §§ 2701-2714. Repealed. 1969, No. 220 (Adj. Sess.), § 20, eff. March 31, 1970.

• Subchapter 001A: ISSUANCE OF REVENUE BONDS FOR INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES [REPEALED]

• §§ 2721-2737. Repealed. 1973, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 3.

• Subchapter 002: AID TO BUSINESS; PUBLICITY

• § 2741. Municipal corporations; property values fixed by contract

  (a) A municipal corporation, as hereinafter provided, may enter into a contract with owners, lessees, bailees, or operators of agricultural, forestland, open space land, industrial or commercial real and personal property, and alternate-energy generating plants for the purpose of:

  (1) fixing and maintaining the valuation of such property in the grand list;

  (2) fixing and maintaining the rate or rates of tax applicable to such property;

  (3) fixing the amount in money which shall be paid as an annual tax upon such property; or

  (4) fixing the tax applicable to such property at a percentage of the annual tax.

  (b) A municipal corporation, by vote of a majority of those present and voting at an annual or special meeting warned for that purpose for a contract relating to agricultural or forest property, open space land, or to alternate-energy generating plants, or by a vote of two-thirds of those present and voting at annual or special meeting warned for that purpose for a contract relating to commercial or industrial property, may either:

  (1) provide general authority to its legislative branch to enter into such contracts as application is made; or

  (2) provide limited authority to its legislative branch to negotiate contracts, which shall be effective upon ratification by a majority of those present and voting at an annual or special meeting warned for that purpose.

  (c) Any contract entered into pursuant to this section:

  (1) shall not be for a period in excess of ten years except for a contract to stabilize taxes for an alternate-energy generating plant, in which case the term shall not exceed the term of any license, permit, or other approval required to operate such a plant;

  (2) shall be filed with the clerk of the municipal corporation and shall be available for public inspection;

  (3) may be with existing or new owners, lessees, bailees, or operators of such property, or with persons who intend to become owners, lessees, bailees, or operators of such property; and

  (4) may be applicable to existing agricultural or forest property or open space land; renovations of or additions to existing agricultural, commercial, or industrial property, or open space land; or to new agricultural, forest, commercial, or industrial property, or open space land.

  (d) For purposes of this section:

  (1) “Renewable energy source” means any inexhaustible, continuous, or readily replaceable supply of energy, including solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal. “Renewable energy source” does not mean any biomass, fossil, or mineral supply of energy, including wood, organic waste, oil, coal, or uranium.

  (2) “Alternate-energy generating plant” means real and personal property that is built at an existing or new site after July 1, 1980, including any equipment, structure, or facility, used for or directly related to the generation or production of electricity from renewable energy sources with a nameplate capacity of not more than 25 million watts.

  (3) “Farmland” means real estate, exclusive of any housesite, which is actively and exclusively devoted to farming and is operated or leased as a farm enterprise by the owner.

  (4) “Forestland” means any land, exclusive of any housesite, which is under active forest management for the purpose of growing and harvesting repeated forest crops.

  (5) “Housesite” means the two acres of land surrounding any house, mobile home, or dwelling.

  (6) “Open space land” means any land, exclusive of any housesite, that does not fall under the definition of “farmland” and “forestland,” is not used for commercial or industrial purposes, and does not have structures thereon. (Amended 1961, No. 16; 1967, No. 359 (Adj. Sess.), eff. March 26, 1968; 1969, No. 16, § 6, eff. March 11, 1969; 1973, No. 183 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 30, 1974; 1977, No. 105, § 26; 1979, No. 170 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1993, No. 104, §§ 1-4, eff. June 21, 1993.)

• § 2742. Contracts between municipalities; airports

  Two or more municipal corporations, acting through the legislative bodies thereof, may enter into contracts for the same period and for the same purposes as specified in section 2741 of this title, provided that the authority conferred herewith shall apply only to airport property situated in one or more municipalities and owned or held by one or more other municipalities. The authority granted herewith may be exercised notwithstanding that some or all of said property may be exempt from taxation by other provisions of law, and in the event that such contract is entered into, no municipal officer shall refuse payment of any obligation thereunder on the ground of such exemption. (1959, No. 208, eff. May 29, 1959.)

• § 2743. Aid to public utilities

  A town may appropriate a sum of money not exceeding 15 percent of its grand list in any one year for the relief of railroads and other public utilities serving the inhabitants of such town.

• § 2744. Publicity fund

  A town or incorporated village may appropriate such sums of money as it deems necessary for the purpose of advertising the scenic beauties and municipal advantages of such town or incorporated village and its environs. A town may also appropriate such sums of money as it deems necessary to any area development association covering an area wherein such town is situated, whether such association is incorporated within the State of Vermont or elsewhere or whether such association is incorporated or not; and whether or not such association is also to serve towns or cities outside of the State of Vermont. Any sum so appropriated shall be expended at the order or orders of the legislative body. (Amended 1963, No. 148, eff. June 13, 1963.)

• Subchapter 003: REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• §§ 2771-2778. Repealed. 1967, No. 334 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. March 23, 1968.

• § 2779. Interstate development region; purpose; region; State aid

  (a) It is also the purpose of this act to assist the local communities and regions within the State, and those communities and regions combined with communities or regions of a neighboring state, in carrying out an overall economic development program ensuring the best possible implementation of approved plans for the full development of physical and human resources of the individual communities within the region.

  (b) A region is also five or more municipalities within the State or combined with a neighboring state approved by the State Central Planning Office as a logical region to undertake a comprehensive regional planning program in compliance with the overall State comprehensive plan prepared by the Central Planning Office.

  (c) In the case of an interstate regional development commission, the financial assistance from the State shall be restricted to 50 per cent of the assessment of annual operating expenses of the cooperating Vermont municipalities. (1967, No. 99, § 3, eff. April 13, 1967.)