§ 4345a. Duties of regional planning commissions
A regional planning commission created under this chapter shall:
(1) Promote the mutual cooperation of its municipalities and assist and advise municipalities,
compacts, and authorities within the region to facilitate economic development programs
for the appropriate development, improvement, protection, and preservation of the
region’s physical and human resources.
(2) Advise municipal governing bodies with respect to public financing.
(3) Provide technical and legal assistance to municipalities in the preparation and maintenance
of plans, capacity studies, and bylaws and in related implementation activities.
(4) Cooperate with the planning, legislative, or executive authorities of neighboring
states, regions, counties, or municipalities to promote coordination of planning for,
conservation, and development of the region and adjoining or neighboring territory.
(5) Prepare a regional plan and amendments that are consistent with the goals established
in section 4302 of this title, and compatible with approved municipal and adjoining regional plans. When preparing
a regional plan, the regional planning commission shall:
(A) Develop and carry out a process that will encourage and enable widespread citizen
involvement and meaningful participation, as defined in 3 V.S.A. § 6002.
(B) Develop a regional data base that is compatible with, useful to, and shared with the
geographic information system established under 3 V.S.A. § 20.
(C) Conduct capacity studies;.
(D) Identify areas of regional significance. Such areas may be, but are not limited to,
historic sites, earth resources, rare and irreplaceable natural areas, recreation
areas, and scenic areas.
(E) Consider the potential environmental benefits and environmental burdens, as defined
in 3 V.S.A. § 6002, of the proposed plan.
(F) Consider the probable social and economic benefits and consequences of the proposed
plan.
(G) Prepare a report explaining how the regional plan is consistent with the goals established
in section 4302 of this title.
(6) Prepare implementation guidelines that will assist municipalities and the regional
commission in developing a planning process that will attain, within a reasonable
time, consistency with the goals established in section 4302 of this title. Guidelines, which may be revised at any time, shall be prepared initially by July
1, 1989.
(7) Prepare, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development,
guidelines for the provision of affordable housing in the region, share information
developed with respect to affordable housing with the municipalities in the region
and with the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development, and consult with the
Commissioner when developing the housing element of the regional plan.
(8) Confirm municipal planning efforts, where warranted, as required under section 4350 of this title, and provide town clerks of the region with notice of confirmation.
(9) At least every eight years, review the compatibility of municipal plans, and if the
regional planning commission finds that growth in a municipality without an approved
plan is adversely affecting an adjoining municipality, it shall notify the legislative
body of both municipalities of that fact and shall urge that the municipal planning
be undertaken to mitigate those adverse effects. If, within six months of receipt
of this notice, the municipality creating the adverse effects does not have an approved
municipal plan, the regional commission shall adopt appropriate amendments to the
regional plan as it may deem appropriate to mitigate those adverse effects.
(10) Develop strategies specifically designed to assist municipalities in defining and
managing growth and development that have cumulative impacts.
(11) Review proposed State capital expenditures prepared pursuant to 32 V.S.A. chapter 5 and the Transportation Program prepared pursuant to 19 V.S.A. chapter 1 for compatibility and consistency with regional plans and submit comments to the
Secretaries of Transportation and Administration and the legislative committees of
jurisdiction.
(12) Assist municipalities to review proposed State capital expenditures for compatibility
with municipal plans.
(13) Appear before District Environmental Commissions to aid them in making a determination
as to the conformance of developments and subdivisions with the criteria of 10 V.S.A. § 6086.
(14) With respect to proceedings under 30 V.S.A. § 248:
(A) have the right to appear and participate; and
(B) appear before the Public Utility Commission to aid in making determinations under
that statute when requested by the Commission.
(15) Hold public hearings.
(16) Before requesting the services of a mediator with respect to a conflict that has arisen
between adopted or proposed plans of two or more regions or two or more municipalities
located in different regions, appoint a joint interregional commission, in cooperation
with other affected regional commissions, for the purpose of negotiating differences.
(17) As part of its regional plan, define a substantial regional impact, as the term may
be used with respect to its region. This definition shall be given substantial deference,
where relevant, in State regulatory proceedings.
(18) If a municipality requests the assistance of the regional planning commission in coordinating
the way that its plan addresses projects of substantial regional impact with the way
those projects are addressed by its neighbors’ planning efforts, the regional planning
commission shall convene an ad hoc working group to address the issue. The working
group shall be composed of representatives of all municipalities likely to be affected
by the plan in question, regardless of whether or not they belong to the same region.
With the assistance of a facilitator provided by the regional planning commission,
the ad hoc working group will attempt to develop a proposed consensus with respect
to projects of substantial regional impact. If a proposed consensus is developed,
the results of the consensus will be reported to the planning commissions and legislative
bodies represented.
(19) Undertake studies and make recommendations on the conservation of energy and the development
of renewable energy resources.
(20) If designated as a clean water service provider under 10 V.S.A. § 924, provide for the identification, prioritization, development, construction, inspection,
verification, operation, and maintenance of clean water projects in the basin assigned
to the regional planning commission in accordance with the requirements of 10 V.S.A. chapter 37, subchapter 5. (Added 1987, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 21, eff. July 1, 1989; amended 1989, No. 280 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § G5; 2015, No. 174 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2019, No. 76, § 5; 2023, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 46, eff. June 17, 2024.)