Rutland Regional Commission adopts 2026 regional plan after final public hearing
May 24, 2026 | Rutland County, Vermont
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The Rutland Regional Planning Commission voted May 19 to adopt the 2026 Rutland Regional Plan, a comprehensive eight‑year regional plan intended to guide community and economic development in the Rutland region from 2026 through 2034.
At a final public hearing, a staff presenter, Stephanie, summarized the planning process — a rewrite begun in March 2023 that included a housing needs assessment with the Vermont Housing Finance Authority, three public engagement phases, and multiple drafting iterations between November 2023 and August 2025. Stephanie said the plan document itself saw no substantive changes since the March hearing but the regional future land‑use map was revised following municipal feedback.
The plan uses 11 state‑defined land‑use categories to indicate areas intended for growth or conservation and to identify places eligible for state designation and tier 1 Act 250 exemptions. Stephanie said downtown and village centers occupy under 1% of the region’s land area, planned growth areas and village areas together cover a little more than 1.5%, and the higher‑density categories together make up about 6% of the region. She listed 12 towns with tier 1b eligible areas — Brandon, Hasselton, Fairhaven, Killington, Mendon, Poultney, Holtany, Proctor, Rutland City, Shrewsbury, Wallingford and West Rutland — and said seven of those towns requested to opt into the tier 1b exemption (Brandon, Fairhaven, Killington, Mendon, Poultney, Proctor and West Rutland).
Stephanie outlined next steps: the commission will submit the adopted plan and municipal tier 1b resolutions to the Land Use Review Board and to the Public Service Department on May 21. The Land Use Review Board must hold a public hearing within 60 days of submittal; the Public Service Department will provide at least 15 days’ notice and has up to two months to determine enhanced energy plan compliance.
During discussion before the vote, a commissioner objected to adopting the plan during the same meeting as the hearing, arguing that doing so left no opportunity for substantive hearing comments to affect the plan before adoption. The commissioner called the approach “illegitimate.” Stephanie and other commissioners responded that the March hearing and three supplemental regional meetings had provided opportunities for substantive feedback and that the statutory process was being followed. Deb Neri, identified in the meeting as executive director, echoed that the process followed statutory requirements.
Erica moved adoption of the plan and Anne seconded. The board completed a roll‑call vote, with commissioners recorded as voting in favor. The chair declared the motion approved and the commission closed the hearing and called the board meeting to order at 7:40 p.m.
The adopted plan will be submitted on May 21 for state review; the Land Use Review Board and Public Service Department determinations will dictate final state-level findings and certification. Staff directed members to online resources — the engagement report and a map viewer — for detailed lists and parcel‑level views of land‑use changes.
The board listed the plan adoption on the amended meeting agenda and proceeded with additional introductions and routine meeting business.
At a final public hearing, a staff presenter, Stephanie, summarized the planning process — a rewrite begun in March 2023 that included a housing needs assessment with the Vermont Housing Finance Authority, three public engagement phases, and multiple drafting iterations between November 2023 and August 2025. Stephanie said the plan document itself saw no substantive changes since the March hearing but the regional future land‑use map was revised following municipal feedback.
The plan uses 11 state‑defined land‑use categories to indicate areas intended for growth or conservation and to identify places eligible for state designation and tier 1 Act 250 exemptions. Stephanie said downtown and village centers occupy under 1% of the region’s land area, planned growth areas and village areas together cover a little more than 1.5%, and the higher‑density categories together make up about 6% of the region. She listed 12 towns with tier 1b eligible areas — Brandon, Hasselton, Fairhaven, Killington, Mendon, Poultney, Holtany, Proctor, Rutland City, Shrewsbury, Wallingford and West Rutland — and said seven of those towns requested to opt into the tier 1b exemption (Brandon, Fairhaven, Killington, Mendon, Poultney, Proctor and West Rutland).
Stephanie outlined next steps: the commission will submit the adopted plan and municipal tier 1b resolutions to the Land Use Review Board and to the Public Service Department on May 21. The Land Use Review Board must hold a public hearing within 60 days of submittal; the Public Service Department will provide at least 15 days’ notice and has up to two months to determine enhanced energy plan compliance.
During discussion before the vote, a commissioner objected to adopting the plan during the same meeting as the hearing, arguing that doing so left no opportunity for substantive hearing comments to affect the plan before adoption. The commissioner called the approach “illegitimate.” Stephanie and other commissioners responded that the March hearing and three supplemental regional meetings had provided opportunities for substantive feedback and that the statutory process was being followed. Deb Neri, identified in the meeting as executive director, echoed that the process followed statutory requirements.
Erica moved adoption of the plan and Anne seconded. The board completed a roll‑call vote, with commissioners recorded as voting in favor. The chair declared the motion approved and the commission closed the hearing and called the board meeting to order at 7:40 p.m.
The adopted plan will be submitted on May 21 for state review; the Land Use Review Board and Public Service Department determinations will dictate final state-level findings and certification. Staff directed members to online resources — the engagement report and a map viewer — for detailed lists and parcel‑level views of land‑use changes.
The board listed the plan adoption on the amended meeting agenda and proceeded with additional introductions and routine meeting business.
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