H 748

 BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.748
 2026  Page 1 of 4
1H.748
2 Introduced by Representatives Duke of Burlington and Holcombe of Norwich
3 Referred to Committee on
4 Date:
5 Subject: Conservation and development; land use; regional planning; regional
6plan maps
7 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to make multiple
8 changes to the regional plan map land use categories related to their use in Act
9 250 Tier 1.
10    An act relating to regional plan future land use maps
11 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
12 Sec. 1. 24 V.S.A. § 4348a(a)(12)(C) is amended to read:
13(C) Village areas. These areas include the traditional settlement area
14 or a proposed new settlement area, typically composed of a cohesive mix of
15 residential, civic, religious, commercial, and mixed-use buildings, arranged
16 along a main street and intersecting streets that are within walking distance for
17 residents who live within and surrounding the core. These areas include
18 existing village center designations and similar areas statewide, but this area is
19 larger than the village center designation. Village areas shall meet the
20 following criteria:
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 2026  Page 2 of 4
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2(iv) The municipality has either municipal public water or, public
3 wastewater. If no public wastewater is available, the area must have, or soils
4 that are adequate for wastewater disposal.
5***
6 Sec. 2. 24 V.S.A. § 4348a(a)(12)(D) is amended to read:
7(D) Transition or infill area. These areas include areas of existing or
8 planned commercial, office, mixed-use development, or residential uses either
9 adjacent to a planned growth or village area or a new stand-alone transition or
10 infill area and served by, or planned for proximate to an area served by, public
11 water or wastewater, or both; areas where public water or wastewater is
12 planned for; or areas with soils that are adequate for wastewater disposal. The
13 intent of this land use category is to transform these areas into higher-density,
14 mixed-use settlements, or residential neighborhoods through infill and
15 redevelopment or new development. New commercial linear strip
16 development is not allowed as to prevent it negatively impacting the economic
17 vitality of commercial areas in the adjacent or nearby planned growth or
18 village area. This area could also include adjacent greenfields safer from
19 flooding and planned for future growth.
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1 Sec. 3. 24 V.S.A. § 5804 is amended to read:
2 § 5804. DESIGNATED NEIGHBORHOOD
3    (a) Designation established.
4(1) A regional planning commission may request approval from the
5 LURB for designation of areas on the regional plan future land use maps as a
6 designated neighborhood under 10 V.S.A. § 6033. Areas eligible for
7 designation include planned growth areas and village areas identified on the
8 regional plan future land use map. This designation recognizes that the vitality
9 of downtowns and villages is supported by adjacent and walkable
10 neighborhoods and that the benefits structure must ensure that investments for
11 sprawl repair or infill development within a neighborhood is secondary to a
12 primary purpose to maintain the vitality and livability and maximize the
13 climate resilience and infill potential of centers.
14(2) The areas eligible for designation are planned growth areas and
15 village areas identified on the regional plan future land use map. Transition
16 areas and infill areas are also eligible if located within a workforce housing
17 zone.
18(3) Approval of planned growth areas and village areas or transition
19 areas and infill areas within a workforce housing zone as designated
20 neighborhoods shall follow the same process as approval for designated
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1 centers provided for in 10 V.S.A. § 6033 and consistent with sections 4348 and
2 4348a of this title.
3***
4 Sec. 4. 24 V.S.A. § 5801 is amended to read:
5 § 5801. DEFINITIONS
6    As used in this chapter:
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8(16) “Centroid” means a point in a U.S. census block located in the
9 geographic center of the polygon it represents, and containing the same
10 attributes.
11(17) “Workforce housing zone” means an area in Vermont with an
12 enhanced demand for housing due to its proximity to a job-rich census tract in
13 Vermont or an adjoining state. Specifically, it is an area within:
14(A) six miles of the centroid of a census tract that has 7,200 or more
15 jobs;
16(B) five miles of the centroid of a census tract that has 5,000 to 7,199
17 jobs; or
18(C) 3.5 miles of the centroid of a census tract that has 2,500 to 4,999
19 jobs.
20 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
21    This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
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