The new Town Plan describes a future vision for Jericho based on more housing options, thriving small local businesses, and truly walkable neighborhoods. To create the new Town Plan, the Planning Commission compiled hundreds of comments from surveys, meetings, and conversations with residents.

Municipal infrastructure to connect people and places is essential to Jericho's vision of vibrant village centers surrounded by natural rural areas. Infrastructure includes roads, sidewalks and trails, utilities, energy, clean water supplies, stormwater management, and wastewater. The Town Plan describes plans to improve town infrastructure over the next 5-10+ years. The Selectboard and town committees use the Town Plan when making decisions and investments.

Wastewater in Jericho is managed currently by individual septic systems and a few small neighborhood systems. The lack of municipal wastewater in Jericho's village areas limits development of housing and businesses and stands in the way of achieving the community's vision.

The state and federal government recently allocated "once in a lifetime" funds to help towns plan and build wastewater systems. The Jericho Selectboard in 2022 received a grant to explore options for municipal wastewater. The Selectboard hired Dubois & King to conduct a study to comply with state requirements.

The Village Wastewater Feasibility Study is now 60% complete and available for public review. The Selectboard will host three meetings to share information from the study, gathered so far. Each meeting will focus on current conditions and future options for that specific geographic area. These meetings are informational, and residents can ask questions. No decisions have been made, and no decisions will be made until after the Selectboard receives the final study report later this year. This month's meetings are the "progress report."

* Jericho Center - Wednesday, May 1, 6 p.m.
* Jericho Corners - Thursday, May 9, 6 p.m.
* Riverside/Underhill Flats & the Commercial District - Wednesday, May 15, 6 p.m.

On behalf of the Planning Commission, we thank the Selectboard for initiating the study and hosting these meetings, and we encourage residents and business owners to engage with the process and help guide Jericho's future. https://jerichovt.org/wastewater-feasibility-study

- Susan Bresee, Planning Commission Chair

May 21, 2024, 6:30 to 9:30 PM

May 21, 2024, 7 to 9 PM

May 25, 2024, 10 AM to 4 PM