Proposed Shutesville Hill 50-Unit Development
This project is out of character with the written goals and objectives of Waterbury's town plan and town bylaws.
• Shutesville Hill Wildlife Corridor (SHWC)– The Planned Unit Development (PUD) will bisect one of the five most important wildlife crossings in Vermont and it will increase traffic substantially in the Highest Priority Connectivity Blocks of the wild life corridor creating a safety hazard for wildlife trying to cross Route 100. The SWLC is the only viable ecological connection between the Green Mountains and the Worcester Range. It is a critical part of an international network of connected forest habitats in the Northeast. (see links below to SHWC)
• Town Plan and Town Bylaws – When asked, Waterbury residents ranked Route 100 least desirable for commercial development. The PUD is not compatible with Waterbury's traditional pattern of Smart Growth and Growth Centers. It does not encourage new development in specified Growth Centers in a manner that retains Waterbury's unique culture and image. It does not meet Waterbury's traditional pattern of concentrated settlements surrounded by rural countryside. The PUD is not located close to public transportation or any other public services.
• Safety – The property abuts the long-established and active Waterbury Fish & Game Club of over 400 members.
• Traffic – With the proposed 50 units, approximately 100 cars will be entering and exiting in the vicinity of, but not opposite to, Spruce Haven Road, a road that is already difficult to make turns in and out of. According to VTrans' official accident reports, in 2021 and 2022 there were 43 total accidents on Route 100, in Waterbury, with approximately 15 occurring in the Shutesville Wildlife Corridor. Human and wildlife injury and fatalities will increase unless the speed on RT 100 is changed, possibly to 35. Do Waterbury and Stowe residents really want that?
• Route 100 Corridor – The project is incompatible with the scenic byway.
• The Town of Waterbury spent 100K protecting the Shutesville Hill Wildlife Corridor and the North Hill Forest Block from a Verizon Cell Tower in 2015-2017. Why on earth would they allow a development of this magnitude in this area that they have spent so much time and money protecting. This is the wrong place for this development.
There is a need for affordable housing in Waterbury, but these units, at approximately $3,000/month for a 3-bedroom apartment are not the solution to the housing problem.
• https://www.stowelandtrust.org/work/projects/shutesville-hill-wildlife-corridor/webinar-shut[...]dor
• https://www.shutesville.com/
• https://stayingconnectedinitiative.org/
The next hearing is March 15, 6:30 p.m., at the Waterbury Municipal Building, Steele Community Room, 28 North Main Street (next to library).
May 18, 2024, 9 AM to 1 PM
Rumney PTNO Spring FairMay 18, 2024, 11 AM to 2 PM
LHHH&H Service of Remembrance & HopeMay 19, 2024, 2 to 3 PM