The Select Board will hold a public hearing on November 20 at 6pm to get feedback on the Zoning Modernization proposal. The purpose of the zoning revision is to comply with recent changes to State law, and to make minor revisions to help enable the creation of more housing, including more affordable housing. A summary and the details are available on the Town website - https://www.hinesburg.org/planning-zoning/pages/regulation-revisions
Last year's HOME Act (Act 47, S.100) and this year's permit reform act (Act 181, H.687) introduced some mandatory "State zoning" that all municipalities must comply with. The Zoning Modernization proposal makes a number of changes to Hinesburg's zoning based on this new State law. Some examples include:
- Emergency shelters must be a permitted use. This is a facility to provide temporary shelter for unhoused people.
- Duplexes must be treated the same as single-unit dwellings.
- Multi-unit dwellings with three of four units must be a permitted use in areas that allow residential uses, and are served by municipal water and sewer.
- Accessory dwelling units must be allowed on owner-occupied lots with a single-unit dwelling, and can only be limited with regard to size and water/wastewater capacity.
- A 40% density bonus for affordable housing projects, and the ability for such projects to build an extra story beyond our maximum building height.
- Off-street parking for residential uses is reduced. Municipalities can only require up to 1.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit in most areas, and only 1 parking space per dwelling unit in areas served by municipal water/sewer where public parking is within a quarter mile.
The proposal also include some provisions that are not mandated by the State. Some of these include:
~ Creating a uniform residential build out potential (i.e., density allowance) across all village growth area districts. Currently it ranges from 4.4 to 8.8 dwelling units per acre, depending on the district. Proposal would make it a uniform 6 dwelling units per acre. Per the mandatory State density bonus (40%), affordable housing projects could go up to 8.4 dwelling units per acre.
~ Elimination of the existing village growth area residential density bonus system, in favor of the uniform system noted above. No more density bonuses for green building, renewable energy use, small dwelling sizes, etc.
~ Increasing the amount of affordable housing required for larger developments in the village growth area. Increase the minimum percent of affordable homes from 10% to 15% of the overall project.
~ Creation of a new Residential 3 zoning district to cover the portion of our water/sewer service area that is outside of our village growth area – i.e., CVU Road and a portion of Richmond Road. Necessary to comply with a State mandate to allow at least five dwelling units per acre in areas served by municipal water and sewer
Curious? Confused? Have an idea or a concern? Reach out to me and/or attend the Select Board November 20 public hearing.
Alex Weinhagen
Director of Planning & Zoning, Town of Hinesburg
aweinhagen@hinesburg.org
www.hinesburg.org - Planning/Zoning page
802-482-4209
10632 Route 116, Hinesburg, VT 05461
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