Open Space VT is written and maintained by the faculty, staff and students of the Land Use Clinic at Vermont Law School.
In 2010, the Land Use Clinic conducted a survey of zoning administrators, development review board members, planning commissioners, applicants and concerned citizens. First we asked, “Would it be helpful to consolidate information about key developments in land use law? 77.0% said yes. 1.4% said no. 23.0% said Kind of. With only 1.4% saying no – we thought we would give this a shot. We also asked, “If we were to summarize significant decisions affecting Vermont land use law, which resources would be most useful?” 94 % of respondents said Municipal Land Use (court) Decisions. 92.1 % of respondents said Act 250 Decisions and 67.1% said State Environmental Permitting Decisions. We are starting with some important historic cases that establish important tests and rules, such as the Quechee Lakes Test. We hope to update the blog weekly to summarize important developments in Vermont land use law.
Vermont is known for its abundance of natural green beauty, open spaces, and rural culture. We feel developments in Vermont land use law significantly affect the Vermont landscape and can shape the national dialogue on good land use practices.
The students and faculty members of the Land Use Clinic have diverse backgrounds in law, planning, and environmental policy. We hope that our blog will keep you informed about land use developments in Vermont. We also hope that you will keep us informed by adding your thoughts and comments to our posts.
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