The League of Women voters of Vermont believes that land use goals can best be achieved in a state organizational framework to carry out land protection and to provide an integrated overall development plan for Vermont. We believe it is the basic responsibility of local governments to ensure the wise use of land within their borders. We advocate implementation of a state land use plan which coordinates the plans and policies of local and regional agencies and is tailored to enhance maximum local decision making. Local governments should be required to exercise a minimum level of planning and regulation over land use. The state should have the authority to regulate areas where local governments fail to regulate land use of local concern.

Recognizing that some land use decisions are of statewide concern, we concur that the state has an overriding interest and responsibility to provide planning and direct regulation of the following critical areas:

1. Fragile or historic lands where development could result in irreversible damage.
2. Renewable resource lands where development could result in the loss of productivity.
3. Natural hazard lands where development could endanger life and property.

We believe that the following critical land use activities are also of more than local concern:

1. Areas impacted by public investment where siting results in secondary land use demands.
2. Large scale private development which may have substantial impact upon the physical, social and economic environment.
3. Land development of more than local benefit not provided by the private sector.

It is our recommendation that decisions for these activities be made at the local and regional levels according to state established standards and subject to state review. Impact statements should be required on all major public and private developments.

There was a strong mandate from League members for greater emphasis on regional planning and regulation in these areas of more than local concern. Such a regional level of government would also have advisory powers with a responsibility to review and comment on local plans and to provide services. Members of this regional body should be appointed, not elected, with representation from local government and citizens with a field of expertise.

We believe that the state should provide increased technical assistance and data information to help localities develop and exercise local land use management functions. Localities should be authorized and encouraged to exercise innovative land use planning and regulatory techniques. Provisions must also be made to establish an appeals board with powers to arbitrate conflicts between governmental bodies and between citizens and government in land use decisions.