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March 14, 2024
Judge denies woodcutting operation
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COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
A Vermont Environmental Court Judge last month denied an appeal from Hinesburg residents to operate a commercial woodcutting operation on a residential road, saying the operation was prohibited under current zoning regulations. The appeal, originally filed with the court in February last year, went to trial on Feb. 15. The appellants, residents Andrea and Allen Lavalette, argued that they should be able to operate a commercial cordwood business at their home on Beaver Pond Road. Neighbors abutting the property had written several letters to the town development review board calling attention to the operation’s noise, and an increased amount of traffic through the area. The review board voted down a condiSee LAVALETTE on page 16
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Junior chefs Michael Lewis and John Rodgers shape and fill their signature dish titled, “Pierogi Wan Kenobi” on their last practice before the Jr. Iron Chef Vermont competition. See story on page 8.
Village master plan project makes headway in Charlotte LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
The Charlotte village master plan project, a two-year comprehensive deep dive into the future of the town’s East and West villages, has been in full swing since January, and the team spearheading the efforts is holding the first official design workshop on Saturday, March 16. The project began when the town
received a $13,600 modernization grant last year to increase housing and affordability within the town’s two village centers. From there, the team leveraged an additional $72,000 from Chittenden County Regional Planning to fund the project and hire a consultant to work alongside the planning and zoning office. While the town had done planning studies of both of its villages nearly 10 years ago, when the planning commission attempted to
implement some of those recommendations, some residents have objected. Two proposed amendments to the town plan and zoning bylaws in March 2021 that would have enhanced housing opportunities in the East Village were vehemently rejected by Charlotte voters — a problem that town planner Larry Lewack says is mostly due to a lack of proper public outreach and engagement. “I think the biggest problem with that report is that it wasn’t really coupled with
an implementation plan,” Lewack said, noting that 10 years went by before the town proposed some changes to the regulations. “Those went over like a lead balloon,” he said. Since January, the planning commission and Lewack have been gathering information and are now moving toward a design phase See CHARLOTTE on page 2
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