A way for towns to engage and bring together their residents, set common goals and directions in a neutral and facilitated structure, and access resources that will help them take action on those goals.
During the Community Visit process in Shoreham, community members began work to attract village economic development and to build a business incubator. Other initiatives include improving civic participation and exploring in-town energy opportunities. Read the Report and Action Plan To learn more about Shoreham, read the 2010 Shoreham Community Profile.
This compendium of findings highlights priority topic areas that have emerged through VCRD’s body of work, and considers challenges identified by communities, some of the accomplishments of VCRD at the community and policy level, and unmet community development needs in Vermont. Read the “Rural Development in Vermont: Community & Policy Findings” Report.
Thanks to the Community Visit process, Killington built a system for positive Town/Mountain communications and problem-solving, and set a 4‐season economic development planning process with substantial funding from a 1% municipal rooms, meals, and sales tax. Read the Report and Action Plan
Thanks to the Community Visit process, Derby began evaluating steps toward a town/village merger and solving water-sewer infrastructure issues. Read the Report and Action Plan
We ran a second Community Visit process in Richford in 2007. Community members formed task forces on Job Creation and Retention, Law Enforcement, and Image and Communication. Read the Report and Action Plan
After the Community Visit process, the town voted for funds to contract for services to advance the initiatives recorded in the final report. It also improved energy efficiency, stopped bus idling, created a lightbulb campaign, and advanced the agricultural economy. Read the Report and Action Plan
Through the Community Visit Process, Pownal established a Housing Task Force that built a mobile home tenants association and planned for an affordable housing project. It also developed community gardens and activities and built a tourism map and a communications campaign to tell the good story of the town’s success. Read the Report and Action…
Through the Community Visit process, Woodstock set community priorities for a town/village merger, built an east-end development corporation, expanded conservation, expanded walking trails, developed a town trails map, and worked on building a Woodstock Vision. Read the Report and Action Plan
Through the Community Visit process, Chelsea gained a Vermont Agency of Commerce & Community Development Planning Grant to staff Community Visit Task Forces, building community facilities, and an infrastructure plan. Read the Report and Action Plan
Through the Community Visit Process, Bristol inventoried potential space for a small industrial park, set key attributes of businesses to attract, worked on redeveloping Bartlett Falls area, and improved the stormwater system. Read the Report and Action Plan