Housing experts gathered in Randolph on Tuesday to consider the future of residential development in Vermont in the face of increased flood risks.
Josh Hanford, the state commissioner of housing and community development, said many of the places Vermont has designated for development are also at risk of climate-induced disasters.
“We must acknowledge that many of our villages, many of our communities, are built near the water, on the water, and face increased risks and challenges," Hanford said. "This demands that we ask some hard questions.”
More fromVermont Edition: Vermont planners share how flood rebuilding conversations are going
State and local planners have begun working on a package of proposals to reform Vermont’s land-use laws.
And they say floods of the type that Vermont experienced in July have forced the state to reconsider where it wants to cluster new housing projects.
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