The Town of Enosburgh and the Village of Enosburg Falls are in the process of merging their planning and zoning departments. The first step in that effort was to combine the town and village planning commissions. The resulting unified commission, which operates under the town of Enosburgh, is now tasked with combining the two former boards' planning documents into one unified town plan.
(Although they are merging some municipal functions, the town and the village continue to spell their names differently.)
To kick start the effort of drafting a new town plan, the commission put out a community survey. The survey was distributed in March and the results have been now compiled. Seventy-four people responded, out of a total population of roughly 5,ooo residents. Here are some of the takeaways the planning commission identified:
- Commercial development in the village center has not been rapid enough.
- Respondents want smaller businesses in village center and larger businesses in the outskirts of the center and in the industrial park.
- Overall, respondents were supportive of economic development for the community.
- Over the next five years the community should focus on high quality schools; rescue squad; economic growth and quality employment; property taxes and energy use.
- The top five most important services in town are the fire department, ambulance, schools, public town roads and health.
- Maintaining and improving town roads are higher higher priorities than public transportation and sidewalks or other bike/pedestrian paths.
- Respondents want to encourage developing affordable housing, single family homes and housing for seniors.
- The top five recreational priorities identified were ball fields, non-motorized recreational trails, fishing access, a community center and natural areas such as the Town Forest.
The planning commission is using the survey results to inform the goals and direction of the new "unified plan." The planning commission is currently working on final revisions to that plan and will be presenting it to the community this summer.
