The Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) is questioning whether a major development planned for Exit 4 on I-89 conforms with the area's regional plan."
The District 3 Environmental Commission is conducting a limited review of the controversial plan that envisions a 1.1 million-square-foot development, including a hotel, housing, light industrial and office space and a visitor center near the interchange.
Any future construction will be subject to a full Act 250 review by the commission.
The partial review largely concerns the use of prime agricultural land at the site, and the developer’s request to use off-site mitigation to compensate for land that will no longer be available for agricultural purposes.
The commission is also weighing whether the proposal conforms to local and regional plans.
In a letter to the commission, Two River-Ottauquechee Regional Commission executive director Peter Gregory says: “The information provided by the applicant and testimony presented at hearings does not provide sufficient information to determine the project’s conformance with the 2014 TRORC Regional plan because the applicant has not clearly defined the project in terms of location, use and potential impacts of development.”
Gregory asks the district environmental commission to deny the applicant's request for approval of the project under the criterion which requires that it conform to local and regional plans.
Clarification Nov. 24, 2015, 10:36 a.m. This story was updated to state that the regional commission has questioned the development, not urged that it be turned down.
