Planning Commission

The Planning Commission is charged with setting the overall policy and goals for land development and use in town. The primary functions of the Commission are to prepare and amend the Town Plan and the Land Use Regulations. The Commission may also engage in other activities related to planning matters, including holding public hearings, discussion forums, and surveys to determine future needs of the town; conducting planning reports and studies; and educating the public about current issues facing the municipality. State law provides planning commissions with broad authority to plan for the future needs of their communities including on matters of downtown and village revitalization, transportation, economic and social development, and conservation of energy and the development of renewable energy resources. 

The State Legislature’s general purposes and goals for planning commissions are stated under Title 24 V.S.A. § 4302.

 

Public Proposals/Initiative Requests

Do you have a project, land use amendment, or grant proposal that you would like the Planning Commission to consider? The Planning Commission values your time and wants to ensure that it can be considered as expeditiously as possible. Please use this form to provide information about your proposal. Besides formal proposals, public comments and informal ideas are always welcome to be shared at Planning Commission meetings.

Proposal Form
 

What happens next?

The Planning Commission works closely with the Planning Department, which helps by providing policy recommendations and interpreting land use regulations. We have asked Planning Department staff to review public proposals prior to placing them on a Planning Commission Agenda. Planning Department staff will contact you to discuss the proposal. Ideally, the public proposal will come as a joint proposal between the person submitting it and the Planning Department. If this is not possible, the public proposal will be brought forward with either a response or an alternative recommendation from the Planning Department.

 

Current work as of July 3, 2024

• Reviewing and updating the Town Plan – in which community input is crucial and will be sought throughout the process - to be adopted by May 2026.

• Amending the Land Use Regulations, particularly pertaining to removing potential barriers to the creation of a range of housing types and modifying the requirements for automobile and bicycle parking.

• Supporting the development of the Canal Street Safe Street Corridor & Stormwater Plan, which will consider safety and use improvements, green street principles, and future land uses.

• Assessing bicycle parking/storage in the Urban Center district and recommending improvements to the Town.

• Encouraging implementation of the recently completed:

– Downtown Design Plan, which focuses on improving public spaces and connectivity in the downtown.

– Housing Action Plan, which identifies Brattleboro's housing needs and presents strategies to address the most pressing issues.

– Walk/Bike Action Plan, which identifies and plans a network of facilities that will improve the safety, convenience, and connections between destinations for those traveling by bike or on foot.

• Implementing recommendations on advancing solar energy generation compiled by our past Preferred Siting Subcommittee.

 

Membership

The Commission has seven member seats, each with a term of four years. Current commissioners and their term expirations: 

Tom Mosakowski - Chair 
Term ending 6/28

Gary Stroud - Vice Chair
Term ending 6/27

Dan Handy - Clerk 
Term ending 6/26

Lindsey Britt 
Term ending 6/28

Sarah Lang
Term ending 6/25

Bonnie Girvan
Term ending 6/25

John Couleur
Term ending 6/25

 

Contact

For more information regarding the commission, participating at meetings, specific accommodations or accessibility issues, contacting commissioners, or anything else relevant, please contact the Planning Director Sue Fillion at [email protected].

 

Meetings

The Commission generally meets on the first Monday of the month at 6 p.m. via Zoom and in person at a location stated on the agenda. To have a topic considered for inclusion on a meeting’s agenda, it should be proposed by the Monday of two weeks before the meeting. Agendas will be available by the Friday of two weeks before the meeting. Visit the Meeting Information tab to access the meeting schedule, agendas & minutes, and supporting documents.