2016 Municipal Planning Grant
The town received a Municipal Planning Grant to develop a master plan creating a plan and zoning for East Montpelier Village. The Master Plan builds on the Village Committee’s work over the past decade. The Planning Commission took the lead on developing the Plan with technical assistance from the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission. The Village Committee also was involved, and residents and business owners also participated with ideas about which areas should be included in a defined Village, whether different parts of the village might have different characters, and how infrastructure investments and zoning could help support the creation of a vital and attractive village center.
East Montpelier Village Master Plan:
2017 EM Village Master Plan as Approved
Village Designation
In 2008 the core area of East Montpelier Village was awarded Village Center.Designation from the Vermont Downtown Program. This designation was renewed in 2013. The designation allows owners of historic buildings to apply for a 10% tax credit for substantial building rehabilitation, a 25% tax credit for facade improvements, and a 50% tax credit for code improvements. A village that has been designated a “village center” also receives priority for a planning grant through Vermont’s Municipal Planning Grant program and also for Community Development Block Grant funding.
Village Designation Map
2013 Village Designation Award Letter
Village Sidewalk Grant
The Town was awarded an Agency of Transportation Bicycle & Pedestrian Grant for $490,000, amended to $936,000, for construction of sidewalks extending from the existing sidewalks at the northern US Rte. 2/VT Rte. 14 intersection on the northeast side of the Village to the Village Bridge. The southern portion was constructed as part of the VTrans Village Bridge replacement project. The middle section of the sidewalk was built by a town-hired contractor during the 2020 construction season. Please get out and enjoy the results!
Documents of interest:
EM Village Sidewalk Project In Progress Plans March, 2018
EM Village Sidewalk Project ROW Plans February 26, 2018
2012 VTrans Bike & Ped Grant Application
EM Village Sidewalk Project September 19, 2016 Public Forum Poster
EM Village Sidewalk Project September 2016 Forum Notes
Town Purchase of Old Laperle Farm (Winston/Silberberg) Property
The Town, in 2015, purchased the 48-acre Winston/Silberberg property (the remnant of the old LaPerle farm, including the old farmhouse) located at 3035 US Rte. 2. The property runs from US Rte. 2 to Marc Fontaine’s saw mill property on VT Rte. 14 N and straddles Sodom Pond Brook. The East Montpelier Senior Living Initiative studied this property in 2010-11 with an eye toward putting a senior housing facility on the eastern portion of the parcel, but that project never came to fruition. In 2020 the town sold the bulk of the parcel, all but the 3-acre former farmhouse site next to the park ‘n ride facility, to a private company that plans to turn the parcel into a small, single-family residential development.
Old Laperle Farm Map
2011 EMSLI Work Product Report
The Selectboard officially created the Old Laperle Farm Property Committee on March 7, 2016, to develop options for use of the property. Although the committee is currently dormant in the wake of the sale of the bulk of the property, you can follow the committee’s activities here:
East Montpelier Town Committees
East Montpelier Fire District #1
In 2010 the Selectboard authorized the creation of a fire district comprised of the properties in the EM Village area that were served by or contiguous to the Crystal Springs Water System. The Fire District, which is an independent (for the most part) municipality responsible for potable water service within the district’s boundaries, was formed with the express intent of taking over the private Crystal Springs system. After six-plus years of fruitless negotiation with the water system owner, the Prudential Committee (the Fire District’s equivalent of a Selectboard) requested that the EM Selectboard help the fire district dissolve (essentially merging its operations back into the town). The Selectboard and Prudential Committee adopted a plan of merger in December 2016. The plan was approved by the fire district’s voters at its January 2017 annual meeting and by town voters by Australian Ballot on 2017 Town Meeting Day. The plan was subsequently enacted into law under Governor Scott’s signature on June 5, 2017. The fire district no longer exists.
Documents of interest:
East Montpelier Fire District #1 Map
EM Fire District #1 Certificate of Proceeding
2011 Crystal Springs Overview Map
2013 Municipal Water System Evaluation Report
2016 Crystal Springs Sanitary Survey
2015 Crystal Springs Notice of Alleged Violation
2015 Huntington Homes Change of Status
2015 Crystal Springs Permit to Operate
EM Fire District July 2016 Materials
Plan of Merger for EM Fire District with Town
Other Village Documents of Interest
EM Village Study Report: 2010 Municipal Planning Grant Final Report
Village Sidewalk Scoping Study: 2011 Transportation Enhancement Grant Final Report
2007 Wastewater Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study
2008 Wastewater Sewer Connection Study
Village Map with Flood Hazard Areas
2008 Report on Senior Housing Planning in East Montpelier
February 2017 VTrans Village Bridge Presentation
February 2017 VTrans Village Bridge Project Description