ROCKINGHAM-The town of Rockingham recently announced that the Proposed Amendments to the town's Zoning and Subdivision Bylaws have been warned for a public hearing. The proposed amendments are the result of two years of work and is the next step in updating the town's regulatory framework which shapes permitting, development and growth in Rockingham.
This is the first time the Bylaws have been comprehensively updated since the 1980s. This update was undertaken by the Planning Commission to align the town's land use regulations with the recently approved 2024 Town Plan and legislation by the state of Vermont such as the HOME Act of 2023 and Act 687 of 2024.
The proposed amendments affect all geographical areas of the town of Rockingham. This includes the villages of Bellows Falls and Saxtons River, and the hamlets of Bartonsville, Cambridgeport and Brockways Mills. The amendments touch on items like land use, density, procedures for development review, and a change to the Saxtons River Zoning District. This update aims to provide a framework to encourage the creation of more housing with its changes to density and development review process.
Planning Commission Chair Deb Wright said in a news release that she thinks it is important that local residents participate in the upcoming public hearing because, "The future is always changing. Even in Rockingham." She encourages everyone to "be a part of what comes next."
The public hearing is scheduled for Thursday, April 24, at 6 p.m. at the Rockingham Town Hall, Lower Theater Meeting Room, 7 Square, Bellows Falls. There is also an option to participate over Zoom. The public can find more information about the proposed changes and for how to attend the meeting on the town's website, rockinghamvt.org.
This News item was submitted to The Commons.