​Community Input Sought

By Amanda Holland, Northwest Regional Planning Commission
NORTH HERO - The Town of North Hero has received a Municipal Planning Grant from the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development to develop a Village Master Plan.  The planning project will engage the community in considering appropriate options for potential bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements to support the people who work, live or come to the village daily in addition to seasonal visitors. The town has hired the Northwest Regional Planning Commission and Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. to complete the project.  A local Steering Committee made up of Selectboard, Planning Commission and Recreation Commission members is guiding the work of the consultants on behalf of the town.  
The Steering Committee is hosting a virtual and physical open house from July 22 to August 5.  “The Steering Committee is excited to receive input from the community on the design ideas aimed toward making North Hero Village safer and more pedestrian and bike friendly.”, said Co-Chair Heather Bickford.  
The Steering Committee encourages residents to participate through one of the opportunities provided below.  The Open House will showcase different types and scales of potential safety and accessibility improvements for those on foot, by bicycle or by car.  Improvements may include enhanced crosswalks, widen shoulder along the roadway, public lighting and signage. A project website is regularly updated with information about the project at www.nrpcvt.com/northherovillagemasterplan.  
NORTH HERO COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE
1. Virtual Open House:  Entirely online with opportunity to provide feedback remotely.  It can be accessed anytime via the project website during the period from July 22 to August 5.  
2. Physical Open House:  A display and opportunity to provide feedback will be set up at the North Hero Town Office from July 22 to August 5.  The display can be visited anytime during normal business hours while wearing a mask and adhering to social distancing.
This workshop comes on the heels of a Walk Audit in the fall of 2019 hosted by the North Hero Planning Commission to walk along Route 2 and assess the current roadway in terms of safety and accessibility for walking, biking, driving and parking in the village. Over twenty community members attended and shared their experiences and ideas. Information from this event along with community discussions on the speed limit in the village have informed the suite of opportunities to be explored.  The goal of the Open House is to hear from the community at large on the type and scale of potential improvements for the North Hero Village.