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TOWN OF BRAINTREE, VERMONT
TOWN PLAN
Adopted by the Selectboard
February 28, 2006
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Jocelyn Stohl, Chair
Walter Palmer
Elaine Stockwell
PLANNING COMMISSION
Maggie Gilmore, Chair
Mitchel Moore, Vice Chair
Mark Bannon
Norman Illsley
Jessica Wright
Assistance in the preparation
of this document
provided by the
Two RiversOttauquechee
Regional Commission,
Woodstock, Vermont 05091
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 i
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................
1
ARTICLE I – AUTHORIZATION
.....................................................................................................
2
ARTICLE IIPURPOSE,
GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES...................................................................
2
A.
PURPOSE........................................................................................................................................
2
B. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
...........................................................................................................
2
ARTICLE III DEMOGRAPHICS
AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
................................. 3
A. DEMOGRAPHICS
.........................................................................................................................
3
1. Population Patterns
.......................................................................................................................
3
2. Population
Projections..................................................................................................................
4
Policy.....................................................................................................................................................
4
Recommendation
....................................................................................................................................
4
B. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
...................................................................................................
5
1. Economic
Base............................................................................................................................
5
a. Location of Economic
Activity...................................................................................................
5
b. Employment
Characteristics.......................................................................................................
6
c. Future Economic Development
..................................................................................................
6
2. Employment
................................................................................................................................
6
a.
Occupations..............................................................................................................................
6
b. Employment
Sectors..................................................................................................................
6
Policy.....................................................................................................................................................
7
Recommendation
....................................................................................................................................
7
ARTICLE IV LAND
USE
.................................................................................................................
7
A. EXISTING LAND
USE...................................................................................................................
7
1. Grand List as Land Use
Indicator
..................................................................................................
7
2. Tax Rate as Function of Land
Use
..................................................................................................
8
3. Projected Tax Implications
.............................................................................................................
8
B. FUTURE LAND
USES...................................................................................................................
9
1. Floodplain
.....................................................................................................................................
9
Policy.....................................................................................................................................................
9
Recommendation
....................................................................................................................................
9
2.
Village.........................................................................................................................................
10
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
10
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
10
3. Rural Areas
II.............................................................................................................................
10
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
10
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 ii
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
11
4. Rural Areas
I..............................................................................................................................
11
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
11
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
11
5. Rural Scenic
...............................................................................................................................
11
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
12
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
12
6. Conservation
..............................................................................................................................
12
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
12
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
12
C. GENERAL LAND USE
RECOMMENDATIONS
.........................................................................
13
ARTICLE V NATURAL
PROCESSES AND
FORMATIONS.....................................................
13
A.
WETLANDS................................................................................................................................
14
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
14
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
14
B. WELL HEAD PROTECTION AREAS,
BROOKS AND
STREAMS............................................
14
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
14
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
14
C. SCENIC ROADS
..........................................................................................................................
15
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
15
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
15
D. RIDGELINES AND SCENIC VISTAS
.........................................................................................
15
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
16
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
16
E. MEADOWLANDS AND PRIME
AGRICULTURAL SOILS
.......................................................
16
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
16
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
16
F. TREES, FOREST RESOURCES AND
ROCK
OUTCROPPINGS.................................................
16
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
16
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
17
G. CRITICAL HABITATS; DEERYARDS,
BEAR HABITAT, RARE
SPECIES.............................. 17
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
17
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
17
H. INVASIVE SPECIES
....................................................................................................................
17
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
17
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
18
I. SPECIAL
AREAS..........................................................................................................................
18
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
18
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 iii
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
18
ARTICLE VI COMMUNITY
FACILITIES.................................................................................
18
A. SCHOOLS
...................................................................................................................................
18
1. Elementary
School........................................................................................................................
19
2. Secondary Schools
.......................................................................................................................
19
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
19
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
19
B. SEWER AND WATER
SYSTEMS...............................................................................................
19
1.
Sewer..........................................................................................................................................
19
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
20
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
20
2. Water
Systems.............................................................................................................................
20
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
20
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
20
C. PUBLIC
UTILITIES.....................................................................................................................
21
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
21
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
21
D. TOWN
OFFICES.........................................................................................................................
21
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
21
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
22
E. TOWN HALL
...............................................................................................................................
22
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
22
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
22
F. EMERGENCY 911 SYSTEM
.......................................................................................................
22
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
23
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
23
G. POLICE PROTECTION
...............................................................................................................
23
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
23
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
23
H. FIRE PROTECTION
....................................................................................................................
24
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
24
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
24
I. EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICE............................................................................................
24
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
24
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
24
J. SOLID WASTE
DISPOSAL..........................................................................................................
25
1. Existing
System..........................................................................................................................
25
a. Transfer Station or Private
Collection
......................................................................................
25
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 iv
b. Recycling
Services...................................................................................................................
25
c.
Septage...................................................................................................................................
25
2. Special Wastes
............................................................................................................................
25
3. Future System
.............................................................................................................................
26
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
26
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
26
K.
LIBRARY.....................................................................................................................................
26
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
26
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
26
L. TOWN
GARAGE.........................................................................................................................
27
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
27
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
27
M.
RECREATION............................................................................................................................
27
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
27
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
27
N. CHILD
CARE..............................................................................................................................
28
Recommendations
............................................................................................................................
28
O.
CEMETERIES.............................................................................................................................
28
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
28
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
28
ARTICLE VII
HOUSING...............................................................................................................
29
A. HOUSING TRENDS
.....................................................................................................................
29
1. Number of Housing
Units............................................................................................................
29
2.
Affordability...............................................................................................................................
30
B. PROJECTIONS
.............................................................................................................................
30
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
30
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
31
ARTICLE VIII TRANSPORTATION
PLAN................................................................................
31
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
33
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
33
ARTICLE IX ENERGY
ELEMENT..............................................................................................
33
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
33
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
34
ARTICLE X PLAN
COMPATIBILITY
........................................................................................
34
Policy...................................................................................................................................................
35
Recommendation
..................................................................................................................................
35
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 v
ARTICLE XI PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION
TECHNIQUES........................................................
35
A.
BYLAWS.....................................................................................................................................
35
1. Zoning
Ordinance.......................................................................................................................
35
2. Subdivision
Regulations...............................................................................................................
35
3. Official
Maps..............................................................................................................................
36
4. Design Control District
Ordinance
...............................................................................................
36
5. Flood Hazard District Bylaw
.......................................................................................................
36
B.
ALTERNATIVES........................................................................................................................
36
1. Land Trusts
................................................................................................................................
36
2. Community Land Trusts
..............................................................................................................
37
C. ACT 250 REVIEW
.......................................................................................................................
37
APPENDICES...................................................................................................................................
38
A. CURRENT LAND USE
MAP........................................................................................................
38
B. FUTURE LAND USE
MAP...........................................................................................................
38
C. TRANSPORTATION MAP
...........................................................................................................
38
D. UTILITIES & FACILITIES
MAP..................................................................................................
38
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 1
INTRODUCTION
The Braintree Planning
Commission is appointed by the Selectboard, and
is responsible for the
preparation of the Braintree
Town Plan. In working on the revision to the
Town Plan adopted by the
voters in 2000, the Commission
collected, reviewed and analyzed information
provided by the 2000
census, from which it then
updated the goals, objectives, policies, and
recommendations for the
appropriate development of the
Town of Braintree stated herein.
THE TOWN OF BRAINTREE
Direct excerpts from
The History of Braintree by H.
Royce Bass
The Town of Braintree is
situated in the western extreme of Orange
County, forming a projection
bounded in part by the counties
of Windsor, Addison, and Washington. It is more
particularly bounded,
north by Roxbury and Brookfield,
east by Randolph, south by Rochester, and west
by Granville. The
center of Braintree is about
fifteen miles due south from the geographical
center of Vermont, about
twentyfive
miles from Montpelier, the
capital, and about twenty miles east of the
ridge, or principal
range, of the Green Mountains.
By the terms of its charter,
signed on August 1, 1781 by Gov. Chittenden,
Braintree is about six
and onehalf
miles long by about five and
onehalf
miles wide. By act of the
legislature, Nov. 10, 1824,
ten lots and four gores in the
southwest corner of the town, about two square
miles in area, were annexed
to Rochester, leaving the
present area of Braintree about 35.5 square
miles.
The valley of the third branch
of the White River, known as the “Branch”,
through which runs the
Central Vermont Railroad,
divides Braintree into two principal divisions.
That part south and west of the
branch is rough, rocky, with
many bold and precipitous peaks, much of it
incapable of tillage. Riford’s
brook and Thayer’s brook, both
tributaries of the branch, are its largest
streams. The branch flows
southeasterly through the whole
width of the town. The part north and east of
the branch is nearly
equally divided by the high
ridge, commonly called Braintree hill, extending
north and south through the
town, just east of its center.
Spurs jut out eastward and southward from it,
diversify the surface. The
chief points in this ridge are
Neven’s hill, Belcher hill, Oak hill, and Quaker
hill. Its highest point is also
called Alban’s hill. Its largest
streams are Ayer’s brook, through Snowsville,
and Spear’s brook, its
tributary. Spear’s brook is the
outlet of Mud pond, the only natural pond in
Braintree.
The position of Braintree is not
favorable to the growth of large villages within
it, though the
railroad might contribute
thereto but for two or three large, thriving
business places near by or not far
away, like West Randolph and
Northfield. West Braintree is a rail road
station on the branch, has a
postoffice, a hotel, two
groceries, and a lumber mill doing quite an
extensive business. Hutchinson’s
village, now known as “Peth”, is
situated on Spear’s brook. Here were formerly
the Braintree postoffice,
a church, a dry goods store, and
oil, clover, and saw mills. In 1840 all business
except that of the mills
was transferred to East
Braintree, or Snow’s village, now Snowsville. It
seemed quite probable that the
road up Ayer’s brook through
Snowsville would be one of the main
thoroughfares between Boston and
Burlington; that Snowsville,
aided by it favorable site and abundant
waterpower, would thereby get a
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 2
large business and population.
The promise of this met with no disappointment
till that business magnet,
the railroad, pushed its way up
the branch, and drew all business into its line.
Few localities afford a view of
so many points of interest as the hill tops of
Braintree. From the
top of Quaker hill can be seen,
to the east Mt. Washington and other principal
peaks of the White and
Monadnock Mountains in New
Hampshire, fifty to sixty miles distant; to the
south, Mt. Ascutney in
Windsor, forty miles away; to
the southwest, Killington and Shrewsbury peaks
of the Green Mountain
range; to the west, a section of
that range; and in various directions, numerous
less elevated prominences
within a radius of twenty to
thirty miles. Oak hill commands a view no less
extensive and interesting. A
broad, beautiful landscape view
ten miles in extent, checkered with forest and
field and dotted with farmhouses,
are seen from the belfry of the
Braintree hill meeting house.
As described above by H. Royce
Bass, Braintree is located in a very beautiful
section of Vermont and its
residents are blessed with a
high quality of life attributable to its rural
scenic environment. This updated
plan continues the protection of
that quality of life that the residents required
of the previous plan while
providing guidance for
appropriate growth and development.
ARTICLE I – AUTHORIZATION
The Town of Braintree is
authorized to develop a town plan by 24 Vermont
Statutes Annotated (VSA),
Chapter 117.
ARTICLE IIPURPOSE,
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
A. PURPOSE
The Braintree Town Plan
represents the first and basic step of a
continual planning process. The purpose
of this plan is to encourage the
appropriate development of the land in Braintree
in a manner that will
promote the health, safety,
prosperity, comfort, convenience and general
welfare of the residents of the
town. The plan is a general
statement that maintains the philosophical
direction of the previous plan. By
expressing the intent and
desires of the residents of Braintree as
established in that plan, it serves as a
guide for Braintree’s future
growth and development. As the intent and
desires of the residents of
Braintree change, this plan can
be modified to express those changes and to
address the administrative
and financial needs and concerns
that accompany municipal growth. It is the
intention of this planning
process, utilizing the purposes
set forth in 24 VSA §4302, to encourage the
protection of the special
scenic and rural quality of life
that Braintree residents value through
appropriate development based on
the capacity of the land and of
the Braintree Town budget to support that
development .
A
basic premise
underlying this plan is that
future growth and development not impose undue
financial burdens upon
Braintree’s taxpayers.
B. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Braintree is a beautiful, scenic
rural and village community that provides the
opportunity of a lifestyle
valued by its citizens. The
citizens of Braintree desire to preserve that
lifestyle through a town plan that
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 3
provides for growth in a manner
that will sustain and protect the rural and
village environment that
supports it.
1. In pursuit of the
preservation goal and to promote a safe,
healthy, pleasant and manageable
environment, the plan addresses
the following community concerns:
(a) Housing: affordable and
energy efficient housing;
(b) Public health and safety:
water resources, sewage and solid waste
disposal;
(c) Education: affordable, high
quality school system;
(d) Transportation: adequate and
efficient road network, protection of scenic
corridors;
(e) Recreational: public
facilities and parks;
(f) Economic: small scale
businesses; and
(g) Resources: the ability of
the resources, facilities and services of
Braintree and the surrounding
areas to support a rate of
development.
2. In further pursuit of the
goal to preserve Braintree’s rural character and
conserve Braintree’s
natural, scenic, historic and
cultural resources, the plan addresses;
(a) The use of land in
Braintree, including maintaining protection of
agricultural, forest, wetlands,
soils, water, natural features
and open space, giving first priority to
agricultural and forest uses of
suitable land and encouraging
their efficient management while discouraging
the conversion of
prime agricultural and forest
lands to other uses;
(b) The appropriate location of
future residential, commercial, recreational and
public and semipublic
facilities development;
(c) The protection of scenic
roads, ridgelines and vistas;
(d) The preservation of open
space and providing a sound economic basis for
its maintenance; and
(e) Ensuring that the rate of
growth does not exceed the ability of Braintree
and the area to
provide facilities and services.
ARTICLE III DEMOGRAPHICS
AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
A. DEMOGRAPHICS
Statistically, population is an
important element in the overall type and rate
of development of the
community and in community land
use. Increased population within a community
results in increased
demand for municipal services
and the ability of a town to provide for them.
Through the implementation
of this Town Plan, Braintree may
coordinate its ability to support the need for
increased services with
population growth projections .
1. Population Patterns
Figure 1 below shows Braintree's
population growth rate compared to its neighbors
over the last decade.
Braintree’s rate of growth
during the period of 19801990
was 10.2%. Between 19902000
Braintree’s
growth rate slowed to 1.7%.
Neighboring Randolph, an economic hub employing
a relatively large labor
force from surrounding
communities, including Braintree maintained a
steady growth rate at nearly 2%
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 4
from 1980 2000.
Despite maintaining a steady
growth rate for that time period, however,
Randolph lost
a significant portion of its
industrial base. This loss of industry in an
important local economic hub
affected job availability for
Braintree residents as most Braintree residents
are employed in Randolph and
the surrounding areas.
POPULATION CHANGE 19902000
0.2%
1.7% 1.9%
5.5% 6.3%
8.2%
12.2%
13.4% 13.6%
15.9%
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
16.0%
18.0%
Roxbury
Braintree
Randolph
Bethel
Chelsea
Vermont
Brookfield
Tunbridge
Williamstown
Strafford
TOWN
PERCENT CHANGE
Figure 1 Population
Change 19902000
2. Population Projections
Population projections are
functions of two components: an estimate of
natural changes in population
that considers births and death,
and an estimate of migration. The Vermont
Department of Aging &
Disabilities contracted with the
Massachusetts Institute for Social and Economic
Research (MISER) at
the University of Massachusetts
in Amherst to produce population projections for
the state of Vermont
for 20002020.
Future growth in Braintree is
predicted to continue growing slowly over the
next 20 years. One principal
reason for this is the aging of
the baby boom generation out of its prime
childbearing years.
Policy
To take population and changes
thereto into consideration during official town
deliberations concerning
development and other community
issues that affect the Town financially.
Recommendation
1. That the Planning Commission
work with state and local officials to estimate
the age breakdown of
the expected population increase
to determine: a). what demands will be placed on
the school system and
other public services; b).
housing needs; and c).the effect on the tax
base.
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 5
B. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
1. Economic Base
Economic growth and change is
another factor that affects community
development and future land use.
During the early nineteenth
century, Braintree evolved as a small community,
largely independent of
economic forces from the
outside. There was a strong dependence on the
local agriculturebased
sheep
farming economy. Most persons
worked within the Town as roads were unimproved
and traveling was
often difficult. Most
manufacturing and small mills were located along
the major streams where
waterpower was readily
available. Life was one of large families and
selfsubsistence.
Beginning in the late nineteenth
century and on into the early years of this
century, the trend of prosperity
and economic stability began to
change. The once successful hillside sheep
farmers could no longer be
assured of a market for their
wool. The people of Braintree became frustrated
with working the rocky
soil hillside of the farm and
headed for more fertile land in the Midwest.
Once open land then began to
revert to brush and, finally, to
trees. At this time, there was a massive
migration of people leaving
Braintree and Vermont for better
economic opportunities.
This trend of population decline
lasted until about 1970, when, according to the
U.S. Bureau of the
Census, population just about
equaled the 1900 census count. During this
period of population decline,
land values remained relatively
stable. In the mid1960'
s, however, the construction of
the Interstate
system made Vermont more
accessible to outsiders interested in relocating
or purchasing vacation homes.
With the loss of many of its
farms, and the small mills and manufacturing
enterprises, Braintree is no
longer an independent community.
Due to the complexities of modern society and
the strong influences
of state and national economic
policies and activities, Braintree's economic
future will continue to be
determined largely by factors
outside of its direct control. Therefore, an
effort to predict with any degree
of accuracy the economic future
is speculative at best.
The economic changes that the
Town of Braintree has experienced have had a
direct affect on the ability
of Braintree to raise tax
dollars in order to provide basic municipal
services. This is due largely to the
system of property taxation
which is based upon the 100 percent fair market
value of real estate in
Braintree.
a. Location of Economic Activity
As stated previously,
historically Braintree has not served as an
economic hub for commercial and
industrial activity for area
towns and Orange County in general. Randolph is
the primary location for
many services, including
banking, professional, and health services, for
the area towns of Bethel,
Braintree, Brookfield, Chelsea,
and Royalton. Vermont Routes 12, 12A, 66 and
Interstate 89 are the
primary highways leading to and
from the Braintree area. In addition, New
England Railroad provides
freight rail service to Randolph
and there is an Amtrak passenger stop in
Randolph. Braintree is now a
bedroom community in that a
major portion of its working resident population
is employed outside of the
community. Despite this fact,
there are several small business enterprises
within the Town that employ
area residents. These
enterprises are located throughout Braintree and
are found in the village areas as
well as on the farms and in
private homes.
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 6
b. Employment Characteristics
Population, employment
characteristics, and housing trends are factors
that are considered when planning
for economic development. The
general employment characteristics of
Braintree's residents in the 1990
and 2000 U.S. Census Reports
indicate that the development of jobs in the
White River Valley impact
housing and population growth in
Braintree. Braintree is not the selfsufficient
employment center that it
was in the 19
th
century. Even though the advance of the
technological age of computers, automobiles,
telecommunications and other
conveniences have allowed for some residents to
work from their homes,
many Braintree residents commute
to surrounding communities.
The total number of workers age
16 and over living in Braintree decreased from
625 in 1990 to 614 in
2000. Of these workers, 14% work
in Braintree, 46% work in Randolph, and 7%
working Bethel. The
remaining 33% of the work force
commutes to other areas throughout the region
and beyond. Due to
the loss of several large
employers in Randolph in the last few years,
however, the 2000 census
employment figures are likely
inaccurate.
c. Future Economic Development
Future economic investment in
Braintree or area communities can have a
significant economic impact on
the community. The type,
location, and size of a business, its overall
economy, and the timing of the
investment can substantially
impact the service ability of municipal
facilities and transportation networks,
housing availability and
affordability, and surrounding land values.
These future impacts are
unpredictable.
2. Employment
The economy of Braintree and the
resulting land use patterns have been directly
related to the availability
of jobs for its residents. Since
the 1930's, the most apparent economic change
has been the shift away
from agricultural employment.
During the 1950's and 1960's, farm population
dropped very rapidly,
although since 1970, the
decrease has slowed somewhat to approximately
four fulltime
operating farms.
Even so, agriculture may still
be considered the largest single intown
employer.
a. Occupations
Of Braintree's resident work
force 16 years and older, 614 reported their
occupations as part of the 2000
U.S. Census. Nearly three
quarters of the reports indicated employment in
one of three categories: 27%
worked as executives,
administrators, managers and other
professionals; 25% worked in production,
transportation and material
moving; and 23% worked in sales and office
occupations. The remaining
workers reported having jobs in
service industries (12%), construction,
extraction and maintenance
occupations (11%), and farming,
fishing and forestry occupations (2%). Based
upon an analysis of
occupational types, Braintree's
work force profiles closely the typical work
force for the State. (2000
U.S. Census of Population and
Housing)
b. Employment Sectors
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 7
The private employment sector is
the largest employer for persons residing in
Braintree. Of all workers,
80% percent are employees of
private businesses or nonprofit
organizations, 12% work in
government,
and the remaining 8% are
selfemployed.
(U.S. Census 2000). From 1990 to
2000 Braintree’s resident
work force decreased by 1.7%.
This decrease is not unreasonable considering
the slow population
growth in Braintree. The
percentages for each of the three sectors
remained relatively unchanged.
Policy
To foster an economic
environment favorable to the establishment of
local business enterprises such as
farming, forestry, and small
clean business endeavors.
Recommendation
1. That discussion and
coordination between the community and economic
development interests
regarding future land use
development options in the village areas be
encouraged.
2. That review and analysis of
proposed economic developments consider
communitywide
impacts as
well as the financial capacity
of government to service the economic
development.
3. That local tax rebates be
considered to support local business enterprises
that hire Braintree residents.
ARTICLE IV LAND
USE
A. EXISTING LAND USE
Braintree is a scenic rural area
situated in Orange County and contains a total
land area of approximately
22,700 acres or 35.5 square
miles. The town is located in the northern part
of the Two Rivers Ottauquechee
Regional Commission's planning
boundary and is bounded by six towns: Randolph,
Rochester, Granville, Roxbury,
Brookfield, and Bethel. As is the case with most
of Central Vermont,
Braintree's physical setting
consists of rather steep mountains rising to an
elevation in excess of 3,000 feet
interspersed in the lower
elevations with streams and valleys that are
less steep and contain deeper soils.
Braintree currently has two
unincorporated village areas, namely West
Braintree, and East Braintree (also
known as Snowsville), which
serve as small community centers. The Third
Branch of the White River
runs south through Braintree and
eventually joins the White River in Bethel.
1. Grand List as Land Use
Indicator
Braintree's tax base is the land
use within the town. The local tax base and tax
rate are important factors
in determining the financial
capacity of the town to reasonably accommodate
new growth. In addition, the
State Act 60 (the “School Tax”)
has an effect on tax rates and therefore new
growth.
In general, in Vermont year
round residences are fiscal drains on towns in
that they generate less in taxes
or income to the town than it
costs to provide services to them. In 1992, the
average listed value of a
residence on six acres or less
in Braintree (permanent residence only) was
$70,283. This residence
yielded typically $1,380 in
taxes to the town. Average values listed for a
primary residence with more
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 8
than six acres was $142,622
yielding about $2,482 in taxes per unit. With
the cost per pupil in Vermont
estimated at $5,200 in 1992, it
is evident that the average property tax bill
Braintree did not pay the cost
of one student. These figures
will be affected by the 2004 – 2005 town wide
reappraisal, the results of
which are not available at this
printing.
Farms, forests, vacation homes,
and most commercial properties, on the other
hand, generally pay more
in taxes than their cost for
services. Ironically, however, communities that
lure industrial and commercial
property into their jurisdiction
may experience higher property taxes. The higher
taxes are often due to
the secondary impacts from the
resulting residential growth that requires more
municipal services and
sees more children entering the
schools.
2. Tax Rate as Function of Land
Use
Historically, land in Braintree
has been used mainly for residential,
agricultural and silvacultural/forestry
purposes. These historical land
uses have continued through to the present
although in changing
percentages. In 1992, about 81%
of Braintree’s tax base was residential
property, the remainder or 19%
was nonresidential,
including farms and woodland.
The most significant component of the
residential tax
base was permanent residences
(54%) and the balance mainly vacation homes
(16%). Mobile homes
represent 7.1% of the total tax
base in Braintree. Farms, woodland and
undeveloped land represent 14%
of the total dollar Grand List.
During the period 1982 to 1992,
Braintree's tax base changed. Residential
properties assumed a greater
proportion of the tax base (up
6.7%). In addition, the relative contribution of
farms and forest lands
decreased 7.8% while other tax
base components such as vacation and commercial
properties increased.
Compared to the neighboring town
of Brookfield, Braintree vacation homes
contributed a large portion
of the tax base. Brookfield's
vacation homes contribute 18% to the Grand List.
Braintree's Listers
determined in 1992 that there
were 107 vacation homes in Braintree and 278
yearround
residences.
In 1992, about 81% of the land
was in residential use. The remaining 19% of the
tax base was nonresidential
property, including farms and
woodland. The most significant component of the
residential tax
base was permanent residences
(54%) and the balance mainly vacation homes
(16%). Mobile homes
represent 7.1% of the total tax
base in Braintree. Farms, woodland and
undeveloped land represent 14%
of the total dollar Grand List.
3. Projected Tax Implications
Based upon the foregoing
information, changes in the Grand List and tax
rate over the next few years can
be expected to be as follows:
a. Growth in the Grand List will
continue at a slow pace due to lack of available
building sites and high
costs of new construction.
b. Tax rates will continue to
increase more rapidly than the Grand List due
largely to increased operating
costs such as new capital
expenses for schools and highway equipment and
maintenance.
c. The personal property tax was
repealed and had only a small effect on the tax
rate for Braintree.
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006 9
d. The value of listed real
estate will increase rapidly in areas afforded
ease of access and services.
Commercial and industrial land
will not likely be in high demand in rural
Braintree.
B. FUTURE LAND USES
The Town of Braintree has a
distinct pattern of settlement which has emerged
over time in response to
cultural and social attitudes
and changes, as well as to natural processes and
formations of the land. This
pattern features the
establishment of two small and localized village
centers with relatively highdensity
development and limited
commercial uses. The villages are surrounded by
very sparsely settled rural,
agricultural and forest lands.
Over the years, this pattern of settlement
worked well for the sociological,
psychological and aesthetic
benefit of Braintree, while simultaneously
supporting an economic system
which is both efficient and
desired.
This Plan is designed to
perpetuate this pattern of settlement and to fit
the needs and desires of people
living in Braintree. The Plan is
designed to be used by Braintree's decision
makers to guide growth to the
most appropriate locations. The
citizens of Braintree have both a need and a
right to review and assess
proposed development, and to
regulate new building to insure appropriate
location and that too rapid
expansion of Braintree does not
unreasonably and adversely affect the rural
scenic quality of the town or
its ability to pay for the
services that increased development requires. It
is the intent of this Plan to
provide for the maintenance of
the high quality of life in Braintree by
protecting the rural, scenic quality
of the town through the
appropriate use of land for residential,
agricultural/forestry, small business and
recreational use. Future
development within Braintree should be guided by
and related to the existing
settlement patterns and the
citizens’ desires to maintain the rural scenic
quality of the town, as well as by
natural environmental
constraints, and the ability of the taxpayers
and the land to support the proposed
growth.
To assist regulators in the
implementation of this Plan, Braintree has
established and mapped the
following land use areas:
1. Floodplain
Adjacent to the branches of the
White River and its tributaries are lands
subject to periodic flooding and
erosion. A natural part of the
river ecosystem, floodplains are nearly level
areas bordering the banks of
streams that serve to retain
excessive amounts of water during periods of
heavy rains or spring thaws.
Floodplains often provide
excellent, though impermanent, agricultural
soils.
Policy
To protect the environment and
private property in current and potential flood
plain areas.
Recommendation
1. That only open space uses
within federally designated flood hazard areas
be permitted.
2. That a town official flood
erosion hazard area map be established.
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006
10
3. That the flood plain district
be changed to an overlay district.
2. Village
Braintree has two recognized
village areas, West Braintree and East
Braintree. They are the only existing
high concentration settlement
areas of Braintree. These two areas, to varying
degrees, serve as the focal
point to their respective
locations in Braintree, in contrast to the
outlying countryside. Their more
concentrated density of
development, the mix of private, public and
community facilities, and their
location give residents a
desirable "sense of place" and add immeasurably
to the social wellbeing
of the
community.
Although their role as community
centers has changed due in large part to
improved transportation, these
hamlet settlements continue to
provide desired community facilities and
services, such as churches, town
meeting hall, country stores,
and commercial services, to the residents. Any
growth in Braintree should
encourage the villages to
continue to function as the centers of Town
activity.
Their higher density of
buildings and people, however, poses a problem
in balancing the requirements of
safely disposing of wastewater
without endangering water supplies on adjacent
lands. Despite this
potential problem, the Village
areas are appropriate for development that
increases density. Uses allowed
in the villages include
agriculture (where it does not pose health
risks), residential, retail stores of a type
that will primarily serve the
Braintree community, professional offices,
schools, government buildings,
light industry and churches.
Policy
To protect and maintain the
village quality of East Braintree and West
Braintree.
Recommendation
1. That the establishment of
small scale commercial uses in the existing
villages while taking into
consideration balancing the
requirements of safely disposing of increased
volumes of
wastewater and septage without
endangering water supplies on adjacent lands be
encouraged.
3. Rural Areas II
Much of the land in this
category borders existing State and Town
highways and generally features soil
and slope conditions which will
provide for easier installation of onsite
wastewater facilities. Also, the
Rural Areas II sections of
Braintree are located along the public utility
networks where there are fewer
impediments to development
activities.
Uses allowed in Rural Area II
include residential, light commercial,
agriculture, forestry, public utilities,
and outdoor recreation.
Policy
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006
11
To maintain the rural character
of Braintree and preserve agricultural and open
space features.
Recommendation
1. That when economically viable
agriculture is adjacent to low to moderate
density residential growth
within Rural Areas II, clustered
development techniques be utilized for larger
project development to
maintain the rural character of
Braintree, and preserve agriculture and open
space features of these areas.
2. That affordable housing be
encouraged in this district.
3. That agricultural and
forestry lands be protected by discouraging the
fragmentation of large land
blocks through flexible zoning.
4. Rural Areas I
This area includes those lands
that exhibit limitations for development based
principally on physical
criteria, such as steeper
slopes, typically more shallow soils, or poor
drainage. Access and proximity to
existing utility services is
limited or nonexistent
in these areas.
The land contains physical
limitations which hamper the ability of
Braintree to provide services to them at
reasonable costs, particularly
road maintenance. Nonintensive
land uses such as agriculture,
forestry,
lowdensity
residential development and
outdoor recreation are allowed in this area.
Policy
To discourage development in
Rural Areas I.
Recommendation
1. That low density residential
use that does not adversely impact the
environment be considered while
commercial and industrial uses
in Rural Areas I be discouraged.
5. Rural Scenic
One of Braintree's most valuable
resources is the exceptional scenic quality of
some of its upland areas.
The attractiveness of these
areas is derived from and directly attributable
to a variety of elements which
make up the land use pattern of
the area. These factors, both natural and
manmade, provide a rich visual
experience for both residents
and visitors in Braintree. Characteristics that
attribute to such scenic values
include the mixed pattern of
open spaces to wooded areas, the prominence of
clear unobstructed
panoramic views of distant
ridges and ravines, the back road byways and
roadsides, and the nonintensive
nature of the use of the land.
Indeed, the back road byways and
roadsides are an integral element comprising the
scenic features of this
uniquely beautiful area. These
byways consist of narrow gravel roadways with
roadsides of diverse and
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006
12
contrasting features. The byways
are not intended to act as highspeed
highways, but are intended to
provide for the safe traveling
and enjoyment of the scenic beauty. Their back
road features, combined
with the sequence of openings
and closings in the roadside canopy, provide an
experience which is not
obtainable on high speed and
more efficient highways.
Policy
The designation of these areas
as Rural Scenic ensures the maintenance and
modification of the landscape
and byways in a manner which
will not cause unnecessary or irreparable damage
to or change the rural
scenic quality of these
features. Their destruction would serve to
degrade the scenic, economic and
cultural values that Braintree
resident seek to preserve.
Recommendation
1. That an ordinance requiring
that the exceptional scenic quality of the rural
scenic areas be protected
by limiting Residential
development and other types of development
within this area to a manner that
serves to maintain:
• the visual focus on important
scenic features through the screening of
aesthetically displeasing
objects,
• the visual diversity and
contrast through the placement of structures
that will not adversely modify
the sequences and views to and
from other areas, and
• the back road byway features
be adopted.
6. Conservation
It is the goal of this Plan to
provide for the conservation of certain natural
areas which have been
identified as relatively
undisturbed, consisting of large tracts of
quality timber and serving as home for a
variety of wildlife. Such areas
of the community are currently not serviced and
intentionally lack such
facilities as roads and
utilities. Generally, location and subsoil
conditions within these areas
impose great
limitations on development. In
order to provide a fair level of community
services within these areas,
large amounts of public
investment would be necessary with little public
return but resulting in high costs
to the scenic beauty of these
natural areas.
Policy
The land in current and proposed
conservation areas must be protected from
development as its physical
limitations are great and
difficult to overcome without adversely
affecting and degrading its
environmental quality.
Recommendation
1. That conservation lands be
protected and that only those recreational land
uses that will not impact or
affect the environmental and
scenic quality of these areas be allowed.
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006
13
C. GENERAL LAND USE
RECOMMENDATIONS
In addition to the above stated
specific recommendations, the Plan sets forth
the following general Land
Use recommendations:
1. That enrollment of properties
in Current Use Taxation and sale of gift to the
State of Vermont,
Vermont Land Trust, Nature
Conservancy and other preservation organizations
to reduce the tax burden
on large holdings and to
preserve farms and large tracts of land be
encouraged.
2. That the continuation of land
use for low density housing and viable farms and
woodland through
appropriate zoning regulations
be encouraged.
3. That the protection of
operating farms through local and state tax
policy or the purchase of
development rights be
encouraged.
ARTICLE V NATURAL
PROCESSES AND FORMATIONS
The residents of Braintree are
blessed with abundant wildlife, beautiful
scenery and a rural character that
must be preserved if the way of
life that chosen by them is to be maintained.
Human activity modifies the
landscape and, in recent times, at an ever
increasing rate. Modification takes
place at an accelerating rate as
urban areas expand, suburban areas spread out
and rural areas become the
homes of more and more people.
With human activities, as with the natural
processes of change, there
seems to be an organic
consequence of the changes caused by the human
activity. Changes here cause
changes there; what one person
does effects what happens to other individuals;
and what one person does
influences everyone else’s
actions.
Our human activity can cause
disastrous changes in the environment and create
major adverse impacts on
our neighbors. As we enter the
third century of the Industrial Revolution, we
are learning what the real
costs of cavalier disposal of
our trash, the burning of untold tons of fossil
fuels and the industrial creation
of miraclelike
chemicals are to our planet and
our way of life.
It is essential to be
conscientious of the effects human activities
have on the natural environment.
Inappropriate activities can
foul the drinking water and degrade the soils
upon which everyone depends
to sustain life. If many people
are to live together in a community, each person
has to be aware of and
considerate of our natural, as
well as social, environment, and to direct his
or her activities accordingly.
As residents struggle to solve
environmental problems such as "where to dump
the trash" and "where to
put a septic system on a rocky
ledge," the limitations of the natural landscape
have to be considered and
respected. A septic system
"here" may pollute a well over "there." A home
on this hillside may have a
nice view, and ruin the view of
a beautiful hillside from the village or from
Braintree’s unique scenic
roads.
Development in certain places
where
the soil is shallow, or the
hillside steep, or the land is wet much of
the time – is inappropriate and
causes problems the natural environmental
processes may not be able to
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006
14
cure. We are learning that
restraints are needed in dealing with the
natural environment and that similar
restraints are needed in dealing
with the social landscape.
It is the intent of this plan to
provide for the continual protection and
maintenance of the integrity of the
wild, natural and historic
resources of the Town in furtherance of the way
of life valued by the citizens of
Braintree. This Plan provides
for the preservation and protection of the
integrity of existing natural
features, including wetlands,
well head protection areas water bodies, brooks
and streams, scenic points
and roads, open meadowlands,
trees and forest resources, rock outcroppings,
prime agricultural soils, and
critical habitat areas, as well
as of the special and historical areas of the
Town.
A. WETLANDS
The identified and mapped
wetlands in Braintree are important to wildlife
(plant and animal), surface
water purification, flood and
erosion control and aquifer recharge, and
education and recreation.
Policy
Wetlands are highly valuable and
necessary to healthy ecosystems and shall not be
drained, filled or
altered to accommodate
development or for any other purpose.
Recommendation
1. That no development be
allowed in any wetland area
2. That wetlands will not be
allowed to be filled in or altered in any way.
3. That adequate setbacks be
required for all construction, including but not
limited to construction of
roads, buildings and sewage
systems.
B. WELL HEAD PROTECTION AREAS,
BROOKS AND STREAMS
The vast majority of Braintree
residents obtain their drinking water from
underground sources. It is vital,
therefore, to protect the
resource for all residents and for those using
the same aquifer in surrounding
towns. Development in Braintree
shall not result in the pollution of ground or
surface waters or cause an
unreasonable reduction in
supply.
Policy
To protect the ground and
surface waters in Braintree for all residents.
Recommendation
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006
15
1. That development in Braintree
shall be permitted only if it does not cause any
environmental
degradation and does not result
in the pollution of ground or surface waters or
cause unreasonable
reductions in supply.
2. That no detrimental
development of any kind be allowed by any brook,
stream or tributary or in a
well head recharge area.
3. That all proposed development
be reviewed for appropriate location away from
brooks streams,
tributaries and well head
recharge areas and for adequate protection of
the recharge environment of
these resources.
4. That no septic system, tank
or leach field, be allowed within 150’of a
brook, stream, or tributary or
within a well head recharge
area.
5. That the Town monitor all
large water withdrawals in the regional area
that have a potential to effect
the private water sources of
Braintree residents and enter into negotiations
with the withdrawer of large
quantities of water to protect
resident water supplies if necessary.
C. SCENIC ROADS
The Town of Braintree is served
by over thirty miles of scenic gravel back roads
and byways.
Development proposals on those
Braintree roads that are designated as scenic
shall be reviewed by the
Town to ensure that the location
of any proposed structure and any site
alteration, including grading,
filling, removal of trees,
stonewalls or other existing landscape features
does not degrade the scenic
quality of the road or roadside.
The intent is to minimize any interference with
views or vistas afforded
from the scenic road and to
maintain the rural scenic byway quality.
Policy
To maintain the rural and scenic
character of the back roads and byways thereby
protecting the rural
scenic quality of the town.
Recommendation
1. That all development
proposals on all Town roads be reviewed by the
Town to ensure that the location
of any proposed structure and
any site or roadside alteration, including
grading, filling, removal of trees,
stonewalls or other existing
landscape features does not degrade the scenic
quality of the road or
roadside.
2. That in keeping with the
Town's desire to maintain its rural and scenic
character, efforts to add
additional lanes for vehicular
traffic to scenic routes and to increase the
speed limits on scenic roads
should be vigorously opposed.
D. RIDGELINES AND SCENIC VISTAS
Braintree is fortunate to have
miles of open and forested ridge tops that form
an aesthetically significant
ridgeline and ridgeline vistas
that enhance the scenic beauty of the town. The
ridgelines are highly scenic
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006
16
due to their natural undeveloped
beauty of the many ridgetops
and their visibility from public
roads
throughout Braintree. These
natural ridgelines and the significant scenic
vistas around Braintree
contribute in large part to the
quality of life that Braintree residents enjoy.
Policy
To protect the natural scenic
beauty of the ridgetops
and the scenic vistas from the
adverse aesthetic and
environmental impacts of
development.
Recommendation
1. That all development
proposals or applications for work to be
conducted on or near ridgelines be
reviewed for consistency with
the policy to protect the scenic beauty of
ridgetops
and vistas.
E. MEADOWLANDS AND PRIME
AGRICULTURAL SOILS
The open spaces and meadowlands
that are indigenous to farming in Braintree are
those features that
most importantly define rural
character and set Vermont apart from other
northern New England states.
Therefore, any proposed
development or subdivision should not be
permitted in these areas if the
proposed development or
subdivision disrupts the scenic quality of the
site or removes agricultural or
forestry lands from their
original use. Any proposed meadowland
development must retain the maximum
possible meadowland for
agricultural use through such means as
clustering under Planned Unit
Development provisions,
reduction in allowable density or the sale or
donation of development rights.
Policy
To discourage the removal of
agricultural and forestry lands from their
primary use.
Recommendation
1. That a bylaw be adopted that
requires that a proposed development or
subdivision maximize the use
of the least productive land,
protects prime agricultural soils, and utilizes
alternative development models
that protect the environment.
F. TREES, FOREST RESOURCES AND
ROCK OUTCROPPINGS
Forests, tree stands and rock
outcroppings all contribute to the serene scenic
beauty of Braintree. There
are acres of forested land in
Braintree and within those forested acres are
found unique rock
outcroppings.
Policy
To manage the forests in a
sustainable manner that will provide for logging
and recreation activity for
years to come while protecting
the beauty of the forest and the natural rock
outcroppings.
Braintree Town Plan – Adopted
February 28, 2006
17
Recommendation
1. That all forestry operations
be conducted using the Acceptable Management
Practices as defined by
the State of Vermont
Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation.
2. That a bylaw be adopted that
provides for the protection of forest rock
outcroppings and other
irreplaceable forest features.
G. CRITICAL HABITATS; DEERYARDS,
BEAR HABITAT, RARE SPECIES
Braintree is home to many
species of wildlife, and for many residents of
Braintree, the opportunity to
view this wildlife is one of the
pleasures of living in the town. The Vermont
Department of Fish and
Wildlife has identified and
mapped areas that are known to be deeryards,
bear habitat and rare species
locations within the Town.
Significant deer wintering areas have been
located in Braintree. It is
recognized that the deeryards
change in shape and size and that constant field
verification is necessary for
accurate depictions. The same
remains true for bear habitat and rare species
location.
Policy
The Town desires to protect and
maintain these special critical habitat areas
and to discourage
development near or within them.
Recommendation
1. That a bylaw be adopted that
strongly supports the necessity that all
development in Braintree be
reviewed with consideration for
the integrity of the areas of deeryards, bear
habitat and rare species
locations, and that development
be prohibited in those areas.
2. That in situations where
development has already impacted these areas,
the remainder of the area must
be managed in a manner
compatible with the continued viability of each
area.
3. That a bylaw be adopted that
requires that when development is proposed on a
lot involving or
adjacent to an existing
deeryard, known bear habitat or rare species
location, it shall be reviewed for
critical habitat location with
representatives of the Vermont Department of
Fish and Wildlife.
H. INVASIVE SPECIES
In the last decade, Braintree
has experienced the invasion of various
nonindigenous
plant species that are
taking hold along its back roads
and byways, and in its fields and open meadows.
These nonindigenous
species are crowding out the
native plants and are interfering with
established ecosystems. Eradication
initially required the efforts
of every resident in Braintree who found the
offending species takin |