Report: Zoning OK,
But Only 'Minimal'

Most Royalton citizens would approve of "some degree" of additional regulation, according to the planning commission's report on the four public meetings that have been held during 2006.

Royalton remains one of the White River Valley towns without a zoning ordinance. The town plan is therefore used in the Act 250 process in determining what the town wants, but that plan is more general than a zoning ordinance, and is not meant to be an enforcement document.

In the report by its chair, Jo Levasseur, the planning commission concluded that it found "that if regulations are adopted, the people of our town wish them to be as minimal as possible, to be fair and flexible but precise."

Those at the meetings thought that no zoning regulations were needed for residences, but that the town plan should suffice. They were willing to enact some regulations on business and to protect aesthetic features like ridgelines, it was noted.

The commission's next step will to make some changes in the town plan to be presented next Town Meeting. After that, the board would draft regulatory ordinances "that we believe will meet with approval by the majority of the voters."

The full report may be found in The Herald next week.