Bill H.748 proposes amendments to the regional plan map land use categories in Vermont, specifically concerning their application in Act 250 Tier 1. The bill modifies the definitions and criteria for "Village areas" and "Transition or infill areas." For Village areas, the requirement for either municipal water or wastewater is changed to public water and wastewater, while also allowing for areas with adequate soils for wastewater disposal. In the Transition or infill area section, the language is updated to clarify that these areas must be proximate to public water or wastewater services, or have planned services, and also includes provisions to prevent new commercial linear strip development.

Additionally, the bill introduces new definitions, including "Centroid" and "Workforce housing zone," which delineate areas with enhanced housing demand based on proximity to job-rich census tracts. The eligibility for designated neighborhoods is expanded to include transition and infill areas within workforce housing zones. The bill also establishes that the approval process for these designated neighborhoods will align with existing regulations for designated centers. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 24-4348a(a)(12)(C), 24-4348a, 24-4348a(a), 24-4348a(a)(12)(D), 24-5804, 24-5801