MONTPELIER – Speaker Jill Krowinski made the following statement on Act 181 and pending legislation in the House on April 3.
“In 2024, we passed Act 181 which seeks to reform our decades old Act 250 land use policy and make it easier to develop housing while also making our communities more resilient in the face of rising climate disasters. Vermont’s housing crisis and the devastating flooding that impacted communities reinforced the need to reimagine how development happens in Vermont: the costs, the time it takes to go through the development process and where development is happening.
“It’s clear that many aspects of the law are working well, and we are seeing new housing coming online across the state. It’s also clear that parts of the law, particularly the sections impacting rural Vermont, are problematic and need to be addressed. Vermonters have made it clear that they have not felt heard or a part of the process, especially in rulemaking for the road rule and Tier 3, and that has led to fear and frustration on how this could impact their lives.
“While this has caused fear and anxiety, we are going to make this an opportunity to engage deeply with Vermonters and work together to listen, learn and find solutions together. Vermonters are concerned about the restrictions and cost this will have on their land and the impact it will have on their families and future generations. I am putting out this statement as a first step in saying: I hear you and we will work together to get this right.”
