PLAINFIELD – The town of Plainfield continues to seek funding sources for the East Village Expansion Project.
In the wake of the catastrophic flooding of July 10, 2024, multiple homes in Plainfield Village were damaged or destroyed. Willing landowners and interested residents have since voted to build a new neighborhood on higher ground, just east of the lower village, to replace what was lost during the flood.
At the Thursday, June 12, meeting, East Village Expansion Advisory Committee members discussed potential funding sources and design ideas, as well as addressing concerns about scale and density.
According to the committee, they are currently seeking major funding for infrastructure, actively pursuing significant grants, including a potential $5 million from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, to fund essential infrastructure like roads and utilities. The committee says this is crucial for keeping costs down for future homeowners. The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) is also providing specialized assistance, such as small grants for technical expertise, to help navigate complex federal grant applications. A $150,000 low-interest loan from the Vermont Community Foundation is currently under review by the Plainfield town lawyer. Its purpose is to fund the next phase of engineering and crucial archaeological work required for the large grants.
The committee is also exploring the idea of a bank or town-managed revolving loan fund to help finance home construction for future buyers. This could offer more flexible and compassionate terms than traditional bank loans.
Moving on to design and scale, a test design shows a maximum of 57 possible lots, including some for tiny homes. This committee says high density would be a scenario if external funding isn’t secured. Concerns were raised about increased density’s impact on construction, population and aesthetics. Public feedback from a prior community design process indicated a desire to keep the adjacent hillside undeveloped to preserve privacy and open space. The committee noted that buyer preferences are key. They plan to reach out to previously interested buyers to understand their preferences on lot size, housing type such as single-family, condo, tiny homes, as well as affordability, ideal scenarios and interest in self-builds versus working with contractors.
A study by engineering firm DuBois and King concluded the new neighborhood is expected to add less than 75 car trips during busiest hours (36 in the morning, 52 in the afternoon). These numbers are less than the typical Vermont threshold, 75 busy-hour trips, that would require a more detailed traffic study or intervention to increase road capacity.
In other business, the committee noted that the project has been featured in recent media, including Seven Days. An article in the Wall Street Journal is also anticipated.
The committee is investigating if an area near East Hill Road is no longer classified as federal wetlands. If so, it could allow them to acquire more land and potentially move the access road further north, creating more space between new and existing homes.
The committee clarified that Plainfield zoning rules currently do not allow year-round living in yurts or tents due to plumbing requirements, and new zoning requires off-street parking for every car.
Sandra Vitzthum, a Montpelier Architect has indicated that Plainfield’s Planning Commission Chair Will Colgan has said permanent yurts, wheeled homes and tents are allowed in Plainfield if they have zoning and wastewater permits. And, while there should be one parking space for every residential unit, the requirement may be waived by the DRB for all permitted and conditional uses in the Village District.
Editor’s note: The final paragraph in this story was added July 29, 2025.
Raymonda Parchment is a Hardwick Gazette reporter. She recently graduated from Vermont State University - Castleton with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. She is a strong supporter of freedom of speech, and the right to publish information, opinions, and ideas without censorship or restraint. She is a lifelong lover of the written word, and is excited to join the team as a staff member.
