The newly-formed Royalton Buyout Committee (Committee) invites community members to provide input about public uses of the four FEMA buyout sites in Royalton by completing an online survey and attending a public meeting on September 17.
The Committee is chaired by Ernie Amsden and includes representatives from the Conservation, Planning, and Recreation Commissions. Committee members met in August to discuss potential improvements at each buyout site and to develop community input options.
Survey
The first input option is a short online survey that includes a list of proposed public uses by site and an opportunity to agree or disagree and to provide additional comments. The survey is posted on the Royalton website or can be accessed directly online.
Public meeting
The second input option is a public meeting on Wednesday, September 17 from 6-8pm at the Royalton Academy Building. The meeting will include a short presentation about the four sites, followed by a field trip to the Royalton Hill and Gilman Road buyout sites. The White River Partnership (WRP) and Vermont River Conservancy are co-hosting the meeting and providing light refreshments.
The four FEMA buyout sites in Royalton are located at 830 VT Route 14, 106 Bridge Street, 43 Royalton Hill Road, and 124 Gilman Road. All four sites were privately owned and severely damaged during Tropical Storm Irene. Royalton applied for FEMA buyout funding to purchase the properties from the private landowners, to remove the damaged structures and infrastructure, and to grade and seed the sites. Permanent deed restrictions will limit future development to reduce flood damages at the sites.
The state has set aside $750,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to help towns plan and construct buyout site improvements that meet community needs. Royalton has applied for CDBG funds to conduct a community planning and design process in 2014 and to construct site improvements in 2015.
For more information
Please contact us!
News
Posted: January 6, 2015 by wrp_admin
Bethel seeks input on proposed river-side parks
On January 13 at 6:30pm at the Bethel Town Hall interested community members are invited to provide feedback on the final design of three proposed river-side parks in Bethel: 251 Marsh Meadow Road, 132 Spring Hollow Road, and 2811 Gilead Brook Road.
The town of Bethel received Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to coordinate a community planning and design project at their FEMA buyout properties, and have hired Randolph-based DuBois & King to develop a conceptual design of potential public access improvements at each site.
The January 13 public meeting will provide an opportunity for community members to review the conceptual designs and to provide feedback on final design elements, including parking areas, walking trails, river access, and interpretive signs. DuBois & King will incorporate feedback into final designs in January. The towns have the option to apply for additional CDBG funds to implement the final design components in 2015.
The three properties were privately-owned and severely-damaged during Tropical Storm Irene. The towns applied for FEMA buyout funding to purchase the properties from the private landowners, to remove the damaged structures and infrastructure, and to grade and seed the sites. Permanent deed restrictions will limit future development to reduce flood damages at the sites. The state has set aside $750,000 in CDBG funds to help towns plan and construct buyout site improvements that meet community needs.
Visit our River Access Improvement Project page for more information.
Posted: December 18, 2014 by wrp_admin
WRP receives grants to improve flood resilience
The White River Partnership (WRP) has received two grants to implement community planning and on-the-ground restoration projects to improve flood resilience in the Upper White River valley, which includes the towns of Granville, Hancock, Pittsfield, Rochester, and Stockbridge.
The High Meadows Fund (HMF) mission is to promote vibrant communities and a healthy natural environment while encouraging long-term economic vitality in Vermont. HMF funds will enable the WRP and its partners to facilitate conversations within and between the five Upper White River communities to identify and prioritize key flood resilience projects; and to provide access to technical experts and resources in order to develop projects that have a high likelihood of success.
Vermont’s Ecosystem Restoration Program (ERP) takes action to reduce sediment and nutrient pollution from uncontrolled runoff into our streams, rivers, ponds, wetlands, and lakes. The WRP will use ERP funds to acquire a conservation easement and to restore native vegetation on a field along the White River above Hancock village. Allowing the river to access this critical floodplain will reduce the speed and erosive power of flood waters before they reach Hancock village.
The WRP thanks HMF and ERP for their generous support of our 2015 flood resilience projects!
Posted: September 3, 2014 by wrp_admin
Royalton Buyout Committee seeks input
The newly-formed Royalton Buyout Committee (Committee) invites community members to provide input about public uses of the four FEMA buyout sites in Royalton by completing an online survey and attending a public meeting on September 17.
The Committee is chaired by Ernie Amsden and includes representatives from the Conservation, Planning, and Recreation Commissions. Committee members met in August to discuss potential improvements at each buyout site and to develop community input options.
Survey
The first input option is a short online survey that includes a list of proposed public uses by site and an opportunity to agree or disagree and to provide additional comments. The survey is posted on the Royalton website or can be accessed directly online.
Public meeting
The second input option is a public meeting on Wednesday, September 17 from 6-8pm at the Royalton Academy Building. The meeting will include a short presentation about the four sites, followed by a field trip to the Royalton Hill and Gilman Road buyout sites. The White River Partnership (WRP) and Vermont River Conservancy are co-hosting the meeting and providing light refreshments.
The four FEMA buyout sites in Royalton are located at 830 VT Route 14, 106 Bridge Street, 43 Royalton Hill Road, and 124 Gilman Road. All four sites were privately owned and severely damaged during Tropical Storm Irene. Royalton applied for FEMA buyout funding to purchase the properties from the private landowners, to remove the damaged structures and infrastructure, and to grade and seed the sites. Permanent deed restrictions will limit future development to reduce flood damages at the sites.
The state has set aside $750,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to help towns plan and construct buyout site improvements that meet community needs. Royalton has applied for CDBG funds to conduct a community planning and design process in 2014 and to construct site improvements in 2015.
For more information
Please contact us!