33 people attended a public meeting on Thursday, August 7 at the Bethel Town Hall to discuss improvements to 4 town-owned buyout properties.
15 Miller Drive, 251 Marsh Meadow Road, 132 Spring Hollow Road, and 2811 Gilead Brook Road were substantially-damaged during Irene. The town received FEMA and matching funds to purchase the properties and to remove all remaining structures and debris. The White River Partnership (WRP), Vermont River Conservancy, and Bethel Conservation Commission hosted the community meeting to discuss if and how the town might improve public use at the 4 sites.
After presentations from WRP Executive Director Mary Russ about the buyout sites in Bethel and from Redstart Forestry’s Dan ‘Rudi’ Ruddell about the current physical condition of the river in Bethel, attendees walked to the Marsh Meadow Road buyout site in the village. The 5-acre parcel is adjacent to the Bethel Mills property, and has significant frontage along the Third Branch.
“Keeping in mind that the Marsh Meadow Road site is likely to flood in the future, we discussed opportunities to improve both river health and primitive recreation,” said Mary Russ. “Ideas included stabilizing the eroding streambank at the north end of the property using large wood instead of rock; restoring native trees and shrubs along the riverbank; and developing a walking trail around the perimeter.” Improvements at the Marsh Meadow Road site must be approved by FEMA and by the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, which conserved the property to ensure public access and river health.
During the feedback session that followed the site visit, there was general consensus about making minimal public investments in Bethel buyout properties. Attendees did not want to see any improvements for public use at the 15 Miller Drive site; neighbors have offered to maintain the property long-term. Feedback about the 132 Spring Hollow Road and 2811 Gilead Brook Road sites included restoring native trees and shrubs along Gilead Brook and making minor improvements for fishing and hunting access.
Buyout site improvement funding is available through the Community Development Block Grant program, which is being administered by the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission.
Thanks to the Bethel Selectboard for providing meeting refreshments.
For more information
Contact us or visit our River Access Improvement project webpage.
News
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!
Posted: August 14, 2014 by wrp_admin
33 attend Bethel buyout meeting
33 people attended a public meeting on Thursday, August 7 at the Bethel Town Hall to discuss improvements to 4 town-owned buyout properties.
15 Miller Drive, 251 Marsh Meadow Road, 132 Spring Hollow Road, and 2811 Gilead Brook Road were substantially-damaged during Irene. The town received FEMA and matching funds to purchase the properties and to remove all remaining structures and debris. The White River Partnership (WRP), Vermont River Conservancy, and Bethel Conservation Commission hosted the community meeting to discuss if and how the town might improve public use at the 4 sites.
After presentations from WRP Executive Director Mary Russ about the buyout sites in Bethel and from Redstart Forestry’s Dan ‘Rudi’ Ruddell about the current physical condition of the river in Bethel, attendees walked to the Marsh Meadow Road buyout site in the village. The 5-acre parcel is adjacent to the Bethel Mills property, and has significant frontage along the Third Branch.
“Keeping in mind that the Marsh Meadow Road site is likely to flood in the future, we discussed opportunities to improve both river health and primitive recreation,” said Mary Russ. “Ideas included stabilizing the eroding streambank at the north end of the property using large wood instead of rock; restoring native trees and shrubs along the riverbank; and developing a walking trail around the perimeter.” Improvements at the Marsh Meadow Road site must be approved by FEMA and by the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, which conserved the property to ensure public access and river health.
During the feedback session that followed the site visit, there was general consensus about making minimal public investments in Bethel buyout properties. Attendees did not want to see any improvements for public use at the 15 Miller Drive site; neighbors have offered to maintain the property long-term. Feedback about the 132 Spring Hollow Road and 2811 Gilead Brook Road sites included restoring native trees and shrubs along Gilead Brook and making minor improvements for fishing and hunting access.
Buyout site improvement funding is available through the Community Development Block Grant program, which is being administered by the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission.
Thanks to the Bethel Selectboard for providing meeting refreshments.
For more information
Contact us or visit our River Access Improvement project webpage.