This document outlines a plan for developing a sustainable and affordable housing planned unit development (PUD) in Wolcott, Vermont. The 1.9 acre plot would contain 20-25 tiny homes and utilize the majority of open land for agricultural purposes to be maintained and used by residents. Renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines would power the development. The PUD aims to provide housing for low-to-moderate income residents through tools like inclusionary zoning and funding opportunities from organizations focused on sustainable agriculture and energy efficiency.

1. Dylan McNeil
Professor Mary Friedman
CEP 777
9 December 2014
Truly Sustainable Housing in the Green Mountain State
Introduction:
The purpose of this report is to outline a planning process for the
development of an affordable, sustainable housing project in the state of
Vermont. The state of Vermont is in dire need of affordable housing In order to
develop zoning variances in accordance to the potential plan, A specific plot of
land is used as an example. This 1.9 acre piece of land is located at 1321 West
Hill Rd in Wolcott, Vermont; it is currently for sale at $37,500. Wolcott is located
in Lamoille County, which is in central northern Vermont.
There are three major facets to this project in order to make it successful.
Firstly, the primary focus of the land is to be used agriculturally. There are
several reasons why this is the case, which shall be further developed throughout
this report. The second major aspect to the development is sustainability. This
includes energy, materials, thermal efficiency, etc. The third and final aspect is
affordability. This is essential because Vermont has a severe lacking of
affordable housing for low to moderate- income individuals and families.
The first order of business for this project was to determine what type of
development would best fit the need. After determining the minimum amount of
land required for both medium & high-density developments, a new option
needed to be introduced. For Lamoielle County, a medium density development
requires at least 6,000 sq ft. of space per unit. A high-density development
requires 4,000 sq ft.per unit (Wolcott zoning regulations). Due to the small

2. amount of available land, the best possible course of action was to develop a
Planned Unit Development.
Planned Unit Developments are usually large, integrated developments
that are used to develop smart growth and sustainability objectives (planning.org,
Planned unit Developments). These PUD’s are gaining popularity because other
subdivision and zoning ordinances have severe limitations. The concept of a
PUD allows for mixed use of residential, commercial, recreational, agricultural,
and other types of land to be available in a much denser manner. PUD’s also
allow for an as-of-right option. This means that through the specific requirements
for the Planned Unit Development, regulatory zoning and approval procedures
would not apply. This is helpful in the case of Wolcott, VT; due to the minimum
amount of land needed for even high-density development cases. Although as-
of-right PUD’s are helpful for the developer, they must first meet the criteria of
both the town planning board and the development review board.
Here is an example of a large scale PUD:
Mixed use allows for greater density
while still providing opportunity to
conserve natural beauty

3. Project Goals and Implementations:
As mentioned beforehand, the main goal of this project is to provide a
sustainable & affordable housing option to residents of Vermont. Because of
development requirements for the town of Wolcott, Planned Unit Developments
must promote efficient use of the land (Wolcott Zoning regulations pg. 28). To tie
together the aspect of sustainability and efficient land use, the main focus of the
open land is to be utilized agriculturally.
The food grown on the parcel is to be mostly tended to and consumed by
the PUD residents. Roughly 30,000 sq ft of the open field will be used exclusively
for growing a variety of fruits and vegetables; including but no limited to sweet
corn, cucumbers, peppers, herbs, lettuce, chard, watermelon, blueberries,
strawberries, tomatoes, raspberries, grapes, etc.. In order to maintain the rural
qualities of the area, an agricultural focus for the PUD was absolutely essential,
and implements several aspects to smart growth.
According to the EPA, there are 10 basic principles to smart growth:
1 Mix land uses.
2 Take advantage of compact building design.
3 Create a range of housing opportunities and choices.
4 Create walkable neighborhoods.
5 Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place.
6 Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental
areas.
7 Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities.
8 Provide a variety of transportation choices.
9 Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective.
10 Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development
decisions.
(epa.gov, smart growth principles)

4. Building a community based on agriculture not only preserves open
farmland & natural beauty, but also fosters an attractive community. The zoning
ordinances for Wolcott also state; “the open space and common land shall first
protect agricultural resources. Recreational, environmental, and other common
lands for community facilities shall be secondary where agricultural land is
present. “ (Wolcott zoning regulations pg. 44). This ordinance is found under the
Planned Unit Development Review Criteria of the zoning regulation report.
Residents of the PUD will be given the opportunity to work on the farm in
exchange for a reduced rent price, which will be further explained later in this
report. However, in order to keep the farm in working condition several people
will be employed as farmers. In order to distribute the produce to residents, a
small farmhouse will be located on the premise. This agricultural building will also
house the excess produce that can be sold to external members of the
community. By incorporating the surrounding community the PUD further
demonstrates smart growth principles.
Several greenhouses will be dispersed throughout the property for
agricultural use during the colder months. These greenhouses will also be
managed by resident farmers, and will allow for the PUD residents to be able to
work all year long.
The Planned Unit Development’s focus on sustainability is the next aspect
to be covered. The term sustainability relating to this project includes renewable
energy sources, sustainably harvested building materials, quality insulation, and
little to no carbon footprint. Although the main priority is for sustainable practices,
back-up systems of fossil fuels will be implemented for emergency situations.
Virtually all of the available residential rooftop will be retrofitted with
photovoltaic cells. These solar panels will provide power for each individual unit,

5. with each building being connected to allow for an even spread of energy
throughout the development. This will provide each unit with supplemental
energy due to shade, snow, or other environmental or fundamental factors. The
communal farmhouse will also be retrofitted with photovoltaic panels to provide
supplemental power to the residential units. The majority of the energy collected
by the farmhouse will also be used to power the agricultural aspects of the PUD.
This includes irrigation systems, lights, heat, and so forth.
Apart from the use of solar panels as a means of renewable energy, the
power of wind will also be harnessed to provide electricity. Wind turbines will be
located throughout the development, supplying energy to both the residential and
agricultural buildings. Some turbines will be state of the art technology,
occupying as little space as possible while producing maximum energy output.
Examples of these are shown below:
http://i01.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/538164533_6/wind-
turbine-small-wind-turbine-windmill-generator-high-way-wind-solar-system.jpg
http://www.inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/helix8.jpg
These small wind turbines allow for energy production with small amounts
of wind, with the direction of the wind to be of little to no consequence. The
benefit of this is that the placement of these turbines can be merely to improve
the aesthetic quality of the PUD.

6. Apart from the aforementioned smaller turbines, one or two larger turbines
will be installed to provide even more supplemental energy if a shortage or
emergency should occur. These will be located and positioned to maximize
energy output, after a wind analysis has been completed. The combination of the
photovoltaic cells as well as the wind turbines should potentially provide
substantial energy, however, a backup system will be installed for emergency
situations. This emergency backup system will be fueled with natural gas in order
to limit the carbon output. The natural gas system will be located in the
farmhouse and will only be implemented manually when absolutely necessary.
Apart from just the renewable energy aspect of the planned unit
development, there will be other methods implemented to increase sustainability
as well as resiliency. According to the planned unit development criteria for
Wolcott, “the development shall be an effective and unified treatment of the
project site, and make appropriate provision for preservation of streams, stream
banks, visual and physical access to the Lamoille River, slopes greater than
25%, wetlands, soils, historic sites, natural areas, wildlife habitat, floodplain, and
views.”(Wolcott zoning regulations pg. 44). In case of flooding, each unit will be
have a raised foundation to protect the buildings them selves but also allow the
natural course of the water to run its course.
With this being noted, the actual development of the individual units must
be taken into consideration. Each unit will have extremely limited impact on the
surrounding environment. Because of the small impact of the foundation, the
resiliency of the land will be much more substantial when the PUD eventually
disappears. The first aspect taken into consideration with the environmental
impact is the physical footprint of each building.
The planned unit development will consist of 20-25 units, fairly densely located in
the residential area of the development. Each of these units will be what are
considered “tiny homes”; residential buildings that are substantially smaller than

7. typical homes. Although these units are relatively small in comparison to the
typical American household, they are extremely efficient and comfortable.
The smaller volume of each unit allows for very efficient heating, as well
as cooling. The smaller stature of each building also impacts the surrounding
environment much less, and does not require an underground foundation to be
built. Although the overall square footage is slightly less than a mobile home, the
aesthetic and environmental benefits greatly increase the appeal of the tiny
home.
The tiny home shown previously is just an example of the types of units
that will be developed. The amount of family units compared to individual &
couple units will be determined by a preliminary survey of Vermont residents who
show interest in living in the planned unit development. Although the outcome of
the survey will heavily influence the construction, a reasonable amount of each
unit will be available for future residents.
Example floor plan of a two bedroom tiny home
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/products/b53

8. The last sustainability aspect to be touched upon is the material being
used to construct the residential and agricultural buildings. Instead of using a
lumber mill or private lumber contractor, the building materials will be sustainably
harvested as locally as possible. This helps reduce the carbon footprint created
by shipping the wood and other materials. By sustainably harvesting the wood,
the health and resiliency of the local forests are being ensured.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization that
helps individuals and contractors to sustainably harvest forests for a variety of
uses. The FSC harnesses market demand to ensure that forests are responsibly
managed. (https://us.fsc.org/what-we-do.186.htm). By utilizing information and
ideals from the FSC, the PUD will be able to develop buildings that not only have
little impact on the local environment, but also actually benefit the local
ecosystem.
The final goal of this project is to ensure affordability to the low and
moderate-income residents of Vermont. Because of the overall shortage of
suitable affordable housing in the state, it is essential that this PUD be made
available only to residents who are in need. In order to ensure that the right
socioeconomic group is occupying the units, an application will be necessary for
potential residents.
The application will require the applicant to provide their income level,
current housing status, welfare status, tax credit history, and a number of other
important criteria. In order to accommodate families and individuals that are in
dire need, financial help and tax exemptions can be made available through
public and private funding (which will be discussed later in this report).
When residents are finally accepted and living in the PUD, they will have
even more opportunity to shrink the cost of their living expenses. Each resident

9. or family will be able to volunteer time working on the farm in exchange for a
reduced rent. For every hour that they volunteer their time working the
agricultural land, a determinable amount shall be deducted from their monthly
living expense in the PUD. This opportunity not only helps the residents
financially; but also helps to strengthen the communal bond and create a vibrant,
healthy, sustainable community.
Planning Tools:
Creating more sustainable and affordable housing opportunities
throughout Vermont and the United States is an increasingly more essential
practice. Although in theory it sounds easy and very practical, there are several
tools that are absolutely necessary to develop affordable housing that can be
considered sustainable. These tools played a major role in the development of
the PUD, but could also be
The first important tool when applying affordable housing is inclusionary
zoning. The concept of inclusionary zoning is basically to provide lower cost
housing, usually at a higher density. In the case of this project, inclusionary
zoning would be extremely helpful for providing the PUD with a relative high
density, while at the same time ensuring the cost of living will be low.
Inclusionary zoning in the case of a planned unit development allows the
local and regulatory zoning ordinances to be generally disregarded if the PUD
stands as-of-right. Now, the development can generally disregard many of the
zoning ordinances and can implement regulations of its own. In the case of this
project, the planned unit development applies inclusionary zoning to provide
housing to low and moderate-income residents.
At the same time, however, the PUD is also implementing exclusionary
zoning against residents who make over a certain amount of money annually, or

10. who are in higher socioeconomic class. Exclusionary zoning essentially means
that ordinances and regulations are in place that discriminates against a certain
type of resident. In most cases exclusionary zoning can be viewed as a negative
thing, while in the case of creating affordable housing opportunities for
underprivileged people it is an extremely useful tool.
Another essential tool for the planned unit development in this project is
the use of funding. Both private and public organizations are available to provide
money for projects and innovations that they deem worthy. In the case of
Vermont, there are several organizations that would most likely find this planned
unit development to fit their criteria for donating funds.
The first organization is the High Meadow Fund. The HMF is a supporting
organization of the Vermont Community Foundation, and their mission is “to
promote vibrant communities and a healthy natural environment while
encouraging long-term economic vitality in Vermont.”
The organization supports initiatives and leadership that incorporate the
following three areas:
1) Energy: Improving buildings and developing transportation systems that use
less and cleaner energy.
2) Land Use: Encouraging working farms and forests, compact settlements, and
responsible watershed management.
3) Sustainable Agriculture: Promoting healthy land and expanding agricultural
markets. ( http://www.highmeadowsfund.org/about/).
Due to the nature of the High Meadow Fund and the overlapping goals of
the PUD, the HMF seems like an extremely likely candidate to provide funding for
the project. Not only does the potential PUD incorporate the areas of cleaner
energy, efficient land use, and sustainable agriculture; but it also provides a

11. budding vibrant community that is promoting the health of the land as well as the
local economy.
Another potential funding opportunity is the grants made by the Northeast
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE). The mission of this
organization is to “advance—to the whole of American agriculture—innovations
that improve profitability, stewardship and quality of life by investing in
groundbreaking research and education.” (http://www.nesare.org/Grants) The
large, multi year projects that are accepted can receive funds of up to $200,000.
Conclusion:
Implementing a Planned Unit Development has many benefits. Not only
are they a way to save space while utilizing land effectively, they also can serve
as a focal community point. PUD’s can also serve as smart growth initiatives,
focusing on sustainable and affordable practices. By also focusing on local
sustainable agriculture, PUD’s can be a truly sustainable housing alternative.

12. References and Work Cited
Understanding Planned Unit Development.
https://www.planning.org/pas/quicknotes/pdf/QN22.pdf, 2007. Web. December
2014.
Town of Wolcott Zoning & Subdivision Regulations,
http://www.lamoillecounty.govoffice.com/vertical/Sites/%7B3C01460C-7F49-
40F5-B243-0CA7924F23AF%7D/uploads/%7BB4243503-BEF6-492D-BB54-
DB2AF6FF421D%7D.PDF, 2006. Web. November 2014.
Smart Growth Principles, http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/about_sg.htm, 2013.
Web. December 2014.
High Meadows Fund, http://www.highmeadowsfund.org/about/, 2014. Web.
November 2014.
Cullingworth, Barry, and Caves, Rojer. Planning in the USA. London & New York:
Routeledge, 2014. Print.