The overhaul will focus mainly on data collection and organization, according to MRVPD Director Joshua Schwartz. The $9,000 budget item includes an in-house data intern.
DIGITAL DATABASE
The final product, according to Schwartz, will be an online digital database that will house the organized data that will be analyzed and measured against the Memorandum of Understanding with Sugarbush from 1983.
While the data project will not focus exclusively on Sugarbush development projects, it will assist the planning district in their review of ongoing and future Sugarbush development by housing necessary background data, Schwartz said.
"1c is not the end of the road," said Steering Committee member Burt Bauchner, referring to Sugarbush's next proposed phase of development at Lincoln Peak.
"They're going to continue to develop and have a constant impact," he continued.
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS
The data overhaul will allow the planning district "to grade how we're doing," Schwartz said. Priorities will be established and UVM and the Agency of Natural Resources will be able to make recommendations based on the data analysis.
As a result, according to Schwartz, when the steering committee moves forward with their discussion of possible changes to the MOU with Sugarbush, they'll have a more accurate data set to work from.
DATA OVERHAUL
The data overhaul will also address "the big picture," according to Schwartz; it will assist each town in compiling the data necessary for each town's Town Plan, and allow the planning district to "look at the data over the years and figure out why spike and valleys happened, not just Sugarbush development," Schwartz said.
The biggest task in the coming year, according to Schwartz, will be "breaking it down and putting it back together, it's a complete overhaul."
Members of the MRVPD Steering Committee will continue their discussion of the ongoing data overhaul project at their March meeting. The committee meets on the third Thursday of every month at the General Wait House. Visit www.mrvpd.org for additional information.
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