Work on the first phase of creating a master plan for Irasville Village is almost complete and Valley residents are invited to weigh in on master plan concepts at a public hearing next week.
The Waitsfield Planning Commission and Irasville Village Master Plan Steering Committee will host the first community open house for the Irasville Village Master Plan on Monday, November 18, 2024, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The open house will be held at the Village Meeting House at Waitsfield United Church of Christ.
The master planning process is being managed by a steering committee that includes members of the Waitsfield Planning Commission, Waitsfield planning and zoning administrator J B Weir, Annmarie Harmon, Mac Rood, Sean Lawson, Kaziah Haviland, Sam Robinson, Joshua Schwartz, Ira Shadis, Luke Foley and Beth Cook along with consultants from the SE group.
DINES AND GATHERS
Irasville is where the Mad River Valley shops, dines and gathers. This village area has been envisioned as a community hub, capable of supporting more development, including homes, local businesses, services, and recreational amenities. According to project consultants, this vision has been held in check for years, challenged by insufficient infrastructure, natural resource constraints, and a lack of planning progress.
“The first task was to take a look at the natural resources in Irasville. One of the things we’ve used is the wetlands report created a few years ago by Arrowwood. We’ve collected the data and are working on a website that will allow us to conceptually map Irasville,’ Weir explained.
He said that some of the focus of the project has shifted since the town applied for the $45,000 grant it’s using for this project. The focus of the project is ultimately to create a vibrant Irasville.
“And to do that, we have to deal with the wetlands,” Weir said.
HIGH PERFORMING
The existing development in Irasville is built within and in some cases, upon wetlands, some of which are performing better than others, Weir explained. And some of the wetlands in Irasville are very high functioning, meaning they are absorbing, storing and handling ground water, storm water runoff and also handling flooding very well.
“Has Irasville flooded recently? No. Its wetlands are functioning. There are some areas with low functioning wetlands but there are others where the wetlands are doing their job. They are high functioning wetlands capable of absorbing/managing millions of gallons of water. One of the things we’re looking at, once we have completed the scoping and understand the current conditions, is whether we can create a conceptual map that shows an analysis of development encroaching on some of these wetlands,” he explained.
DRAFT GOALS
Draft goals for what might be accomplished in Irasville once conditions scoping and mapping is complete include up to 70 new units of housing (representing approximately 65% of available future wastewater system capacity).
That housing would be focused on:
- Mixed-income rentals aimed at younger households, including below-market-rate rentals supported by tax credits and/or other subsidies.
- Rental housing aimed at low to low-moderate income seniors supported by tax credits and/or other subsidies.
- Homeownership opportunities aimed at first-time homeowners, particularly younger and middle- aged households.
Additionally, draft plans call for:
- Identifying opportunities for new mixed-use development with local-serving, commercial uses.
- Evaluating concepts for redevelopment of shopping plazas.
- Exploring options for creating new overnight accommodations in Irasville.
- Preserving and sustaining key commercial services in Irasville (e.g., grocery store) and explore pathways for needed services (e.g., pharmacy).
- Identifying a scale for new commercial development that can be accommodated within remaining available future wastewater system capacity.
“Waitsfield is leading a public process to develop this visionary plan. At this open house event, we hope to set the table for the rest of the project. Come hear from local and regional leaders and project consultants about initial findings and progress, then provide your thoughts, ideas, and perspectives at engagement stations set up around the Village Meeting House,” SE Group consultants wrote in a press release about next week’s public hearing.
For more information, visit the Irasville Village Master Plan project website at https://arcg.is/11GLOD0.
