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The mission of Responsible Growth Hinesburg is to ensure that new development in Hinesburg is:

  • scaled to meet the needs of our town;
  • constructed so that waters of Lake Champlain, its tributaries and other natural resources are protected; and
  • located so that it complements its surroundings, protects our working landscape and recreational lands, and
  • fosters a sense of community.





Hannaford returns to H'burg for new Site Plan Approval  and is DENIED

Hearings began again at the Development Review Board on Tuesday, April 17, 2018. 

Hannaford requested a change to the original subdivision permit from December 1986 to permit the building to be closer to the canal and a new Site Plan Approval.  The Town's counsel has decided that they must present on all the Site Plan regulations, not just stormwater and traffic.  Downs Rachlin, counsel for the applicant, does not agree.  The June 5 hearing, while generally polite in tone, was confused in content.  There were four hearings, some quite contentious in tone. These ended September 7, 2018.

On October 18, the DRB issued a denial of the Site Plan Application and an approval of the change to the Subdivison Permit.  Major factors in the denial are traffic, storm water management and non-compliance with Hinesburg's Official Map (a planning tool that notifies developers of the town's interest in land). 

Since the denial was based, in part, on the Official Map, RGH has asked the Select Board to consider accepting title to the land.  RGH has begun fundraising for the acquisition of the land.  Lot 15 was identified by the Village Steering Committee and Planning Committee as early as 2007 as the ideal location for a public park/Village Green.  Now that 444 housing units have been proposed north and west of Commerce Street, the location is even more central to the village area.

Need more info?  Call Catherine Goldsmith - I am in the phone book.


Over eight years of protection for natural resources and community

In November 2010 Hannaford Supermarket submitted to the Hinesburg Zoning and Planning Office an application package for a 36,000 square foot store to be located on Lot 15 in Commerce Park. Out of that event was born Responsible Growth Hinesburg (RGH), a group that has worked for almost seven years to educate ourselves and the community on diverse subjects such as

Traffic- Evening rush hour would be significantly worse with Hannaford and other proposed developments in place with traffic backing up over the Patrick Brook bridge.

Stormwater- Hannaford’s proposed underground chamber offers detention but not treatment of stormwater while requiring huge amounts of fill and 4-5’ retaining walls. Information discovered during pre-trial proceedings revealed that the project relied on a berm to be built on a neighbor's land. (now redesigned as part of an ANR compromise).

Wetlands- The wetland on Lot 15 currently has the ability to detain AND treat stormwater, delivering clean water to Patrick Brook.

Aesthetics-The Town’s recreational path along the canal, the result of federal, state, and local investment, would be overwhelmed by a large store and accompanying parking in what is now a human-scaled neighborhood.

 These issues have broad implications that go far beyond one grocery store, raising questions about safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers in our village, about the importance of open space and recreational opportunities such as the canal walk provides, and perhaps most vital, they raise this question:

How do we ensure that clean water flows into Patrick Brook, the LaPlatte, and Lake Champlain and protect against flooding in big storm events? What part do wetlands play?

The State of Vermont, the EPA, and the Lake Champlain Committee are all concerned about water quality in Lake Champlain. The LaPlatte River, with its headwaters in Hinesburg, flows into Lake Champlain, and Hinesburg’s stormwater regulations directly affect the river.  Patrick Brook directly affects the La Platte River.  The work of our consultants has convinced us that the Lot 15 wetland plays a key role in mitigating the effects of the big storm events that are becoming more common.  Its bowl shape, its wetland vegetation, its connection to the wetland area next to Patrick Brook all make it important.

It has become clear to RGH that local regulations are not sufficient to ensure that future development in the Village Growth area will be beneficial to the Town and its environment. Therefore, members continue to actively participate in planning meetings and in application review hearings for proposed large-scale projects to ensure that they, as well, serve the present and future needs of the town.

While RGH has broader concerns than just the proposed supermarket, our current focus is on challenging the Hannaford proposal.  To do this, we need to raise funds to pay our expert consultants and our talented and generous attorney. Since 2011, we have raised over $300,000 through grants, fundraising and community-building events, and the generosity of more than 200 individuals.  You can contribute in two ways:           

Checks made payable to Preservation Trust of Vermont, with memo indicating RGH.  Give to your contact RGH member or mail to Preservation Trust, 104 Church Street, Burlington, VT 05401.

 On-line at www.ptvermont.org; click the donate box and choose Responsible Growth Hinesburg.

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