Bill > H0042

This bill proposes to establish the Housing Board of Appeals, a new three-member board appointed by the Supreme Court to hear and resolve appeals related to municipal zoning decisions concerning housing projects. The board members will be full-time professionals with expertise in land use law or housing development, including at least one licensed Vermont attorney and one professional engineer or land surveyor, who will serve staggered five-year terms. The board will have the authority to review, affirm, reverse, or modify municipal zoning decisions involving housing permits, subdivisions, variances, and related fees, with the power to award remedies similar to a Superior Court. Appeals can be brought by applicants or aggrieved parties after local remedies have been exhausted, and the board must hold hearings within 90 days of receiving an appeal and issue decisions within 60 days of the hearing. The bill includes provisions for board member compensation, conflicts of interest, administrative procedures, and creates four new positions (three board members and a staff attorney) with an initial appropriation of $600,000 from the General Fund. Decisions of the Housing Board of Appeals can be appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court, and the board is set to become operational on July 1, 2026, with the aim of streamlining and expediting housing development appeals.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.42