Build-out and Capacity Study

Build-out Analysis and Capacity Study.PDF

Please see Chris Brimmer, the Zoning Administrator, for a printed copy of the final report.


Chris Brimmer, Fairlee’s Zoning Administrator, submitted an application for (and Fairlee received) a Municipal Planning Grant that funded a buildout study for the Village district.

buildout study, according to Wikipedia, ” is an urban planner’s estimate of the amount and location of potential development for an area. Sometimes called a “lot-yield analysis”, build-out is one step of the land use planning process.”
A buildout study documents the development capacity of water, sewer, other municipal systems, traffic capacity and so forth and with that data can posit different development scenarios – for instance what would happen if the propane storage facility at the south end of town were sold and someone built some townhouses there? What would it look like and how would it affect the town if two stores and a house went in instead?
It’s a way of looking at “what ifs” with hard data behind them. The completed study is a useful planning tool for the town.

A steering committee consisting of Liz Wilson, Cathy McGrath, Larry Gatto, Peter Berger, Smith Reed, Chris Brimmer and Miranda Clemson, was formed to oversee this work. Brandy Saxton of PlaceSense did the study. Brandy’s response to our Request for Qualifications is here: RFQ response from Place Sense and the work plan for the buildout study is here: Work Plan. The study was fully funded by the municipal planning grant.