Established in the spring of 1970 by the Vermont Legislature, Act 250 is Vermont’s Land Use and Development Act. The Act 250 program provides a public, quasi-judicial process for reviewing and managing the environmental, social and fiscal consequences of major subdivisions and developments in Vermont.
For projects requiring either a new Act 250 permit or an amendment to an existing permit, the Division for Historic Preservation (VDHP) conducts its reviews pursuant to Criterion 8: Aesthetics, Historic Sites and Rare or Irreplaceable Natural Areas. Project review consists of evaluating the project's potential impacts to historic buildings and structures, historic districts, historic landscapes and settings, and known or potential archaeological resources.
The purpose of VDHP's review under Act 250 is to provide the Environmental District Commission with the information necessary for them to make a positive finding under the "historic sites" aspect of Criterion 8. VDHP relies on Rule 4: Historic Sites and the Act 250 Process to guide our reviews of Act 250 projects.
VDHP will review project information submitted directly to our office by a permit applicant or will review the information contained in the original application submitted to the Agency of Natural Resources. It is in the applicant's best interest to initiate consultation with VDHP early in the project planning process so comments can be incorporated into the project permit by the Natural Resources Board.
The Act 250 program is overseen by the Natural Resources Board’s Land Use Panel. For more information about the Act 250 program and the process of applying for a permit, please visit the Act 250 website.