HOME

Quick Links

Draft 2026 Regional Plan

About
Mount Ascutney Regional Commission

MARC office building

Mount Ascutney Regional Commission (MARC) member towns include Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow, Reading, Springfield, Weathersfield, West Windsor, and Windsor.

DUNS Number: 002109768

Mount Ascutney Regional Commission advocates for the needs of our member towns and seeks collaborative strategies to address local, regional, and state opportunities and concerns.

One of our primary purposes is to provide technical services to town officials and to act as a resource for local governments. We help mediate inter-jurisdictional planning and development issues arising between member communities; facilitate discussion and understanding between local and state entities; and develop plans, policies, strategies, and procedures for addressing issues that are regional in scope.

Office Schedule

Most of our staff are still working remotely,
the office is usually open
Monday through Thursday 7:30 am - 4:00 PM
Phone # 802-674-9201

The office will be closed to the public on the
following holidays in 2026:

Jan 1st - New Years Day
Jan 19th - Martin Luther King Day
Feb 16th - President's Day
May 25th - Memorial Day
June 19th - Juneteenth
July 3rd - Independence Day
Sept 7th - Labor Day
Oct 12th - Indigenous People’s Day
Nov 11th - Veteran’s Day
Nov 26th & 27th - Thanksgiving
Dec 24th & 25th - Christmas

Housing Resource Guide Available

The Windsor County Housing Resource Guide is now available. This guide serves as a resource for prospective and existing homeowners, contractors, and other interested parties.

Resource Guide (PDF file: Resource guide 496.39 KB (508,305 Bytes))
Contact Jason or Allison with any questions

Trainings

ECVEDD Spring workshop

The East Central Vermont Economic Development District (EVEDD) held its annual Spring Workshop on June 10th at the Windsor Welcome Center. We hosted a forum on the Community Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP) with Commissioner Alex Farrell of the VT Dep’t of Housing & Community Development, Jessica Hartleben from the Vermont Economic Progress Council and Bonnie Waninger and Katie Buckley from the VT League of Cities and Towns.

Thanks to all who attended!
Watch the workshop.
Thank you to our friends at Windsor On Air who recorded the event.

Image with information on the Essentials training programplanPicture

Training Video:

Series 1: Municipal planning - April 16, 206
Municipal Planning (recorded video file of training, length: 1:00.28)
Presentation Slides (PDF presentation slides 2.01 MB (2,109,381 Bytes))

A great way to say thank you!

Silver repairing Vermont pendent

Here is a great opportunity to support flood recovery in Vermont!

Jennifer Kahn, a jeweler out of Burlington, VT, has designed a "Repairing Vermont" necklace, with the proceeds benefitting the Long Term Recovery Groups (LTGR’s) around the state!

LTRG’s are our neighbors and friends, who volunteer their time to assist with getting people to immediate safety, finding food and other essential life services after disasters.

LTRG's are the first to knock on doors and the last to finish up work. They receive NO federal funding and sporadic funding from the state of Vermont. The proceeds from the sales of these necklaces will assist the LTRG’s to continue to be there and be able to help Vermonters during and after disasters.

view of Ascutney Mountain from Claremont, NH side

Photo of Ascutney Mountain in Vermont

Latest News

2026 Tactical Basin 11 Plan

75 Plus Ways to Protect and Restore Water Quality in the West, Williams, and Saxton Rivers Basin

Montpelier, Vt. – The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) invites the public to comment on the draft Tactical Basin Plan (TBP) for the West, Williams, and Saxtons Rivers Basin (also known as Basin 11). DEC completed the plan with local nonprofits, regional planners, town officials, and scientists. The plan outlines more than 75 ways to restore and protect rivers, lakes, and wetlands within a portion of Vermont’s Connecticut River Basin, covering towns from Mount Holly to Brattleboro.

Members of the public can review and comment on the draft plan from June 15 to July 15, 2026. DEC will host hybrid public meetings to present the plan and hear comments from community members and stakeholders:

June 23, 2026 – 6:00 PM

In-Person: Newfane Town Office, 555 Vermont Rt. 30, Newfane, VT
Virtual Access: Register in advance for this meeting. You will receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the meeting.

June 25, 2026 – 6:00 PM

In-Person: Londonderry Town Office, 100 Old School Street, South Londonderry, VT
Virtual Access: Register in advance for this meeting. You will receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the meeting.

“The tactical basin plan for the West, Williams, and Saxton Rivers Basin will guide clean water efforts for the next five years,” said DEC Commissioner Misty Sinsigalli. “In light of that, it is critical that we hear from community members. We will use their feedback to ensure the plan resonates on a local level.”

Tactical basin plans serve as a five-year roadmap and detail how DEC will continue to:

Improve water quality, restore aquatic habitat, and prevent future pollution throughout the basin, and

Work alongside farmers, towns, conservation districts, landowners, watershed groups, regional planning commissions, and nonprofits to advance clean water projects and watershed resilience.

The draft plan for the West, Williams, and Saxtons River Basin highlights measures to safeguard water quality during agricultural, development, wastewater, and natural resources activities. For example, DEC-funded River Corridor Plans and Stormwater Master Plans outline a range of projects. For example, lakeshore projects can reduce erosion and enhance habitat by using no mow zones and shoreline best practices. Other projects can reduce stormwater runoff by using underground infiltration systems.

"The Tactical Basin Plan is a critical tool for identifying priority areas for protection and restoration work in the watershed,” said Cory Ross, District Manager for the Windham County Natural Resources Conservation District. “As a Conservation District, we will use this plan to inform the projects that we develop, design, and implement. We also use the plan to inform the locally led process that helps direct federal spending in Windham County in order to meet local needs."

Visit the Basin 11 webpage to learn more about how to comment, join the meetings, view the draft plan, or find a map-based plan summary (also known as a Story Map). You can also contact the Watershed Planner, Marie Caduto, at [email protected] or 802-490-6142 for more information.

The Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for protecting Vermont's natural resources and safeguarding human health for the benefit of this and future generations. Visit dec.vermont.gov and follow the Department of Environmental Conservation on Facebook and Instagram.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. To file a discrimination complaint, for questions, free language services, or requests for reasonable accommodations, please contact ANR’s Nondiscrimination Coordinator at [email protected] or visit ANR’s online Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Draft 2026 Regional Plan
Public Hearing - July 27, 2026

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The Mount Ascutney Regional Commission (MARC) will hold the second of two public hearings on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 12:00 noon in the Windsor Town Offices at 29 Union Street in Windsor, VT on the draft 2026 Regional Plan, which is intended to address the requirements of Act 181 and will replace the 2022 Regional Plan. The intent of this plan update is to meet the new requirements in 24 V.S.A. §4348a as well as to meet the requirements of an “Enhanced Energy Plan” in accordance with 24 V.S.A. §4352.

The MARC is authorized by the Vermont Municipal Planning and Development Act [24 V.S.A. §4348] to develop, adopt, and amend a regional plan. The draft 2026 Regional Plan includes proposed state designated areas (i.e., Downtown Centers, Village Centers, and Neighborhoods) and proposed Tier 1B areas that, if approved by the Vermont Land Use Review Board, will provide Act 250 exemptions for certain housing projects. The draft 2026 Regional Plan is available for review on the Publications (link to webpage on www.marcvt.org).

For more information, a link to attend the meeting via zoom, or to request a hard copy of the draft plan, please contact the MARC at (802) 674-9201.

Act 181 Summary & Community Engagement Plan

Act 181 & Community Engagement summary (PDF: ACT 181 & Community Engagement summary 553.30 KB (566,584 Bytes) Contact Kellen with any questions.

Housing Snapshots & Resources

(We’re excited to announce two new resources available on our website to support housing and community development!

First, explore our comprehensive PDF of Funding Resources Chart (PDF: Funding Resources chart, 169.15 KB (173,213 Bytes)), summarizing various housing funding opportunities, eligible project types, and key information to help you navigate available resources.

Additionally, check out the the new Housing Snapshots page (linked webpage on www.marcvt.org), featuring profiles for our 10 towns with detailed data on household demographics, housing trends, affordability, and more. These snapshots provide valuable insights to inform local planning and decision-making.