All right. So this is, I guess, to the Vermont legislature and probably to that board that they have. Yes. So we are writing to express our strong opposition to Act 181 and the impact it will have on rural communities, working landowners, and the long-term viability of Vermont's countryside. While we understand the intent behind statewide land use reform, Act 181 imposes one size fits all mandates that do not reflect the realities of rural living, rural economies, or the stewardship responsibilities of those who actually live on and care for the land. Rural Vermont is defined by open space, working forests, agricultural land, and small communities that rely on flexibility, not rigid regulation to survive. Act 181 threatens that balance by adding layers of restrictions, permitting burdens, and regulatory uncertainty that disproportionately harm rural landowners. Many of us maintain our land at our own expense, protect wildlife habitat, manage forests responsibly, and support local economies through small-scale agriculture trades and home-based businesses. Act 181 undermines this by limiting how rural land can be used, developed, or passed on to future generations. These decisions should remain local, practical, and grounded in the lived experience of rural residents not dictated by policies designed for urban and suburban developments. Furthermore, Act 181 risks accelerating the very problems it claims to solve by making rural land use more restrictive and more expensive It pushes families out, discourages young people from staying, and weakens the economic foundation of small towns. Rural Vermont needs policies that support growth where appropriate, protect working hands, and respect the rights of property owners, not policies that treat rural communities as an afterthought. For these reasons, we urge decision makers to reconsider Act 181 and work towards solutions that generally reflect the needs, challenges, and values of rural Vermonters. We deserve a voice in shaping the future of the land we have cared for, in many cases, for generations.

2:44•1

Excellent. Very well.

2:46•0

I don't know. This is... But, I mean, that meeting tonight, I don't know what's going to come about it.

2:54•1

That's an informational meeting for Act 181.

2:57•0

I get it.

2:57 – 3:11•2

So we should wait on this? Send it anyways. Because, like we were saying, we can't record it unless somebody comes back at 7 o'clock and whatnot. We're not waiting an hour. Okay. Well, I'm sorry. You could if you wanted.

3:11•0

No, I'm sorry. Okay. So I'm going to rewrite this. And I just put Brighton Planning Commission. Yeah. But should we sign it all?

3:22•2

No, because it has to go to the SLEC too, right, for approval. This has to go to approval, Mike said.

3:28•1

No, Mike has nothing to do with it.

3:32•2

He said, didn't he say that it had to go, they should know about it and read?

3:36•1

No, Mike wants nothing to do with it.

3:38•2

I know, but he said something about the SLEC board. It's better than it come from us. Yeah, that's what he said.

3:43•0

That's all he said. They wanted nothing to do with it. And that's when I said, fine, then we'll write it. Yeah, but they don't have to approve this letter or anything.

3:52 – 4:12•2

Because the select board has got nothing to do with this letter. I talked to Mike and if maybe you should make a phone call, I would talk to him today, I believe. And so he was just telling me what we were going to, you know, like what I was going to say and how we had to make a motion and stuff. And he says at the end, making motion to approve the letter to be sent to select board before sending out. No, no.

4:12•1

Well, that's new because that's not what he said the other day.

4:15•2

Yeah, I wrote it down. We might as well wait, right? What's that? The meeting's not this Wednesday. It's next Wednesday. That's right.

4:22•0

I mean, I don't care.

4:25•1

You'll have time to rewrite it. I'll have time to rewrite it. That news to me because he never said that. He said the town had nothing to do with this. No, I guess they just wanted to move. I don't know.

4:34 – 5:10•0

We should watch the meeting. Yeah. The last planning board meeting. See what he said. because they they he said that the town had nothing to do with this so why do because maybe just make a phone call and he wanted he didn't want to he wanted um we he didn't want to he didn't want to write the letter right no and so and that's when i says okay then we'll write the letter right but i don't remember him saying anything about that which maybe came up again but I will do it again, send it to, well, I won't, I'll wait, I guess.

5:10•2

You want to talk to Mike at all?

5:12•1

That maybe he, you know, he said that, but you're not going to get him tonight because he's on a meeting.

5:17•2

Right, right. But I'm just saying, you can text him. Would you want me to do it? I'm pretty good about reaching.

5:22•0

Yeah, you can. Yeah. And then I'll just, he'll probably want to see it. Well, no, I'll bring it to the meeting. Well, no, because then if he doesn't.

5:28•1

He can just play this meeting.

5:30•0

Right. Read the demo, I guess.

5:35•2

All right. So we're good, right?

5:37•1

That's fine. If you guys want to make a motion that we approve this letter.

5:41•2

I second.

5:42•1

All in favor? Aye. Okay.

5:45•2

There is no other business. No. And we are going to make a motion to...

5:53•1

But we want to make it understood now that this letter is going to the House of Representatives.

6:00•0

Well, to the Vermont legislature. Yeah.

6:05•1

And the committee that's in charge.

6:07•0

The five-person board they have.

6:09•1

We've got to find out who that is. Shouldn't we send copies to the newspapers? No. No, we don't have to.

6:18•0

Why not? No. Because everybody else is doing it.

6:22•1

Everybody's doing it. Everybody's writing letters.

6:26•2

Okay, so we're good about adjourning? Yep.

6:30•0

I make a motion to adjourn. Second.

6:34•2

Are you guys staying for those? You don't need to do that. I always just look like lost. Am I supposed to encourage people to? No. Just do it.

6:43•0

We can, but we're pretty good about it. When we get serious.

6:49•1

If you look at the vast trail map, it's all interconnected. There's a big hole around Burlington. No kidding. Yeah.

6:59•2

We just shut this off with this weapon over here, right?

7:01•1

The trails get real dense up here.

7:03•0

I don't know. Yeah, turn it off.

This transcript was automatically generated from the official public meeting video and is presented unedited. It reflects remarks made on the public record by elected officials, staff, and public commenters. Transcript accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.