On April 30, 2025, the Town of Lyndon was awarded a $30,000 Municipal Planning Grant (MPG), which includes a $3,000 Town match. The MPG program supports planning and revitalization for local municipalities in Vermont. It is awarded annually and administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development.

The grant funds will be used to hire a consultant that will help the Town address two planning needs: (1) establishing a formal Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to strategically manage infrastructure investments and (2) completing all other prerequisite planning necessary to apply for a Center ‘Step-up’ (Downtown) designation as part of the Vermont State Designation Program. Long-term outcomes include more efficient use of municipal resources, improved infrastructure, increased downtown investment, and enhanced economic vitality for the community as a whole.

The Town currently has a Village Center designation (see map at right), but would like to expand and “step up” to access the full benefits that come with Downtown Designation. This MPG project will incorporate several Actions from the Town’s Municipal Plan and Hazard Mitigation Plan.
This includes:

2020 LYNDON MUNICIPAL PLAN—

Action 1.5 (p.24): Determine the community’s capacity for maintaining a “Downtown” designation from the State of Vermont.

Action 2.2 (p.30): Develop a master plan for the designated village center that includes strategies for complete streets streetscape enhancements, economic development, and village revitalization.

Action 2.3 (p.30): Evaluate tools to encourage economic development in Lyndon, e.g. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District, Lyndon’s Opportunity Zone, New Markets Tax Credits, Village Center/Downtown Designation Tax Credits, tax stabilization, etc.

Action 2.4 (p.30): Create and maintain an inventory of existing businesses and vacant commercial spaces in the Village Center as well as property available in Town for commercial and industrial development, infill, and redevelopment.

Action 4.2 (p.45): Develop a Capital Budget Improvement Plan to prioritize major municipal projects, including property acquisitions, ADA compliance upgrades, and water, wastewater, and stormwater system upgrades, and set up long term budgeting to pay for anticipated projects and maintenance of public facilities.

2022 MULTI-JURISDICTION HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN—

Create a Capital Budget to support municipal projects that mitigate risk to buildings, infrastructure, and socially vulnerable populations.” (p.257).