With a population hovering around 12,000, Brattleboro, Vermont, is defined in large part by three things: its traditional downtown (complete with multi-story brick buildings facing away from the Connecticut River), a smattering of suburbs branching out from that core, and rural vistas interspersed with natural areas west of Interstate 91, which runs through the town. In many ways, Brattleboro is the archetypal North American town. So, what does this town do differently compared to others like it?
“We needed 500 apartments,” local real estate agent Kate Barry told Strong Towns Video Producer Mike Pasternock in 2023. “We needed 500 apartments … two years ago.”
Brattleboro, unlike many towns, has had a relatively stable population for decades. At the same time, the demand for housing has increased, both through marginal growth and the need for different types of housing. The catch is, there isn’t too much space to build out without sacrificing the mountain vistas and valleys that Brattleboro’s residents treasure.
As a result, the city is looking toward infill development downtown and, in the process, opening up its zoning code to accommodate changing lifestyles, appetites, and budgets.
One of Brattleboro’s strengths is its openness to change. When the town—and the entire state of Vermont—opened itself up to an assessment by the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU) through The Project for Code Reform, Brattleboro was forced to confront the barriers in its land use regulations.
In a place where the population has stabilized around 12,000 for nearly five decades, Brattleboro could’ve easily delayed zoning reform. The town didn’t find itself in the same crisis as cities in Idaho, Montana, and Utah, where populations surged during the pandemic.
“But we don’t have to wait until we’re in crisis mode to make good decisions,” Steve Hayes, the town’s planning technician, remarked. “The momentary and minor uptick in population we did experience exposed how fragile our housing situation could be.”
So, the town updated its zoning code and, according to Planning Director Sue Fillion, lifting restrictions is already producing more housing options. “For example, a four-unit home can now legally accommodate a fifth room, which would’ve been illegal prior to these changes,” she explained.
How can a town combine rural and urban amenities without sacrificing either?
For Brattleboro, it’s not about freezing its 19th-century downtown in time or fencing off the farms in its western hills. Instead, the town cares about fostering a symbiotic relationship between these two seemingly irreconcilable communities.
And, as it turns out, these communities often want the same things: good food and access to community.
The farms provide the former and an eventful downtown, the latter. Community Supported Agriculture and strong local government-facilitated communication help both sides of the divide see eye to eye and build the Brattleboro they want to see.
Sarah Lang, a Brattleboro Planning Commission member, admits she’s lucky. When it comes to updating zoning and policy, she often anticipates more pushback and controversy than what she ends up receiving.
Lang largely attributes Brattleboro’s legislative successes—such as eliminating regulations that restricted diverse housing options—to the trust built through listening. Credibility, however, is fortified through the town’s willingness to act.
“The Planning Commission isn’t afraid of trying new things and placing small bets,” Sue Fillion, the town’s Planning Director, said. Whether it’s attempts to slow traffic or change town code, Brattleboro’s incremental approach is eager to demonstrate the merits of the changes it’s championing. “Look, we made a small change and the sky didn’t fall!” Fillion jokes.