1. Charlotte, VT Justin Bezold Sarah Ford Ryan Salem

2. Charlotte Facts
Location: Chittenden County, 10 miles south of Burlington
Chartered: June 24, 1762
Area: 32,242 acres/50.38 square miles
Population: 3,569 (US Census, 2000)
Population Density: 70.8 persons/mile2 (Burlington: 2,512.2 persons/mile2; New York City: 26,517 persons/mile2!)
*more interesting Charlotte facts

3. A Brief History Founded in 1762
In 1800’s population over 3500, larger than today
Sheep Farming and Lake Commerce Prominent in 1800’s
Farming lead to deforestation
Rivers experienced high levels of sedimentation, then eutrophication

4. 1900’s
Early
Railroad brings commerce and allows people to leave area (Go west young man)
Forests begin regeneration and landscape begins to recover (streams approach historic conditions)
1970’s
Interstate comes to Vermont – rapid increase in population and development statewide

5. Charlotte Development Districts
Village
Rural
Commercial
Industrial
Shoreland
Seasonal (camps)
Conservation
Mixed use center of town
Farming or natural areas
Stores and Retail areas
Manufacturing/non-retail
Development along shore
Memorial to Labor Days
Lands w/ restrictions
ie-wetlands

6. Charlotte Development Information
– 232 housing units total
– 265 housing units total
– 770 housing units total
– 1447 units total

7. Charlotte Zoning Basics

8. Zoning Laws’ Affects on Charlotte Sprawl
See how Charlotte is Zoned
Why is “rural sprawl” encouraged in Charlotte??
Charlotte Zoning Laws require 5 acres of land for each dwelling unit. This encourages development to be even more spread out than the traditional one-acre lot size. Over the last decade, the town has seen a boom in the number of large houses, especially along the lake because of its attractive “rural” setting. This is starting to change the feel of Charlotte from a traditional rural Vermont town to one that is “between the glitzy refinement of Shelburne to the north and the blue-collar panache of Ferrisburgh to the south, trying to find a happy medium between the two extremes, and forging its own peculiar character in the process” (Charlotte Homepage 2003). 

9. Effects on Water Resources
Agriculture Development
Road Infrastructure