Town Common Design

Town Common Site
Town Common Site

Tree Planting Grant AWARDED!

Town Common Committee members worked with the Town Tree Warden (Paul Wiezoreck), local landscaping expert Andrea Morgante, and the Town Manager (Todd Odit) to secure a $30,000 grant from the State's Urban and Community Forestry program in January 2024.  This grant will pay for planting all the proposed trees on the new Town Common!  It will also cover additional topsoil needed to ensure these trees are successful. We are hopeful that tree planting can begin in the fall of 2024, and continue into 2025 and/or 2026 in conjunction with other site improvements.

Our tree planting plan anticipates the help of community volunteers.  Want to help out, and get your hands dirty - with instruction and guidance by our local tree experts?  Contact a committee member or Alex Weinhagen, Director of Planning, aweinhagen@hinesburg.org, 802-482-4209.

Site Engineer Selected!

The Town selected Dubois & King (D&K) for the civil engineering work on phase 1 of the Town Common improvements - i.e., engineered plans for grading, drainage & stormwater, and landscaping.  D&K is the same firm that helped us create the 2022 conceptual design, and we are excited to be working with their landscape architect again, as well as their engineering team!  The D&K team will prepare detailed plans so that we can find a contractor to do this work - hopefully in 2024.  The D&K team will also provide assistance with necessary Town and State permitting, and contractor selection.

Town Common Committee

This five-member committee began meeting in September 2023.  They will spearhead the creation of the Town Common, based on the 2022 conceptual design, and with the engagement of community members, neighboring landowners, and local businesses.  The committee's regular meetings are on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7pm at the Town Office.  See the Town Common Committee page for current members and more information.

See below for a project overview, the conceptual plan and related materials.

Next Steps:

  • Engineer phase one site improvements - e.g., grading, drainage, landscaping (Nov 2023 - Mar 2024)
  • Solidify future phases and timeline (Mar 2024)
  • Obtain necessary permits - e.g., DRB approval, Act 250 permit amendment (April/May 2024)
  • Design and fundraise for priority improvements (ongoing)
  • Continue to engage community members (ongoing)
  • Implement phase one site improvements (Jun - Sept 2024)
  • Tree planting, phase 1 (Oct 2024)

The Town has a capital budget item to help fund improvements to this property.  The Select Board has also allocated some American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to help engineer phase one site improvements. We are hopeful the Select Board will approve additional ARPA funds to implement phase one site improvements (e.g., grading, site preparation, drainage).  Other site improvements (e.g., pavilion, play structures, walkways, etc.) will be decided on and implemented in phases, over the next seven years (i.e., by 2030).  The schedule will be determined by the Town Common Committee and the Select Board, and by available funding.  We expect to use the conceptual design to inspire the additional fundraising that will be needed for detailed design work and installation of more involved elements.

Interested in getting involved?  Have questions?  Contact Alex Weinhagen (Town Planner), aweinhagen@hinesburg.org, 802-482-4209