Form-Based Code for the City Center & Pearl Street Corridor

Form-Based Code for the City Center & Pearl Street Corridor
Essex Junction is proposing new rules for how buildings are designed in the City Center and along the Pearl Street corridor. These rules, called a “form-based code,” focus on the size and shape of buildings and how they meet the street, rather than leaving design to case-by-case judgment. This page explains what is changing, why, and how you can weigh in.
Have thoughts to share? Reach out to the Community Development Department or the Planning Commission! The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposal on September 3, 2026 at 6:30 PM. See the Planning Commission meeting information or to join remotely.
This code is one part of a larger update to the City's Land Development Code. There are also a number of more technical changes proposed, which are described in the staff memos to the Planning Commission (linked below). The Planning Commission will take public testimony on the proposal at its September 3, 2026 hearing.
Planning Commission Memo on the Proposed Amendments (as of August 11, 2026)
Draft code with changes marked (as of August 5, 2026)
Connect the Junction Transit Oriented Development Master Plan
