Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below come from questions and comments the City has received from residents and other community members about the proposed Form-Based Code amendments for the City Center and Pearl Street Corridor.
The answers explain what is currently proposed, how the Form-Based Code relates to the City's broader planning efforts, and where certain questions involve policies or decisions outside the scope of the current zoning amendments.
Building Height & the Height-to-Width (H:W) Standard
Q: Where would 9-10 story buildings actually be allowed? Some residents are concerned that the flyer example is misleading, or that real estate listings advertising a property as “zoned for 10 stories” suggest the full height will be allowed regardless of street width. Is a 3D build-out rendering available?
A: Building height is established by the zoning map. A maximum of 10 stories is allowed throughout the TOD District. In the Village Center, the maximum varies by sub-district. Buildings of up to 10 stories are allowed between Park Street and Maple Street, with the 10th story available only through the state's affordable housing density bonus.
The zoning map establishes the maximum height, but it does not guarantee that every parcel can physically accommodate that height. The street room standard regulates how a building steps back as it gets taller. On a smaller or narrower lot, there may not be enough space to provide the required step-backs, which could mean that the full height allowed by the zoning map cannot be achieved.
In other words, a property may be zoned for up to 10 stories, but the actual height of a building will depend on the size and configuration of the parcel and the project's ability to meet all applicable dimensional and site design standards.
For a specific property, the zoning map shows the applicable maximum height.
The City now has a rendering showing a potential build-out scenario on Park Street here. A similar rendering for Pearl Street is in development.
Housing Need, Growth Capacity & Infrastructure
Q: How much housing capacity would be added under the maximum build-out scenario?
A: A housing capacity analysis conducted as part of the Connect the Junction TOD Master Plan identified capacity for up to 2,008 additional housing units in the City Center and Pearl Street Corridor under the height limits adopted by the City Council (the 9+1 option).
The 2,008-housing unit capacity represents about two-thirds of the City’s mid-range target of 3,061 additional homes by 2050. That target is based on the 2025 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment and the region’s housing allocation.
Q: What data supports the conclusion that this much new housing is needed?
A: The need for additional housing is documented in the Vermont Housing Needs Assessment 2025–2029, prepared for the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development.
The assessment identifies a need for an additional 7,301 to 10,537 housing units in Chittenden County by 2030, and 15,783 to 47,407 additional units by 2050.
Those estimates account for several factors, including:
- housing additional households as the population grows;
- bringing vacancy rates back to healthier levels;
- addressing homelessness; and
- replacing housing lost to disrepair, flooding, and other causes.
The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) divides this county-level target into a target for each city and town in the county, including Essex Junction. The methodology and municipal targets are available here.
The Vermont Housing Needs Assessment is a thorough, independently researched report, and we'd encourage anyone who wants to dig into the underlying data to read it directly: https://accd.vermont.gov/housing/plans-data-rules/needs-assessment
Q: What is the current residential occupancy/vacancy rate?
A: Chittenden County’s rental vacancy rate has increased recently but remains below the roughly 5% rate often cited as a general benchmark for a healthy rental market. As of June 2026, the countywide rental vacancy rate was 3.3%, compared with less than 1% during the pandemic.
The increase followed significant apartment construction, including 824 new apartments countyside in 2024. Future vacancy rates will depend on housing construction and changes in housing demand, including population and household trends.
Q: How will population growth affect City resources and traffic?
A: Where housing is built is an important part of this question. The proposed code directs a significant amount of future housing growth to the Pearl Street Corridor and Village Center, where residents have more opportunities to walk, bike, or use public transit for some trips.
Concentrating development in already-developed areas also makes use of existing roads and utility infrastructure. New development in these areas generally does not require the same extension of water, sewer, and other infrastructure that may be needed for development farther from the existing built-up area.
The City will continue to evaluate transportation, utility, and other infrastructure needs as development occurs.
Q: Are schools included in the planning process?
A: School capacity is not a formal component of the Form-Based Code amendments. The City is aware of current enrollment trends and will continue to coordinate with the Essex-Westford School District as the proposal moves forward.
The District has been consolidating facilities rather than expanding them in recent years, including the repurposing of Summit Street School in Essex Junction. Those changes have been driven by declining enrollment rather than a lack of school capacity.
Vermont is also experiencing broader demographic changes, including an aging population and relatively low birth rates. School enrollment can vary by district and over time, so the City will continue to monitor conditions with the School District.
Q: Will developers pay for infrastructure improvements?
A: Developers are responsible for infrastructure improvements associated with their Site Plan and for applicable fees. These can include the City’s sewer allocation and connection fees, which can be substantial depending on the size of the project and are used to reserve wastewater treatment capacity and connect to the system. These fees are separate from the costs of required on-site stormwater management, which developers must also provide as part of their project.
Larger projects may also be subject to additional requirements based on applicable development standards. Depending on the project, these can include improvements such as sidewalks, landscaping, or public spaces.
The City has also heard questions about whether existing fees fully account for the City’s infrastructure costs and whether a broader impact fee system should be considered. That is a separate policy question that could be considered as part of a future budget or policy process. It is not part of the current Form-Based Code work.
Commercial/Ground-Floor Retail Viability
Q: Can the City require larger ground-floor commercial spaces in the City Center?
A: The Form-Based Code establishes standards for how ground-floor commercial space relates to the street, including frontage, transparency, and entrances. These standards are intended to create an active and pedestrian-oriented street environment.
The code does not establish a specific square footage requirement for commercial space. The size and configuration of individual spaces will be determined by the property owner and developer based on the building and the needs of prospective tenants.
This approach provides flexibility as market conditions change and avoids requiring commercial spaces of a particular size that may not meet the needs of future businesses.
Q: I am concerned about the current storefront vacancy rate. Why would new commercial space be different?
A: The City Center and Pearl Street Corridor have generally high occupancy levels, although individual storefronts do turn over from time to time.
Retail and other commercial uses depend in part on having enough nearby customers. Adding residents within walking distance of these businesses can increase the potential customer base for existing and future businesses.
The Planning Commission also considered the potential for vacant commercial space when developing the code. The proposed standards do not require ground-floor commercial space in every location. In some locations, the code allows residential uses at the ground floor when they are designed with landscaping, terraces, or other features that maintain an active and pedestrian-oriented street frontage.
Site Design - Green Space, Setbacks & Streetscape
Q: Can there be more green space and less concrete in front of buildings?
A: Yes. Increasing landscaping and improving the quality of the street environment are objectives of the Form-Based Code.
The proposed standards include requirements for street trees, landscaping, and pedestrian amenities. The code also introduces a points-based system that provides additional credit for features such as tree canopy and green stormwater infrastructure.
The intent is to create a more consistent streetscape with more shade, landscaping, and pedestrian amenities.
Historic Character & Preservation
Q: Is there a way to capture a building's history when it is redeveloped?
A: Essex Junction's Land Development Code includes historic preservation standards for buildings that are listed on, or eligible for, the State or Federal Register of Historic Places and are located within the Historic Preservation Overlay District.
The overlay district includes portions of the Main Street, Lincoln Street, Pearl Street, Park Street, and Maple Street corridors, as well as the City Center.
For properties covered by these standards, demolition, alteration, additions, and redevelopment are subject to Development Review Board review. The Board reviews applications against the applicable historic preservation standards.
Demolition of an eligible historic building also requires the applicant to address the applicable criteria, which can include economic hardship, structural infeasibility, or a significant community benefit associated with the redevelopment.
Main Street / Five Corners Changes
Q: What makes the Main Street block between Railroad Avenue and Five Corners a candidate for a pedestrianized street? I am concerned about traffic being rerouted into surrounding neighborhoods.
A: An earlier concept considered permanently closing this section of Main Street to vehicle traffic. The City did not pursue that approach when it adopted the Connect the Junction TOD Master Plan in 2025. Under the adopted plan, Main Street remains open to traffic, and pedestrianization is limited to special events.
The plan does call for studying whether certain turning movements at Five Corners could be restricted. One option identified for study is restricting the Main Street-to-Park Street movement and directing that traffic through the new Railroad Street connection.
Any change to traffic patterns would require additional traffic and engineering analysis and approval by the City Council before implementation.
More information is available in the Connect the Junction TOD Master Plan here
The Form-Based Code itself does not make changes to Main Street traffic. The Five Corners and Main Street traffic questions are part of the broader TOD Master Plan and are separate from the zoning amendments currently being considered at public hearing.
Public Process & Engagement
Q: When will there be a meeting or additional meetings to discuss the proposal?
A: The Planning Commission has completed its initial review of the draft Form-Based Code amendments. The Commission will hold a public hearing on September 3, 2026, at 6:30 PM.
Following the public hearing, the Planning Commission may vote to forward the draft amendments to the City Council, or it may continue its review and make additional changes before forwarding the proposal.
The public hearing is an opportunity for residents and other interested parties to provide comments directly to the Planning Commission.