New Approach To Downtown Planning

Map from the draft of Newport's Form Based Code Regulating Plan

The way a town looks and feels can be as important as how it functions, and a new concept in town planning is taking root in our region that embraces all three priorities. Wednesday on Vermont Edition, we'll look at a new approach to creating livable, mixed-use downtowns for residents and businesses called "form-based code." And while the name may not be exciting, we'll talk with a few development experts who say the concept behind it is cutting edge. Our guests are Noelle MacKay of Smart Growth Vermont and Paul Dreher, the zoning administrator in Newport, which is in the process of approving form-based code for its downtown. Listen

Also in the program, attorney Eileen Blackwood has been an active supporter of same-sex marriage laws in Vermont. We talk with her about what difference the law has made one year after going into effect. Listen

And we bring you the final installment of our Summer School series of quirky and useful lessons. Today, we head to a bicycle shop to learn how to fix a flat tire. Listen