Granite Street Historic District Flood Resiliency Plan for the Town of Hardwick, Vermont

The Town of Hardwick seeks a qualified consulting firm specializing in community flood resilience to develop a flood resiliency plan for the Granite Street Historic District—an area severely impacted by recent flood events along Cooper Brook and the Upper Lamoille River.

This plan will build on past assessments and engage residents, businesses, and partners to identify mitigation solutions and enhance long-term flood preparedness.  The purpose of the project is to develop a conceptual plan that identifies potential areas where floodwaters can be spread out and slowed down, and where public infrastructure and/or private investments can be reinforced, protected, elevated, or relocated.

Project Partners:
Town of Hardwick, Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE), Granite Street Historic District residents

Funding Provided By: Municipal Planning Grant Program administered by the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Submission Deadline:
June 20, 2025 – 3:00 PM

Submit a digital (PDF) and two printed copies to:

Town of Hardwick

Kristen Leahy, Resilience & Adaptation Coordinator

PO Box 523, Hardwick, VT 05843

Email: zoning.administrator@hardwickvt.gov

Short-listed consultants will be invited to submit detailed proposals.

Project work begins July 21, 2025.  End date is March 30, 2027.

For the full RFQ, contact Kristen Leahy or visit hardwickvt.gov or here: https://hardwickvt.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MPG-RFQ-Hardwick-2025-1.pdf

Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management), as well as, Federal Emergency
Management Agency’s (FEMA) implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal
Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides final notice of its decision to provide Hazard
Mitigation Grant Program funding for actions located in floodplains. Funding would be provided
through Vermont Emergency Management to the Town of Hardwick for the demolition and
acquisition of two (2) residential properties on VT Route-15.
Eligible actions are within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Work would include the
demolition and removal of structures, associated impervious surfaces, outbuildings, and
facilities. Demolition would involve minor ground disturbances; site preparations and/or
restorations; and the use of fill for minor grading and/or filling subsurface facilities where fill
would meet existing grade. All construction equipment and materials would be staged within the
parcels on pre-disturbed areas or driveways.
Demolition work and associated site restorations would have limited temporary effects and no
permanent adverse effects on the natural and beneficial values served by floodplains. Long-term,
the values of the floodplain would be restored and natural flood storage capacity at the sites
would improve.
Alternatives considered include relocation, elevation, and “no action.” The relocation and
elevation alternatives were deemed technically impracticable and not cost effective. The “no
action” alternative would leave the community at risk. Demolition is the preferred alternative as
it is cost effective, eliminates flood risk to homeowners to the maximum extent, promotes open
space use, and restores natural floodplain values.
Grant conditions will require compliance with all federal, state, and local laws, including
coordination with the local floodplain administrator and proper removal of demolition debris,
where applicable.
Map requests and comments about this project and potential floodplain impacts should be
submitted within 15 days of the date of this publication to:

Pamela Sparks, Senior Environmental Specialist
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cambridge, MA

pamela.sparks@fema.dhs.gov; (346) 314-8506