FLOOD RELATED ZONING REGULATIONS

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FLOOD PLAIN PROPERTIES – ZONING

Unified Development Bylaws – Updated Floodplain Section – 2024

EMERGENCY PREPARATION

Signing up for the Hardwick Alert Notification Email – 2024

Following the 2023 flooding, Neighbor to Neighbor, the Town of Hardwick, OSSU, and the Civic Standard teamed up to improve our community’s emergency preparedness. With support from two consultants—Karen Horn and Cynthia Stuart—and funding from an MTAP grant through the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD), a draft addendum to Hardwick’s Local Emergency Management Plan (LEMP) has been created.

🗓️ The draft was presented as part of a class in the Hardwick State framework on Saturday, April 12.
📌 Next steps include recruiting volunteers, integrating the plan with Town systems, and developing online resources.
📣 Your input matters! The draft is available for review, and we encourage community members to share their thoughts via the survey linked below.
🗳️ A final submission will be presented to the Select Board in late May.

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🔗 Review the Draft Addendums:
View the Emergency Preparedness Addendum (PDF)

📝 Share Your Feedback:
Complete the Survey

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🙏 Thank you to the volunteers who’ve dedicated nearly two years to this effort

HISTORIC STRUCTURES IN THE FLOOD PLAIN

Guidelines on Flood Adaptation for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings – 2021

Guidelines for Reducing Flood Risk to Residential Buildings that cannot be elevated – 2015

AFTER A FLOOD

Prioritize Your Health and Safety – 2024 (Neighbor to Neighbor)

Mental Health Resources for Flood Recovery – 2024 (The Vermont Department of Mental Health)

Guide for Cleaning up Mold After a Flood – 2015 (FEMA)

Four Ways to Reduce Flood Insurance Costs (FEMA)

Flood Resistant Materials for Rebuilding After a Flood – 2024 (State of Vermont)

Repairing Your Flooded Home – 2010 (FEMA)

Protecting Building Utility Systems from Flood Damage – 2017 (FEMA)

Flood Damage Resistant Materials – 2008 (FEMA)

Post Flooding Technical Assistance Toolkit for Agriculture – 2024 (State of Vermont)

FLOOD RELATED PLANNING DOCUMENTS

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Recommended Actions to Improve the Safety of Vermonters During Major Flooding Events – UVM – 2024

Lamoille River Tactical Basin Plan – 2021

Lamoille River Tactical Basin Plan – Story map – please note that this link takes you away from our website to a story map – Lamoille River Tactical Basin Plan Overview

Basin 7 Lamoille Assessment Report -2016

A Strategy to Protect Communities and Ensure Clean Water by Mike Kline – 2016

Notes from the Draft Tactical Basin Plan – 2016

Upper Lamoille River Geomorphic Assessment – 2009

River Recovery in the Wake of Large Floods – 2024 (Jordan Fields at Trout Unlimited) (YouTube Video)

JACKSON DAM

Hardwick Lake Dam 2019 Visual Inspection

Hardwick Lake Today and Tomorrow by the Northern Rivers Land Trust – 2013

Report on the Jackson Bridge Dam by the Vermont Natural Resources Council – 2001

FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECTS

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TOWN-WIDE INITIATIVES

1.) EDA grant for Flood Models of the Lamoille River and the Cooper Brook. The Engineering firm has been retained and the work will be done by December 2025

2.) A Local Emergency Management Plan is under construction – four new local categories are being designed: Emergency Volunteer Mobilization, Emergency Communications, Emergency Shelter, and the Supply and Support Center. A draft version will be available by Town Meeting.

3.) The Neighbor to Neighbor Supply Center will become a sustainable and ready-to-go element of emergency response.

4.) The Town Flood Resilience Website pages at Hardwickvt.gov have been updated and have more information for the public.

5.) The Hardwick Unified Development Bylaws were updated in September 2024 and the Flood Hazard Area Overlay rules now match the requirements from the State of Vermont and FEMA and will be ready for the anticipated update to the Floodplain maps.

6.) A Long-Term Recovery Plan is in progress.

7.) Six bridges will have engineering under way for permanent replacements/upgrades by 2026.

8.) Eleven damaged roads will have updated culverts by the end of 2025. Additional mitigation projects are ongoing on all roads in town.

9.) An Emergency Alert notification system (Text My Gov) and a physical emergency siren warning system will be implemented in early 2025.

FLOOD AREA SPECIFIC INITIATIVES (PDF)

Hardwick Future Flood Resiliency and Mitigation Projects – March 2025

Hardwick Flood Resiliency Projects – 2023 and 2024 (Town Report Version) – January 2025

Hardwick Floodplain Acquisition list – March 2025

VT Digger article on the Civic Standard’s building and possible floodplain acquisition

Hardwick Projects from 2023 and 2024 – October 30, 2024

Hardwick Projects from 2023 and 2024 – August 13, 2024

Hardwick Projects from 2023 and 2024 – August 1, 2024

Hardwick Projects from 2023 and 2024 – July 26, 2024

Community Meeting – 9-16-24 – Slides

Adaptation for All: How to Build Flood Resilience for Communities of Every Size (American Flood Coalition – pdf) – page 36 has the Dog River Park in Northfield, Vermont. Stay tuned for a local version!!

HELPFUL LINKS

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Neighbor to Neighbor – Hardwick Area Neighbor to Neighbor – Need anything? Want to help? Get in touch. Call or text 802-441-3301 or hardwickneighbors@gmail.com

New England 511 – State Road closures and construction information

Vermont.gov/flood – Vermont Flood Resources