What's Next? Ideas For Projects

Now that the Concert Hearings are behind us what's next for VCRD? We are considering whether to keep our new community together and do some positive things for our extended neighborhood and the town of Vernon. On this page you'll find ideas for projects that have been suggested. If there is interest we may pursue them. For now we're just collecting and sharing the possibilities. If you have additional ideas please send them to info@VernonCRD.org.

The ideas are roughly grouped by area of interest.

Organization

• Review our mission? What should be our focus? What geographical area should we include?

• What is the best way to be organized to support our mission and continued fund raising?

• Define membership. Dues paying, required participation, by donation?

Planning, Regulation & Watch List

• Committee to brainstorm and participate in developing Vernon's Plan Of Conservation & Development. Updating the 10-Year Plan is currently underway.

• Monitor Public Notices, Committee Agendas and Minutes and communicate to the public.

• Encourage developing a town noise ordinance

• Encourage an updating of town ordinances. It's been decades since there has been a thorough review.

• The Conservation Commission and Open Space Task Force have openings and need volunteers. Also consider applying for Inland Wetlands and Planning and Zoning Commissions, even if as alternate.

• What else can we do with planning, regulations and ordinances? What have we learned about our regulations, what is missing? Need a bulleted list.

Recreation, Education & Maintenance

• Adopt the Tankerhoosen. Develop trail system, keep it clean, help monitor water quality. Work with Belding Wildlife Management Area, DEP, Hockanum River Linear Park Committee and Vernon Greenways Volunteers.

• Work with Vernon Greenways Volunteers - adopt a trail.

• Develop an educational section of the website with history, trails and photos or links to information.

• Do a clean up of the area roads and trails twice a year on Earth Day and Columbus Day weekend.

Greening Vernon

• Help Vernon become the Greenest town in the region (for starters). What does that mean? What steps can we take? What are other towns doing?

• Work with the Vernon Clean Energy Program encouraging people to use green energy.

• How can we support Vernon’s New Energy Improvement District.

• Support local Farmers Markets.

• How can we support environmental sustainability? Outreach programs?

Coordinate & Energize The Community

• Coordinate and publicize with other groups in Town. Share information and mailing lists. Develop a webpage of all groups.

• Have regular picnics and events to keep us together.

• Use Vernon Neighbor to Neighbor Blog. Develop our own blog.

• In our Tankerhoosen Valley community one of the biggest challenges will be retrofitting existing neighborhoods to increase walkability, sociability, sustainability, and safety. How can we make our surroundings more amenable to spontaneous, non-commercial, human-scale social interaction?