In 2004, the Town of Georgia completed a village master plan for a new growth center at Exit 18 on Vermont I-89. That process involved extensive public participation to determine which of three different growth scenarios the public preferred. The preferred growth scenario involved 1,393 acres of commercial, industrial and residential uses in a combination of mixed-use and single-use lands. In 2006, Crane Associates was asked to determine the economic feasibility of this preferred growth scenario. The study included an analysis of growth patterns and trends throughout the 2-county northwestern Vermont region. The study also included an analysis of commercial, industrial and residential real estate markets. The study concluded that the original master plan would take over 100 years to achieve. Crane Associates provided a new master plan based on market realities. As a result, the town was able to plan for smaller amounts of developed land, conserve critical open space, and save money on infrastructure costs.
