City of Vergennes, VT

The State of Vermont is exploring the possibility of establishing a state-of-the-art, secure, therapeutic campus in Vergennes for youth.

We want to assure our residents that their economic well-being and safety will be a top priority as the state engages the city in this process.  The City intends to vigorously protect and promote the interest of our citizens, and ensure the State supports Vergennes in meeting any potential increase in demand for public and emergency services.  

The state began identifying potential locations for this facility In 2023.  At that time, the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) sought proposals from builders to design and construct this facility, considering both private land in South Burlington and state-owned land in Vergennes.  During that phase, representatives from BGS and the Department of Children and Families engaged in constructive discussions with our city leaders, including the city manager, city council members, zoning administrator, planning commission chair, a representative from the Vergennes Partnership, and our police chief. The purpose was to share details about the project and to understand the community's potential needs and concerns should Vergennes be selected as the site.

The proposed 14-bed campus would be situated on an eight-acre site off of Comfort Hill Road, north of the existing solar array. It is designed specifically to support youth in the justice system and  is expected to have a staff of 30.  The State of Vermont is now in the process of finalizing the location of the facility. 

There are two things to keep in mind as this process unfolds:
1. Any proposed facility will require a zoning permit. If the state chooses Vergennes as the location for the facility, the city has a robust zoning process in place to ensure that the interests of abutting property owners and the community are protected.
2. The state has also communicated to us that they intend to hold a thorough public education and community engagement process, once a decision about the location has been made. There will be many opportunities for our residents to express their concerns and share their needs directly with the state as the project evolves.

While we recognize the need for facilities in our state like the one being proposed, the City of Vergennes is actively participating in these discussions with a commitment to safeguarding the safety and interests of all our residents.   Your voices matter to us, and we will continue to prioritize transparency and community involvement as this project moves forward.

Attention daily commuters over the Vergennes 22A Bridge.
Parent Construction is going to be starting bridge repair on Thursday April 18th. Traffic will be down to one lane for 3 weeks. If you have the ability to take a different route you may want to plan extra time in your commute.