There open position is for Alternate Member seat for a 1-year term from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. The alternate may attend all meetings but can only vote in the event of an absence or recusal.

Meeting Information

Meetings are typically held at 7:00 PM on the first and third Tuesdays of each month and last approximately 2 hours. The Commission holds an average of about 23 meetings per year.

The primary function of the Planning Commission is long range planning through the preparation of two key documents:

• Comprehensive Plan ("Town Plan" or "municipal plan"): The plan is a framework toward attaining community aspirations through public investments, land use regulations, and other implementation programs such as a state-designated downtown or village center, business improvement districts, or land conservation programs. It can also qualify the community for state grants to fund improvements or receive specialized technical assistance. The plan helps identify priorities for funding, establishing a capital improvement program, and directing other public initiatives. 

• Unified Development Bylaw ("zoning regulations" or "zoning bylaws"): Land use regulations are one of the many ways the town implements the goals and vision of the Comprehensive Plan. In Williston, subdivision and land use regulations are "unified" in one document. The Planning Commission is responsible for writing and revising the bylaw, and any changes must be approved by the Selectboard. The bylaws map out zoning districts, and designate the allowed uses, dimensional standards, and design requirements for each zoning district including the newly adopted Taft Corners Form-Based Code. 

The planning commission must solicit public input, weigh options, and recommend policy decisions that will chart the future of the community and which may eventually have the force and effect of law. For these reasons, planning commission members must always act in the public interest and put the general welfare of the community above any personal interests. To that end, the American Planning Association provides ethical principles to guide participants in the planning process: 

• Recognize the rights of citizens to participate in planning decisions
• Strive to give citizens (including those who lack formal organization or influence) full, clear, and accurate information on planning issues and the opportunity to have a meaningful role in the development of plans and programs
• Strive to expand choice and opportunity for all persons, recognizing a special responsibility to plan for the needs of disadvantaged groups and persons
• Assist in the clarification of community goals, objectives, and policies in plan-making
• Ensure that reports, records and any other nonconfidential information that is, or will be, available to decision-makers is made available to the public in a convenient format and sufficiently in advance of any decision
• Strive to protect the integrity of the natural environment and the heritage of the built environment
• Pay special attention to the interrelatedness of decisions and the long-range consequences of present actions

• Residents and non-residents of Williston are welcome to apply. 
  Pursuant to § 15(b)(2)(A) of the Town Charter, "There shall be seven members, a majority of which shall be residents, appointed for staggered four-year terms." Therefore, 3 out of 7 seats may be held by non-residents.
• Members should represent all walks of life, including those in planning-related professions such as architects, developers, attorneys, and engineers, as well as general community and neighborhood representatives. Members should come from different parts of the community and from different economic backgrounds. Diverse membership helps ensure that all areas and points of view within the community receive ample representation.