The Burke Town Plan was updated and readopted in accordance with 24 V.S.A. §4387 by the Burke Planning Commission and by the Burke Selectboard in November 2017.  Below are excerpts from the Introduction. View the complete plan here.

Introduction - Vision

The Town of Burke is a dynamic community. Its rich history and heritage are grounded in the Vermont doctrine of freedom and unity. Our agrarian past has left a legacy that is prominent in our landscape and continues to influence the character of our community. While we are indebted to our past, the Town’s recent history has been one of transition.

The changes that have affected the town mirror those influencing the state as a whole. Our resource-based economy, founded on agriculture and forestry, is now built on recreation and an enviable quality of life. The town has been transformed from a quiet farming town to a resort destination, and increasingly, a center for innovation and commerce. This transformation has not been without costs: to tranquility, to the landscape, and to the insular nature of the community. Burke has managed, however, to retain many of the best elements of its past and merge them with a modern economy driven by tourism, technology, accessibility, and respect for our natural and social heritage.

As we look to the future, we can only conclude that change will continue. To best confront the future, the town should look to its past, to the path provided by our forefathers. In this way we can arrive at the following principles which are found throughout this plan.

Open debate, accessible institutions and democracy are the basis of our local government;

Economic and cultural opportunities for local citizens enrich the entire community;

Access to quality education, a livable wage and safe and affordable housing are critical elements of a civil society;

All current and future residents of the town share the same rights and responsibilities, regardless of status or background;

As economies become more globalized, focusing on sustainable development and the careful stewardship of local resources will become increasingly important;

The town’s heritage, as defined by the historic settlement pattern of concentrated villages surrounded by open countryside and forested mountains, is among its greatest resources;

The Burke Mountain recreation area and other recreation businesses will be prosperous and join in public/private partnerships that benefit the town; Individual rights and their responsibility to the community should be balanced, as provided by local, state, and federal law.

Purpose of the Town Plan

Burke’s town plan was originally adopted in February 1975. The current plan was adopted in February 1994 and readopted with no changes in 2004. The town plan is the principal policy document for the Town of Burke. It articulates the aspirations of the community and provides a framework for achieving those aspirations. It is intended to guide how the town addresses such diverse community issues as land development, the provision of municipal services and facilities, environmental protection, economic development, and transportation. In developing the plan, an attempt was made to consider the factors that will affect the town’s growth well into the future. In addition to guiding local officials and citizens in making decisions regarding Burke's future, the Town Plan is intended to be relied upon as the basis for making decisions in a number of specific settings. Uses of the plan include:

Provide the framework for planning the future of the town.

Guide local decision-making in local regulatory reviews.

Serve as the basis for local decision-making during the Act 250 review process, and guiding the Planning Commission and Selectboard in making determinations of compliance with the town plan.

Provide a foundation for updating and revising subdivision and zoning bylaws.

Assist with the formulation of local policies and programs.

Serve as the primary resource document for private parties desiring to learn of the town and its goals and policies.

Establish a basis for the town’s interactions with Burke businesses, neighboring towns, and other levels of government.

Each chapter of the plan contains one or more overall goals for the topic, background information regarding the existing status of the topic and it's sub-topics, statements about future possible actions, and strategies for achieving the future desired results.

Burke residents have a rich tradition of democracy and participation in town government. Spirited debate, and occasional discord, is a predictable part of resolving important community issues. This plan was built with a focused public outreach effort designed to solicit greater community input regarding key issues facing the town’s future. This included a community survey of all town voters and landowners. Approximately 1,600 surveys were distributed and 500 surveys were returned, for an overall response rate of 31%. A summary of the survey results is attached. There were also a considerable number of comments and suggestions from survey respondents. A copy of the complete survey results along with all the comments is available at the Town Clerks office. The survey results were used to address a wide range of issues in this Town Plan.  Valuable input was also provided as the result of several public meetings and from citizen advisory groups formed as the result of the public meetings.

As is usually the case, there is room for additional public involvement at all levels of the planning process. The use of surveys and questionnaires, public forums and greater coordination between interest groups and the town has ensured the past participation of town residents in local decision making. The ongoing coordination with owners of the Burke Mountain recreation area, local citizen groups, businesses, and regional agencies will ensure that such involvement continues to shape town policies.

The goals established for the development of a revised Burke Town Plan included:

Encouraging the widespread involvement of Burke citizens and landowners at all levels of the local planning and decision-making process.

Providing opportunities for citizens input at every stage of the planning and decision-making process.

Decision making only in an open, public environment.

Adopting a Town Plan that is consistent with state planning goals in Title 24 VSA Chapter 117 {4302}.

Recognizing statutory hearing requirements as a minimum level of public involvement, and additional ones held in all instances where public interest is evident.

Public forums, direct mailings, and notices placed in local newspapers to inform the public of planning activities.

Review of the Town Plan and related planning documents on a regular basis and modifications made as appropriate to address changing circumstances.

Coordination of planning activities with those of neighboring towns and regions.

Provide neighboring towns with an opportunity to comment on local matters of concern through notification of pending decisions that may affect them.

To support and request support from regional organizations that provide municipal planning services.

Source: Burke Town Plan