A look into how Alliance for Vermont Communities came to exist.

Alliance for Vermont Communities was formed in 2016 in opposition to the NewVistas project, a proposed corporate-run settlement of 20,000 people centrally located within the four towns of Royalton, Tunbridge, Sharon and Strafford. NewVistas’ buildings were designed to be factory-built modular structures for large-scale production and simplicity.  If completed, this project would have caused a population explosion in the four towns, and irrevocably changed their historic nature. The NewVistas project was eventually abandoned here in Vermont, but David Hall continues planned developments in Utah and elsewhere in the world.  The NewVistas project was eventually abandoned here in Vermont, but David Hall continues planned developments in Utah and elsewhere in the world.

Vermont is unique – one of the few states where you can grow or hunt your own food, give back to the land as much as it gives you, recreate in the beautiful landscapes among the hills and valleys, and know your neighbors. The threat of losing some of the working landscape within the four town region to a large scale development galvanized a group of dedicated community members to take action. The resulting grassroots movement to protect our communities led to the formation of Alliance for Vermont Communities. At our formation in August of 2016, as a 501(c)3 non-profit, we decided to state what we were dedicated to work against, while working towards what we did want for our communities.

Since its formation the Alliance has actively partnered with local and state organizations to create a positive, thriving place that builds on its agrarian and forest related roots. Places to hike and learn about nature, to farm, to hunt, and to connect with the land. We actively helped in educating our neighbors, our local communities, and the state to the negative impact NewVistas would have had on the area.

NewVistas was founded by David Hall, a Utah resident who has invested over $100 million and more than 20 years of research into this project, which is based on Joseph Smith’s Plat of Zion (circa 1833). In less than two years he purchased over 1500 acres in Vermont.

Selected articles:

July 20, 2016- Bloomberg Business Week: The story breaks nationally in this coverage by Bloomberg Business Week.    https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-newhttps://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-newvistas-mormon-utopia/vistas-mormon-utopia/

Listen To The Story:

4 Vermont Towns Against One Utah Developer: What Happened With NewVistas (VPR’s Brave Little State)  vpr.org)https://www.vpr.org/post/4-vermont-towns-vs-1-utah-developer-what-happened-newvistas