Vermont lawmakers briefed on $27 million plan for youth offender facility

Vermont lawmakers briefed on $27 million plan for youth offender facility

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Architects and officials with the Department for Children and Families briefed key lawmakers Wednesday on the $27 million Green Mountain Youth Campus, a proposed secure facility for young offenders in South Burlington

Leaders say the project aims to provide education and treatment for teens in the criminal justice system. There’s been a gap since the closure of Woodside six years ago.

DCF is still in the local planning and permitting process, but officials say they are working to engage with the community.

“We’ve been putting together the frequently asked questions about the project to make sure there aren’t any rumors that this is a correctional facility. It’s easy to interpret it that way, but it’s not,” said Andrew Martin with Neagley & Chase Construction.

DCF is hoping to have the project fully open by the summer of 2028.

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