James P. W. Goss--A Good Attorney to Have on Your Side
Between 2010 and 2015, Attorney James Goss has assisted The Conservation Fund in the acquisition of multiple properties for conservation purposes in central and northern Vermont, including the towns of Ira, Poultney, Braintree, Bridgewater and Hancock. The Fund acquires conservation easements or fee interests in high-value conservation lands throughout the country and maintains a strong Vermont presence. Attorney Goss has represented The Conservation Fund for many years in its various undertakings in the state.
In late 2012, Attorney James Goss successfully completed the highly contested Act 250 and zoning permitting of a pre-existing sand and gravel pit in Brandon, Vermont. While the pit had existed for many years, the Vermont Natural Resources Board maintained that an increase in activity triggered Act 250 jurisdiction. Attorney Goss negotiated resolution of the alleged violation with the Natural Resources Board and then brokered a comprehensive settlement with project neighbors which allowed the project to continue in operation. The project also involved complex conveyancing to relocate an access road to neighboring properties which in turn provided access to additional sand and gravel reserves.
Over the past four years, Attorney James Goss has represented Zaremba Group and Dollar General Stores in permitting multiple locations throughout the State of Vermont. This has involved contested zoning and Act 250 proceedings in multiple towns including Northfield, Jericho, Fairlee, Arlington, Hardwick and Pownal. Attorney Goss also assisted in addressing title and conveyancing issues in connection with establishment of these stores, in addition to contested Act 250 zoning and other state permitting. As of 2015, Attorney Goss has assisted in permitting or vetting more than a dozen potential locations for this national retailer.
Attorney James Goss and other Firm attorneys continue to maintain an active practice in assisting traditional sportsmen's clubs throughout the State of Vermont in addressing neighbor complaints and various zoning and Act 250 permitting issues. Attorney Goss has recently represented Hale Mountain Fish & Game Club, Proctor Fish & Game Club, Manchester Rod & Gun Club and Woodstock Rod & Gun Club in addressing a variety of neighbor conflicts, safety issues, zoning issues, Act 250 and related state and local permitting issues concerning their efforts to make shooting facilities freely available for Vermont sportsmen. The Firm maintains an active practice in representing traditional Vermont sports clubs in all aspects of their business and land use operations.
In 2014, Attorney James Goss assisted Fuller Sand & Gravel, Inc., a major central Vermont producer of aggregate and hot-mix paving products, in securing Act 250 approval for a modification of truck traffic permit conditions for its facility in Danby, Vermont. The contested process involved hearings in front of the District #1 Environmental Court and will enable the company to be more flexible in responding to customer demand in its business.
In late 2014, Attorney James Goss and the Transaction Department of the Firm assisted The Binding Site VT with the acquisition and state permitting of a new property in connection with their biotechnology facility in Benson, Vermont. The Binding Site is a British company which specializes in producing monoclonal antibodies for sensitive medical tests. Mr. Goss assisted The Binding Site with acquisition of the land and the permitting work for a new laboratory and related facilities on the property.
In 2014 -15, Firm Attorney James Goss represented Rutland Town Fire District #10 in obtaining the Act 250 and Agency of Natural Resources permits necessary to discontinue use of its antiquated water system serving approximately two dozen homes in Rutland Town, Vermont, and to place those homes on individual water supplies. Attorney Goss coordinated applications for individual Potable Water Supply and Wastewater Disposal Permits for all lots in the subdivision which allowed those lots to disconnect from the existing Fire District infrastructure and drill their own wells. Attorney Goss was hired and then obtained Act 250 approval for the disconnect after the owners and their consultants had been mired in years of delay and unsuccessful legal proceedings. Due to the effort made to resolve all contested issues in advance, ultimate Act 250 approval was issued without the necessity of a hearing.
In the Spring of 2015, Attorney James Goss assisted Benson Chevrolet, a long-standing family owned automotive dealership, in contested permitting of a new Chevrolet dealership building in Ludlow, Vermont. The project involved complete replacement of the historic dealership and obtaining local zoning permits and Act 250 approval. Mr. Goss and other Firm attorneys assisted the Benson family in navigating the new Vermont Fluvial Erosion Hazard Zone rules due to the proximity of the project to the Black River.
In the Spring of 2015, Attorney James Goss successfully defended a zoning permit granted to Two Bad Cats, LLC, a small light industrial operation in Clarendon, Vermont, against a contested appeal by a number of neighbors. Attorney Goss was able to have the appeals dismissed on the grounds that the neighbors did not have standing to be interested persons in the zoning appeal, thus avoiding a trial on the merits completely. One of the neighbors has appealed the matter to the Vermont Supreme Court where it is presently pending.
As of the summer of 2015, Firm Attorney James Goss continues to assist North East Materials Group and Rock of Ages Corporation in highly contested permitting of a rock crushing facility and hot-mix asphalt plant in the Rock of Ages Quarry in Barre, Vermont. The project has involved multiple proceedings before the Act 250 District Commission, the Agency of Natural Resources Air Pollution Control Division, the Vermont Environmental Division and the Vermont Supreme Court over the past several years. To date, both the hot-mix plant and the crushing plant have been established successfully in spite of on-going local opposition represented by Vermont Law School. North East Materials Group supplies aggregate and hot mix to many local towns and to the State of Vermont in connection with its road construction and maintenance activities.
In July of 2015, Attorney James Goss represented the Rutland, Vermont, accounting firm of Siliski & Buzzell in a merger of its operations with Davis & Hodgdon Associates, CPAs, of Burlington, Vermont. Attorney Goss negotiated and/or drafted all transaction documents necessary to effectuate the merger with the assistance of associates and paralegals in the Firm’s Commercial Practice Group.
Firm Attorney James Goss recently assisted Pristine Mountain Springs, a commercial provider of bulk spring water in Pittsfield, Vermont, in obtaining Water Source Approval from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation for its commercial water withdrawal operation. Pristine Springs has been a provider of quality bulk water for many years, both in and outside the State of Vermont. Source approval was issued for Pristine Springs without any onerous conditions being imposed by the Agency.