A picturesque Vermont town that has provided a backdrop for early environmentalists, the Rockefellers and even the Budweiser Clydesdales is fighting to retain its charm.
Zoning regulations require that most buildings in the central district of Woodstock have shutters, a symbol of the architectural beauty of rural New England.
Many shutters adorning homes and buildings were installed decades ago, and they are deteriorating. Some property owners are questioning the community's requirement, arguing that the regulations are enforced irregularly, and that some buildings look better without shutters.
In 2014, Woodstock lost a legal battle with someone who wanted to remove their shutters, so officials rewrote the rules. It won two more recent court cases supporting its shutter position.
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