Downtown Vermillion crosswalk during a weekday in the early afternoon. Vermillion has won numerous awards for its community planning and "smart growth" initiatives. However, this planning history has also created a lot of animosity between area businesses and landholders in the surrounding areas. Many feel that the restrictive zoning and open space policies that have preserved a high quality of life within the town had put a number of restriction on the types of properties that can be developed. Many feel that this restrictive zoning allows only those business owners with money to stay in the downtown area and forces many new businesses to other, neighboring towns.