HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnnual Report July 01, 2018 - June 30, 2019FISCAL YEAR 2019 ANNUAL REPORT
CITY DIRECTORY
CITY COUNCIL
Chair Helen Riehle hriehle@sburl.com
Vice-Chair Meaghan Emery memery@sburl.com
Clerk Tim Barritt tbarritt@sburl.com
Tom Chittenden tchittenden@sburl.com
Dave Kaufman dkaufman@sburl.com
CITY MANAGER
City Manager Kevin Dorn kdorn@sburl.com 802-846-4107
Deputy City Manager Tom Hubbard thubbard@sburl.com 802-846-4107
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
City Clerk’s Office 802-846-4105 Recreation & Parks 802-846-4108
Community Development 802-846-4123 Planning & Zoning 802-846-4106
Community Engagement 802-846-4127 Police (non-emergency) 802-846-4111
(Public Information)
Fire Rescue (non-emergency) 802-846-4110 Public Works 802-658-7961
Human Resources 802-846-4118 Tax Department 802-846-4109
Library 802-846-4140 Water Department 802-864-4361
Water Quality 802-658-7964
SOURCES OF PUBLIC CITY INFORMATION
Website: www.southburlingtonvt.gov
Facebook: @SouthBurlington
Twitter: @SBCityVT
Hashtag: #SoBu
CITY MANAGER
Kevin Dorn, City Manager
I am pleased to provide this annual message and overview of the past year to the residents and taxpayers
of the City of South Burlington. Much has been accomplished over the past twelve months and we look
forward to a very exiting 2020.
Our finance team, department managers, and City Council worked very hard and with a sharp pencil to
keep the increase in our proposed FY ‘21 budget to a bare minimum. The Council and the administration
recognize the impacts or rising taxes on our residents and that is why we worked so hard to hold
spending to a barely sustainable level. In the end the Council approved a 2.98% increase in the tax rate
which translates into a $54 increase for the average home owner and $37 for the average owner of a
condominium.
As readers may not know, the vast majority of our budget is non-discretionary, meaning that we are
obligated to pay the costs as presented. These non-discretionary items include contractual matters such
as wages, salaries and benefits that are negotiated with our employee bargaining units, health care and
pension contributions and a multitude of other fixed obligations.
What remains is discretionary spending – a very small part of our budget – where restraint or even cuts
must be endured. Paving, adding staff, buying books and improvements to our parks are examples of
discretionary spending that can be reduced or even eliminated when budgets get tight. But these are a
small fraction of the overall budget so when cuts are made in these programs the impact can be minimal
on the overall budget.
The point is that with so much of our budget being a fixed obligation the more difficult it is to reduce
spending in an impactful way.
We hope you will take time to read and understand the budget. If you have any questions please feel free
to give me or Deputy City Manager Tom Hubbard a call.
2019 was an incredibly busy year in the City of South Burlington. Some very important work on services
and issues important to the residents were accomplished and I outline just some of them below.
City Center is being built. The vision held by the members of this community for over 50 years is now
coming to fruition. Market Street has been completed and is open to traffic; both auto and bike/pedestrian.
Market Street includes plenty of parking, wide bike and pedestrian facilities and lighting and other
amenities that make it a very attractive “main street” for our community.
Both Allard Square, 39 units of affordable senior housing developed by Cathedral Square, and the Garden
Apartments, 60 units of affordable housing built by the Champlain Housing Trust are both completed
and open to residents. Another large housing project on Garden Street is beginning to go through the
permitting process.
Garden Street north has been constructed part of the way from Market Street to Midas Drive and the
connection, which is a City responsibility, is in the design phase. The southern part of Garden Street from
Dorset to Market is also under construction and should be completed sometime this year. City Center is
well on its way!
We had tremendous public attendance at our summer SoBu Nite Out series of concerts and food trucks.
Now in its 4th year, SoBu Nite Out drew crowds of over 1,000 people at each of the six events. We are
looking for an even better program in the summer of 2020. Watch our website and the Other Paper for
more on those events soon.
2019 was also a great year for our parks. We are investing more funding in maintaining and improving all of
our parks and are working toward establishing a new dog park for our four-legged residents. That park will
likely be built near the Swift Street parking lot next to the Wheeler House.
Representatives of the City participated in a series of meetings with the (South) Burlington International
Airport on a Noise Compatibility Program that moves beyond the prior focus on buying and demolishing
houses. Over the years we have lost about 200 houses to this program; houses that met an affordability
level that simply cannot be replaced.
The new program will focus on insulating houses for sound-proofing purposes as well as supporting
owners who want to sell their homes. This plan has been approved by the Burlington City Council and is
now being reviewed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Assuming FAA approval the next step will be
for the Airport to apply for federal grants to implement the program.
The City Council established “Interim Zoning” that places restrictions on development in certain areas of
South Burlington most notably the so-called Southeast Quadrant. Proposed development in the subject
area must comply with certain restrictions and, in addition to the normal review by the Development
Review Board, require review by the Council as well.
The Council enacted IZ in 2018 and then appointed committees to study issues such as identifying
valuable open space, creating new standards for developments call Planned Unit Developments (PUDs),
addressing deficiencies in our Transferable Development Rights (TDRs) program and trying to better
understand the costs and benefits associated with open space and the development of such space. The
Committees have been working hard on these issues and will be delivering the results of their studies to
the Council this winter.
2019 was the first full year of implementation of our “Energy Revolving Investment Fund”. Under this
program we are investing funds that we receive from the solar project on our closed landfill off of Airport
Parkway in programs to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings and our city-owned facilities. We
then identify the savings that flow from those investments in terms of reduced electrical or thermal costs
and place those in a fund to be reinvested in more efficiency programs. This concept was put forth by the
South Burlington Energy Committee and is already showing great results in reducing our overall demand
on energy and achieving climate goals set by the Council.
Our Bike and Pedestrian Committee was busy this year planning for the use of the “Penny for Paths” funds
that are accumulating as a result of the voter approved ballot item passed in August of 2018. There are
numerous new bike and pedestrian facilities in the planning phase and we expect to see construction
begin on some of them this spring and summer. Making South Burlington safer for those who bike or walk
is a high priority for the Committee and the City Council.
In 2019 South Burlington joined with the towns of Williston, Shelburne, St. George and Hinesburg to form
the Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership. This group was organized in recognition of the fact that
the individual communities have either conserved land, or certain parcels have restrictions on them based
upon natural resource protections, that are in close proximity to one another. The Communities recognize
that we can do more together across borders as a group to protect and maintain our conserved lands if
we work together. You will be hearing a lot more from this group.
In the past year we completed negotiations on contracts with the three bargaining units representing
employees at the Police Department, the Fire Department and the Department of Public Works/City Hall.
These contracts were retroactive to July 1, 2018 and they have a duration of three years. We will begin
discussions with the bargaining units sometime this year with the goal of having the three labor contracts
in place by July 1, 2021.
Employee wellness and safety are always a top priority but even more so during 2019. I challenged each
department to prepare for a safety audit to be conducted by an organization called Project WorkSafe.
After an enormous amount of effort to address safety issues throughout City government, Project
Workplace completed a safety audit finding very few deficiencies. Those deficiencies were quickly
remedied and we received a clean audit from Project WorkSafe.
The importance of this focus on workplace safety is twofold; above all things, we want our City employees
to be safe and to avoid injuries that could have life-long implications or worse. As City Manager workplace
safety and the wellness of our workforce is my number one priority. In addition, failing an inspection by the
Vermont Occupational Health and Safety Administration can lead to very serious fines. I am pleased that
we passed the audit but we all recognize that workplace safety must remain our top priority and we must
continue to be diligent about maintaining a safe workplace. Lastly, a relentless focus on safety leads to
reductions in the cost of workers compensation insurance with that benefit flowing to the taxpayers.
2019 was the first full year of operation for our Community Outreach Program. South Burlington has
joined with Colchester, Winooski, Essex, Williston and Shelburne and our partners at Howard Mental
Health to embed five professional mental health counselors in our police and fire departments to respond
to residents and visitors experiencing a mental health crisis. We anticipated and have now proven the
efficacy of having trained counselors respond to individuals with mental health needs and addressing
those needs at the point of contact.
In the past, it was our police and ambulance teams who responded to folks experiencing a mental health
crisis. The most frequent outcome of that engagement would be taking the individual to the Emergency
Department for evaluation and treatment. This has contributed to an ongoing overcrowding situation in the
ED that has risen to an almost crisis level.
Often our CO counselors respond independently of the need to have police officers accompanying them
thereby freeing the officers for other work. But there are times when our councilors and the police or
ambulance teams deploy to the situation together to address urgent mental health needs. The result of
this partnership between mental health counselors and first responders are far better outcomes for the
individual and a significant decline in the number of our residents and visitors waiting to be attended to in
the Emergency Department of the hospital.
Working with other communities to build more housing that is affordable is a very high priority of the City
Council and your Affordable Housing Committee. With other partners in the nonprofit and private sector
we have made significant strides toward building more housing across a range of prices. Yet, we still
find that over 1,000 of our households are spending more than 50% of their income on housing. The only
solution is to increase our housing supply in a smart way so that prices moderate as supply equalizes with
demand.
Lastly, I want to make mention of the pilot program the City facilitated with a company called Consensus
out of Toronto. Consensus has developed a “block chain technology”- based application for smart phones
that allows real time polling of South Burlington residents on important issues of the day. Consensus
needed a municipal government with whom to partner in order to develop their technology and prepare
it for the market. We were happy to support Consensus in this pilot project thereby catching the attention
of a lot of the technology world as a local government favorable to technology companies, jobs and
economic growth. The Consensus app is now ready for the market and we were the first customer. So you
will see its continued use as our City Council, Committees and staff constantly look for feedback on issues
important to you.
Looking ahead, 2020 promises to be another exciting year for the City as we look to continue our major
projects. The Community Center will be well under construction heading toward a summer or fall 2021
opening. The design and operational plan for a proposed indoor recreation facility will be completed to the
point that the project is ready to be considered by the voters.
We are also looking forward to beginning the installation of “adaptive signal controls” along Williston
Road from Patchen/Hinesburg Road to the top of the hill in Burlington and from Williston Road to Kennedy
Drive on Dorset Street. These systems are the latest technology in signalized traffic control utilizing
sensors to provide information into a computer-controlled network of signals allowing for traffic control
based upon demand at each signal. We recognize the traffic concerns in this area and believe this new
system will have a material effect on addressing traffic backups.
We look forward to working with the Airport on moving forward with a noise abatement program centered
around the sound insulation of homes eligible for the program. As the City of Burlington owns the Airport
they will have to apply for the federal grant to support this effort. Our dependence on another City to
address the adverse impacts of noise from their Airport operations underscores the continuing need to
work toward regional Airport governance. As the externalities of airport operations have a regional impact
there should be a regional governing body overseeing its operations and management.
We also look forward to emerging from Interim Zoning with a plan to balance development and open
space needs that has broad public support. And should the budget be approved by voters in March we
will have more funding for paving leading to an improvement in the condition of our roads. We will also
hopefully see the completion of a new dog park and the continued development of updated management
plans and improvements in our other parks. We will continue our efforts on energy efficiency and
conservation continuing our plan to reinvest those savings in more improvements and we will continue to
support our existing businesses and recruiting new businesses to South Burlington to broaden and expand
our job base and economic opportunities for our residents.
I am so looking forward to the music and food truck line up for SoBu Nite Out this summer. And residents
will see a few new and exciting programs from our Recreation and Parks Department that will bring our
community together for fun in the outdoors.
This past year has brought progress toward increasing the quality of life and community for our residents
and we look forward to continuing that effort in 2020. To get there requires public participation in and
support for local government and we encourage all residents to be engaged in what is going on in the
community.
That said, I want to recognize the enormous contribution made by your municipal employees to
maintaining a safe and vibrant community. Think about the plow truck going by your house at 4:00 AM; that
truck is being driven by a Department of Public Works employee making sure the roads are clear to get to
work or take your child to school.
And when you are sick or injured at home or at work, a highly qualified South Burlington ambulance team
is there to address your health needs and transport you safely to the hospital, if needed. Fresh water
is provided throughout the City, provided by your team at the South Burlington Water Department. Your
toilets and sinks flush because the Water Quality Department is maintaining our system, some of the
highest efficiency systems found anywhere in the country. And in conjunction with your Water Quality
Department, your Stormwater Division is working to clean our waters and reverse the degradation of Lake
Champlain.
Every hour of every day of the year, your Police Department is on the job keeping our City safe and our
Fire Department is attending to emergencies in our community. Your Recreation Department is hosting a
multitude of programs in which you and your family can participate as they work to maintain our parks for
the use of our residents and visitors.
Your Public Library staff is hard at work planning for the transition to the new Public Library now under
construction in City Center, even as they help you find that mystery novel for which you are searching. And
your City Clerk’s office is always there to register you to vote, find important documents and provide an
array of other services.
Our Planning and Zoning staff implement the City’s zoning regulations and work with our Development
Review Board to review projects to ensure that they meet City standards and requirements. Your
Community Development team is overseeing City projects such as the Community Center and a potential
indoor recreation facility. And finally, your administrative staff provide the needed support for all of these
City services to build the highest quality of life that can be found anywhere.
You have 173 dedicated employees working constantly to maintain and improve your quality of life. Please
take a moment to let them know of your appreciation when you see them.
I want to close by saluting the City Council and all of the volunteers who serve on our various and many
City Committees. The five members of your Council work countless hours preparing for and sitting through
meetings, engaging with you and other members of the public to understand your needs and concerns
and doing their very, very best to represent those needs through the actions they take. It is not an easy job
to reconcile differences of opinion that may exist on policy issues and continue to move the community
forward toward an even higher quality of life for our residents. You may not agree with every decision
that the Council makes but we should all express our appreciation for their dedication and service to the
Community.
For me, personally, it is a great honor to serve the people of South Burlington. You have an incredible team
of dedicated employees working for you and I know I speak for all of them when I say thank you so much
for the opportunity to serve and for the tremendous support that you provide.
BOARD & COMMITTEE
REPORTS
Recreation & Parks
Committee
Development Review
Board
Library Board
Recreation & Parks
Committee
Development Review
Board
Affordable Housing Committee
Mission
The Affordable Housing Committee’s mission is to increase the availability of safe and affordable housing
in the city, particularly for households with incomes no greater than 80% of the median for the region. To
this end, it provides guidance and policy recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council,
educates the community about housing needs, and collaborates with regional municipalities and housing
partners.
Members
John Simson, Chair; Sandy Dooley, Vice-Chair; Leslie Black-Plumeau; Todd Rawlings; Larry Michaels; Mike
Simoneau; Tom Bailey; Paula DeMichele; Cindy Reed
Accomplishments
• Work with the Planning Commission and City Council to follow Inclusionary Zoning for the transit
overlay districts through to adoption and addition to the City’s Land Development Regulations.
• Work with the TDR and Open Space Subcommittees and Planning Commission PUD revision
efforts as required by Interim Zoning.
• Continue to educate the City Council, Planning Commission and the general public on the overall
positive impacts of increased housing at prices within reach of low and moderate income seniors
and working people in the city.
• Survey the land in the city served by utilities for sites that could accommodate high density or
clustered housing development.
Goals for FY 2020
• Review new Planning Commission PUD regulations for their impact on affordable housing and
participate in Planning Commission and City Council hearings and meetings.
• Study changes in the Land Development Regulations that will encourage private sector
additions to the City’s housing stock including accessory dwellings and short term rentals.
• Study LDR amendments that would allow increased residential development in commercial
and industrial districts and permit more housing units in all residential districts.
• Prepare an LDR amendment that will extend inclusionary zoning City-wide.
• Conduct a mapping and matrix project to identify priority land for additional housing.
• Work with Habitat for Humanity to support construction of affordable housing on land in the City.
• Develop a dedicated funding source or funding mechanism for the Housing Trust Fund to directly
impact the development of affordable housing.
Library Board
Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee
Mission
To oversee the general operation of the City’s bicycle and pedestrian facilities and to advise the City
Council of operational needs and future development plans for the network.
Members
Shawn Goddard, Chair; Cathy Frank, Vice-Chair; Bill Wooden, Clerk; Amanda Holland; Bob Britt; Dana Farr;
Donna Leban; Havaleh Gagne; Nic Anderson
Accomplishments
• Penny for Paths (P4P) ballot items passed overwhelmingly at the ballot box in August 2018 with
over 70% of voters supporting both the additional one cent tax as well as the bond request. The
vote allows the city to collect ~$300,000 over the next 10 years and bond against the full amount
immediately.
• The Committee worked with CCRPC to create an up-to-date city-wide map that includes all
bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The map will be available on the City website and will be
maintained as new infrastructure is added.
• The Committee worked with Local Motion and DPW on a pop-up on Lime Kiln Rd to evaluate
various pedestrian crossing solutions.
• The Committee worked with Recreation and Parks department to develop a series of family-
friendly bike rides with accompanying maps.
Current Projects
• Prioritizing how P4P funding would be used to support new bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
• The Committee worked with the City to identify the top priority projects, which include closing
multi-use path gaps, adding crosswalks, as well as re-striping and adding wider bike lanes.
• A key step was adding the P4P priorities and funding sources into the Capital Improvement Plan.
Penny for Pathways Priority projects:
• Paths: Dorset St, Airport Parkway, Upper Allen Rd, UVM jug handle
• Crosswalks: Williston Rd Hawk(s), Kennedy Dr Hawk, Hinesburg Rd, Swift/Spear signaled crossing
(Completed summer of 2019 - 1st P4P project completed!)
• Expanded funding for re-striping of fog lines & bike lanes.
Goals FY 2020
• Work with the City to develop and deploy Rec Path wayfinding and regulatory signage.
• Work with Energy Committee and South Burlington schools on the Way to Go: school initiative to
increase bicycle and pedestrian commuting, as well as carpooling, and bus/transit alternatives for
South Burlington students and staff.
• Improve awareness of South Burlington as a bikeable, walkable city via community outreach,
mapping work, and updates on People for Bikes and League of American Cyclists surveys.
Board of Civil Authority & Board of Abatement
Overview
The Governance and Responsibilities of South Burlington Boards of Civil Authority and Abatement are
established by State Statutes. The Board of Civil Authority hears appeals of assessed value of real estate
and conduct elections for the City. The Board of Abatement hears requests from taxpayers for their taxes
to be forgiven due to one of seven criteria set out in state statue. The two criteria that most requests are
for fire and inability to pay. Requests for abatement due to inability to pay are granted in very few cases
and only in the most severe situations. These 2 Boards operate under Quasi-judicial rules which means
that they are similar to a jury who hears the facts of the case from the City and the citizen and then goes
into a deliberative session and issues their decision in writing to the parties.
Board Members
Justice of the Peace — Chris Shaw, Chair; Peter Taylor, Vice-Chair;
Patrick Benner Sr*; Barbara Davis; John Davis; Jason Kirchick; Maurice
Mahoney; Pat Mahoney; Allyson Milot; Bob Nowak; Kate Nugent; Michael
Sirotkin; Michel St. Germain; Lynn Vera
City Councilors — Tim Barritt; Tom Chittenden; Meaghan Emery; David
Kaufman; Helen Riehle
City Clerk (clerk of the board) — Donna Kinville
Accomplishments and Events
• The Board of Civil Authority met 9 times during the fiscal year for
election preparations and election training. There were no property
value appeals to the board.
• The Board of Civil Authority oversaw 3 elections in FY 2019.
• The Board of Abatement held 2 meetings and heard requests for abatements from 3 citizens for
inability to pay and manifest error.
Qualitative Summary
The City of South Burlington Vision and Goal of “Affordability and Community Strong” to ensure
transparent and accessible government apply to both of these Boards. To accomplish this, the goals for
the 2 boards include:
• Increasing the commitment of Justices of the Peace in Board
responsibilities;
• Increasing Board member understanding Vermont statutes
related to the function of the Boards;
• Ensuring appellants understand the appeal’s process;
• Providing comment on Board related legislation;
• Ensure well-staffed and managed elections;
• Ensure adequate financing for Board responsibilities, especially
elections.
*The Boards would like to recognize Patrick
Benner who was a member of these boards
since February 2009 up until he passed away
on April 15, 2019. Patrick was our Vice-chair
for many years and was for this current year as
well prior to his passing.
Development Review Board
Mission
The Development Review Board’s mission is set forth in State Statutes. It is responsible for holding public
hearings to consider proposals for land development, including applications for subdivisions, planned unit
developments, site plans, variances, and miscellaneous application, and to hear appeals of decisions of
the City’s zoning administrator. The Development Review Board’s objective is to determine compliance of
proposals with the city’s Land Development Regulations.
Members
Bill Miller, Chair; Matt Cota, Vice-Chair; Brian Sullivan, Clerk; Frank Kochman; Jennifer Smith; Mark Behr;
John Wilking
Accomplishments & Events
The Board reviewed a wide range of projects. Among the most significant:
• Completed review and approval of a five story hotel adjacent to the Airport’s parking garage
• Completed review and approval of a “quick turnaround” replacement car rental facility at the
Airport
• Reviewed and approved a new bank, SeaComm, along Shelburne Road
• Reviewed and issued Master Plan and Preliminary Plat approval for the Dorset Meadows
neighborhood of 163 dwelling units.
• Heard a sketch plan proposal for 6 multi-family residential buildings at the O’Brien Home Farm
(Master Plan previously approved)
• Heard and denied two appeals of the Administrative Officer – from Allard Square on Market Street
and Denny’s on Swift Street
• Reviewed and approved a 2-house lot subdivision of the Ewing property off Cheesefactory lane,
including establishment of a 9.6 acre conservation parcel in South Burlington
• Reviewed and approved several subdivisions and mergers of lots in the City Center Form Based
Code District – for Snyder-Braverman Development, the City of South Burlington, David Shenk,
and Mitchell Schwartz. The site plans for development on each of these lots are administratively
reviewed.
• Began review of a subdivision off Meadowland Drive
• Heard a sketch plan proposal for a 144,000 s.f. FedEx Ground facility on Community Drive
• Concluded and issued an expanded final plat approval Cider Mill II, consisting of 142 dwelling
units
Quantitative Data
Decisions Issued
Conditional Use (CU)7 Design Review (DR)2
Site Plan (SP)*16 Reconsiderations 0
Subdivision (SD)17 Miscellaneous (MS)2
Master Plan (MP)0 Appeal of Administrative Officer 2
*Site plans issued by the DRB only. In FY 2019, 38 administrative site plans were issued by the Zoning
Administrator.
FY 2020 Goals and Priorities
• Training for new Board members joining in FY 2020
• Communicate to Planning Commission areas that cause trouble for DRB
• Increase DRB member knowledge of related South Burlington and Vermont Land Development
Regulations, statutes and rules
• Work with staff on administering new Form-Based Codes
• Ensure that DRB members are up to date on regional and statewide trends in planning and zoning
Energy Committee
Mission
The Energy Committee’s mission is to promote energy conservation, energy efficiency, and the use of
renewable energy resources among the city’s residents, businesses, and in municipal affairs. All projects
support the Comprehensive Plan.
Members
Andrew Chalnick; Don Cummings*; Keith Epstein*; Linda McGinnis*; Karen McKenny; Marcy Murray; Tim
Perrin; Richard Shrake; Sam Swanson; and Patty Tashiro (*Served in the rotating committee chairperson
role.)
Accomplishments
• Continued our efforts to assist the city in meeting their commitments toward their 2017 Vermont
Climate Pledge and 2014 resolution to Prioritize Municipal Energy Efficiency efforts.
• Met with the City Council to setup up a funding mechanism for municipal efficiency projects
using the revenue from the Landfill Solar Project for only that purpose.
• Worked with the City Council and the City Manager to increase the city’s efforts to improve
our building and infrastructure energy efficiency. This resulted in the hiring of an Energy
Efficiency Manager to identify, prioritize and implement energy efficiency projects. We
continue to meet with the Energy Manager and City Manager to help provide guidance and
encouragement. Projects underway or completed are:
• Upgrade all city owned Streetlights to LEDs to reduce cost and carbon impact.
• Upgrade all of the lighting in the Police Station to LEDs
• Working with the city administration to develop a Revolving Fund where savings from
municipal energy projects are “deposited” for subsequent investments in other future
efficiency projects.
• Carried out education and outreach to encourage the public to become more energy
efficient:
• Provided daily updates with meaningful content on Facebook and in our monthly email
newsletter
• Developed and published ads promoting efficiency in digital and print versions of the
Other Paper.
• Tabled at SunCommon’s Sun CARnival event promoting Electric Vehicles with
committee members bringing their plug-in vehicles for display and to provide demo
rides.
• Worked with Efficiency Vermont for them to fund energy-kits, through their “Button-up”
program, for the committee to distribute on election day as well as Smart Thermostats
for us to use as prizes for a contest.
• Worked with the Planning and Zoning Director to develop a Land Development Regulation to
require solar electric generation and battery storage on all new residential and commercial
construction. Now following up on questions from the S.B. Planning Committee, Green
Mountain Power, an architect, solar installers, and local developers to get their suggestions
and feedback.
• Worked with the city administration, the school district, CCRPC and Drive Electric Vermont
to apply for funds from the VW settlement to install Electric Vehicle chargers in the Middle &
High School parking lot and at the new City Hall/Library. The funds were granted for the City
Hall/Library location.
• Advised the city that the solar array on the new City Hall/Library should not require any
outside source of funding and that it may actually provide income if developed by a
commercial developer. We also noted that the city currently is over the state mandated Net-
Metering limit of 500kW which may limit the city’s ability to develop and connect the array.
• Advocated for Land Development Regulation (LDR) changes regarding bicycle parking
and bicycle facilities to make bike travel more convenient to reduce the climate impact of
automobile use.
• Encouraged the City Council to support a bill in the legislature to remove the Net-Metering
cap for schools and municipalities. The cap was raised form 500 kW to 1 MW for school
districts only.
• Working with CCRPC to update our carbon inventory so we can more precisely target areas
of our community that produce the highest amount of CO2 so that we can better tailor our
strategies.
• Continued to lead a collaborative effort to supplement traditional airport-related noise
abatement efforts with energy-efficiency-related insulation and associated measures.
• Representatives of the Energy Committee met with the Open Space and the Transfer
Development Rights committee to ensure that the city’s goals for solar generation and energy
efficiency were considered in their deliberations.
• Worked with UVM service learning team on their trip to Denmark to research topics related
to our Energy Committee’s efforts. Arranged for them to present their excellent results at a
meeting with members from our committee, the City Council and city staff.
• Georgetown University Energy Prize:
• Working with our Solar Partners to collect all the pledges ($7,570) that were made for solar
projects that were installed in S.B. during the Energy Prize effort.
• Working with the S.B. School Business Manager to determine where best to invest the
pledged amount to help reach the district’s energy reduction goals
2020 Priorities
• Support city administration in taking substantive action to fulfill the City Council’s August 2017
Vermont Climate Pledge Coalition commitment to meet the United States December 2015 Paris
Climate Accord pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions levels from 2005 by 26 to 28 percent
by 2025.
• Support the continuing municipal effort to meet the March 2014 City Council Resolution that
prioritizes energy efficiency and conservation actions.
• Develop Strategies, Projects, and outreach that the committee can undertake to minimize
energy usage by residents, businesses, schools and municipal departments by driving energy
efficiency of new and existing buildings, renewable energy generation, and low- and no-carbon
transportation initiatives.
• Continue to build an energy-efficient and clean energy community to maximize the health, safety
and economic wellbeing of community members.
• Advocating for city support of key regional and statewide energy-related policies and program
initiatives needed to achieve our long-term goals.
Library Board of Trustees
Overview
The South Burlington Library Board of Trustees is a 12-member appointed body that works closely with the
Library Director to develop goals and policies ensuring the library is meeting its mission and addressing
community needs. The Board meets once a month and Trustees also serve on the following committees:
Fundraising, Advocacy, Governance, Evaluation, Finance.
Members
Patrick Leduc, Chair; Stacey Pape, Vice-Chair; Lee Freeman, Secretary; Penne Tompkins; Diane Bugbee;
Mark Coel; Jay Pasackow; MargaretAnn Cross; Bonnie Finnigan; Nancy Fawley
Accomplishments
• In collaboration with the new South
Burlington Library foundation we
developed fundraising campaign
materials for the new library.
• The Trustees worked with the City to
continue to refine the new library’s
design and functional use as well as
budget and long-term staffing needs.
• The Trustees initiated a pay study that
will be completed in the upcoming
fiscal year
• The Trustees worked with the Library
Director to update various public
facing polices and the library’s
mission, vision, and values. This work
precedes the strategic planning
process that will continue into the
next fiscal year.
• The trustees provided input into and
supported library staff in a major update to the library’s website.
Goals FY 2020
• Work with other city committees to enhance the new library and help others meet their needs
• Plan a board retreat
• Develop Strategic Plan
• Develop public library pay study
Natural Resources Committee
Mission
To promote community awareness and recommend policy, on behalf of natural resources, which
contribute to the health, wellbeing, and quality of life of current and future generations within the South
Burlington community.
Members
David Crawford, Chair; Linda Chiasson; Vice-Chair; Lisa Yankowski, Clerk; Alyson Chalnick; Ray Gonda;
Duncan Murdoch; Jean-Sebastien Chaulot; Timmy Hess; Laura Williams
Accomplishments
• Revised mission statement, operating structure and operating policies.
• Collaborated with other city-sponsored advisory bodies, community organizations and institutions
in the development and implementation of activities that promote and enhance natural resources
in South Burlington.
• Ongoing collaboration with appropriate City staff and other resources to assess the health and
increase the City tree canopy.
• Actively attended DRB meetings to make recommendations regarding proposed developments.
Goals for FY 2020
• Tree Stewardship: Educate, Advise, Promote
• Wildlife Habitat Connectivity: Document, Advise, Preserve
• Expand of Use of Management Plan: Develop and recommend incentives, and collaborate with
City and regional groups.
Planning Commission
Mission
The Planning Commission’s mission is set forth in the City Charter and State Statutes. Among its powers
& duties are to prepare a plan and proposed bylaws for consideration by the City Council, undertake
capacity studies and make recommendations on matters of land development, transportation, economic &
social development, urban design improvements, historic & scenic preservation, and the conservation of
energy & natural resources, and to undertake projects requested by the City Council.
Planning Commission meetings are held currently on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at
7:00 PM at the City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Members
Jessica Louisos, Chair; Bernie Gagnon, Vice-Chair; Monica Ostby, Clerk; Ted Riehle, Art Klugo, Duncan
Macdonald, Michael Mittag
Accomplishments
Our Community visioned the City we should be in the Comprehensive Plan, and although it is not fast, we
are changing our Land Development Regulations and City policies to reflect those visions. Listening to our
citizens and balancing the current and future needs of all our citizens is something our Committee is proud
to strive for. There are many competing goods that take thoughtful planning to accomplish. Our small
steps in each recommendation for change to our laws are all moving toward our City having a better more
thoughtful future. The principles of Smart Growth do not always align with our traditional ways of doing
things and that change may not always be comfortable, but we are trying to move the City in the right
direction. A few highlights of work we are most proud of includes:
• A new type of zoning for City Center area to make what we see and how we interact with the
environment more predictable,
• Moving towards mixed use,
• Moving away from a sea of parking in front of each building,
• Prioritizing the safety and comfort pedestrians and bikers,
• Setting standards for how open spaces are selected, created, and used,
• Creating expanded natural resource protections,
• And making our LDRs more predictable so all parties have a better understanding of the
possibilities.
Projects underway at start of FY 2020
The majority of the Planning Commissions time has been spent according to the direction from the City
Council to prioritize the completion of new Planned Unit Development (PUD) standards above other
items on the Planning Commission’s work plan. The Commission has been working on all elements of
the PUDs and incorporation of these elements into the Land Development Regulations (LDRs). This work
includes setting standards for natural resource protection, open space types, building types, and street
types that are consistent and not limited to the PUD or FBC areas. This work includes a specific focus
on implementing some Comprehensive Plan goals and objectives and evaluation of natural resource
protection standards. The PC will also be receiving information from other Committees and evaluating
in the context of all City Goals. A subcommittee is working to make adjustments to the City Center Form
Based Code to ensure that City Center will be a success.
Major Projects FY 2020
LDR changes will be sent to the City Council for their approval, which will include a public hearing and
vote on adoption. This is expected in at least two rounds of LDR changes. One set has a public hearing
set and the Council may expect this as early as next month. The second set is expected to be ready for the
Council in early Winter 2020. We also expect that there may be additional work products originating from
the other Committees that will pass through the Planning Commission to the Council, which will require
inclusion into our Committee’s work, this process has begun with work received from the Affordable
Housing Committee, Open Space Committee, and TDR committee. We will then revisit the work plan and
requests from the public.
Quantitative Data
One of the goals of the 2016 Comprehensive Plan is to “prioritize development that occurs within the
community into the higher intensity areas identified within this Plan”, as shown on the Future Land Use
Map along with areas of lower intensity uses (Figure 1). Historical patterns in the City were to have the
majority of homes (62%) located in Lower Intensity land use areas, a large amount in Medium Intensity
areas (23%), and a small proportion – just 12%, in high intensity areas as shown in the overall location
of all homes in the City (Figure 2). Trends in the last 8 years show that new homes are being distributed
across Land Use areas more closely in line with Comprehensive Plan Goals (Figure 3). Since 2010, 26% of
new housing has been built in high intensity areas, 39% has been in medium intensity areas, and just 33#
in low intensity areas. Very new homes are located in Conservation-Low Intensity areas, while a higher
percentage of new homes are located in areas designated for Higher Intensity Land Use.
Figure 1: Map 11 Future Land Use Map, excerpt from 2016 Comprehensive Plan.
Figure 2: Percent of All Homes by Land Use District, corresponding to Future Land Use Map.
Figure 3: Percent of New Homes by Land Use District, corresponding to Future Land Use Map.
Acknowledgments
The work of the Planning Commission would not be as extensive or as well achieved without the
tremendous support we have received from the Planning and Zoning staff. Their positive attitude, strong
technical knowledge, and work ethic make our planning work possible. On behalf of the entire Planning
Commission, we would like to acknowledge and commend the efforts that the staff has dedicated to
accomplishing the Planning Commission’s goals. We also acknowledge the many South Burlington
residents that attend our meetings and workshops to participate in our planning efforts.
Recreation & Parks Committee
Mission
The committee shall be called the City of South Burlington Recreation and Parks Committee.
The mission of the Recreation and Parks Committee is to support the Recreation and Parks Department
in their goals and efforts to provide recreation and program opportunities; and to acquire and maintain
recreation facilities and open space. We do this in concert with the NRPA pillars of recreation:
Conservation, Health and Well-being, and Social Equity.
The Recreation and Parks Committee is appointed by the South Burlington City Council to serve the
residents of South Burlington by acting in an advisory capacity to the Recreation and Parks Department
and the City Council.
Members
Tami Zylka, Chair; Katie Langrock; Vice-Chair; Lauren Wedam, Secretary; Jennifer Kochman; Mike
Simoneau; Glenn Sproul; Rebecca Poquette; Jon Pence; Christy Pilsucky
Accomplishments
• Participated in Study of Open Space and Gap Analysis, at the invitation of SB Planning
Department.
• Review of proposed development in South Burlington:
• Potential use and proposed Zoning Change for 1195 Spear Street and 150 Swift Street,
presented by Frank Von Turkovich, on charge from Planning Commission.
• Dorset Meadows Development proposal for recommendation to go to SBDRB.
• 180 Market Street:
• Participated in design of 180 Market Street Library, City Hall, Senior Center.
• Participated in advocacy for 180 Market Street Library, City Hall, Senior Center, resulting in
strong votes in favor November 6 2018.
• Appointed liaison to newly created SB Dog Park Committee;
reviewed possible dog park sites, and recommended list of sites for
DPC to consider (and sites to exclude).
• National Recreation and Parks Association Annual Review:
• Created a summary comparison of SB Recreation and Parks
Department to other departments in similar communities.
• Established base data to track trends both for South Burlington
and comparable communities.
• Quantitative Data for South Burlington Recreation and Parks
• 440+ acres of Park and Open Space
• 30+ miles of Rec Paths and Nature Trails
• 20+ special Events
• 551 square feet of Recreation and Parks dedicated space
• 160 programs offered annually
• 155 fee-based programs offered
• 6,000 total program contacts
• 27,500 number of participants/users of parks and facilities
• 255,000 number of park facility contacts
• 282,500 total parks and facilities contacts
• Appointed liaison to participate in SB Interim Zoning Committee charged with identifying
and prioritizing existing open spaces, forest blocks and working landscapes. Approved and
recommended to SBCC a list of needed outdoor playing fields.
• Indoor Recreation Facility:
• Approved a Resolution to create an Indoor Recreation Facility at Veterans Park next to Cairns
Arena, approved by City Council August 1, 2018.
• Met with City Management to discuss plans and design for creation of a facility.
• Met with Holly Rees, SB Recreation and Parks Director, in morning workshop to create a
priorities list of program, office, and other space in a recreation facility.
• Advocated for March 2019 vote on a possible option tax to fund various city projects.
• Worked with SB Recreation and Parks Foundation to begin plan to secure private funding for
a facility.
• Met with advocates from Game on Vermont, and Pickleball group, expressing advocacy for a
facility in SB.
• Meetings with Public:
• Pickleball - requesting more playing courts and repair of existing
• Request to consider Comprehensive memo on Pollinators when studying PUD’s
• Request at Overlook Park (trees)
• Request for creating more and better park signage
• Request at Farrell St. Dog Park - icy conditions
• Miscellaneous citizen concerns via email and in person
• With Recreation and Parks Department Director, Holly Rees, reviewed:
• Capital Improvement Plan, and budget
• Program offerings and special events
• Progress in addressing upkeep and amenities in parks
• Staffing, and other department work and development
• Continuing education: NRPA and VRPA websites/articles and other research
• Committee members assisted the Recreation and Parks Department staff with updating the
Department website.
• Reviewed wetland studies at Wheeler Nature Park and Underwood Park: Wetland studies affect
progress in securing an Easement agreement with VT Land Trust (Wheeler), and implementing the
award-winning Underwood Plan.
• Met with City Council to study acquisition of open space in agreement with Bread and Butter farm
and other interests.
• Approved a Resolution on the formation of a Management Plan Task Force, whose sole charge
would be the creation and updating of the needed management plans for the city’s open spaces.
Sent to city Council June, 2019 for review July 15, 2019.
Priorities Related to the Comprehensive Plan
The Recreation and Parks Committee and Department continually engage in an effort to assess and
address priorities. We strive to create indoor and outdoor recreation and program opportunities for
all residents of South Burlington. Comprehensive Plan goals, objectives and strategies support these
Recreation and Parks priorities:
• Indoor Recreation Space is a critical need. The winters are long;
many people would enjoy indoor fitness facilities, but can’t afford a
club. Recreation and Parks recognizes social equity and health and
wellness as pillars. We support the location of Veterans Park for
creating an indoor recreation facility.
• Program Space: The Department of Recreation and Parks has a
long-standing need for program space. Adults, seniors and pre-
school populations (in fact all populations!) are under-served by
programming simply because of lack of space. The proposed 180
Market Street will alleviate this problem somewhat.
• Creation of Playing Fields and Tennis Courts: The fields and courts
are in heavy demand during the season when they must also undergo maintenance. This has been
a chronic, long-standing problem. In addition, we have recently been approached by residents
who want more courts available. We have participated in the IZ Open Space Task Force, and have
shared these concerns.
• Recreation and Parks Administrative Offices: When 180 Market Street is completed in 2021, and
the school administrative offices move to Dorset Street, we anticipate that Recreation and Park
Department office space will be located in the Veteran’s Park Recreation Facility.
• Creation of City-owned Open Space, Open Space Amenities, and Planned Maintenance:
Recreation and Parks has participated in planning and advocacy for the many studies and
mechanisms to provide and enhance open space for conservation and for active and passive
recreation. In July 2019 Recreation and Parks recommended to City Council creation of a task
force to develop a Master Plan for Parks.
• Recreation and Parks Department Programming: We strive to meet the community’s needs and
desires for a variety of passive and active programs. Through consistent communication with our
residents (via conversation, social media and surveys) we are as responsive to requests as our
spaces allow.
• Passive Recreation: We have plentiful options for hiking, nature exploration, and community
engagement; making the most of the many park landscapes that we manage.
• Active Recreation: We are limited in our capacity to provide active recreation programs,
due to a lack of space. We program our parks to their fullest with youth and adult league
sports, fitness programs and events in the optimal weather months, but are limited to our
indoor offerings which leads to a lack of cultural, educational, fitness and recreational
programming.
• Indoor/Outdoor Swimming Pool: Everyone should know how to swim, and how to enjoy water
sports. This is a long-range goal, and possibly should be explored as a regional facility.
CITY DEPARTMENT
REPORTS
City Clerk’s Office
Department Overview
Main duties of the clerk’s office are land record recordings, elections, dog and cat licensing, issue
marriage licenses, certified copies of vital records, liquor licenses, notary, DMV registration renewals,
keeper of the records and assist the tax department with tax installment collection.
Donna Kinville - City Clerk since 2001, current term ends March 2021
2 full time positions – Laura Kimball (1980) and Deb Woodward (2017)
Annual Budget FY 19
Budgeted Revenue $189,600 Actual Revenue $173,650
Budgeted Expenses $242,313 Actual Expenses $240,590
Accomplishments and Events
• Oversaw 3 very busy elections - Annual Town meeting, August State Primary and the November
general election.
• Continuing in the pilot program for blockchain. As I reported last year South Burlington City
Clerk’s office recorded the first blockchain deed in the country! This has brought national and
international attention to our office. Now that the first document was recorded, the company is
working on building their system to accommodate the various types of documents we record as
well as attach an image to them. They are getting close to being able to go live with their system.
• Conducted 6th annual Top Dog and First Feline contest with Teddy and Boots the winners. See
below for their photos which were done by a new resident, Kim Provost.
• Cemetery Sexton – I asked and was appointed to be a cemetery sexton by the City Council late
last summer. I will be working with the other sextons in the City, Tom Chittenden and Peter Taylor,
to look at the conditions of the 2 city cemeteries and make recommendations to the Council.
The Clerk’s office purchased a cemetery software program that will assist us in modernizing
the records of the cemetery as well as make it available on line to the public once our work is
complete.
2019 Top Dog - Teddy 2019 First Feline - Boots
• On a professional level I received the
highest-level certification of Master
Municipal Clerk last September from
the International Institute of Municipal
Clerks, one of 6 in the state. I will
continue to attend conferences to make
sure that I keep up with all the changes
including the latest election law changes
and continue to build my networking
group. Thanks to the council and city
management for recognizing this achievement.
• Currently the President of the Vermont Clerks’ and Treasurers’ Association on the last year of a
2-year term. It has been a rewarding year where I concentrated on building bridges between all
interested parties such as our state representatives, senators, political party chairs as well other
associations the clerks and treasurers of the state deal with.
Qualitative Summary
Although the flow of the City Clerk’s office changes almost daily depending on the time of the year that
you visit us, year to year our duties remain constant. We could be registering a dog or cat; notarizing
paperwork; taking tax payments; assisting our citizens find their deed or property boundary lines;
handing out absentee ballots; registering voters; doing a DMV renewal; taking a water payment; assisting
attorneys; issuing Green Mountain Passports or answering general city related questions. However,
behind the scenes the Clerk’s office does the recording of all land transactions that occur in the City from
sales of properties, property transferred into a trust, mortgages or refinancing and maps being the most
common documents. With all the data that we create we are constantly in database management review
mode making sure that the data is accurate and consistent. We continually strive to being one of the best,
if not the best, clerk’s office in the state. Stop by and see for yourself.
Dog and Cat Registrations: The Clerk’s office registers dogs and cats who reside in the City. As a result of
conversations with my networking group I created 6 years ago the Top Dog and First Feline contest which
has helped increase the number of dogs and cats being registered in the City when most towns are seeing
decreases. This contest would not be possible without a generous prize package of goodies donated
by our very kind sponsors. 2019 sponsors were Pet Food Warehouse, Guys Farm and Yard, Petco, Price
Chopper, Green Mountain Animal Hospital, Walmart, Target and Kim Provost who did the photo workup.
Elections: Oversaw 3 very busy elections - Annual Town meeting, August State Primary and the November
general election. With every election the number of people using early voting increases in the percentage
of the ballots cast in total for the City. November’s general (non-presidential election) was about 800
ballots short of presidential election number. 9,643 people voted in November with 30% of those voted
early. Of course, not all election work is strictly processing ballots. During the time period between the
August state primary and the November election we registered just over 1,100 new voters to the City and
removed over 700 voters who moved out of the City and by reviewing the death records of our residents.
The Clerk’s office works hard on making sure that our voter database is as accurate and up to date as
possible.
One of the activities that occurs every election is the Election Officials, along with the clerk, visit the 5-7
senior home facilities in the city and assist them with registering to vote as well as early voting. This is
one of my favorite activities of the election cycle and is much appreciated by their residents.
Please make sure that your vote counts by registering to vote and then casting
your ballot on Election Day. Election year 2020 is looking to be a very busy election
year so if you are unsure if you are registered to vote or need to update your voter
information, please contact our office or visit https://mvp.sec.state.vt.us/. By
registering prior to the election day, you will save yourself time when you go to the polls. If you are going
to be out of town or can’t make the polls on Election Day don’t forget about your ability to cast an early
ballot. Call the clerk’s office for more information.
Land Records Recording: One of the behind the scenes activities that the clerk’s office is responsible for
is the processing of documents related to real estate. Last year we processed 4,292 documents of which
there were: 727 Property Transfer Tax Returns processed, 643 warranty deeds, 744 mortgage deeds, 1,062
lien or mortgage releases, 53 maps and over 1,000 miscellaneous documents.
Quantitative Data
Revenue generated by the Clerk’s Office
During the period from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 there were 189 births, 169 deaths and 133 marriages
recorded in the City Clerk’s Office.
Recording & copy fees: deposited to general fund $125,924
Civil Marriage Licenses:
135 licenses issued @ $60 $8,100
Paid to state treasurer $6,750
Transferred to general fund $1,350
Animal Licenses:
1,306 dogs
306 cats
Deposited to general fund $24,329
Dog Control Kennel Fees: deposited to general fund $2,865
Motor Vehicle Renewals: deposited to general fund $455
Green Mountain Passport: deposited to general fund $ 292
Beverage Licenses: deposited to general fund $ 8,950
1st, 2nd class, tobacco licenses, entertainment
City Manager’s Office:
Project Management — Ashley Parker
Overview
• Ashley Parker, City Project Manager; 3 years with the City
• I oversee projects that fall within the confines of the City’s Penny for Paths and Open Space funds.
These include projects that complete gaps in existing City bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure;
as well as projects that aim to improve ecosystem function and user experience at Red Rocks
Park, Wheeler Nature Park, and Underwood Park. I staff the Bicycle & Pedestrian and Natural
Resources Committees, and work with them to ensure projects falling under either fund are
identified and implemented. I also have been working with other municipal and non-municipal
partners on the Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership to aid in the preservation and
connectivity of additional open space.
• The Penny for Paths and Open Space funds are now connected to their own City CIP and were
approved by the Council in December 2018.
• The Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee works with me to revise and update the Penny for Paths CIP,
otherwise known as the “Bike/Ped Improvement CIP”.
Accomplishments and Events
• In August 2018, residents voted to designate one penny on the tax rate for bike and pedestrian
path infrastructure throughout the City.
• Completed the state offered Vermont Natural Shoreland Erosion Control course in November 2018.
• The Weed Warrior Program kicked off again this past season, and officially expanded within the
City. There were two that took place in FY19 at two different locations in the City: Wheeler Nature
Park and Red Rocks Park.
• Application was submitted for the Shared Use Path along the south end of Dorset Street as part of
the 2019 VTrans Bike/Ped Grant Program.
• The Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership reached five signatures in July of 2019 (including:
South Burlington, Williston, Shelburne, Hinesburg, and St. George).
• The Bike/Ped Committee signed off on a new Penny for Paths project graphic that can be used on
signage and stencils to highlight project sites.
• Attended state Water Quality Conference in June that discussed stormwater permitting updates.
Qualitative Summary
Bike/Ped Improvements
• Any bike/pedestrian improvements or gaps filled help the City fulfill its vision of being a bike and
pedestrian friendly City as noted in the Comprehensive Plan (1-1). Some of these projects fall
under many of the noted missing links and improvements in the Comprehensive Plan’s discussion
of Gray Infrastructure (2-54).
• First Bike/Ped Improvements CIP created and approved.
• Priority project list collated in collaboration with the Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee and the
Department of Public Works.
• Landowner/Stakeholder conversations initiated for three projects (Jug Handle Sidewalk, Allen
Road Shared Use Path, and Airport Parkway Sidewalk & On-Road Bike Lanes).
• Engineer brought on board to design the Jug Handle Sidewalk, Allen Road Shared Use Path, and
Airport Parkway Sidewalk & On-Road Bike Lanes projects.
• Website updated to include infrastructure needs/problems reporting form.
• Penny for Paths website page was created and will continue to be updated with project
information.
• The Department of Public Works began work on improving the intersection and crosswalk at Swift
& Spear Street – a location that was on the Bike/Ped Committee’s list of priority projects.
• Penny for Paths graphic was created to use for project signage and community outreach.
• Submitted a VTrans 2019 Bike/Ped Program grant application for the Shared Use Path along the
southern end of Dorset Street.
• Assisted with providing comments to two CCRPC scoping studies looking at potential new
crosswalks along Williston Road, a crosswalk at Twin Oaks/Kennedy Drive, crosswalks and
shared use path/sidewalk/bike lanes along Hinesburg Road (between Kennedy Drive and Williston
Road), a shared use path/sidewalk/bike lanes at Fayette Drive, etc.
Open Space Improvements
• The Open Space Fund, and thereby the projects covered by it, help maintain and improve the
natural areas the City has already acquired and made accessible. This is something that was
noted as being needed in the Comprehensive Plan (2-99 and 2-112).
• First Open Space CIP created and approved.
• Timber & Stone LLC brought on to assess Red Rocks Park and Wheeler Nature Park Trails and
provide City with recommendations and schedule for work.
• A&E Engineers brought on to look at list of stormwater and erosion projects at Red Rocks Park.
Initial concepts have been received and staff have discussed next steps with them.
• Mike Bald, with Got Weeds?, completed his
second season of invasive plant removal with
the City. He focused his efforts on Red Rocks
Park and Wheeler Nature Park this past year.
The City contracted him again this season for
the next three seasons to continue his work at
Red Rocks Park, Wheeler Nature Park, and to
begin work at the Underwood Parcel.
• Contracted with Gilman Briggs Environmental
to complete a wetland delineation for the
Underwood Parcel and initiated one for the
entirety of the Wheeler Parcel.
• VYCC completed another season of work
for the City, including trail maintenance and
invasive plant management. They were contracted with again for the 2019 season, with their
focus being on invasive plant management.
• The City also brought in the Winooski Valley Park District to complete installation of new posts and
signs at Red Rocks Park. They were contracted again in the 2019 season to build two bridges at
Wheeler Nature Park.
• Collaborated with Recreation and Parks Department and Public Works staff to identify and
prioritize park needs for 2019, as well as what groups/opportunities might exist to assist the City in
getting more work done.
• Website updated to include hazard tree and trail issues reporting form.
• The Weed Warriors completed one event in June of 2019, with two additional events happening
later in the summer/fall.
• A group of students in the South Burlington Master Naturalist program worked with City staff on
completing an ecological assessment of the Underwood Parcel.
• A group of students from the UVM NR206 class completed a partial management plan for City
Center Park.
• Initiated a Natural Areas Management Plan Task Force to help staff review, update, or create
management plans for City Natural Area Parks. The group will be composed of City staff, state
natural resource experts, and representatives from the Natural Resources Committee and the
Recreation Committee.
Regional Conservation
• By working to create a regional conservation partnership, the City is creating a means of
conserving more open space (Comprehensive Plan, 2-99), sharing resources to better manage
open space (Comprehensive Plan, 2-99), and possibly work to improve and manage resources at a
watershed scale (Comprehensive Plan, 2-83-84).
• Developed regional conservation partnership idea to work with other municipalities and share
resources that will allow for a larger network of conserved, open spaces in the region.
• Organized and coordinated multiple meetings between South Burlington, Williston, Shelburne,
Hinesburg, St. George, Charlotte, CCRPC, and some other local partners to initiate the
conversation and begin discussions around forming a partnership.
• Five of the original municipalities signed onto the partnership agreement in July of 2019, and
includes: South Burlington, Williston, Shelburne, Hinesburg, and St. George.
• A group of students from the UVM NR206 class completed a review of the Town Plans for each
partner municipality and provided an initial assessment of what conservation priorities the
partnership should focus on.
• The partnership initiated work on a regional mapping project that will standardize how the region
identifies conservation and parcels involved with conservation. The map will also help the
partnership further identify its conservation priorities and strategies for pursuing those.
Quantitative Data
Bike/Ped Improvements
• Initiated projects include: 2,800 feet of sidewalk, 2,500 feet of on-road bike lanes, and 850 feet of
rec path.
• Projects completed: repaving of bike path off Park Road; three roads had on-road bike lanes
widened (Spear Street, Kimball Avenue, and Nowland Farm Road), Swift/Spear Street intersection
improvements.
Open Space Improvements
• Red Rocks Park trail assessment for almost three miles of trails.
• Concepts provided for four stormwater/erosion projects at Red Rocks Park.
• Mike Bald/Got Weeds? Invasive Plant Management at Red Rocks Park: 8 hotspots of Oriental
bittersweet vines removed, 2 early outbreaks of garlic mustard removed, 900 glossy buckthorn
shrubs removed. (Does not include spring/summer 2019.)
• Mike Bald/Got Weeds? Invasive Plant Management at Wheeler Nature Park: 209 wild parsnip
removed, early outbreak of garlic mustard removed, phragmites cut back, buckthorn cut back.
(Does not include spring/summer 2019.)
• The Red Rocks Park Peregrine Falcon breeding pair had 5 fledglings in 2018 – the most in the
state; and 3 fledglings in 2019.
• VYCC 2018 Results: 16 crew members, 8 weeks of work at Wheeler & Red Rocks, 2.4 miles of trail
maintained, 472 feet of new puncheon constructed, 450 invasive plants removed, 64 drainage
structures maintained, and 15 new drainage structures installed.
FY20 Goals and Priorities
Bike/Ped Improvements
• Construction of Jug Handle Sidewalk and Allen Road Rec
Path.
• Complete the design and engineering for the Airport Parkway
Sidewalk & On-Road Bike Lanes between Kirby Road and
Berard Drive.
• Begin design work for South Dorset Street Rec Path and
finalize crosswalk locations along Williston Road and
Kennedy Drive.
• Revise the Bike/Ped Improvement CIP to include any new
projects and prioritize projects based on project buildability/
complexities.
• Update the new Penny for Paths web page on the City site so
that residents have access to all current and active projects
covered by this funding source.
• Fabricate new signs and stencils to use along projects
constructed using Penny for Paths funding. Also create additional graphics to place with logo,
i.e.: Coming Soon, Future Project Site, etc.
• Work with the Bike/Ped Committee to identify potential locations for regulatory and wayfinding
signage along City rec paths. Then work with other City staff to update the City Wayfinding
package and then install the necessary signage.
Open Space Improvements
• Completion of Red Rocks Park trail restoration/maintenance and installation of at least two
erosion control or shoreland stabilization projects at the park.
• Complete two public engagement events at Red Rocks Park to assist in the gathering of data
related to the review and update of the park’s existing management plan.
• Initiate the new Natural Areas Management Plan Task Force in the review and update of the Red
Rocks Management Plan.
• Receive a trail assessment and report on the trail network at Wheeler Nature Park. Use the report
to identify and prioritize trail maintenance projects.
• Complete and install new wayfinding signage at Wheeler Nature Park.
• Map the existing trails at the Underwood Parcel, and then bring in a contractor to develop a basic
system of trails there.
• Actively assess the current Master Plan for the Underwood parcel and work to formalize
pedestrian access to the park. Create a management plan for the park.
• Initiate invasive plant management at Underwood Park, and continue previous work at Red Rocks
and Wheeler.
• Continue working with the Weed Warrior Program and coordinate at least three events during the
growing season. Develop the program to really engage the participants and encourage them to
return (i.e.: creation of Weed Warrior end of season newsletter).
Regional Conservation
• Coordinate an event to formally announce the partnership and engage the partnering communities
in an engagement event.
• Develop a map to depict the regional partnership and existing conserved lands and potential
conservation areas using standardized definitions for conservation parcels.
• Coordinate regular meetings of the conservation partnership to discuss strategies for
conservation and develop list of priority projects.
• Develop branding for the partnership and get information about the work it is doing up on the City
website.
• Invite non-municipal partners to the effort to assist in the development of the partnership mapping
project, and other efforts as needed.
• Connect with local businesses to assist in the financial support of a regional Vermont Master
Naturalist class in the fall of 2021.
City Manager’s Office:
Project Management — Ilona Blanchard
Overview
• Ilona Blanchard, Community Development Director, 7 years in position
• In late summer FY19 reduced to 1 FTE position
• Lead community development initiatives, primarily related to City Center TIF District
implementation and capital projects, staff the Energy Committee and Public Art Selection
Committee, and advance economic development initiatives within South Burlington
• Budget is part of the City Manager’s budget. Special Fund Revenues expended totaled $4,365,325,
including project costs and related costs. $162,133 was used to service debt on a prior year $5M
TIF bond. $14,000,000 in new debt was secured, a portion of the $20,400,000 authorized in 2019 for
180 Market Street. This $14,000,000 will be serviced with funds from the reserve fund.
Accomplishments and Events
• Grand Opening for the first TIF
District Project completed – City
Center Park.
• Second TIF project under
construction, Market Street,
managed by Public Works using a
combination of grants and TIF Debt.
• 180 Market Street Community
Center housing the Library, City
Hall and Senior Center – approved
for funding by voters, construction
documents completed, a separated
stormwater treatment system
designed for the School District,
coordinated with other landowners integral to the project, and value engineered design.
• Williston Road Streetscape - completed conceptual design.
• Pedestrian Bicycle Improvement over I-89/Exit 14 at Williston Road - completed Phase II scoping
(environmental); prepared grant application.
• Staff liaison to the Energy Committee (see Energy Committee Annual Report).
• Public Art Selection Committee support - coordinated with the Market Street artist, supported Call
to Artist and finalist selection for the 180 Market Street project.
• Coordinated the City Center Infrastructure Standards Study.
• Participated in the Indoor Recreation Center at Veteran’s Memorial Park Feasibility Study; issued
Request for Proposals for design services for the project.
• Coordinated with DHCD, SBBA, GMTA and others.
2020 Goals and Priorities
• Meet ongoing contractual obligations such as
administration of the TIF District and the Williston
Road Streetscape Grant.
• Market Street - close out Federal Grants.
• 180 Market Street - obtain permits for and handover
project management for construction to Public
Works, while continuing to coordinate design (Public
Library, City Hall and Senior Center).
• Williston Road Streetscape (south side) - advance preliminary engineering, permitting and ROW
acquisition.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge over I-89 at Exit 14 - Obtain funding.
• Indoor Recreation Facility - contract for and coordinate design (and potentially construction
management) services; support efforts to secure project funding for construction.
• Re-engage on City Center projects for which staff time has been unavailable:
• Impact Fee Study & Policy Support - Public Facilities (policy).
• Garden Street preliminary engineering and right of way acquisition for (a) Midas Drive and
reconstruction of the intersection of Midas/White Street to Hinesburg Road and (b) Midas
Drive south to South Burlington City Center, LLC constructed portion of Garden Street.
• Support the Public Art Committee and the Energy Committee in meeting their goals.
• Support South Burlington City Center Collaborative (SB3C) in leveraging existing assets in City
Center into a vibrant downtown.
• Ensure that priority projects for City Center TIF District are identified and lined up to responsibly
secure funding as necessary prior to the end of the period during which TIF financing debt may be
incurred (March 31, 2022).
South Burlington Fire-EMS-Special Operations
Fire Chief: Terry Francis
Staff: 33
Suppression
The trend in increasing calls for our services continues, as
the City is growing. This past year the Department responded
to a total of 3,765 incidents. 2,484 of these calls were EMS
related and 1,281 were fire and special services related
incidents. For the past several years the Department has been
experiencing call clustering. This phenomenon occurs when
the Department receives three to five incidents within a very
brief period of time, typically in a 15-60 minute window. These
events often strips the City of any fire /EMS coverage. This
past year our mutual aid partners responded to an additional
787 incidents in the City, as our primary assets were already
committed to other calls. The majority of these incidents -524-
were for additional ambulance calls.
Calls to the Department for other services have also increased. These included citizen complaints,
elevator malfunctions, patient lift assists, and smoke and CO activations with no reported hazard. These
calls are handled by the neighborhood fire apparatus and are responded to without lights or sirens, as
they are not emergent, but do need to be investigated and mitigated by the Department.
When not assisting our citizens on calls, your firefighters are busy conducting various licensing
inspections, public education events, building familiarization surveys, and recertification training for the
numerous specialized fire rescue disciplines and emergency medical trainings.
Training
The Fire Service is a heavily regulated business.
There are dozens of nationally recognized standards
the firefighters are required to meet annually or
bi-annually. These are have not dos, not nice to do
trainings. Two examples are water rescue, and high
angle rescues. These require our members to be off
duty when conducting the exercises, as it is impossible
for staff to respond to calls while out in the water or
hanging off a cliff, In total, your firefighters spent
more than 1,500 hours in didactic sessions or practical
exercises. This year the Department welcomed two
new firefighter/EMT-Bs. They are replacing one retired
personnel and one newly promoted senior firefighter to
the Fire Inspector position in the Fire Marshal’s Office.
These two new probationary firefighters represent the
future of the Department. To date, the SBFD training
cadre has invested more than 1,350 hours in additional
hours of training toward preparing them to meet the
challenges of today’s Fire Service.
Emergency Medical
August 1, 2019 is the 15th anniversary of the South Burlington Fire Department’s emergency ambulance.
This unit continues to be the single busiest emergency ambulance in the State of Vermont. While some
elements have remained the same since the beginning, much has changed in the level of care your
firefighters deliver to your love ones.
SBFD continues to utilize a two-tiered response matrix, meaning the closest fire apparatus is sent in
conjunction with the Department’s ambulance. This ensures that help arrives to your emergency in
3-5 minutes. All SBFD firefighters hold at least an EMT-B certification. The Department now has 10 FF/
Paramedics, 9 FF/Advanced EMTs and 11 FF/EMT-Bs. Today SBFD literally brings the most critical services
of an Emergency Department to your home to begin mitigating your emergency.
The median age of our residents requesting assistance is increasing. Of the 2,111 patients transported
to the hospital, 46.2% were over age 65. Of that number, 63.85% of these patients needed some form of
advanced care from our staff. These types of calls are manpower, equipment, and time intensive incidents.
SBFD has recently received national recognition from the American Heart Association. We received
their Mission Lifeline – EMS- Silver Award for meeting the Association’s critical care criteria time line
for getting heart attack victims properly diagnosed, initial treatment underway and quickly transported to
definitive care (the Catherization Suite at UVM-MC).
The Department welcomes our new volunteer Medical Advisor, UVM-MC Emergency Department
Physician, and South Burlington resident, Dr. Katie Dolbec, to our ranks. Dr. Dolbec is an important
liaison with the hospital. She helps train our personnel, and regularly conducts incident reviews with our
firefighters after challenging incidents. The Department would like to thank Dr. Chueng Wong for his 15
years of service to our members in fulfilling a similar role.
Fire & Life Safety Education
These formal and informal programs are conducted
on a daily basis. Whether it is answering a citizen’s
question at the park, or a person stopping by the
station with a question or concern, your firefighters
are continually giving value added information to
our citizens request for information. SBFD’s formal
programs continue to focus on elementary school
children grades K-3, fire extinguisher trainings, open
houses, school tours, CPR and first aid programs,
and “Stop the Bleed” classes. Additionally, every
inspection conducted by the Fire Department includes
an explanation to the owner/occupant of how the
noted item prevents fires or an injury.
Fire Marshall’s Office
The Fire Marshal’s Office is the busiest of the Department’s four Divisions in terms of sheer number of
interactions/contacts with the public. Any construction work done on a multiple family, commercial, or
rental property requires some sort of permit from this Office. This past year has been the busiest to date
with more than 8,500 requests for information, inspections, complaints and plans reviewed. 260 various
types of building permits were issued. In addition, the Electrical Inspector issued more than 320 electrical
permits. Any permit issued requires an initial inspection and a minimum of two additional follow-up
inspections. Large complex projects require 30 or more inspections over the life of the permit. This level
of diligence helps to ensure that projects comply with Federal, State and local requirements. It saves
the owners money by identifying non-compliance issues early in the project. It allows all parties to more
easily, and less expensively, correct violations, thus, ensuring the owner(s) of a properly constructed, safe
building.
The Department is a $3.5 million-dollar investment in the City’s obligation to ensure a fire and life safe
community for its citizens. Through permit and ambulance fees, the Department has returned more
than $1.35 million back to the General Fund this year. There was budget over- spending on several line
items. The Department is staffed by a full time, professional career staff of 30 women and men. There is
a minimum of 8 firefighters on duty each and every day. They work a schedule of 24 hours on/48 hours
off (2,880 hours/year) out of your two fire stations. Last year our firefighters worked and average of 3,400
hours each to provide protection to the City. This staff is well educated, highly motivated and dedicated to
the citizens we protect and serve.
South Burlington citizens have provided our staff with state-of-the-art equipment and technologies.
We appreciate this unwavering support and take excellent care of your fire apparatus. These are very
complex, expensive to purchase and maintain machines. For example, the front tire of a fire engine
costs $900. Rear tires are $650 each. During a routine apparatus check by our member, it was discovered
that there was a small amount of hydraulic fluid seeping from a connection. After consultation with the
manufacturer, we approved a $12,000 repair to the aerial’s hydraulic lines to the ladder lifting cylinders.
This prevented a failure of the ladder during its mandatory annual UL stress test, and a bill of more than
$60,000. If something breaks, the repairs tend to be costly.
What’s Ahead
We have been advised by the Federal Medicaid/Medicare (CMS) Office of Health and Human Services,
that there is a change coming in how ambulance services and Fire/EMS departments must account for the
services we are reimbursed for by CMS. The full matrix of this new schedule was just released, and the
comment period is still open. This will likely be a staff intensive process, at least initially.
SBFD continues to identify problematic fire protection systems in properties that create unnecessary and
unintended emergency calls to the Department. Property owners and managers will be educated in order
to decrease the demands on a very busy department, which in turn reduces apparatus trips.
Last year the City relied on outside agencies to respond to our emergencies 787 times. This has caused
delays in our residents receiving timely care during their emergency. We will be exploring the use of
Federal SAFER grants to increase staffing in support of a second ambulance being placed in service.
We will continue to work towards the regionalization of dispatching services within the county. This
project that has been studied and researched for more than 30 years! This project is critically important to
the effective utilization of increasingly scarce emergency services resources. A South Burlington citizen
recently experienced a more than 10-minute wait to have an ambulance assigned to his/her emergency.
This situation arose, not from a dispatching error, but because there currently exists no single entity that
can accurately track the availability of emergency services assets.
In closing, I would like to thank the citizens of our community for their continued support of their fire and
emergency service. We strive to give you the very best care during what may be your worst moment.
Thank you to the City Manager and his staff, the City Council, and all our other city departments. You make
our difficult job easier. A special thanks to the Officers and Firefighters of the South Burlington Fire-EMS-
Special Operations Department. You all strive for excellence each and every day. Should you have any
questions or challenges that I, or this department, can assist you with, please don’t hesitate to stop in or
call.
Zoning Administrative Officer’s Report
The Planning and Zoning Office issued a total of 1,198 permits in FY19. This includes Zoning Permits for all
types of construction (residential, commercial, public projects), Sign Permits (Permanent and Temporary),
Certificates of Occupancy, Certificates of Compliance, Peddler Permits and Chicken Permits.
Category # Issued
All Issued Permits FY19 1,198
Zoning Permits - All 371
New dwelling units 167
Residential construction was similar this year from the previous year. The number of new dwelling units
decreased from 192 to 167. Overall, the average number of dwelling units per years has averaged 138
since 1981, and 135 since 2010. The 167 new units represent 29 single family dwellings, 12 two-family
dwelling units, and 126 multi-family dwelling units.
Total construction cost of projects issued was $78,836,004, an increase over FY 18 ($68,285,356) and FY 17
($56,440,338). FY 19’s figures also does not include a $15 million taxiway project at the Airport.
In addition to permits, the Administrative Officer is responsible under the Land Development Regulations
for the review and decisions for administrative site plans. For much of the City, these represent minor
changes to commercial or multi-family properties. In the City Center Form Based Code District, that
responsibility is extended to all site plans, regardless of scale.
In FY 2019, 38 administrative site plan approvals were issued. These included, in the City Center Form
Based Code District:
• Review and approval of a 60-unit multi-family building at 310 Market Street
• Review and approval of a mixed use building including 6 dwelling units and 7,665 s.f. of medical
office at 321/325 Dorset Street
• Review and approval of an Inclusionary Zoning plan for land owned by South Burlington City
Center, LLC
• Review and approval for a series of four triplexes (12 dwelling units total) at 451-495 Market Street
Each year we remind residents of the need to obtain a zoning permit when making repairs or renovations
which exceed $5,000 OR if you are changing the footprint of your home (deck, porch, sunroom, etc.)
regardless of cost, as well as any accessory structure (shed, detached garage, etc.) also regardless of
cost. If you have any questions about whether your project requires a permit, please call the Planning &
Zoning office at 846-4106
Recreation and Parks Department
Department Head: Holly Rees (9 years of service)
Current Number of Staff: 5
Main Function of Department
The mission of the Recreation and Parks Department is to connect divers, dynamic public spaces and
programs which grow, inspire and create inclusive social interactions through land and people. We aim to
foster a supportive and constructive environment that embrace equity through inclusive decision making
and mindful daily actions.
Overview of End of Fiscal Year 2019:
Budget Actual
Revenue $195,200.00 $171,439.73
Expense $565,202.14 $544,684.37
Revenue vs. Expense $370,002.14 $373,244.64
Over budget $3,242.50
Factors for Revenue shortfall:
Red Rocks Gate Receipts: $13,000
Historically the gate receipts from Red Rocks have been sufficient to cover the cost of hiring staff to sit at
the ticket booth, but never enough to provide any significant revenue. With the off leash dog concerns as
well as trails maintenance needed, we chose to utilize the Red Rocks Staff in a different way by provided
Park Rangers who were able to be out on the trails to welcome, direct, inform and education park patrons.
This was a well-received initiative by park visitors and a true asset to the park. While we did not receive
any revenue from this line item; the decision was a solid one and the benefits to visitors was priceless. I
anticipate this as a new norm for Red Rocks Park.
City Fest: $17,000
It was decided that, with limited and transitioning staff, that there was not enough human resources to
support the undertaking of City Fest on top of an increased 8 week season of SoBu Nite Out, so there were
no revenues, not expenses for this line item. A specialty event like this will be put into the inventory of
community wide offerings, but not likely more than milestone years; perhaps every 10 years.
Reflection on Goals and Accomplishments of 2019
• To be fully staffed with 5 full time employees to include: Director, 2 Recreation Specialists, 1
Special Projects Coordinator and 1 Customer Service Specialist. Once appropriately staffed, work
to fine tune structure and efficiency flow by reviewing job descriptions, responsibilities and duties.
Reflection
In February of 2019, we hired Ben McShane as our second full time Recreation Specialist. Ben
spent his initial months with us shadowing programs and running our spring lacrosse program.
Additionally, we are making plans for the much anticipated location move of our Customer
Service Specialist, Andrea Leo, from the City Welcome Center to our own Recreation and Parks
Department window. This will allow our Department to formalize as a team, understand and
appreciate one another’s roles and provide consistent and effective communication to our
community of customers. We are anxious for this transition!
• Mindfully engage with the public in sharing information about our park system and recreation
offerings (access, maps, narratives etc.) to include weekly articles in the The Other Paper and
subsequent website postings, as well as formulate and execute a strategic marketing plan for
the department. Telling our story to the community we serve is essential and high priority in this
coming year.
Reflection
While we have made some strides in this, and here’s what we are doing: sharing information
via social media, e-newsletters weekly and SoBu Play. We look to the year ahead to create a
meaningful marketing campaign that can encompass all mediums and support the engagement
and interaction with the community.
• Further outreach, education and advocacy efforts for indoor recreation space to support the
community’s long identified need. This will include diligent work with the Recreation and Parks
Committee as well as identifying and networking with individual stakeholder groups.
Reflection
The process of actively pursuing and planning for an indoor recreation facility has begun. With
the support and advocacy of the Recreation and Parks Committee, the City Council agreed to
engage in a contract for design of a facility and we are now beginning to assemble a team to map
out and prepare for a public outreach campaign. We look very much forward to hearing from the
community and taking the necessary steps to bring an Indoor Recreation Facility to fruition for
South Burlington.
• Increase community engagement opportunities through the addition of new events to include
seasonal fun runs, festivals, concerts etc. and continue to collaborate with community partners
to provide sustainability through
sponsorship opportunities.
Reflection
We are successful in trying several
fun runs, though were frustrated
with low registration numbers and
attendance. We will be evaluating
whether this is due to an over-
abundance of opportunities in the
area, or simply a new offering that our
community isn’t aware of. Positively,
we were able to increase our summer
offering of SoBu Nite Outs from 6-8 for
this coming season, in response to feedback from our community. Having a weekly offering every
Thursday in July and August, should help build consistency in our attendance and remove the
barrier of having to remember the every other week schedule.
• Increase program inventory offerings by 25% and additionally infusion of significant growth (+/-
40%) for our adult and pre-school populations.
Reflection
We hired another Program Specialist mind-year and look forward to adding new programming in
the coming year.
Department Goals for 2020
• Indoor Rec Center Approval: We
look forward to the public process
of engaging our community in
discussions of what they would like
to see for an indoor recreation center
and are working with Freedman French
Freeman to help us complete this work
that will lead to an initial design, which
will help us build out both construction
costs and operational plans for this
potential facility. We are hopeful that
this work will be fully supported by
the City Council and placed on a 2020
ballot.
• Increase senior programming to poise of opening of Senior Center July 2020: As we look to open
the Senior Center in spring of 2021, we are taking steps in FY20 to ensure that we are prepared
to offer a full menu of various options to our senior population. This effort includes various site
visits to existing senior centers, participating in area senior center director and SASH coordinator
meetings, as well as presentations to all senior congregate living facilities. From a staff level,
we are reviewing the Human Resource Inventory implications of this opening and are supporting
existing staff with supplemental training in preparation. We continue to fine tune the details of fit
and finishes for the facility with the project manager.
• Sharing our story: We will work toward the creation of a marketing manual that will encompass
all mediums and provide platforms for a multi-layered and rich approach. Some of the things we
are looking forward to are: 15-30 second videos to highlight events and programs, weekly video
“fireside chats” with the Recreation and Parks Director, weekly articles in The Other Paper, daily
stories on the Recreation and Parks Website, a day in the life of each staff member video to be
housed on our website, and games and contests on social media to promote how SB engages
with our parks, programs and events.
• Natural Areas and Park Land Management: As be bring City Center Park and Bay Crest Park on-
line and continue to make improvements to our Natural Areas, there is a need to be ever mindful
of staff and financial resources needed to support the vibrant and expansive parks system that
we have and continue to build on. While the Open Space Maintenance Fund is helpful in priority
project completion, it does not cover the totality of what is needed to provide all the maintenance
and access that our community desires and deserves. An additional staff member and supporting
contracts are needed in the parks division to help get us up to speed with new projects and
maintain the assets we already have in our inventory. Hand weeding at City Center and Wheeler
alone could fill a full time position and we want to ensure that these specialty areas remain a
treasure for residents to enjoy.
• Increase community engagement opportunities: We have seen a steady increase in the popularity
of the SoBu Nite Out events and often hear how folks are wanting more of that type of activity. We
will continue to look for creative ways to partner with others on various new events. A couple of
things we are working on for this year:
• Bluegrass Festival – To take place mid-late September. This would be an afternoon/evening
1 day festival that would welcome several bluegrass bands as well a corn hole tournament,
and specialty food and beverage vendors.
• Ribfest – A one day Saturday festival in the late summer that would bring a variety of
smokehouse BBQ to the area as well as entertainment, concerts and family activities. Could
include a local completion for best ribs in town.
• SnoBrew – A weekend in February of both indoor and outdoor winter activities to include
free family skating, ice sculptures, heated tent concert, food trucks, sledding hill and kids
activity lodge as well as sampling from SB commercial and home brewers.
Planning and Zoning Department
Departmental Overview
• Department Head: Paul Conner
• Department staff (4): Cathyann LaRose, City Planner; Marla Keene, Development Review Planner;
Dalila Hall, Administrative Officer
• Main Functions of the Department:
• To provide long-range planning services to the community on subjects such as land use &
development, resource conservation, transportation, housing, and economic development
• To provide development review & permitting services for development projects of all sizes
• FY 19 Budget: $459,062 FY 2019 Actual: $467,969
Accomplishments and Events
Fiscal Year 2019 was another active year in this dynamic community. So as to not be repetitive, I
encourage everyone to read the following related annual reports:
• Development Review Board
• Planning Commission
• Zoning Administrator’s Report
Qualitative Summary
Some key highlights that fall between these reports:
Land Use & Transportation Planning
• Early in the fiscal year, the City Council adopted recommended changes to the Land Development
Regulations, allowing for greater flexibility and taller buildings in the Form Based Codes area,
establishing a new use, “limited neighborhood commercial”, permitted in larger planned
residential neighborhoods, and simplifying performance bond requirements.
• In November, the City Council adopted an Interim Zoning bylaw affecting areas outside the major
transit-oriented travel corridors and certain large business parks. The purpose of the Bylaw
was to take the time to evaluate open space parcels, natural resources, the City’s transfer of
development rights program, and to complete the overhaul to the City’s planned unit development
and subdivision standards.
• Under Interim Zoning, staff provided support to two temporary committees: the Open Space
Interim Zoning Committee and Transfer of Development Rights Interim Zoning Committee
• Working with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, mapping of natural resources
was made available for the Open Space Interim Zoning Committee, Planning Commission, and the
public in their work on resources.
• Transportation planning efforts to overhaul the traffic impact fees & traffic overlay district
continued, and City staff participated in the kick-off to an I-89 corridor study.
• Developed a series of draft amendments to the Land Development Regulations that were
scheduled for public hearing in early FY 2020.
Development Review and the City Center Form Based Code
• See Development Review Board Report
Airport Input
• Participated in meetings of the Airport’s Sound Advisory Committee / Technical Advisory
Committee
• The City Council submitted, in June, a letter detailing the City’s position on noise mitigation in
preparation for the scheduled update to the Airport’s Noise Compatibility Plan
Sustainability
• Worked with newly-established energy manager, Lou Bresee, to facilitate and implement energy
efficiency projects in the City.
Staffing
• A tremendous thank you and congratulations to Raymond Belair, Administrative Officer, who
retired at the start of the fiscal year after a long and exalted career, largely with South Burlington,
and a hearty welcome to Dalila Hall who joined us in September and hit the ground running.
• A big thank you to our amazing team, including Cathyann LaRose, City Planner, and Marla Keene,
Development Review Planner, both of whom exude professionalism and serve our community with
great pride and skill.
• Finally, big thanks too, to the team of great people who have helped to digitize thousands of pages
of documents for everyone to use – Lou Bresee, Spencer Baker, and Betsy Brown.
2020 Priorities and Goals
• Provide top-level customer service for all users
• Provide consistent and objective development review services
• Work with volunteer groups and City staff to implement the goals of the Comprehensive Plan
• Complete Planned Unit Development / Natural Resources, Inclusionary Zoning related work under
Interim Zoning
• Continue to foster smart development in the City Center area
• Develop integrated work plans across committees & departments
• Track, measure, and evaluate implementation across all departments for a sustainable future
• Provide staff training to assure we maintain the top department in the State
• Continue department digitization
South Burlington Public Library
Department Overview
• The Library staff work together over the following
areas: Children’s Services, Adult Services, Circulation
and Cataloging.
• Jennifer Murray is the Director (5 years with SBPL).
Her Leadership Team includes Kathryn Plageman,
Circulation Librarian (18 years of service), Susan Bliss,
Adult Services Librarian (5 years of service), and Kelly
Kendall, Children’s Librarian (1 year of service.)
• Number of staff: 13, five with 9 hours a week or less,
three 19-28 hours, 5 FT.
• The public library is a place where people connect with each other, books and information. We
offer technology assistance, classes, concerts, storytimes, book groups and provide a space
for people of all ages and abilities to spend time together to connect, learn, and grow. Staff
constantly offer one-on-one assistance and excellent customer service at the Circulation Desk.
The Board of Trustees and staff updated the mission this year to: “The South Burlington Public
Library strengthens our community through abundant resources, including books; information; and
opportunities to learn, share and grow.”
• The annual budget for FY17 was $504,249.00. Our actual expenditures were $499,819.00 due to
some gaps in replacing substitute staff.
Accomplishments and Events
• The Library Web Team worked closely with designer,
Eternity, to create a responsive and customer-friendly
web page for the Library, paid for by gifts to the
Library.
• Our Cataloger learned to use the new state-system,
Clover, to manage inter-library loans.
• The Circulation Manager continued to explore the new
catalog system and trained other staff to use most
effectively.
• The Library Programming Team coordinated adult and youth planning and publicity to streamline
their processes and build programs for all ages together.
• The vote for 180 Market Street was very successful, as a result or the excellent community
connections and community outreach over the prior year in which the Library Director was very
involved. The Director continued to participate in building design, which has been completed, and
is now involved in value engineering.
• Artist James Valastro designed some “hen art” for the Library which is hanging on the meeting
room wall and has been well received by the community.
Qualitative Summary
• We continue to augment our staff with volunteers who lead regular programs of particular interest
to them, including; the Cookbook Club, current events conversation Great Decisions, English
as a Second Language discussion group and one on one appointments for phone and device
assistance.
• The Library began circulating two tablets which we help patrons load e-books or e-audio books
onto from Overdrive. The City’s IT department made one of our laptops secure for public use, and
that is now available to borrow within the library as a pilot for potential expansion in the new
library.
• The Director continues to work with the Trustees in advocacy for the library and the Foundation to
prepare for the capital campaign.
Quantitative Data
• Cardholders total 8,371, of which 86% are South
Burlington residents.
• Circulation estimates show that the rate of items
going out has stayed constant, with e-books and
e-audio book checkout both increased by around
50%.
• Program offerings and attendance have evened
out in the transitional location, with strong
showings for technology training, current events,
baby and toddler programs.
• Library visits averaged 8,800 per month.
• General statistics comparing FY19 to FY 18 are still not conclusive measures due to the following
factors: Circulation in FY18 was affected by being closed for two weeks and by initial problems
with the new system’s reports module; FY18 programming was reduced for moving and due to staff
changes.
• Library staff made positive steps towards its goals as shown here:
1. Plan and implement a staff retreat with support from the Friends of the Library.
2. Work with Trustees to gather information and begin application process for grant-seeking.
Submitted Humanities grant and researched others.
3. Research and implement a community survey towards gathering information for strategic
planning. X Community survey was found to be larger than just the Library.
4. Release new library web page.
5. Add staff hours to high traffic periods to meet public service needs and safe staffing
standards. Added a third person for part of each Saturday.
6. Offer staff security training and develop procedures to handle emergency situations.
Active shooter training and new procedures in place.
7. Increase circulation through greater display and marketing within the library. X Additional
displays and marketing planned for FY20.
8. Train additional staff in planning and presenting ongoing programs. Staff offered new
classes on accessing resources from our web, the music and theater of Hamilton, and on
using streaming services for movies.
9. Continue to serve on the library design committee and influence plans for the new library.
10. Work with the Trustees to define a new strategic plan and compile research for a public
library salary study. Developed updated mission, vision and values and compiled salary
data.
FY 2020 Goals and Priorities
• Continue to design and plan for our new library, focusing on FFE this year.
• Explore collaborative program planning.
• Evaluate staff time and salary comparisons towards completing a proposed organizational chart
for the HRIP.
• Plan and implement staff training and implementing technology strategies.
• Participate in Chittenden County resource sharing project for book club sets.
• Begin exploring best options for moving the library into the new space.
• Work closely with Board of Trustees to create a new strategic plan
Department of Public Works
Department Head: Justin Rabidoux
The Department of Public Works has 36 employees and is comprised of the following Divisions: Highway,
Parks, Sewer, Water, Stormwater, Technical Services and Fleet Maintenance. We maintain the City’s
90 miles of roads and the hundreds of miles of utilities that lie underneath them. Additionally, the Sewer
Division is responsible for two wastewater treatment plants and over 30 sewer pump stations.
2018 saw the continuation of recent large-scale City efforts on a variety of projects including ones focused
on reducing taxpayer expenses, new public facilities, major transportation upgrades to our city center
road network and an aggressive implementation of stormwater projects aimed at improving lake water
quality. Specifically, these efforts were:
• Building the 2018 town meeting voter approved sewer project that redirected sewer flow
from properties in the Hadley Road/Farrell Street/Proctor Avenue neighborhoods away from
Burlington’s wastewater collection and treatment systems and to South Burlington’s systems. This
$3M investment is a project that on day one reduced costs for South Burlington residents and over
the life of this new infrastructure will save residents well over $10M.
• Permitting for a new facility that will house City Hall, the Public Library and a Senior Center under
one roof in City Center is underway. The goal over the coming year is to construct this decades-
long desired project and have it in use by the spring of 2021.
• The Market Street Reconstruction Project, all told a $10M investment funded in most part by non-
South Burlington taxpayer dollars, is in its final stages of completion. Once open, this new road
with fully pedestrian and landscaping amenities, will serve as a crucial transportation link for City
Center.
• The Water Division, which is managed by the Champlain Water District, completed year six (of
a seven-year project) of a multi-year project to upgrade and replace customers’ water meters.
This project will ensure metering accuracy, improve leak detection and efficiency in meter
communications and reading. By improving meter accuracy, this project captures annually over
$100k in what would otherwise be lost revenue, allowing it to pay for itself. Once the project is fully
complete, that money will be ‘found’ revenue for the Water Division.
• The Stormwater Division built $1.1M in new stormwater treatment facilities. Not only do these
projects greatly improve water quality within South Burlington and Lake Champlain, but they were
able to do so by the leveraging of almost $700k in outside grants, meaning South Burlington only
had to spend $400k of Stormwater money to realize $1.1M in improvements.
We would be remiss if we did not thank the public, City Council and City Administration for their support
over the past year.
Police Department
Department Head: Chief Shawn Burke
Department Overview
The South Burlington Police Department is currently authorized fifty four employees. Members of
the organization are assigned to Patrol Division, Special Operations Division, Administration, and the
Community Justice Center.
The Patrol Division is commanded by Lieutenant Shawn Demore and represents the largest entity of the
organization. The Patrol Division is responsible for providing constant uniform police services to the
community and is out most visible element.
The Special Operations Division is commanded by Lt. Jeffrey Martel. Special Operations is responsible
for all investigative functions of the police department; the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Investigators
working with the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, our Detective assigned to the Chittenden
Unit for Special Investigations, our Detective assigned to the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force, and
our Human Trafficking Case Manager. Special Operations is also responsible for our Youth Service /
School Resource Officer Program and our Crime Prevention Program.
The Administration Division houses the Office of the Chief, training and recruitment, policy compliance
and development, records management, emergency management, and dispatch services. Day to day
operations of the Administration Division are managed by Lt Greg Jager.
The department handled 13,402 incidents in fiscal year 2019 and operated within the Council approved
budget of $5,177,760.33.
Accomplishments / Qualitative Summary
The organization celebrated the retirement of Chief Trevor Whipple following 13 years of dedicated
service to the City of South Burlington. The retirement of many long tenured Officers during FY 18 and 19
presented the opportunity to hire five new service oriented Officers. These Officers were fully trained
in FY 2019 and now police our community sharing the organization’s values of integrity, loyalty, duty,
professionalism, teamwork, fairness, and respect.
The organization invested substantial human capital in policy and training development in FY 2019. The
following list represents our focal points and accomplishments:
• Integrated Communication Assessment and Tactics – Scenario based training focused on
responding to those in crisis
• Fair and impartial policing policy development and training
• Narcan Deployment – Focus on the needs of those suffering from substance abuse disorder
• Domestic violence response and investigation
• Vehicle operation and pursuit – Focused on mitigating risk to the public
• Staff Wellness and Resiliency – Program investments which study workplace ergonomics and
support mental wellbeing of staff
The organization is continuing to work on policy and training initiatives that are nearing completion in the
area of police use of force and internal investigations. Both of these projects are due to be completed
in the early part of FY 20. We encourage citizens to engage with our team so we can better understand
the policing priorities our constituents deem important. Our web site has a compliment / complaint tab
which allows anyone to provide feedback about the organization. The compliment / complaint form is an
electronic submission that immediately notifies the Command Staff so timely and appropriate steps can be
taken to serve the City.
Quantitative Data
Total Incidents — 13,402
Traffic Data Violations Ticketed - 546
Warnings 1,503 Speeding 16.00%
Tickets 546 Using a Portable Electronic Device 13.20%
Crashes 731 Operating After Suspension 13.00%
Vehicles Not Inspected 12.00%
Traffic Control Signals 5.60%
Crime Data Arrest Data - Total 885
Assault 44 Retail Theft 35.00%
Burglary 40 DUI 7.00%
Larceny 261 Domestic Assault 4.50%
Retail Theft 323 Assault 4.00%
Robbery 5 Burglary 2.50%
Trespass 274
Crisis Related Responses
Mental Health Issue 169
Overdose 24
Welfare Check 438
Goals and Priorities for FY 20
The police department remains committed to embracing and enacting the principals of 21st Century
Policing. The action items identified thus far in FY20 include:
• Public Engagement
• Use of Force Policy - Update
• Use of Force Reporting / Data Collection Development
• Cultural Competency Training
• Active Shooter Policy and Training
• Human Trafficking Investigation – Victim Centered
• Human Resource / Deployment Assessment – Sworn Personnel
• Building a healthy and resilient workforce - Better understanding cumulative stress
CITY PARTNER
REPORTS
FISCAL YEAR 2019 REPORT
BOLTON
BURLINGTON
CHARLOTTE
COLCHESTER
ESSEX
ESSEX JUNCTION
HINESBURG
HUNTINGTON
JERICHO
MILTON
RICHMOND
ST. GEORGE
SHELBURNE
SOUTH BURLINGTON
UNDERHILL
WESTFORD
WILLISTON
WINOOSKI
CSWD FISCAL YEAR 2019 REPORT
Winooski Valley Park District
Ethan Allen Homestead Burlington, Vermont 05408 Tel: (802) 863-5744 Email: info@wvpd.org www.WVPD.org Fax: (802) 865-0647
Winooski Valley Park District Nick Warner
Annual Report: July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019 Executive Director The Winooski Valley Park District’s mission is to plan, acquire, and manage lands
and waters within the boundaries of its member municipalities for purposes of conservation, preservation of natural areas, establishment of parks, and resource-based education and recreation. WVPD’s growing 1,753 acre portfolio features
over 13 miles of shoreline and offers 25 miles of trails in 19 parks throughout the Winooski River Valley. In South Burlington, this includes Muddy Brook Park, Muddy Brook Wetland Reserve, Winooski Gorge, and Valley Ridge. The City of South Burlington has been a supporting member for 46 years, and Dave Crawford is
South Burlington’s representative. Please visit www.wvpd.org for trail maps and to learn more, or stop by WVPD’s headquarters at the Ethan Allen Homestead in Burlington. In South Burlington this past year, WVPD:
Performed general maintenance of trails at Winooski Gorge and Muddy Brook;
installed new entrance gate at Muddy Brook Wetland Reserve;
Performed contracted work for the City: installed wayfinding signs at Red Rocks Park, built two new bridges at Wheeler Natural Area. Environmental Education Highlights this year include providing birding lessons for students from Orchard School, and welcoming 50 students from the school to Conservation Field Day.
WVPD offers an 8-week summer “S.O.L.E. Camp”, offering a rich natural resource curriculum to children 6-10 years of age. A similar program is offered for one week
in February. Both programs operate at capacity each year. Additionally, WVPD parks and facilities are utilized for:
Afterschool programs with multiple schools from WVPD member towns;
School and Senior Program field trips;
Bird and wildlife walks;
Academic research, internships, and service learning projects. Financial Sustainability: This year, WVPD leveraged $102,500 in outside funding
for projects, programs, and acquisitions, and leveraged significantly more in services, donations, and matching funds. In a continuing effort to keep costs low for member towns while accommodating a growing park portfolio, WVPD offered fee-
for-service project services for the City of South Burlington, Town of Williston, and City of Winooski. This model will continue in future years as means to create new revenues. Volunteers from local schools and community organizations also contribute nearly 1,000 hours of labor annually to various WVPD parks and help complete projects such as removing invasive plant species, picking up trash, assisting with programs and events, and repairing trails. WVPD received a grant from the Department of Environmental Conservation to hire a greeter at Colchester Pond to help monitor invasive aquatic plants. WVPD proactively seeks new grants and sponsorships for future programs, projects and acquisitions.
Visit the WVPD’s Parks:
Colchester Pond Natural Area
Delta Park
Derway Cove Derway Island
Nature Preserve Donohue Sea Caves
Essex Overlook Park
Ethan Allen Homestead Heineberg Wetlands
Macrae Farm Park
Mayes Landing Muddy Brook Park Muddy Brook
Wetland Reserve Old Mill Park
Riverwalk Trail
Salmon Hole Park Winooski Gorge
Wolcott Family Natural Area
Woodside Park
Valley Ridge
Activities for Residents, and Tourists: WVPD’s 19 regional parks offer nature trails, scenic overlooks and wildlife viewing, hiking trails, picnic facilities, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails,
canoe/kayak launches, fishing accesses, and public garden plots. The Ethan Allen Homestead Museum (a tenant and partner organization) provides tours of Ethan and Fanny Allen’s 1787 restored farmhouse, historic lectures, programs and special events such as Citizenship Ceremonies, fundraisers, and historic re-enactments. This past year, the Museum expanded its mission to include Native American culture and
history, an effort that has generated a huge amount of interest and activity.
Activities with WVPD’s Partner Organizations in FY19:
Vermont Commons School – 12 students – trail work day @ Salmon Hole
Winooski Natural Resource Conservation District- Partnered on “Trees 4 Streams” grant that provided 250 + trees to be planted at the Ethan Allen Homestead, partnership will continue in 2020 with a Fall planting planned for Macrae Farm Natural Area
Intervale Center – planting funded by a City Market Grant, volunteers from VT Gas, the Intervale
Center and WVPD planted 375 stems at the Ethan Allen Homestead, increasing the riparian buffer
from 50’ wide to nearly 100’
Lake Champlain Committee – partnered on a VT Department of Environment Conservation Grant In
Aid, that involved monitoring Lake Champlain for the presence of invasive Asian Clam
Intern – Emilie Bernier – helping with various projects – Natural Resource Inventory, Colchester Pond Cyanobacteria monitoring, Williston Central School Service Learning Day at EAH
Green Up Day- volunteer groups helped at Colchester Pond, Ethan Allen Homestead, Salmon Hole,
Essex Overlook, Old Mill
VT Fish and Wildlife – partnering on a riparian re-vegetation project where several test plots are being set up at the Ethan Allen Homestead to research which method is the most efficient
Boy Scouts – invasive removal and leaf cleanup at EAH
Programs Offered by Others at WVPD Parks: Many school groups, local Colleges and Universities,
summer camps, and scout groups visit WVPD’s parks regularly. WVPD parks are also the subject of numerous collegiate and post-graduate studies. The Burlington Area Community Gardens, the Vermont Community Garden Network, The Janet S. Munt Family Room, and New Farms for New Americans lead
educational gardening programs at WVPD’s Ethan Allen Homestead.
People need natural areas to stay in touch with the local landscapes that sustain them. In turn, natural areas need protection and management to assure people and wildlife can peacefully coexist. In an era of forest decline and water quality challenges, WVPD will continue to prioritize high value conservation properties for acquisition and management. WVPD has and will continue to provide services in park
planning and park maintenance. WVPD’s presence in South Burlington greatly enhances education,
conservation, and recreation. South Burlington’s annual support makes it possible for thousands of Vermonters and tourists to explore our ecologically-diverse system of natural areas embedded within the
most developed county in Vermont. Thank You!
1 | Page Sept ember 2019
FY2019 ANNUAL REPORT
South Burlington
The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) is a political subdivision of the State
created by the municipalities of Chittenden County in 1966 for the development of policies, plans and
programs that address regional issues and opportunities in Chittenden County. Its vision is to be a pre-
eminent, integrated regional organization that plans for healthy, vibrant communities, economic
development, and efficient transportation of people and goods while improving the region’s livability.
The CCRPC serves as the region’s federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and is
responsible for comprehensive and collaborative transportation planning involving municipalities, state
and federal agencies and other key stakeholders in Chittenden County. The CCRPC works to ensure
implementation of the regional transportation plan and provides technical and planning assistance to
its member municipalities and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans).
The CCRPC is governed by a 29-member board consisting of one representative from each of the
County’s 19 municipalities; transportation representatives from VTrans, Green Mountain Transit
(GMT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Burlington
International Airport (BIA), and a rail industry representative; and, at-large members representing the
interests of agriculture, environmental conservation, business, and housing/socio-economic. The
legislative body of each Chittenden County municipality selects its own representative and alternate.
The full CCRPC selects the at-large representatives.
The CCRPC appreciates the continued opportunity to work with its municipal members to plan
appropriately for the region’s future to protect and improve the special quality of life that is shared
throughout Chittenden County. In FY19, the CCRPC invested more than $5.7 million in regional land
use, transportation, emergency management, energy, natural resources, public engagement, training,
and technical assistance. The program leverages more than $5.2 million in Federal and State
investment with $245,000 in municipal dues and another $227,000 in local match for specific
projects—an 11:1 return on local investment.
South Burlington representatives to the CCRPC Board and other committees in FY19 were:
• CCRPC Representative | Chris Shaw
• CCRPC Alternate | Meaghan Emery
• Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) | Justin Rabidoux
• Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) | Paul Conner
• Clean Water Advisory Committee (CWAC) | Tom DiPietro
• MS4 Subcommittee | Tom DiPietro
Specific activities the CCRPC is engaged in with South Burlington, as well as CCRPC’s regional activities,
are discussed in the following sections.
110 West Canal Street, Suite 202
Winooski, Vermont 05404-2109
802-846-4490
www.ccrpcvt.org
2 | Page Sept ember 2019
In FY2019, the CCRPC provided direct assistance to South Burlington on the following projects and
initiatives:
•City Center Parking & Movement Plan: The City of South Burlington is looking to develop a
district parking strategy for the City Center area including Market Street and commercial areas
on Dorset Street and Williston Road. This strategy will support ongoing plans to build new
residential units, roadways, a municipal complex, and increased density in the City Center. The
focus of this study is to identify methods to best support the success of Market Street as a core,
mixed-use area at the heart of the future City Center. CCRPC staff have been working with City
staff and a consultant to inventory existing conditions and identify parking management
approaches to best support the growth of the City Center. This project will be completed in
FY20. Total consultant costs in FY19: $28,460. Contract balance for FY20: $21,540.
•I-89 Exit 14 Bike/Pedestrian Crossing Study (Phase II): Phase I of this study began in 2016 to
identify and evaluate alternatives to improve pedestrian and bicycle travel across the I-89 Exit
14 interchange. In May 2018, the final report for Phase I was completed:
http://bit.ly/I89-Exit14-Phase1. The result of this study was the selection and endorsement of a
preferred alignment for connecting existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities on the east side of
I-89 near the Exit 14 interchange with the west side. Based on this study, the City completed a
conceptual layout and a benefit-cost analysis for the preferred alignment. To better position the
project for design and construction funding, the City, with assistance from the CCRPC,
undertook Phase II of this study to better evaluate existing conditions along the preferred
alignment. The study effort included delineating and mapping wetlands; researching and
mapping rights-of-way, property boundaries, easements, and offers of dedication; researching
and mapping existing utilities; completing a topographic survey; summarizing permit
requirements; and assessing cultural resources. The final report was completed in July and can
be found here: http://bit.ly/I89-Exit14-Study. Total consultant costs in FY19: $24,010.
•South Burlington Multi-site Recreation Path Scoping Study: The CCRPC and the City initiated
this scoping study with Toole Design Group in FY18 to analyze and evaluate the feasibility of
additional sidewalk and shared use paths at four proposed study site locations throughout
South Burlington. This study evaluates existing conditions, develops alternatives, and provides
planning level cost estimates. Preferred alternatives were identified in collaboration with the
City and the public. For the final report please visit the project website:
http://bit.ly/SB-BikePed-Study. Total consultant costs in FY18 and FY19: $53,890
•South Burlington Multi-Site Pedestrian Crossing /Bicycle Access Study: Beginning in the fall of
2018, the CCRPC started to work with the City and Toole Design Group to analyze and evaluate
the feasibility of mid-block crossings on Williston Road between Hinesburg Rd and Kennedy
Drive and on Kennedy Drive at the Twin Oaks Drive; and the feasibility of continuing bicycle
lanes through the intersections of Williston Road/Kennedy Drive and Williston Road/Hinesburg
Road. In FY19, the project team conducted field visits, analyzed existing conditions, developed
conceptual plans and evaluated congestion and safety issues for different scenarios at the two
SOUTH BURLINGTON ACTIVITIES
3 | Page Sept ember 2019
signalized intersections on Williston Road. The final report for this project will be finalized in
FY20. See the project website for more information: http://bit.ly/SB-BikePed-Crossing. Total
consultant costs in FY19: $19,721. Contract balance for FY20: $818.
•Williston Rd/Dorset St Intersection Lane Assignment Evaluation: In collaboration with City
staff, the CCRPC started to evaluate the possibility of lane re-assignments on the westbound
direction at the Williston Road/Dorset Street intersection. In FY19, CCRPC staff conducted a
review of previous studies related to the intersection; assembled traffic modeling data
including traffic volumes and signal timing plans; developed a microsimulation model in
Transmodeler to evaluate potential new lane configurations on Williston Road; and discussed
preliminary results with the City. A technical memo with findings and recommendations will be
completed in FY20.
•VT116/Kimball Ave/Tilley Dr Land Use and Transportation Plan: The CCRPC and the City are
continuing to work with VHB to develop a comprehensive Land Use and Transportation Plan for
the area around VT 116, Kimball Avenue, Tilley Drive, Kennedy Drive, and Community Drive.
This Land Use and Transportation Plan will evaluate existing land uses and potential
transportation alternatives to address the long-term, multi‐modal transportation system
requirements to accommodate a potentially significant level of development within the project
area. This project will be completed in FY20. For more information, please visit the project
website: http://bit.ly/116-Kimball-Tilley. Total consultant costs for this multiyear project:
$244,466.
•Traffic Overlay District and Impact Fee: The CCRPC has been working with the City and RSG to
update the current Impact Fee ordinance to incorporate all aspects of transportation
infrastructure as well as create stronger linkages to established capital budget planning
processes and to update the existing Traffic Overlay District to better align the regulations with
the significantly revised zoning and land development regulations incorporating form based
code. This effort will be completed in FY20. Total consultant costs in FY18 and FY19: $51,602.
Contract balance for FY20: $10,031.
•Geographic Information Systems: The CCRPC conducted a river corridor analysis in South
Burlington to identify structures within the City’s river corridors as well as an analysis of
dwelling units per roadway mile in the Southeast quadrant. Additionally, CCRPC staff worked
with the South Burlington Bike & Ped committee on the development of a map viewer to
display bike and pedestrian infrastructure. CCRPC staff provided mapping assistance to the
Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership, of which South Burlington is a member.
•Interim Zoning Assistance: In coordination with City staff and a consultant, the CCRPC worked
to refine South Burlington’s natural resource regulations. Staff also assisted the Affordable
Housing Committee on the inclusionary zoning draft for the proposed expansion of this bylaw
to the transit overlay district. CCRPC staff also developed an online map view of natural
resources to inform refinement of the natural resource regulations.
•Emergency Management – LEMP: CCRPC staff offered assistance with preparation of the
annual Local Emergency Management Plan (LEMP), formerly known as the Local Emergency
Operations Plan (LEOP), to ensure that South Burlington is prepared in the event of a disaster.
4 | Page Sept ember 2019
•Municipal Roads General Permit (MRGP) Compliance, Water Quality Planning Assistance and
Associated Stormwater projects:
o Staff worked with South Burlington to map hydrologically connected outlets and their
associated roadway segments for more comprehensive planning and reporting needs.
o Using funds from VDEC’s Clean Water Block Grant program, the CCRPC secured funds
for and administered a subgrant to the City for construction of improvements to two
large stormwater treatment ponds in the Pinnacle at Spear Street neighborhood.
•Traffic Counts: The CCRPC conducted 13 roadway AADT (Annual Average Daily Traffic) counts in
support of South Burlington’s transportation projects and studies (http://vtrans.ms2soft.com/).
•Technical Assistance: CCRPC staff provided a variety of technical assistance to the City:
o Reviewed and provided comments on the proposed South Burlington Interim Zoning
bylaws;
o Provided the City with assistance in the development of an electric vehicle charging
grant and coordinated with VEIC on a fleet analysis for South Burlington’s municipal
vehicles (http://bit.ly/SB‐EV‐Fleet‐Guidance);
o Reviewed the City’s VTrans Bike/Ped Grant Program application and provided a letter of
support;
o Coordinated with the City and VTrans on cost estimates and use of available
earmark funds for the Exit 14 signal improvements;
o Prepared for and hosted a Local Emergency Planning Committee meeting in South
Burlington that focused on UVM’s Environmental Safety Facility;
o Participated in discussions with the Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee about bikeshare
expansion in the City;
o Assisted South Burlington School District staff with collecting and analyzing
demographic and economic data from the US Census and American Community Survey.
The TIP (http://www.ccrpcvt.org/our‐work/our‐plans/transportation‐improvement‐program/) is a
prioritized, multi‐year list of transportation projects in Chittenden County. To receive federal
Transportation funds, each transportation project, program or operation must be authorized through
the TIP. South Burlington projects included in the TIP are listed below. These projects are also
identified in the FY2019 Vermont Agency of Transportation Capital Program for design or construction.
•Market Street Reconstruction: $7.17 million project for roadway construction. The project is
partially funded with a federal SAFETEA‐LU earmark ($4.5 million). Construction scheduled to
be completed in 2019.
•I-89 Exit 14 Signal Upgrades: $1.33 million project to upgrade signals at Exit 14.
Implementation scheduled to begin in 2020.
South Burlington Projects in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
5 | Page Sept ember 2019
•I-189 Concrete Pavement Repair and Paving: $2.55 million for pavement repair and paving in
2020 and 2021.
•I-89 Paving, Richmond to Colchester: $9.14 for paving I-89 from Richmond to Colchester.
•US7 Signal Upgrades, Webster Road to Swift Street: Construction schedule to be determined.
•Picard Circle Stormwater Improvements: 2017 Transportation Alternatives award ($229,600)
to design and construct stormwater infiltration and drainage infrastructure. Construction
scheduled for 2019.
•Bartlett Brook Stormwater Treatment System Expansion: 2018 Municipal Highway and
Stormwater Mitigation Program award of $123,988 federal and $251,732 state funds.
Construction scheduled for 2021.
•Woodcrest/Deane Street Stormwater Infiltration and Detention System: $242,000
Transportation Alternatives award in 2018. Construction scheduled for 2020.
•Expansion of Kennedy Drive Stormwater Pond 7: $300,000 Transportation Alternatives award
in 2018. Construction scheduled for 2020.
•Kennedy Drive Gravel Wetland Retrofit, Pond 2: $83,693 federal and $169,923 state Municipal
Highway and Stormwater Mitigation Program award in 2019. Construction scheduled for 2020.
•Linwood Drive Closed Drainage System and Stormwater Treatment: $115,358 federal and
$188,216 state Municipal Highway and Stormwater Mitigation award in 2019. Construction
scheduled for 2021.
•Williston Road Cycle Track and Pedestrian Improvements: $2.4 million project for bike and
pedestrian improvements on Williston Road between Dorset Street and Midas Drive/White
Street. Partially funded with a 2017 Bike & Pedestrian award ($800,000). Construction
scheduled for 2022.
Project Name Brief Description Total Budget
Traffic Overlay District Traffic
Impact Fees - Phase II
Complete the second phase of a project
that overhauls the Traffic Overlay District
and Traffic Impact Fees into a coordinated
system.
$37,500 budget which
includes a local match
of $7,500
Queen City Park Road
Sidewalk Scoping
Conduct a scoping study to address the
existing ~700 ft sidewalk gap between the
Champlain Water District and Central
Avenue.
$40,000 budget which
includes no local match
as a regional project.
Multiuse Path Connecting
Williston to South Burlington
Conduct a detailed evaluation of the
obstacles identified in the 2006 & 2010
Scoping Studies for a multiuse path over
Muddy Brook.
$30,000 budget which
includes no local match
as a regional project.
FY2020 CCRPC Work Program
6 | Page Sept ember 2019
•ECOS Plan Implementation: CCRPC continues to implement its 2018 Chittenden County ECOS
Plan (http://www.ecosproject.com/2018-ecos-plan) which combines the regional plan,
comprehensive economic development strategy, and metropolitan transportation plan, as
reflected here in this report. The 2018 ECOS Annual Report is a summary that highlights a
number of regional accomplishments, trends, and high priority actions.
(http://www.ecosproject.com/annual-report/2018-annual-report) In addition, the ECOS
Scorecard hosts the ECOS Partners’ shared measurement and indicator system that monitors
how well Chittenden County is doing relative to achieving our shared ECOS goals.
(https://app.resultsscorecard.com/Scorecard/Embed/8502)
•Legislative Forum: The CCRPC hosted the 2018 Legislative Breakfast in December as a forum for
a short and focused conversation with local legislators and municipal representatives on key
issues and topics important to area municipalities for the 2019-2020 legislative session,
including: housing, water quality, employment and Act 250.
(http://www.ccrpcvt.org/about-us/commission/policies-positions/)
•Building Homes Together: 2018 was the third year of the Building Homes Together campaign.
The campaign was initiated by the CCRPC, Champlain Housing Trust and Housing Vermont in
2016. The campaign’s goal is to increase the production of housing in Chittenden County,
setting a target of 3,500 new homes created over the next five years, with 700 of them
permanently affordable. Three years into the five-year campaign, 2,273 homes have been built
and the region is on track to reach 3,500 new homes by 2021. However, we continue to fall
short on the affordable housing goal. (http://www.ecosproject.com/building-homes-together)
•Public Health: The CCRPC supports and serves on the Chittenden County Opioid Alliance (CCOA,
http://www.ccoavt.org) together with other dedicated stakeholders including local non-profit
agencies, state and local government, United Way of Northwest Vermont, UVM Medical
Center, Vermont Department of Health, business leaders and community members in
Chittenden County. CCRPC also served as the lead agency for the Regional Prevention
Partnership. Accomplishments include expansion of drug take-back locations, promoting drug
take-back days, fake ID enforcement, and community education about substance use
prevention.
•Emergency Management: In addition to facilitating Local Emergency Planning Committee
meetings (LEPC 1, http://bit.ly/ccrpc-lepc), the CCRPC participated in a variety of emergency
management-related workshops and exercises to enhance resilience to disasters in our region.
The CCRPC also served as the local liaison between municipalities and the state to collect
damage assessment information after significant storm events, helped with emergency
preparedness for hazardous materials incidents, collected information from each municipality
on annual implementation of hazard mitigation activities and worked with municipalities to
complete Local Emergency Management Plans.
•Regional Energy Planning: Following the adoption of the Regional Energy Plan in June 2018 as
part of the ECOS Plan (http://www.ccrpcvt.org/our-work/our-plans/regional-energy-plan/), the
REGIONAL ACTIVITIES
7 | Page Sept ember 2019
CCRPC continued to conduct outreach with municipal Energy Committees/Planning
Commissions, municipal legislative bodies and State agencies to assist with the development of
local energy plans and support the State’s Comprehensive Energy Plan. CCRPC has provided 5
municipalities with a positive determination of energy compliance in FY18. The CCRPC
participated in Drive Electric Vermont meetings, commented on Public Utility Commission
proceedings, and provided support to municipalities with the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment
(EVSE) grant program.
•Education & Training: The CCRPC participated in and hosted the following trainings: Act 174
Training Assistance, Local Emergency Management Plan training, Chittenden County Road
Foreman workshop, Bluetooth Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) workshop and
Regional Housing Convenings. The CCRPC also continued to host the 12-month webinar series
from the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycling Professionals for municipalities and regional
partners.
•Lake Champlain Byway: Chittenden County includes eight of the Byway’s 22 communities:
Milton, Colchester, Winooski, Essex Junction, Burlington, South Burlington, Shelburne and
Charlotte. CCRPC staff maintained the Byway website (https://lakechamplainbyway.com/)
including this helpful Interactive Map (http://map.ccrpcvt.org/lcbyway/) and mobile Story App
(https://lcbyway.oncell.com/en/index.html).
•Clean Water: The CCRPC maintains its commitment to clean water initiatives throughout our
region so that all residents have access to clean drinking water; to strengthen our region’s
recreation and tourism industry; and to become more resilient to significant storm events. The
CCRPC continued to host the Clean Water Advisory Committee and the MS-4 Sub-Committee
(https://www.ccrpcvt.org/about-us/committees/clean-water-advisory-committee/), provided
guidance for the Vermont Clean Water Fund, assisted municipalities with stormwater master
plans, supported education programs such as the Rethink Runoff Stream Team
(http://rethinkrunoff.org/the-stream-team/), and participated in water quality-focused policy
discussions around adequate funding and clean water service providers in 2019.
•Municipal Roads General Permit (MRGP) Compliance and Water Quality Planning Assistance:
The CCRPC assisted member municipalities by conducting Road Erosion Inventories (REIs) and
developing conceptual plans to address road erosion issues to meet MRGP requirements. For
an interactive dashboard of the REI progress visit https://map.ccrpcvt.org/reidashboard/.
CCRPC staff assisted municipalities with Better Roads grants and Grants-in-Aid projects to
address road erosion issues. The CCRPC also provided funding to municipalities for
scoping/conceptual plan development for non-MRGP related stormwater issues on local roads.
•Transportation Demand Management: In partnership with VTrans, CCRPC staff continued the
Way to Go! Challenge (www.waytogovt.org) as a school-focused K-12 program to encourage
sustainable transportation and demonstrate the environmental and financial benefits of non-
single occupant vehicle travel. The CCRPC also continued to collaborate with regional TDM
partners to evaluate strategies and policies to encourage sustainable modes of transportation
such as walking, biking, ride-sharing, vanpooling, transit, bike-sharing and car-sharing. TDM
partners include: the Chittenden Area Transportation Management Association (CATMA),
8 | Page Sept ember 2019
CarShare VT, Green Mountain Transit (GMT), Local Motion, Greenride Bikeshare, Go!
Vermont/VTrans, and United Way.
•Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Transit Service Review: The CCRPC, Green Mountain Transit (GMT)
and United Way have been working together to evaluate Chittenden County’s E&D
Transportation Program. The goal of this initiative is to expand the understanding of the E&D
program among stakeholders and identify opportunities for improvement. Recommendations
will be completed in the fall of 2019.
•Neighbor Rides: Since Spring 2013, the CCRPC has been investing in Neighbor Rides to improve
the integration of volunteer drivers into SSTA’s services and increase access to transportation
for seniors and persons with disabilities by offering a lower-cost mode of transportation.
(http://www.unitedwaynwvt.org/Neighbor-Rides)
•Active Transportation Planning: The CCRPC completed an analysis of Greenride Bikeshare’s
(www.greenridebikeshare.com) first year data and made recommendations for system
expansion, and worked with TDM partners and local municipalities to plan Greenride’s
expansion and fleet conversion to electric assist bicycles (http://bit.ly/2ovBaxO). The CCRPC
provided walk/bike recommendations on local and state paving plans; assisted municipalities
with state bike/ped grant applications; developed model bike parking ordinances for
municipalities; planned and hosted (with VTrans) two walk/bike events as the Vermont Chapter
of the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals; promoted TDM strategies to
municipalities and businesses; compiled Complete Streets data for Chittenden County
municipalities; and, with Local Motion, conducted bike/ped counts on paths, bike lanes and
roadways. (http://www.ccrpcvt.org/our-work/our-plans/regional-bikeped-plan/)
•Chittenden County Transportation Survey: Since 2000, the CCRPC has regularly assessed the
public’s attitudes on transportation related issues. Previous public surveys were undertaken in
2000, 2006 and 2012. In 2018, the CCRPC worked with a consultant to replicate the previous
survey versions to note any historical attitudinal shifts. The purpose of the survey is to
objectively measure public opinion regarding performance of the region’s transportation
system and identify strategies to address existing and future deficiencies.
(http://bit.ly/CC-Transportation-Survey).
•Diversity & Equity: The CCRPC continues to use the 2014 Public Participation Plan (PPP) to
guide our focus on diversity and equity in all projects. A PPP update is planned in FY21 to
ensure everyone understands our role and responsibilities to engage the public and encourage
participation, with a special emphasis toward reaching traditionally underserved and
underrepresented populations in the county, including people/households with limited English
proficiency, people of color, people with disabilities, low-income households, new Americans,
seniors, and youth. In FY19, the CCRPC participated in the Refugee and Immigrant Service
Provider Network, developed Equity Impact Worksheets for transportation projects,
participated in public engagement webinars, completed our Title VI Report for VTrans/FHWA,
and participated in an implicit bias training.
(http://www.ccrpcvt.org/our-work/our-plans/public-participation-plan/)
9 | Page Sept ember 2019
•Regional Technical Assistance: This includes, but is not limited to, municipal technical
assistance for various transportation issues, GIS mapping, model municipal plans, bylaw and
ordinance revisions, Act 250/Section 248 application reviews, grant administration and grant
application assistance, build-out analyses, orthoimagery acquisition, and improving the VT
Online Bridge and Culvert Inventory Tool (http://www.vtculverts.org/).
•Advanced Traffic Monitoring System (ATMS) using Bluetooth Technology: The CCRPC and
VTrans deployed corridor-level Bluetooth devices along the following corridors in Chittenden
County: US 2 at Exit 14; VT 289, Susie Wilson Road and VT 15; VT 2A and US 2 north of Exit 12; I-
89 Exit 17 area; and I-89 Exit 16 area. This system provides the ability to monitor vehicle travel
times and average travel speeds on these corridors to help address congestion issues and
improve incident response (crashes, signal failures, etc.), thereby enhancing safety and
mobility, and reducing congestion. Ultimately, this data will be utilized by the VTrans Advanced
Transportation Management System (ATMS) and Traveler Information System (TIS) for 511.
•Chittenden County I-89 Study: The goal of this multi-year study (http://bit.ly/I-89-2050-Study)
is to assess capacity, safety, resiliency and other issues of the I-89 corridor and its existing
interchanges within Chittenden County; and to develop a comprehensive, multimodal plan for
interstate and interchange investments that accommodates anticipated growth through 2050
and best aligns with the Vision that will be articulated by a broad and diverse group of
stakeholders and the public.
•Regional Dispatch Implementation Study: The CCRPC continues to support the Chittenden
County Public Safety Authority (CCPSA) formed by the following municipalities in 2018
(Burlington, Colchester, Milton, South Burlington, Williston, Winooski) to implement a plan for
a consolidated regional dispatch center for police, fire and rescue agencies.
(http://www.ccrpcvt.org/our-work/emergency-management/regional-dispatch/).
For further information about the CCRPC, please visit http://www.ccrpcvt.org/ or contact CCRPC
Executive Director, Charlie Baker: cbaker@ccrpcvt.org, 802-846-4490 ext *23.
403 Queen City Park Road ~ South Burlington, VT 05403 Telephone: (802)864-7454 ~Fax: (802)864-0435 www.cwd-h2o.org
CHAMPLAIN WATER DISTRICT
Dedicated to Quality Water & Service
First In The Nation ~ Excellence In Water Treatment, Partnership For Safe Water
Date: December 20, 2019
To: CWD Served Municipal Systems
From: Joe Duncan, CWD General Manager
RE: 2020-2021 Fiscal Year Budget
CWD’s publicly elected Board of Water Commissioners has finalized the fiscal year budget for July 1, 2020
to June 30, 2021 setting the uniform wholesale water rate at $2.313/1000 gallons from the existing rate
of $2.23/1,000 gallons. This is an increase of 8.3 cents per 1,000 gallons. A family using 65,700
gallons/year (180 gallons/day), within CWD’s twelve served municipal water systems in Chittenden
County, has a present annual “average” water cost across CWD’s served systems of $325.54 per year
($27.13/month). Of this $325.54/year, $146.51/year ($12.21/month) is paid to CWD under the uniform
wholesale water rate, and the remaining $179.03/year ($14.92/month) is the average retained by the
respective served CWD municipal water system. With CWD’s rate increase from $2.23/1000 gallons to
the proposed $2.313/1000 gallons, the average family using 65,700 gallons per year will see an increase
of $5.45 per year (45 cents/month). Refer to the attached table titled “CWD Uniform Wholesale Increase
on Served Municipal Systems”.
We have attached a table entitled “Historical CWD Wholesale Rate Increase Impact on CWD Served
Systems” which summarizes that CWD’s annual wholesale rate increase over the past eleven years has
averaged $4.28 per year for a family using 65,700 gallons/year. Also please find attached a table titled
“Comparative Retail Water Rates” which was just updated as of our December 2019 Survey of CWD served
systems retail rates based on CWD’s current wholesale rate of $2.23/1,000 gallons.
Lastly, one item of interest is that the State of Vermont “water fees” were scheduled for an increase on
July 1, 2018, but the Govenor held the line. Historically these fees have always increased on a three year
cycle, rather than annually, and they have increased historically at an average of 12%-15% every three
years. Per discussions with the Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division there is no indication
at this time that the fees will be revised but they also noted that anything is possible a year from now. To
be conservative we put a place holder of 15% for July 1, 2020.
Please contact Joe Duncan, CWD General Manager at 864-7454 (ext. 4808) or by email at
joe.duncan@champlainwater.org, if you have any questions or need further information.
Water System
December 2019
Retail Rate/1000
Gallons
Current
Annual
Average
Family Cost
For New
Wholesale Water
Rate of
$2.313/1000
Gallons
New Annual
Average Family
Cost
City of South Burlington $4.09 $268.71 $4.17 $274.17
Village of Essex Junction $4.15 $272.66 $4.23 $278.11
Colchester Town $4.74 $311.42 $4.82 $316.87
Malletts Bay Water Company $4.74 $311.42 $4.82 $316.87
City of Winooski $5.30 $348.21 $5.38 $353.66
Town of Williston $5.37 $352.81 $5.45 $358.26
Town of Essex $5.56 $365.29 $5.64 $370.75
Colchester Fire District #3 $5.66 $371.86 $5.74 $377.32
Town of Milton $6.48 $425.74 $6.56 $431.19
Town of Shelburne $6.65 $436.91 $6.73 $442.36
**Village of Jericho $3.27 $214.84 $3.35 $220.29
***Colchester Fire District #1 $3.45 $226.67 $3.53 $232.12
Served System Annual Average $4.96 $325.54 $5.04 $331.00
CWD’s Portion of Total Annual
Average Retail Bill $2.230 $146.51 $2.313 $151.96
$5.45
$0.45
**Village of Jericho – Rate does not include Village tax rate assessment charge
***Colchester Fire District #1 - Rate does not include bond special assessment charge
Average Family Annual Cost Increase
Average Family Monthly Cost Increase
CWD UNIFORM WHOLESALE INCREASE IMPACT ON SERVED MUNICIPAL SYSTEMS
FY 2020 - 2021
The following list represents the cost per 1,000 gallons and the annual cost for the Chittenden County
average household occupancy (2.4 people per home)multiplied by 75 gallons per day per person for an
average household usage of 180 gallons per day or 65,700 gallons per year.The annual cost of water
reflects individual characteristics of the communities water rates,i.e.any base rate per quarter,
incremental rates based upon usage,or any minimum charges.Therefore,the "CWD"increase is:
$2.23/1000 gallons to $2.313 /1000 gallons =0.083 cents/1000 @ 65,700 gallons/year =$5.45/year
or 45 cents/month.
CURRENT WHOLESALE RATE PROPOSED CWD RATE INCREASE
$2.23/1000 Gallons For New Wholesale Water Rate of
$2.313/1000 Gallons
HISTORICAL CWD WHOLESALE RATE INCREASE IMPACT ON AVERAGE FAMILY
The following list shows the CWD uniform wholesale water rate for the last eleven years. It also shows the annual
average family using 75 gallons per day per person for an average household usage of 65,700 gallons per year.
Assumes Chittenden County average family of 2.4 people/home use 180 gallons/day (75 gpd/person) for a total of
65,700 gallons per year.
FISCAL YEAR ENDING
CWD Uniform
Wholesale Water
Rate $ Per 1000
Gallons
Annual Average
Family Cost
@65,700
Gallons/Year
Annual Family $ Increase Over
Previous Fiscal Year
2011 1.650 $108.41 $3.55 (30 cents/month)
2012 1.714 $112.61 $4.20 (35 cents/month)
2013 1.782 $117.08 $4.47 (37 cents/month)
2014 1.840 $120.89 $3.81 (32 cents/month)
2015 1.913 $125.68 $4.79 (40 cents/month)
2016 1.978 $129.95 $4.27 (36 cents/month)
2017 2.038 $133.90 $3.95 (33 cents/month)
2018 2.100 $137.97 $4.07 (34 cents/month)
2019 2.165 $142.24 $4.27 (36 cents/month)
2020 2.230 $146.51 $4.27 (36 cents/month)
2021 (proposed) 2.313 $151.96 $5.45 (45 cents/month)
Note: CWD’s ten (11) year annual average (2011-2021) increase is $4.28/family per year.
CWD Wholesale (Uniform Rate)$2.230 $146.51
City of South Burlington $4.09 $268.71
Village of Essex Junction $4.15 $272.66
Colchester Town $4.74 $311.42
Malletts Bay Water Company $4.74 $311.42
Colchester Fire District #2 $4.81 $316.02
City of Winooski $5.30 $348.21
Town of Williston $5.37 $352.81
Town of Essex $5.56 $365.29
Colchester Fire District #3 $5.66 $371.86
City of Burlington $5.94 $390.26
Town of Milton $6.48 $425.74
Town of Shelburne $6.65 $436.91
**Village of Jericho $3.27 $214.84
***Colchester FD#1 $3.45 $226.67
*Bolded water systems are served by CWD $325.54
Note:The annual average retail cost of water is $325.54 for the 12 above
"bolded"CWD served municipal water systems for a family using 65,700
gallons per year.Of this $325.54 average annual family cost,$146.51
($12.21/month)is paid to CWD for the uniform wholesale purchase price,
and the remaining dollars is retained by the respective CWD served water
system.**Village of Jericho –Rate does not include Village Tax Rate assessment
charge.
***Colchester FD#1 - Rate does not include bond special assessment charge.
COMPARATIVE RETAIL WATER RATES
Survey Compiled December 2019
The following list represents the cost per 1000 gallons and the annual cost
for the Chittenden County average household occupancy (2.4 people per
home)multiplied by 75 gallons per day per person for an average household
usage of 65,700 gallons per year.The annual cost of water reflects individual
characteristics of the communities water rates,i.e.any base rate per quarter,
incremental rates based upon usage, or any minimum charges.
Water System
Total Cost per
1,000 Gallons
(Including any
Base Rates)
Annual Cost
Average
Family
CIty of South Burlington, 575 Dorset Street, South Burlington, Vermont 05403
www.southburlingtonvt.gov