HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Economic Development Committee - 01/25/2021South Burlington Economic Development Committee January 25, 2021 Minutes
Meeting Called to Order at 5:35 PM Members in attendance; J. Wilking Chair, S. Bowden, Vice Chair, L. Norris, J. Burton. Others in attendance; K. Dorn, City Manager
1. Welcome
2. Comments and questions from the public not related to the agenda: There were no comments from the public. 3. Update on City since COVID 19 K. Dorn briefed the Committee on the various measures that had been taken within the City to address the pandemic to include personnel furloughs, freezes on Capital Improvement Plan expenditures and a review
of all General Fund expenditures and a freeze on hiring. These actions lead to a unaudited slight amount of income over expense in the FY’20. Dorn further briefed the committee on the projected FY ’21 impacts as well as budgeting for FY’22.
4. Update on any City legislative priorities K. Dorn updated the Committee on the various legislative priorities for the City as approved by the Council including gaps in current services for mental health and the role of Community Outreach, various measures
related to police reform, housing legislation, biosolid management and state aid for highway projects and funding for the Chittenden County Public Safety Authority. 5. Council Direction on Retail Sales of Cannabis
K. Dorn advised the Committee that the City Council has asked them to take the lead on evaluating the statutes rules that will soon be promulgated allowing communities to approve the local sale of cannabis. The Council did not place this question before the voters for the 2021 annual meeting
but would like to have a recommendation back from the Economic
Development Committee in time to evaluate whether or not is in the City’s best interest to have the question on the ballot nest year.
6. Council / Kevin EDC Concentration riding on our focus for “a little noise” K. Dorn went through a list of recommendations for Committee priorities
in the year ahead. The Committee concentrated on the re-zoning of the
area to the west of the airport where houses have been removed. The Committee would like to invite Planning Commission Chair Jessica Louisos to attend the next meeting to discuss this matter.
The Committee also discussed the CCRPC I-89 Corridor Study and the
direction it seems to be headed as it related to South Burlington needs to include the possibility of a “slip lane” northbound on I89 that would allow an exit directly into the UMall. The Committee also discussed the broader priorities of the study which seem to be focusing on potential
improvements to Exit 13.
The Committee also discussed the possibility of modifying the City’s TIF District boundary to encompass the University Mall property. There was strong support expressed by Committee members to support this boundary
modification.
7. Other Business J. Wilking asked K. Dorn to reach out to M. Albertson to see if he was still
able to participate on the committee. Prior to being able to contact M.
Albertson he submitted a resignation to the Committee siting professional commitments. The Committee set the next meeting date as February 22, 2021
8. Adjourn