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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 05/18/2022May 18, 2022, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes – APPROVED Page 1 Approved on June 15, 2022 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE May 18, 2022, 6:00 p.m., meeting held online and at City Hall Members attending: Janet Bellavance, Leslie Black-Plumeau, Vince Bolduc, Sandy Dooley, Ariel Jensen-Vargas, Darrilyn Peters, , John Simson, and Chris Trombly; member absent: Patrick O’Brien and Minelle Sarfo-Ado; Also present: Jessie Baker, City Manager;; Meaghan Emery, City Councilor AGENDA 1. Call to order, agenda review, approval of minutes from 4/13/22 AHC meeting, announcements, public comment 2. City Manager Update a. ARPA RFP Update b. Committee Bylaws, appointments and upcoming orientation c. other items 3. FY22 Policy Priorities & Strategies Report to Council 4. FY23 Policy Priorities & Strategies Recommendations to Council 5. Update on Climate Action Plan Task Force efforts 6. Adjourn 1. Call to order, agenda review, approval of minutes from 3/28/22 AHC meeting, announcements, public comment Call to order: Chris called the meeting to order at 6:06 p.m. Agenda review: Darrilyn moved and Leslie seconded motion to approve agenda as proposed. Approved: 8-0-0 Approval of minutes: John moved and Darrilyn seconded motion that the 4/13/22 meeting minutes be approved with the addition of “and New American” on p. 2, para. 4 (beginning with “Jessie proposed”), l. 2 between “BIPOC” and “households.” Approved: 8-0-0 Announcements: John shared that he submitted his application for City Council reappointment to committee. Sandy attended a GM Habitat for Humanity open house for a duplex in a new development in Milton. Leslie reported that the legislature approved funding for pilot Missing Middle Housing initiative that the committee had supported, additional good legislative outcomes for housing were enacted, and the governor prevented enactment of the bill with the rental registry. She will prepare a summary. Meaghan expressed appreciation that Chris and Sandy had reached out inviting her to be the Council’s liaison to the committee and she shared her desire to serve as such to the Council. No official Council action on liaisons to committees has been taken. Meaghan indicated desire to attend committee meetings and will let us know when unable to attend. Public Comments: None 2. City Manager Update a. ARPA RFP Update b. Committee Bylaws, appointments and upcoming orientation c. other items: Re the ARPA RFP, Jessie’s goal is to have it posted no later than May 26. She will send it to local developers and post it on an electronic bulletin board for RFPs. She encouraged committee members to share RFP with potentially interested parties. Because of the unusual ARPA requirements, she anticipates the submission deadline will be in mid-to-late July; staff review and scoring, and AHC and HTF committee review in August; and City Council receipt of the committees’ recommended proposal in September. Darrilyn asked about the possibility of the new owners of the U-Mall submitting a proposal. Given the ARPA timeline requirements, this is unlikely. Someone from the U-Mall may be meeting with the Economic Development committee in June. Jessie called to members’ attention the recently adopted Committee Bylaws, with which all committee members are being asked to comply. Also, there will be an orientation for all newly appointed committee members; ongoing committee members are welcome to attend. Jessie also reported that both the School Board and the City Council have approved the lease for the lot in back of the Fire Station that the committee hopes can be developed for affordable housing. Jessie also raised the subject of the committee testifying at DRB hearings relative to applicants’ requests for permits to develop in South Burlington. She stressed the quasi-judicial and independent role of the DRB and the City’s obligation not to attempt to influence its work other than through the professional support that assigned staff provide. It was noted that the DRB has, at times, requested AHC input relative to specific applications, which is fine. However, beyond this, Jessie does not see a role for the committee vis-à-vis the DRB. It is fine for individual committee members to attend and provide input, as individuals, with the recommendation that they state they are not representing the committee. Members noted that the Natural Resources and Conservation and Recreation and Bike Path committees submit input to the DRB from time to time and asked Jessie whether there is any written protocol that defines the circumstances under which this is appropriate. Jessie provided this link, May 18, 2022, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes – APPROVED Page 2 https://cms6.revize.com/revize/southburlington/Planning/Project%20Docs/DRB%202018%20Guidance%20to%20Committe es_signed.pdf, to an April 23, 2018 DRB memo regarding “Policy for Committee Review of Development Review Applications” in the Chat box during the meeting. It was stated during this discussion that it is important for the committee to work with the Planning Commission when they are developing or modifying LDRs that relate to residential development or to which the option of residential development might be added. Chris then shared that Monica Ostby has stepped away from her volunteer role as the PC’s liaison to the committee. 3. FY22 Policy Priorities & Strategies Report to Council: This agenda item generated a fair amount of discussion including the general conclusion that the committee lacked clarity regarding how to complete this section of the document and, as a result, was not ready to provide a completed report at this meeting. One question was: how does the committee’s FY22 work plan relate to this task? The discussion soon encompassed both FY22 and FY23. By consensus, the members agreed to defer completion of this task to the June meeting. 4. FY23 Policy Priorities & Strategies Recommendations to Council: This agenda item also generated a fair amount of discussion including the general conclusion that the committee lacked clarity regarding how to complete this section of the document and, as a result, was not ready to specify recommendations at this meeting. By consensus, the members agreed to defer completion of this task to the June meeting. Among the topics discussed (re FY22 and/or FY3) were: collaborating with other committees; having input into the update of the Comprehensive Plan; redevelopment of vacant properties along Shelburne Road; need to be more “in the know”; need, in some instances, to direct our efforts to the regional and state levels—not solely the municipal level (“vertical” as well as horizontal); identifying fewer goals so that we are more likely to achieve all of them; promote funding for weatherization to lower heating costs and address climate change; target funding for weatherization to low income households; need to include equity initiatives (e.g. Equity audit as Winooski has completed) because equity issues have strong connection to housing. Question to Jessie: how does deferral of agenda items 3 & 4 to June 15 meeting affect her work with City Council? Plan was to have all committees prepare their documents by end of May. The City Council needs these documents for its July 11 FY23 planning retreat. Councilors are to receive all retreat materials by July 1. Jessie’s receipt of committee’s approved document on or shortly after June 15 is workable. Members agreed on need to have draft document for review prior to June 15 meeting. John proposed having a subgroup develop this draft. They will start with earlier draft as modified by Jessie during the meeting based on members’ input. Chris will ask subgroup that worked on the ARPA values/criteria statement to prepare this draft. Subgroup members are: Chris, Darrilyn, Janet, Leslie, and Sandy. The draft document as modified by Jessie during the meeting is included with these minutes. 5. Update on Climate Action Plan Task Force efforts: Darrilyn cautioned that the current draft of the report is a long way from the final document, which will be much more user-friendly. Paul Conner is staff liaison with consulting support from CCPRC. Topics described briefly included: buildings & thermal, transportation & land use, natural areas, and others. A survey of City residents is to be conducted with results incorporated into final version of report. Some members expressed strong interest in how equity will be measured vis-à-vis recommendations in the report and want to have input into these measurements and recommendations. Some members see need for report to assess circumstances and possible responses from a more regional perspective. Some members want to know more about process for producing final draft of report. Important to incorporate income sensitivity. The need for more housing and where it is to be located is a crucial element. A recent measurement relating to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is to look at ratio of the number of jobs in a town to the number of houses in that town. Darrilyn reminded everyone that the report is not intended to be an implementation plan. Members agreed that committee needs to increase its involvement in the development of the Task Force’s report. 6. Adjourn: (8:24 p.m.) John moved and Leslie seconded motion to adjourn meeting. Approved: 8-0-0.