Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 11/29/2018Approved on December 12, 2018 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE November 29, 2018, 10:00 AM, City Hall, Champlain Room Members attending: Tom Bailey, Leslie Black-Plumeau, Sandy Dooley, Michael Simoneau, and John Simson Members absent: Larry Michaels, Todd Rawlings Also present: Monica Ostby, PC liaison Minutes by Sandy Dooley AGENDA 1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests 2. Status of Interim Zoning and Inclusionary Zoning vis-à-vis Planning Commission 3. Discuss Planning Commission subcommittee on TDRs, nomination of Tom Bailey to represent Committee on this subcommittee 4. Discuss specific scope of service we want for CVOEO grant 5. Other business 6. Set dates for future meetings 7. Adjourn 1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests: John called the meeting to order at 10:01 a.m. He noted how to exit from building. No guests were in attendance. John said he wanted “Status of Interim Zoning and Inclusionary Zoning vis-à-vis Planning Commission” to be a separate agenda item. Committee members concurred. 2. Status of Interim Zoning and Inclusionary Zoning vis-à-vis Planning Commission: John shared with members that the Planning Commission has not deemed Inclusionary Zoning as work not to be delayed by the City Council’s adoption of Interim Zoning because Kevin Dorn’s follow-up memo stating the work the City Council wanted the Planning Commission (PC) to do under Interim Zoning made no mention of Inclusionary Zoning. Members agreed that the committee’s next step should be to ask the City Council take official action at its December 3rd meeting to clarify that it wants the PC, in collaboration with the Committee, to begin the process leading to adoption of Inclusionary Zoning in the Transit Overlay District right away. Sandy indicated she had spoken with Councilor Emery and emailed Council Chair Riehle about this and they were amenable to this approach. Riehle agreed to place this subject of the December 3rd City Council meeting agenda. Sandy then raised the subject of adding the land in the vicinity of Hinesburg Road that is South of the Transit Overlay District and North of Interstate 89, which the City Council excluded from Interim Zoning at its November 13th meeting, to the area that would be covered by Inclusionary Zoning. Members agreed that this makes sense. Mike indicated that the property owners would have no objection to this. Following this discussion Mike moved and John seconded that the land in the vicinity of Hinesburg Road that is South of the Transit Overlay District and North of Interstate 89 be added to the Transit Overlay District as the area of the City that the Committee proposes to be covered by Inclusionary Zoning. Motion passed: 5-0-0. Sandy indicated she would send Council Chair Riehle an amended Resolution re Inclusionary Zoning that reflects this addition to the land proposed to be covered. 3. Discuss Planning Commission subcommittee on TDRs, nomination of Tom Bailey to represent Committee on this subcommittee: Tom provided members with information on the TDRs that have been purchased to date and the Natural Resource Protection districts from which they were purchased. He also provided information on the South Burlington properties that currently participate in the State’s Current Use program. Committee members understand that the purpose of the TDR regulations is to compensate property owners for having their land placed in a Natural Resource Protection district (i.e. downzoned), which puts strong limitations on the land’s development. Members perceive that the “problem” with the TDR regulations is that very few TDRs have been purchased and, therefore, the property owners have not been compensated. Members view the reason for fewer purchases of TDRs than anticipated is that development in the SEQ has not been as rapid or dense as expected since the TDR regulations were adopted. NIMBYism was cited as a factor in slowing development. Monica mentioned that revisions to the PUD regulations that are being considered may address the TDR issue because they may require minimum densities for a PUD based of the PUD location. This could mean that developers will have an incentive to purchase TDRs. She also mentioned a proposal to allow the “receiving” districts for TDRs to be expanded beyond the SEQ; for example, the C-2 districts in which residential development is limited to seven units per acre. Members expressed doubts that a regulatory “fix” can be fashioned that will induce developers to purchase significant numbers of TDRs voluntarily and question whether regulations that would require developers to purchase TDRs can be adopted (legally). Sandy indicated her assessment that the most clear-cut way to address the TDR problem is for the City to purchase them and that she would consider supporting a temporary special one-half penny property tax whose proceeds would be used for this purpose. Other committee members stated that having revenues from the Open Space fund would be more appropriate as the function of TDRs is to protect land from development. While committee members came together in support of this approach, they agreed it was too early to adopt this proposal as the committee’s position for Tom to put forth to the TDR subcommittee. Sandy moved and Mike seconded that the committee nominate Tom to be the committee’s representative to the TDR subcommittee. Motion passed: 4-0-0 (Leslie had left the meeting when motion was voted). Tom agreed to share alternative TDR proposals that he has developed with committee members via email before the next committee meeting. Mike suggested that John Jewett, a SoBu resident that had extensive involvement in the development of the SEQ LDRs, would be a good resource for the TDR subcommittee. 4. Discuss specific scope of service we want for CVOEO grant: Tom met Dianne Meyerhoff at the Statewide Housing Conference. Dianne is the consultant mentioned as a facilitator to support the committee in its work, should the grant be funded. The expectation is that the grant will be funded. Sandy read the purpose of the grant as stated in the application: “to design an outreach plan to educate the public and increase support for smart growth and inclusive affordable housing.” While public outreach is the primary stated activity in the application, committee members want to go beyond this activity during the period the grant covers (calendar year 2019). Mike reiterated his goal of having SoBu residents see the need for more housing, affordable and market rate, as as important as the need to protect open space for current and future residents. Due to time constraints, further discussion of the scope of service was postponed to the next meeting. 5. Other business: Sandy asked committee members if they supported her submission of article, “Household Economics, Savings, and Housing”, to The Other Paper. All members present encouraged her to submit it. Mike raised subject of how City Council will choose the consultant who will study the economics of development. Responses: an RFP is likely, Council likely to seek advice from City’s Planning staff, and mention of Economic & Policy Resources located in Williston (firm headed by Jeffrey Carr). Sandy mentioned that Jessica Hyman of CVOEO’s Fair Housing Project had shared with her that the Project is likely to bring back Tiffany Manuel to work with local housing advocates on the development of evidence-based messaging to support their goals. Sandy also mentioned that she has not forgotten her homework to collaborate with Mike on drafting emails for David Young to send to School District staff and Kevin Dorn to City staff seeking folks willing to share their trials and tribulations in seeking housing in SoBu that works with their middle incomes. 6. Set dates for future meetings: Because only four committee members were still present at this point, members proposed two options for date for December meeting (see below), decided to schedule a second December meeting only if determined needed, and scheduled first January meeting, as follows: December meeting: 12/11/18, Noon or 12/12/18, 11:00 a.m. (subsequent to meeting 12/12/18 11:00 date/time was chosen) January meeting: 1/8/19, 10:00 a.m., City Hall, room to be determined 7. Adjourn: The committee adjourned informally at 11:58 a.m. with John, Mike, Sandy, and Monica departing to receive tour of Allard Square, new senior housing on Market Street, where they would be hosted by Cindy Reid, Director of Development for Cathedral Square. “Bike rack” ● Tom will prepare a “Summary” of the proposed changes (from May 29, 2018, meeting minutes) ● work on Committee’s page on the City’s website ● (Quoted from January 23, 2018, meeting minutes) “John asked Mike to prepare a work plan for the committee to collaborate with Coralee to enhance its effectiveness in communicating with residents via the City’s website and via other means. The plan should include specific assignments to be carried out by identified committee members. Mike accepted this assignment.” Homework (not yet reported on): ● Mike will consult with an accountant regarding what incentives the City might put in place to encourage owners of undeveloped property to sell land at a “bargain price” to private developers. ● Mike will seek Yves Bradley’s input regarding development of more housing along Shelburne Road corridor.