Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 08/06/2019 August 6, 2019, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 1 Approved on August 27, 2019 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE August 6, 2019, 10:00 AM, City Hall, Champlain Room Members attending: Tom Bailey, Paula DeMichele, Sandy Dooley, Michael Simoneau, and John Simson Members absent: Leslie Black-Plumeau, and Larry Michaels, and Cindy Reid Also present: Regina Mahoney, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission AGENDA 1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests 2. Review and approval of minutes of 7/23/2019 committee meeting 3. Chair and Vice Chair report followed by discussion of Interim Zoning joint meeting 8/1/19 4. Welcome Regina Mahoney (CCRPC) to present the final version of the memo and LDR amendments and plan next steps. 5. Further discussion of mapping project initiated by Mike and Tom 6. Reports and updates by committee members 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 reviewed the exit procedures and welcomed Regina to the meeting. John indicated that Cathyann LaRose had contacted him asking to meet with the committee regarding the draft of new PUD regulations and he had asked her to come to the meeting at 11:00 a.m. 2. Review and approval of minutes of 07/09/19 committee meeting: Tom moved and Mike seconded motion that the minutes of the 07/23/19 meeting be approved as drafted. Motion passed 4-0-1. (Tom abstained as he did not attend the 07/23/19 meeting.) 3. Chair and Vice Chair report followed by discussion of Interim Zoning joint meeting 8/1/19: John noted that he had not done the edits to the 2019-2020 Committee Work Plan that the committee agreed to at the July 23rd meeting. He will do them promptly and share the revision with Committee members for feedback. John and Sandy related that the August 1st Joint Meeting was well attended—by members of the committees doing presentations and other City residents. Since every committee member present at the August 6th Committee meeting had attended the August 1st Joint Meeting, the discussion was brief. Members expect the City Council, at its 08/09/19 special meeting, to extend Interim Zoning for three months. The Affordable Housing Committee was the only one presenting that had land development regulations (LDRs) drafted and ready for review and follow-up action by the Planning Commission. John’s expectation is that the Committee’s draft LDRs expanding Inclusionary Zoning to the Transit Overlay District will be on the August 27th Planning Commission meeting agenda (meeting is at 7:00 p.m.) 4. Welcome Regina Mahoney (CCRPC) to present the final version of the memo and LDR amendments and plan next steps: Committee decided that John will do the presentation to the Planning Commission with Sandy and Regina there for assistance, if needed. Paula requested that the presentation be “humanized” by including a photo of the committee with the members’ names listed, photos of CHT and Cathedral Square Housing, and photos of people that live in Cathedral Square and CHT housing with quotes from them indicating the impact that having affordable housing has had on them. Sandy volunteered to contact Cindy Reid (Cathedral Square) and Chris Donnelly (CHT) and request the photos of folks living in affordable housing with quotes. Members then reviewed Regina’s PowerPoint. Members commented on the data provided on page 4. Sandy suggested that in #4 of the South Burlington data that it state “One in six households” instead of “1,401 August 6, 2019, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 2 households (16%)”. Members supported this suggestion. Mike suggested that Regina might include that a recent (perhaps, the most recent) UVM Medical Center’s Needs Assessment rated Housing (i.e. affordable housing as the #1 need. Under the County level data, #5, members asked if the website citation on the second page 4 is the web-link to the Young Professionals Survey. If not, members requested that Regina add the web-link to the survey. It was noted that “BHT” (on page 5) stands for Building Homes Together, an initiative of the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission with many partners. Members present (and Regina) decided to simplify the slide showing the map (on page 6) of the Transit Overlay District and other areas to be covered by the proposed regulations. Virtually all of the zoning districts permit residential housing even though the district may be classified as commercial or another label other than residential. On page 7, members proposed that “Mandatory” be changed to “Required” and that “available to no greater than’ be changed to “at or below” (consistent with Cindy Reid’s earlier input). Members present also agreed that Regina should make this change in the draft land development regulations. Tom suggested that the slide on page 10 be removed and members present agreed. 4a. Cathyann LaRose meets with committee members: Cathyann distributed a three-ledger-size page handout containing a grid with draft specifications (use, access, size, height, setback/ location, glazing, parking, building style/architecture) for Building Types to be allowed in the proposed new PUD types. She shared that, under the proposed new PUD rules, any development of four (4) or more acres, anywhere in the City, will be required to be a PUD. Cathyann indicated that the goal of the PUD rewrite is to provide more guidance to developers with respect to how the City wants parcels to be developed. Sandy inquired about whether smaller-size developments can be PUDs on a voluntary basis. Sandy noted that under the current PUD rules a Kirby Cottage development cannot be permitted because the parcel size does not meet the minimum-size requirement for a PUD. Cathyann agreed that Kirby Cottages is a great example of a good development and replied that the Commission is working on “infill” PUDs for the smaller lots such as these. When asked if staff had invented these building types on their own, she noted that the staff and commission has drawn inspiration from a variety of places and fit them to South Burlington’s size and character; as an example, Brattleboro has done a good job of writing regulations relating to building types. One of the goals of the revision in PUD rules is to encourage the building of the “Missing Middle Housing” types. The method envisioned for accomplishing this is redefining unit size. She recommended the book, Density by Design by Vermonter Julie Campoli. Tom asked if staff or consultants have discussed the draft PUD rules with developers. Cathyann shared that they have spoken with O’Brien, Snyder, Joe Larkin, and others. Mike commented that what she shared doesn’t address density. Cathyann replied that, in the current environment, the City hasn’t seen projects develop at the maximum allowed units, as the number of units is often reduced after reaction of neighbors. Switching subjects, Cathyann raised the subject of comparing what we have in our Work Plan with the Goals, Objectives, and Strategies in the Comprehensive Plan’s Housing Chapter. She is thinking ahead to the next version of the Comprehensive Plan. Tom volunteered to carry out this review. John shared that one of his goals is to have more staff support for affordable housing initiatives in the City’s Planning and Zoning department. Cathyann’s view is that the Department’s greatest staffing need is for a full- time GIS professional to do mapping. She recommended that the committee reach out to Dalila Hall, Zoning Administrator, for information on how staff are supporting private developers that are required to include Inclusionary units in their City Center developments. John thanked Cathyann for meeting with the committee. 5. Further discussion of mapping project initiated by Mike and Tom: As there was no time, this item was deferred to a future meeting. August 6, 2019, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 3 6. Reports and updates by committee members: As there was no time, this item was deferred to a future meeting. 7. Adjourn: At 12:05 p.m. Mike moved and Tom seconded motion that the meeting be adjourned. Motion passed 5-0-0. Bike rack: ● 1/8/19 Emails to K. Dorn and D. Young to be completed by 1/24/19 City: DONE! ● Keep and address at 1/24/19 committee meeting. Work on Committee’s page on the City’s website ● Combine with item immediately above. (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): All bike rack tasks should include date of assignment and date for task completion.