HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 08/27/2019August 27, 2019, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 1
Approved on September 10, 2019
AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE
August 27, 2019, 10:00 AM, City Hall, Champlain Room
Members attending: Tom Bailey, Leslie Black-Plumeau, Paula DeMichele, Sandy Dooley, Michael Simoneau,
and John Simson
Members absent: Larry Michaels, Todd Rawlings, and Cindy Reid; Others absent: Monica Ostby, PC liaison
Guests: none
AGENDA
1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests
2. Review and approval of minutes of 08/06/2019 committee meeting
3. Reconsideration of committee action approving the minutes of the 07/23/19 committee meeting
4. Chair’s comments
5. Discuss presentation for Planning Commission this evening
6. Discuss and finalize housing land priority identification project initiated by Mike and Tom for the work plan
7. Discuss projects for Planning Office grant request suggested by Paul Conner
8. Reports and updates by committee members
9. Adjourn
1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests: John called the meeting to
order at 10:07 a.m. He reviewed the exit procedures.
2. Review and approval of minutes of 08/06/19 committee meeting: Sandy brought to everyone’s attention
Cathyann LaRose’s proposed modifications to the minutes, which Sandy had sent to committee members via
email. Sandy indicated support for Cathyann’s proposed modifications. Tom asked that the last sentence of
the second paragraph of item 4a be deleted as he had not made that comment. Mike pointed out that while he
had attended the 08/06/19 meeting, he was listed as absent. Sandy moved and Paula seconded a motion that
the minutes of the 08/06/19 meeting be approved as amended by these changers. Motion passed 5-0-1.
(Leslie abstained as she did not attend the 08/06/19 meeting.)
3. Reconsideration of committee action approving the minutes of the 07/23/19 committee meeting: Regarding
the minutes for the 07/23/19 meeting, which the committee approved at its 08/06/19 committee meeting, Sandy
proposed that the committee reconsider that approval as Frank Von Turkovich had submitted proposed
changes relating to his discussion with the committee. Sandy received Frank’s communication following the
committee’s approval action on 08/06/19. All changes that Von Turkovich proposed were substantive. Sandy
encouraged the committee to reconsider the approval of the 07/23/19 minutes and act to approve them with
the Von Turkovich changes. Tom moved and Mike seconded a motion that the committee rescind its 08/06/19
approval of the 07/23/19 meeting minutes and following this action approve the 07/23/19 meeting minutes as
amended by the Von Turkovich changes. Motion passed 5-0-1.
4. Chair’s comments: John related that Cindy and Todd had spoken to him about their difficulty in attending
committee meetings due to their job duties. Members present indicated desire to find a day/time that better
matches Cindy and Todd’s schedules/obligations. Mike suggested that we consider meeting once per month.
Leslie offered to send everyone a Doodle poll for the September meetings. Members accepted her offer. John
tabled the idea of meeting once per month for discussion at the next committee meeting.
John shared that he had met with Dalila Hall, Zoning Administrator, to explore what support she might want
from the committee in administering Inclusionary Zoning in her interactions with developers. One question
John raised: does Dalila want us to develop any forms for her use? The answer was “no.” She appears not to
be asking for committee support at this time.
August 27, 2019, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 2
Relative to agenda item 7, John stated that he had a conversation with Paul in which Paul proposed that the
committee draft a proposal relating to ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) that the City would submit to the state
for funding. Question raised: where is focus on ADUs coming from: Planning and Zoning staff, Planning
Commission, some other source. John does not know.
5. Discuss presentation for Planning Commission this evening: John has all the materials from Regina. John
will present with support and back-up from Regina and Sandy. Paula is only other committee member
available to attend. Members pleased that presentation includes testimonials from SoBu residents that reside
in affordable housing.
6. Discuss and finalize housing land priority identification project initiated by Mike and Tom for the work plan:
The proposal is to follow the IZ Open Space committee’s model. Answer the question: Where should new
housing be built? Leslie volunteered to draft a Scope of Work and send it to Mike and Tom. Tom and Mike
want to have more than themselves involved in this project. Names mentioned included: Amanda Holland,
Matt Belanger, Vince Bolduc (concern—he is already on the Open Space Committee), Mia Watson, Allan
Strong, Fred Koznitski, Dan Albrecht, and Peter Kahn. Committee took no action on size or composition of
work group as members want to know more about the project: scope of work, deliverables/products, schedule,
how deliverables/products will advance goals of the committee. More exploration to follow at next meeting.
7. Discuss projects for Planning Office grant request suggested by Paul Conner: A suggestion from Paul (to
John) was that part of grant be used to bring a national speaker on ADUs to SoBu. Members discussed the
opportunity to submit a grant proposal and focused on promoting the “missing middle” housing types that
Cathyann had discussed with committee on 08/06/19. John knows from experience that some City
neighborhoods have no enthusiasm for promoting ADUs. Sandy suggested that we propose focusing on the
missing middle housing types and involving the community in designing the four-plex that Habitat will build on
its Hinesburg Road property. By consensus, members decided to task John and Sandy with meeting with Paul
to discuss this grant opportunity. Paul stopped by the committee meeting and John told him that he and Sandy
would be meeting with him (Paul) re the grant proposal. Paul shared the timeline for putting something
together re a grant proposal and said that John and Sandy should meet with Cathyann about grant as she has
been responsible for these grants in recent years.
8. Reports and updates by committee members: Tom reported on the project he had agreed to do at
Cathyann’s request (review the goals, strategies, and objectives in Housing Chapter of Comprehensive Plan
and indicate those that committee has worked on and progress achieved). Some committee members had not
reviewed Tom’s work. John noted a change needed re streamlining fees for affordable housing. The
committee did draft a proposal and submit it to City staff. City staff has not advanced this proposal. John
encouraged Tom to send the results of his review to Cathyann. Committee members who had not yet read
Tom’s review were encouraged to do so before next meeting.
9. Adjourn: At approximately 12:05 p.m. the meeting spontaneously adjourned when all members departed
from the meeting room.
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.
August 27, 2019, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 3