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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 01/19/2021January 19, 2021, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 1 Approved, as amended, on February 2, 2021 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE January 19, 2021, 2020, 10:30 a.m., meeting held online Members attending (online): Leslie Black-Plumeau, Vince Bolduc, Sandy Dooley, Mike Simoneau, John Simson, and Chris Trombly; Member absent: Patrick O’Brien Others: Monica Ostby, PC liaison; Kevin Dorn, City Manager AGENDA 1. Call to order, agenda review, public comment, approval of minutes (01/05/21), announcements, Chair’s Comments 2. Discussion regarding community engagement strategy 3. Update from working group relating to amendment to PUD regulations to require inclusionary zoning city- wide Discussion and possible action regarding how to promote having the Planning Commission (PC) include inclusionary zoning in new PUD regulations that the PC will be proposing 4. Update from working group relating to building types discussion with Planning and Zoning Discussion and possible action regarding changing the committee’s name to Housing Committee 5. Adjourn 1, Call to order, agenda review, public comment, approval of Minutes (01/19/21), announcements, Chair’s Comments: Agenda review: Chris shared that the working group’s second meeting was postponed, with result that they have nothing to report for agenda items 3. and 4. He proposed substituting the following topics in their place, 3. Discussion and possible action regarding how to promote having the Planning Commission (PC) include inclusionary zoning in new PUD regulations that the PC will be proposing and 4. Discussion and possible action regarding changing the committee’s name to Housing Committee. He asked for a vote on this change indicating that a unanimous vote is needed to change the agenda without public notice. Mike moved and Sandy seconded motion that proposed modifications to agenda be approved. Motion approved: 6-0-0. Public Comments: there were no public comments as no members of the public attended. Minutes: John moved and Mike seconded motion to approve the 01/05/21 meeting minutes as drafted. Motion approved: 5-0-1. Leslie abstained as she was absent from meeting. Announcements: Sandy reported that she had attended a special South Burlington Land Trust (SBLT) board meeting on January 14th (she is a SBLT member) and did her best to convey the message that the committee’s position against the ¢4C (2¢ for Conservation) proposal is a vote about prioritization relative to past City investments in natural resource preservation and needed investment in housing and not a vote against natural resource preservation as a City activity/investment. She shared that the SBLT board, in particular Alan Strong, viewed the preparation/issuance of The Case for Housing as adversarial. She provided background on her understanding of the work group’s rationale and approach. Chris indicated he has reread both reports (Open Space and The Case for Housing) and does not perceive them as adversarial. Monica indicated some residents saw Housing report as adversarial. Leslie is baffled by this view as the Housing report’s authors are a “bipartisan group”—meaning they include members of the Open Space and the Affordable Housing Committees. Vince stated that neither the Open Space nor Arrowwood report provides definitive lines showing which land needs natural resource protection. Monica added that most people do not understand that most of this land is privately owned. Sandy suggested using “natural resource protection” and not “open space preservation” as open space does not necessarily correspond to a natural resource that meets the Open Space Committee’s criteria for protection. Mike asked if the Planning Commission (PC) is going to recommend expanding buffers from 100 to 300 ft. Monica replied that this is undecided and that their consultant will make recommendations to the PC at its next meeting. Chair’s Comments: Prior to the meeting Chris had sent members the email that Evan Langfeldt had sent him regarding the Committee’s motion on the O’Brien Bros. Eastview development proposal. To refresh members’ memory, Chris read the motion. Discussion focused on desire to juxtapose committee’s positive response to January 19, 2021, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 2 the development proposal with its not wanting to get in the way of possible improvements to the proposal, as had been outlined to committee by Paul Conner. Consensus decision was that Chris would call Evan seeking to clarify committee’s position and communicating Sandy’s offer to attend the DRB meeting where application is discussed to ensure that motion is not perceived in a negative light. On another subject, Chris said he has scheduled separate conversations with Helen Riehle, Meaghan Emery, Jessica Louisos, and Allan Strong that will take place soon. 2. Discussion regarding community engagement strategy: Chris mentioned the Book Discussion Group committee is cosponsoring with the Library. He also mentioned Meaghan’s request in her video that public discussions of policy issues be “more measured.” John said he will be submitting a Guest Perspective to TOP that presents a hypothetical family and the options to live in South Burlington or much farther from their jobs. Likely publication date is January 28th. We need to identify more advocates for the housing development and natural resource protection agenda. We also need to encourage residents to support the new LDRs at the Planning Commission’s public hearing (date not yet known). Further discussion included following comments/topics: define messages & identify vehicles for dissemination, need to focus on people—be storytellers, emphasize equity issue and need to address it, study of New Americans/immigrants living in Winooski and their message that a family in VT must have a car to live, even when transit is available, bring up the noise factor of living near heavily traveled roads/streets, focus on needing LDRs that require/incentivize developments designed to support strong, inclusive neighborhoods, focus on sociological impact, Chris to send members Leslie’s “cheat sheet” and messages, pay attention to PC work, differentiate natural resources from vague term “open space”, lots of thank you’s. Chris mentioned he had discussed inviting speakers to present at committee meetings with Sandy; her suggestion: Xusanna Davis, Gov. Scott’s Director of Equity and Diversity. Members like this suggestion. Encourage public to attend meetings with speakers. Record these meetings and share. Chris asked committee members to send him names of folks to invite as speakers. Not good timing for speakers right now due to need to focus on PC’s work. 3. Discussion and possible action regarding how to promote having the Planning Commission (PC) include inclusionary zoning in new PUD regulations that the PC will be proposing: Chris had mentioned this to Helen Riehle; she seemed supportive. Jessica Louisos’ advice was to connect request for inclusionary zoning to Comprehensive Plan. Committee will need to make strong effort to support this expansion. This kind of advocacy/recommendation work is consistent with committee’s mission. Need to counter view that all affordable housing needs to be in the Transit Overlay District. Nearly all people/households in SoBu’s affordable housing income range have at least one car. Patrick indicated his support for Inclusionary Zoning citywide provided higher household income and rent/purchase price maximums are allowed in areas outside the current Inclusionary Zoning area, where appropriate. We need to stress that SoBu is in 15-minute range of biggest employers in the county. Encourage SBBA to weigh in on need for housing. Monica provided info on draft PUD regulations. Still waiting for numbers to get handle on impact of proposed LDR changes. Staff working on these numbers. Not clear when public hearing on these rules will happen. 4. Discussion and possible action regarding changing the committee’s name to Housing Committee: discussion included: some committee members support keeping current name; public better understands our mission when “affordable” is in our name; focus on people and how high cost of housing impacts them, community, and economy; need to define affordable; some committee members not happy with “affordable”; getting City Council approval may be a challenge; some “better” alternatives are too long; names changes usually correspond to a rebranding effort; now is not right time to seek change even if we were unanimous in wanting to do so. Committee needs to do more to educate City Council and others about zoning’s role in creating and maintaining neighborhood segregation by race and/or socio-economic status. To this end, Sandy moved and Vince seconded motion that Chris communicate with chairs of City Council, Planning Commission, Development Review Board, and Natural Resources Committee encouraging them to read the book, The Color of Law, in light of its relevance to the City’s Land Use Regulatory responsibility, and ask that they share his communication with the other members of their group. During discussion Monica recommended that City Council be encouraged to read this book during Interim Zoning. In addition, Monica noted her email to January 19, 2021, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 3 committee members providing links about the concept, “equitable housing strategy”, developed in Portland, Oregon. These Links are copied after these minutes. Motion approved: 6-0-0. 5. Adjourn: At 12:43 p.m. Vince moved and Leslie seconded motion to adjourn. Motion approved: 6-0-0. On Tue, Jan 19, 2021 at 12:43 PM monica ostby <monicaostby@gmail.com> wrote: "What exactly is an “equitable housing strategy”? Aligning values, policies and investments. A housing strategy is a process that aligns public investments in transit with housing infrastructure in order to build efficient, transit-oriented neighborhoods that reduce traffic, spur economic development, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An equitable housing strategy, however, takes it one step further: it incorporates our values of inclusion, equal access to opportunity, and diversity in our communities. This strategic approach will help leverage affordable housing investment dollars, services and protections, ensuring that all people – regardless of race, ethnicity, family status or disability – have a range of choices for where to live now and in the future." PORTLAND 12:25 PM To All: https://www.portland.gov/bps/sw-equitable-housing/what-equitable-housing 12:26 PM To All: Specifically: "An equitable housing strategy, however, takes it one step further: it incorporates our values of inclusion, equal access to opportunity, and diversity in our communities."