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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 11/29/2021November 29, 2021, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes – APPROVED Page 1 Approved on December 13, 2021 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE November 29, 2021, 10:30 a.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; Members absent: Patrick O’Brien and Minelle Sarfo-Ado; others: Jessie Baker, City Manager; PC liaison, Monica Ostby (arrived 11:10); Tom Getz, CEO Summit Properties (arrived 10:50) AGENDA 1. Call to order, agenda review, public comment, approval of minutes (11/15/21), announcements 2 City Manager update (City Council goals, ARPA) 3. Climate change task force update and committee input 4. Establish ARPA subcommittee 5. Subcommittee update on rezoning/regulatory barriers 6. Receive presentation from Summit Development regarding affordable housing proposed for the O’Brien’s project on Hinesburg Road and Kennedy Drive 7. Adjourn Note: Site visit at 2 pm – 3 pm, 368 East Allen St. and 10 Manseau St., Winooski. Affordable Housing committee will receive a tour of these two affordable housing projects hosted by Summit Properties. No business to be discussed or action taken. Follow-up: Members that participated in site visit were Janet Bellavance, Vince Bolduc, Sandy Dooley, and Chris Trombly. As no quorum was present, no meeting took place. 1, Call to order, agenda review, public comment, approval of minutes (11/15/21) announcements Call to order: Chris called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. Agenda review: John moved and Leslie seconded motion to substitute the corrected agenda Chris had sent committee members on 11/24/21 for the incorrect warned agenda. Motion approved: 6-0-0 (Ariel had not yet arrived; Sandy was temporarily away from screen to print corrected agenda). Public Comments: None. Approval of minutes: John moved and Vince seconded motion to approve the minutes for the 11/15//21 meeting with the following correction: on page 2 in paragraph starting with “Chris asked”, line 8, change “300” to “5,000.” Motion approved: 7-0-0 (Ariel had not yet arrived.) Announcements: Sandy attended an online webinar on transit systems and level of service needed to support normal life functioning for all. GMT does not come close to providing this level of service. 2. City Manager update (City Council goals, ARPA): Jessie noted that the City Council (CC) has included all of the Affordable Housing committee’s recommendations as part of its adopted FY22 Policy Priorities & Strategies (which Jessie sent to committee members and others via email on 11/18/21). On 12/6/21, the CC will begin reviewing the FY23 budget proposals from City departments. The proposed budget (at this point) includes $1.5 million of the City’s $5.7 million ARPA allocation. The City will receive a $9.9 million federal grant for a pedestrian/bike bridge over I-89 just South of Exit 14 (Williston Road). Jessie stated that it is hoped that this bridge will have positive impact on redevelopment of U-Mall. Leslie asked about the Equity checklist that the committee had proposed but as a City-wide strategy and not applicable solely to the AH committee. Jessie indicated that Equity & Inclusion has been adopted as an overall City policy priority and input on how to implement it will be sought from the CC, committees, and the public, including research on surveys that other municipalities use. She also mentioned that CC Chair Riehle has proposed using $1 million of the ARPA allocation for affordable housing. All ARPA funds must be spent or obligated by 12/31/24. Sandy asked for an update on negotiations with the School District on using land behind former City Hall/current Fire Department for an affordable housing development. Jessie indicated that these negotiations are ongoing and friendly and that use of this land for affordable housing remains a high priority for the City. 3. Climate change task force update and committee input: Darrilyn shared that the City has arranged for Melanie Needle of CCRPC to provide staff support for the committee; also, CC Chair Riehle is a liaison to the committee. Subjects discussed: State goals (from recently released plan), pathways to reach goals, transportation is biggest November 29, 2021, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes – APPROVED Page 2 contributor to CO2 emissions in VT, committee has researched other municipalities’ climate-related plans (Keene, NH; Northfield, MN; and city in Illinois) some of which cite VT initiatives as best practice, importance of approaching what actions to recommend from a regional perspective, will committee examine what CO2 emission reductions occur from open space preservation, different views: achieve new housing goals solely through redevelopment or both redevelopment and new development, what is committee’s position on housing, committee currently at “laundry list’ stage—no recommendations so far, will committee take into consideration need to plan for population shifts (to VT) attributable to climate change. 4. Establish ARPA subcommittee: Chris to Jessie: is establishing a subcommittee on this subject OK from a procedural/process perspective? Jessie: yes. Sandy: in light of deadline for spending/obligating ARPA funds, is it necessary for $1 million that CC Chair Riehle has proposed for affordable housing to be in the City’s FY23 Budget to be used for this purpose? Jessie: no. CC may decide to spend these funds on designated projects at any time. Leslie proposed appointing subcommittee and make recommendations on how the $1 million might be spent/obligated for affordable housing. Tom Getz (guest) shared that, this past spring, the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) encouraged developers to pursue ARPA funding for affordable housing projects. Chris asked who among the members present was interested in serving on an ARPA subcommittee. Ariel, Chris, Leslie & Sandy indicated interest. Sandy then moved and Leslie seconded motion that the Affordable Housing Committee establish an ARPA subcommittee to research and make recommendations regarding how to invest some of the City’s ARPA funds in affordable housing. Motion passed: 8-0-0. It was agreed that initial membership would be Ariel, Chris, Leslie & Sandy. 5. Subcommittee update on rezoning/regulatory barriers: Janet reported that the committee had met with Paul Conner, who updated them on the Planning Commission’s current priorities that support development of housing on undeveloped land or increased development on already developed land (now that Interim Zoning has ended). These priority projects include development the regulations for the Neighborhood Commercial Development (NCD) and Infill & Redevelopment (IND) PUDs and regulations that, through the purchase of TDRs, would allow greater lot coverage for housing developments in Commercial/R7 zoning districts. Places he mentioned that would benefit from such a change: southern end of Shelburne Road, Williston Road near Chappell’s florist, land at corner of Hinesburg Road and Kennedy Drive, and the Industrial Park on SE corner of I-89 and Hinesburg Road intersection. Subcommittee is planning a site visit to Butternut Grove development under construction in Winooski (location: city-owned parking lot in front of O’Brien Community Center). Ariel reported that she connected with the Bike & Ped committee and found the two committees have some common goals and indicated willingness to become the AHC’s liaison to the Bike & Ped committee. Janet indicated that the Economic Development Committee plans to do a survey to learn why people move to SoBu. Vince knows of an article on this subject that he will share with Janet. Leslie expressed concerns about requiring developers to purchase TDRs to allow increased lot coverage for housing in Commercial/R7 zoning districts because this will increase the cost of housing, which is already very high. If we want developers to do this, why not change the lot coverage rules without requiring purchase of TDRs? Monica mentioned the need to create market for TDRs to protect the City’s most precious natural resources. Sandy mentioned that Planning Commission’s proposed rules to add land to the Natural Resource Protection category is making the TDR problem worse. It is not the AHC’s job to solve the TDR problem. Monica agreed. Ariel suggested adding funding to City budget for zoning expeditors. Sandy mentioned unused lots that would be great for housing development—lot with abandoned service station on Shelburne Road in front of Walgreens and north of Shaw’s supermarket and, further down Shelburne Road, combining the service station and abandoned Pizza Hut lots on SE corner of Shelburne Road and Swift Street. Janet welcomed members’ input to help the subcommittee narrow down its work. 6. Receive presentation from Summit Development regarding affordable housing proposed for the O’Brien’s project on Hinesburg Road and Kennedy Drive: Tom Getz of Summit Properties provided information about the two multifamily buildings that Summit is seeking a permit from the DRB to build on lots 10 & 11 in the O’Brien Farms development. Each building would include 47 units for 94 total of which 71 would be affordable at either 30% AMI or 60% AMI level, with 20 targeted to formerly homeless individuals. Services will be provided by COTS. Each building will include a management office, gym, and community work space. Of the 94, 16 will be studios, 54 one BR, and 24 two BR. Summit expects to apply to the VHCB for $2.2 million in ARPA funding. They will also apply to VHFA for tax credits to finance part of construction costs. There will likely be additional funding sources. These buildings would be similar to the Summit-developed and –owned buildings in Winooski November 29, 2021, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes – APPROVED Page 3 that committee members will visit. Sandy asked how these buildings will compare in appearance with the proposed market-rate O’Brien multifamily buildings. Tom said they are working on this. Tom ended by encouraging all committee members to participate in the site visit. 7. Adjourn: At 12:30 p.m. Janet moved and Leslie seconded motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved: 8-0-0.