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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 12/13/2021December 13, 2021, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes – APPROVED Page 1 Approved on January 10, 2022 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE December 13, 2021, 10:30 a.m., meeting held online and at City Hall Members attending: Janet Bellavance, Vince Bolduc, Sandy Dooley, Ariel Jensen-Vargas, Patrick O’Brien, Darrilyn Peters, John Simson, and Chris Trombly; members absent: Leslie Black-Plumeau and Minelle Sarfo-Ado; staff present: Kelsey Peterson, City Planner; staff absent: Jessie Baker, City Manager; PC liaison, Monica Ostby (arrived 10:37); others present: Tom Getz, CEO Summit Properties (arrived 10:50); Andrew Gill, O’Brien Bros. (arrived 10:55) AGENDA 1. Call to order, agenda review, public comment, approval of minutes (11/29/21), announcements 2 Discuss and possible action to request City Council (CC) to budget for an updated housing needs assessment for FY 2023 3. Receive update and possible action regarding Summit Development inclusionary project at O’Brien’s development on Hinesburg Road and Kennedy Drive (Tom Getz and Andrew Gill) 4. Discuss and possible action regarding proposed Land Development Regulations (Chris) 5. Receive update from Rezoning Subcommittee (Janet, Darrilyn, Ariel, John) 6. Receive update regarding Climate Change Task Force (Darrilyn) 7. Adjourn 1, Call to order, agenda review, public comment, approval of minutes (11/29/21) announcements Call to order: Chris called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. Agenda review: John moved and Vince seconded motion to approve proposed agenda. Motion approved: 7-0-0 (Patrick had not yet arrived. Public Comments: None. Approval of minutes: Darrilyn moved and Vince seconded motion to approve the minutes for the 11/29//21 meeting as drafted. Motion approved: 7-0-0 (Patrick had not yet arrived.) Announcements: Sandy reported on a meeting with CC Chair Helen Riehle regarding her proposal to invest $1 million of ARPA funds in affordable housing; an email that from David Mullin, Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity (H4H) ED, containing suggestions on how such funds might be used, which she had shared with Chair Riehle and committee members; and a subsequent email from Michael Monte, Champlain Housing Trust CEO. Members were supportive of H4H proposal to invest $500,000 in a fund to be used to build H4H housing in SoBu that would be replenished over time as houses were built and sold. Monte email reported that none of SoBu’s Census tracts is a “Qualified Census Tract”, a situation that limits how ARPA funds can be used for housing. Right now, the VHCB has interpreted the federal rules to mean in Census tracts that are not “Qualified Census Tracts” ARPA funds used for housing can be used only for housing units for homeless households. Tom Getz commented that his understanding of use of ARPA funds for housing is the same as stated in the Monte email. He stated that he understands that VHCB is exploring capacity to modify this interpretation so that it would be less restrictive. Monica shared with committee that the Planning Commission (PC) will be discussing proposing an LDR that would require all new residential housing units to include a semi-private or private outdoor space (e.g. a balcony). She alerted members that at its meeting the following evening (12/14/21) the PC would be discussing new uses for TDRs including a draft map showing additional zoning districts that would qualify as TDR receiving districts. 2. Discuss and possible action to request City Council to budget for an updated housing needs assessment for FY 2023: Outcome – Following committee discussion, Chris proposed, informally, that the committee not ask the CC to add funding for an updated housing needs assessment to the FY 2023 budget. Members supported his proposal. Discussion topics included: while $ may not be in 2023 budget, Planning Commission may seek projection of future population demographics; school district may obtain similar data that would be useful; need to include projection of migration due to climate change; valuable information, including 2020 Census data, is likely available now from VHFA; need to ask residents, including tenants of affordable housing, what data we should collect; need to develop list of folks/entities that would use these data; proposal that committee explore with Paul Conner how Planning & Zoning might provide data between now and FY 2024; housing assessment data needed for update of Comprehensive Plan; Patrick noted importance of having need for affordable housing documented December 13, 2021, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes – APPROVED Page 2 in Comprehensive Plan (noted that South Village resident is using Comprehensive Plan as basis for Act 250 appeal in opposition to additional affordable housing they plan to build there). 3. Receive update and possible action regarding Summit Development inclusionary project at O’Brien’s development on Hinesburg Road and Kennedy Drive (Tom Getz and Andrew Gill): (Note: Patrick O’Brien recused himself from discussion of this agenda item.) Kelsey displayed on the screen the LDRs that relate to how inclusionary housing may or may not differ from market rate housing in the same development for committee members’ review. Details relating to number of proposed units, how many will be inclusionary, how many will be market rate, and the household AMI levels to which inclusionary rents will be targeted were included in 11/29/21 meeting minutes and are not repeated here. Presentation focused on how the exterior design and features of the two buildings have been modified in response to DRB concerns raised at its 11/16/21 meeting. The exterior appearance of the two buildings has been modified significantly from what had been presented to the committee at its 11/29/21 meeting. Members provided positive input regarding these changes. Ariel expressed support for underground as opposed to external-to-the-building parking for residents. Andrew reviewed O’Brien Brothers’ commitment to inclusionary zoning. He also described the many outdoor amenities they are proposing. Members complimented guests on use of density and height. John moved and Sandy seconded motion that the committee convey its support to the Development Review Board for Summit Properties’ applications to build two buildings (one building per application) containing 71 inclusionary units in total, as presented to committee on 12/13/21, to be included in the O’Brien Brothers’ O’Brien Farms Master Plan. Motion approved by a vote of 7-0-1 (Patrick abstained). Tom and Andrew thanked committee members for their time and support. 4. Discuss and possible action regarding proposed Land Development Regulations (Chris): It was noted that the South Burlington Business Association (SBBA) had recently voted to endorse the committee’s resolution. Members present who voted yes on sending Resolution to Planning Commission made positive statements about sending the Resolution to the City Council as comments on the warned LDRs subject to a public hearing on January 3, 2022, because none of the conditions cited in the whereas statements have changed and the Planning Commission did not make any of the changes to the draft LDRs that the committee requested in the Resolution. Moreover, because the proposed regulations will affect the availability of affordable housing in the City, it is the committee’s job to provide input to the City Council on them. Sandy moved and Vince seconded motion that Chris forward the Resolution to the City Council along with a brief cover memo. Motion approved: 6-1 (Bellavance)-1 (Peters). There was a brief side discussion on whether the City Council expects the committee to review every residential development proposal subject to Inclusionary Zoning rules and provide input to the DRB. A past City Councilor chair (who is deceased) had said no. It is not really possible to do so for developments subject solely to administrative review under the Form Based Codes regulations. Generally, when a developer has requested review and input, the committee has provided it. No formulation of committee policy or practice resulted from this discussion. 5. Receive update from Rezoning Subcommittee (Janet, Darrilyn, Ariel, John): Janet shared that as the subcommittee has not met since the last meeting, she has no report. 6. Receive update regarding Climate Change Task Force (Darrilyn): Darrilyn reported that Climate Change TF members have disparate views; they decided they need to meet twice per month; Donna Leban stressed importance of doing outreach; much of the State Plan is aspirational—how do you actually do what is proposed; transportation is huge part of Vermont’s fossil fuel usage. Big question: what should we do first? 7. Adjourn: At 12:35 p.m. John moved and Vince seconded motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved: 8-0-0.