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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 02/04/2008CITY COUNCIL 4 FEBRUARY 2008 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 4 February 2008, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset St. Members Present: C. Smith, Chair; M. Boucher, S. Dooley, S. Magowan, D. O'Rourke Also Present: C. Hafter, City Manager; D. Gravelin, Assistant City Manager; J. B. Hinds, Director of Planning & Zoning; V. Bolduc, J. Jewett, E. & J. Goldberg 1. Comments & Questions from the Audience, not related to Agenda Items: No issues were raised. 2. Announcements & City Manager's Report: Mr. Hafter: The Governor has signed the S. Burlington City Charter amendment. It will be effective immediately. Several months ago, the Council authorized the City to participate in the EPA Energy Challenge. Mr. Hafter said he will seek volunteers to form an Energy Committee. The next City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, 19 February (due to the Presidents' Day holiday on Monday). It will be held at Chamberlin School. Mr. Hafter said the Agenda will include items relevant to that neighborhood including: a. impact of the Airport b. Rec Path expansion north of Williston Rd. c. Velco East Avenue loop project d. Comments on the Shamrock Rd intersection Mr. Gravelin: The City Charter Review Committee will meet on Thursday, 7 February, 6:30 p.m. Proposed Charter amendments may not be on the May ballot. He asked if the Council would prefer the September or November ballot. Members felt the November election would have a better turnout. Ms. Dooley noted that the Committee might want to give blanket authority for "gender neutrality," instead of enumerating changes page after page. Mr. Hafter gave members copies of the draft of the 2008-2009 City budgets and revised Budget calendar. He noted that the Grand List increase is 2.09% at $26,553,000. The total proposed operating budget is $13,653,000, a 3.49% increase. The gross total budget is up 4.01%. A tax rate has not yet been established because the City doesn't yet have the figures for the local option tax. It is anticipated that there will be a decrease in the municipal budget of about 15-18%. Mr. Smith advised that he and Mr. Hafter will be meeting with the Airport people on Tuesday. There will also be a meeting regarding the SAFER grant on Wednesday. 3. Public questions and comments on Airport Parkway Treatment Plant renovation and expansion: No comments were made. 4. Public Hearing of Proposed Amendments to Zoning Map and Southeast Quadrant Zoning Map: 1) UVM Patchen Road Property; 2) Central School Property; 3) Boundary Corrections, C2-IO Boundary; Community Drive and Potash Brook; 4) Southeast Quadrant -- Neighborhood Residential and Natural Resource Protection Districts (Autumn Hill Rd. & Dorset St.); second reading of same: Mr. Magowan moved to open the Public Hearing. Mr. O'Rourke seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Ms. Hinds explained the amendments as follows: 1) UVM property: this property would be rezoned from Parks & Recreation to University Agriculture North. The change will not make the park a nonconforming use. It also does not allow the type of housing UVM is thinking of placing there. The Planning Commission will consider language amendments that might allow more housing options. 2) Central School: the school property would be rezoned from Municipal to Central District-1. This would not create any nonconformity for the use of the school. It will add tremendous value to the property. The School Board and School administration are aware of this change. 3) Boundary Correction: this would correct inadvertent errors. 4) Southeast Quadrant Zoning Map: this change involves the boundary between the NRT and NRP sub-zones in the area of the Jewett, Bolduc, and Goldberg properties. Ms. Hinds reviewed the history of the area and noted that the Planning Commission saw fit to put more property in the NRT sub-zone. The boundary would now roughly follow the forest line. There would be no change to total development; it would affect only where development is placed. It will also provide a better future connection between properties. Mr. Bolduc commented that the change makes more sense. Mr. Magowan moved to close the public hearing. Ms. Dooley seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Magowan moved to approve the changes to the Zoning Map and Southeast Quadrant Zoning Map as presented. Mr. Boucher seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Smith noted that the changes take affect in 21 days. 5. Further Discussion & Consideration of Adoption of VLCT Resolution on Education Finance and Property Tax Reform: Mr. Magowan did not feel the resolution had merit because much of education is governed at the federal level. It also does nothing to resolve the Act 60-68 conundrum. He added that he personally would favor funding at the state level. Ms. Dooley said she didn't feel the Resolution is constructive or lays out the full situation. Mr. O'Rourke did not feel this was the mechanism to take, but he stressed that this does not mean he thinks things are OK. Mr. Boucher said he didn't think the Resolution fixes the broken system. 6. Review Development Review Board Agenda for 5 February 2008: Ms. Dooley expressed concern with Item #3 and with the ability of the property owner to completely change a nonconforming use as long as they keep the same footprint. Members agreed this was an issue they would like to look into. 7. Review and Approve Minutes of 3 December 2007: Mr. Boucher moved to approve the Minutes of 3 December 2007 as written. Ms. Dooley seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 8. Review and Approve Minutes of 22 January 2008: Ms. Dooley moved to approve the Minutes of 22 January 2008 as written. Mr. O'Rourke seconded. Motion passed 3-0 with Mr. Boucher and Mr. Magowan abstaining. 9. Review and Approve Minutes of 26 January 2008: Mr. Boucher moved to approve the Minutes of 26 January 2008. Mr. Magowan seconded Motion passed unanimously. 10. Sign Disbursement Orders: Disbursement Orders were signed. 11. Executive Session: Mr. Magowan moved that the Council convene in Executive Session to discuss real property acquisition and to resume regular session only for purpose of adjournment. Mr. Boucher seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 12. Regular Session: As there was no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.