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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 08/19/2013CITY COUNCIL 19 AUGUST 2013 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 19 August 2013, at 6:00 p.m., Chamberlin School, White St. Members Present: P. Mackenzie, Chair; R. Greco, P. Nowak, C. Shaw Also Present: K. Dorn, Interim City Manager; T. Hubbard, Interim Deputy City Manager; P. Conner, Director of Planning & Zoning; Chief T. Whipple, Police Department; J. Ladd, C. Ingalls, City Manager's Office; C. Baker, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission; K. Paul, Burlington City Council; G. Richards, B. McEwing, Burlington International Airport; B. Bull, G. Maille, J. Zaetz, M. Emery, B. Cimonetti, B. Bouvier, T. Harrington, C. Hunsinger, E. Andreoli, J. Lees, Rev. R. Cleary, J. Hazlitt, T. Hart, S. Dooley, L. Ventriss, L. Leavens, L. Giancoli, B. Paquette, P. Charlot, B. French, N. Candell, other members of the public 1. Executive Session: Mr. Shaw moved the Council meet in executive session to discuss personnel issues relating to the hiring of a permanent City Manager and issues involving real estate transfer. Ms. Nowak seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Regular Session: 1. Agenda Review: No changes were made to the agenda. 2. Comments & Questions from the public not related to the agenda: Mr. Maille addressed the Council regarding the Airport's home acquisition activities, specifically his concern that homes next to destroyed home becoming uninhabitable. He said further action to protect the public is needed, and the city has taken no action on this. He noted that a previous City Council had said this would not be allowed to happen. Ms. Hunsinger identified herself as one of those Mr. Shaw had said "shouted down" Ms. Nowak during her campaign appearance. She said this did not happen. Ms. Gering addressed safety concerns on Williston Road. She said the turning lane becomes a second travel lane, and road rage has gotten out of control. Another member of the public expressed concern with security in the Airport area with homes being broken into. Rev. Cleary expressed disillusionment with how Mr. Shaw portrayed citizens and falsely accused them of being rude to Ms. Nowak. She felt they were owed an apology and a retraction. Mr. Lees spoke of safety concerns with the coming of the F-35s to a residential area and noted the Air Force anticipates a "crash list" many times higher than the F- 16s in its first years. Ms. Emery asked about airport-owned homes being used for police and fire training. Mr. Andreoli questioned whether F-35 noise can be mitigated. Mr. Hazlitt felt people whose homes are purchased by the Airport should get 150% of market value and all moving expenses. He said he is for the Air Guard but against the F-35s. Mr. Hart said he is neither for nor against the F35s but noted the decibel levels of cars on the road, trucks, and the F-16s. He added he suffered no hearing impairment from working near planes when he was in the Air Force. Another member of the audience felt a military base needs to be located two hours from an urban area. 3. Announcements and City Manager's Report: a. Format of the City Center Public Facilities Task Force: Mr. Dorn recommended forming a task force to evaluate the financial and other implications of moving public facilities to City Center. b. Joint SBSD-City Planning Meeting: Mr. Dorn reported on a successful joint meeting of city staff with school staff. c. Community Visioning Week: The "visioning week" regarding form based codes will be held 26-29 August with a kickoff on Thursday at City Hall and events each evening. Members of the Council reported on meetings and community events they had attended and achievements of South Burlington teams and residents. 4. Consent Agenda: A. Sign Disbursements B. Approve Minutes for 5 August 2013 Mr. Shaw moved to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Ms. Greco seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 5. Review Status of Search for Permanent City Manager: Ms. Ventriss said that of the 49 applications received, 5 applicants were chosen to be interviewed. Three or four of these will be recommended to the City Council. A decision is anticipated by mid-September. 6. Update on Veterans' Memorial: Mr. Zaetz reviewed the history and updated the Council on progress. He noted that over $100,000 in cash and $7000 in-kind donations had been received. Installation of the memorial should take 3-4 weeks to complete, if the weather cooperates. A dedication is planned for 17 May 2014. 7. Interim Zoning: Public Hearing for IZ-13-05 of Pizzagalli Properties, LLC, for conditional use approval under the Interim Bylaw to amend a previously approved planned unit development consisting of: 1) razing an existing 48 room motel (Liberty Inn & Suites) consisting of five building on two parcels, 2) constructing a 3-story, 31,280 sq. ft. general office building with 45 parking spaces on the southerly parcel, and 3) constructing a 72-parking space lot on the northerly parcel. The amendment consists of: 1) removal of four parking spaces, 2) revising the brick screening wall on the north lot, 3) adding a sidewalk and entry canopy on the west elevation of the building, and 4) minor landscaping modifications, 462 Shelburne Road: Mr. Bouvier noted that the some of proposed changes were brought about at the DRB hearing, and both the DRB and City Council approvals must match. They also need to install an electric transformer and fire hydrant on the site. 8. Interim Zoning - Consider draft decision on Pizzagalli Properties, LLC, application #IZ-13-05: Mr. Conner recommended closing the hearing and having staff rewrite the approval motion to include the transformer and hydrant. Ms. Greco moved to close the hearing and direct staff to rewrite the approval motion. Ms. Nowak seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 9. Overview of current issues and long range plan for Burlington International Airport: A. History of FAA Home Buy-Out Program B. What improvements to the neighborhood have been made since the Buy-Out program? C. How many more homes will be purchased? D. Why have homes that have been purchased not been demolished? E. What are the long-range plans for the Airport? Mr. Richards expressed the hope that Burlington and South Burlington can find what they have in common and create a better tomorrow. Councilor Paul of Burlington cited the need to work together toward a solution to the home-buying issue that all can agree on. She said the Airport can't thrive without a great relationship with South Burlington. Mr. McEwing reviewed the noise program and cited the moving of taxiways as an attempt to address noise issues. He showed a map of properties acquired by the Airport and additional "priority properties." He said they have a "concept" of what could happen with acquired properties. Mr. Richards said they will try to work with the FAA to see if there are noise mitigation alternatives to buying properties. He noted there are currently 28 homes "not yet purchased" and a total of 80 under consideration for purchase. Ms. Nowak noted that she personally entered at least 80 of the purchased homes and found serious evidence of vandalism. She stressed the need for the neighborhood to be safe. Mr. Baker noted that the Regional Planning Commission has funds available for community visioning and urged both communities to apply jointly for those funds to begin looking at long range planning. Public comment was then solicited and comments included the following: Ms. Diemer: Concerned with safety of F35s and noise of F­16s compared to commercial planes. Mr. Leavens: Concerned with loss of residential property and potential loss of property value of property if F35s come. Mr. Giancolo: Noted that the areas affected by noise include areas where many refugees live. Cited concerns with current noise from F-16s and its impact on children's learning. Ms. Emery asked about property taxes for homes purchased, the possibility of a berm for noise mitigation, and the possibility of a "noise wall" at the end of the concourse. Mr. Charlot said the F-35s shouldn't be in a populated area. Mr. Cimonetti noted the homes involved in the Airport buyout were not "condemned" but were sold voluntarily to the Airport. Mr. Maille: Found issue with the Airport's claim that there have been "no noise complaints." He said that he and other residents have complained. Mr. Lees: Said the removals of people from their homes are not "voluntary" because people are being forced out by the noise. He felt none of this would be necessary if the F-16s didn't use afterburners. Mr. Paquette: Wanted to know the house numbers of the 28 homes slated for purchase. Expressed concern with the empty houses and the safety of fire and police training activities. Mr. French: Felt the noise from F-35s will be unbearable. Ms. Sargent: Expected to hear great thing, but heard only that "you have to be positive." She felt the only use for funding she has heard about is more commerce, not making the neighborhood more livable. Mr. Candell: Cited Vermont's reputation as a "civilized" area and said the city and the Council will be judged by how they handle these issues. A resident asked for a noise complaint procedure that is transparent and verifiable. Another resident noted that identifying an area as "a problem area" creates a self-fulfilling prophecy and drives people away Another resident cited 23 years of complaints and promises which have not been addressed or acted upon. Another speaker felt the Airport should be held to the highest level of fiscal responsibility and cited how little the Airport pays to the City of South Burlington. 12. Other Business: A. Items held from the Consent Agenda: No items were withheld. B. Bike Rack: items the Council may wish to place on a future agenda: 1. Traffic Lights & sequencing 2. City Street Lights 3. Advertising logos or names on City Property 4. Taser Policy 5. East Terrace Ordinance 6. Policy regarding landscaping City-owned land and Request from Hadley Road 7. Council-approved Minutes Resolution 8. Closure of Market Street C. Other: Ms. Nowak asked that the issue of training activities in the Airport area homes be put on the next agenda. Ms. Mackenzie noted the next City Council meeting (3 September) will be held at the Fire Department. As there was no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 10:05 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.