HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Natural Resources & Conservation Committee - 11/02/2022City of South Burlington
Natural Resources & Conservation Committee
Meeting Minutes
Date: November 2, 2022
Committee members in attendance: Andrew Bolduc (staff liaison), David Wheeler (staff liaison), Jean-
Sebastien Chaulot (Chair), Larry Kupferman (Vice Chair), Katherine Boyk (taking notes in Lisa’s absence),
John Bossange, Michele Korpos, Linda Bailey, Drew Shatzer, Helen Riehle (City Council Liaison, left at
7:30)
Missing: Lisa Yankowski
Members of the public in attendance: Celia Begonia, Ella Morris, John Evans, Riley Humphrey, Jack
Olender (all UVM students), Kayla Prouty
Start time: 6:03 pm
1. Andrew gave evacuation directions
2. Addition to agenda – discussion of ash trees during/after item 7
3. Comments from the public
a. Committee members introduced themselves to UVM students
b. No public comments
4. Adoption of meeting minutes
a. Larry moved to adopt meeting minutes, seconded by Linda
b. Motion passed 6-0 (Drew abstained)
5. City Updates – Andrew
a. City is budgeting for upcoming year. Costs have increased (gas, wastewater treatment
chemicals, etc.). City pension liability expected to increase 20-30%.
b. Andrew met with Open Space work group and Champlain Valley Conservation
Partnership. CVCP is looking to create an inventory similar to what the work group is
doing. Opportunity to collaborate.
c. Efforts continuing to put a permanent conservation easement on Wheeler Nature Park
with Vermont Land Trust. VLT requested additional survey work and boundary marking.
d. Upcoming City Council agenda items:
i. Public hearing on regulations of residential heating and hot water in new
construction.
ii. Tesla requested change to zoning district along Shelburne Road to allow a car
dealership in the Hannaford plaza.
iii. I-89 bike/pedestrian bridge. Construction is still a few years out.
iv. Public hearing on changes to LDRs to expand the receiving areas for transfer
development rights to include transit overlay districts. This will allow increased
density along Shelburne Rd, Williston Rd. (Sending areas are SEQ.)
e. Updates from Dave:
i. Two new hires in stormwater department.
ii. Current stormwater projects: Spear St/golf course and Lindenwood (bike path
temporarily closed)
f. No updates from Helen
6. FY23 Annual workplan and agenda planning
a. Jean and Andrew put together a spreadsheet/timeline of the committee’s goals
b. Questions from committee members:
i. What are Auclair and Wheeler management plans? City will reach out to NRCC for
a committee member to participate in the development of these plans. Haven’t
started yet.
ii. What does “Open Space Plan - define maintenance goals” mean? Stewardship,
land management
iii. Will open space plan include wildlife corridors? Yes, using maps rather than field
research.
iv. What does PP&S stand for? Policy Priorities and Strategies, means these items
were included in the City’s FY23 plan
c. Discussion on equity, inclusion, access, environmental justice
i. Council recently passed Declaration of Inclusion. City staff are being trained on
equity/diversity. Committee members may have opportunity to get this training
at future annual orientations. Helen asks if committee members are interested
in this sort of training – yes.
ii. City staff have a workgroup looking at equity in city services.
iii. Katherine suggests look at State of Vermont’s environmental justice bill, passed
this year.
iv. Potential to include environmental justice, land acknowledgement, Abenaki
access rights in management plans.
7. ARPA funding presentation
a. City Council is having a special meeting on November 30 for committees to propose
ideas for ARPA funding. Helen suggests providing a short written description and having
committee member(s) attend the meeting to answer questions.
b. Ash trees – Andrew says current City budget (CIP) has $160,000 per year for next 3 years
to remove and replace all city ash trees. Helen says the committee can provide input on
this.
c. First ARPA request – Larry suggests requesting $50,000 to enhance canopy, and allow
city staff to spend this funding as they see fit. Katherine suggests considering using this
funding to treat black ash trees in forests on city-owned parks/lands (maybe Wheeler?)
and/or private land with willing landowners. Would need to identify ash tree locations,
hire a professional to apply treatment.
d. Second ARPA request – Larry suggests requesting $25,000 to hire a consultant/facilitator
to help with development of Open Space Plan. Consultant would help work group to
focus ideas, hold public meeting(s), and develop the plan based on input received.
i. Dave suggests looking at CCRPC UPWP, may be able to do this sort of work
e. Larry will write proposals for both projects. Jean and Larry will attend meeting.
8. Tree Ordinance workgroup
a. Met in September to look at tree ordinance. Want to meet with Craig to ask questions
about the ordinance Dave will help them schedule with Craig.
b. Michele wants to include language about not cutting/trimming trees during bird nesting
season. Check Vermont state law and maybe include same language.
9. Other Paper articles
a. Katherine and Michele have committed to write articles, Drew is interested. Michele will
write an article in March about Japanese knotweed or bird nest surveys before tree
cutting. Katherine will write an inventory of water bodies in South Burlington.
10. Public hearing on Airport drive Stormwater Improvement Project
a. 5 waterways in South Burlington (including Potash Brook) are impaired for stormwater
b. The Flow Restoration Plan identified 162 projects in South Burlington
c. This proposed project on Airport Drive would construct two infiltration chambers to
capture stormwater on vacant home-buyout lots. Soil is sandy, very good for infiltration.
Airport plans for a recreation bike path to be built along this area in the future.
d. VTrans awarded $365,000 to cover 80% of project costs, City will fund the rest. Fuss &
O’Neill hired for project design. The design is anticipated to be completed in 2023 and
construction will begin in 2024.
e. The project is anticipated to manage 2.71 acres of impervious surface and reduce total
suspended solids, phosphorous, and peak flow in Potash Brook.
11. Member updates & reports
a. Skipped due to lack of time
Meeting adjourned: 8:12 pm
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 7, 2022 at 6:00 pm