HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Natural Resources & Conservation Committee - 09/07/2022NATURAL RESOURCE & CONSERVATION COMIITTEE
Meeting Minutes September 07, 2022 6:05pm
Attending: Andrew Bolduc (City Liaison), Jean Sebastien-Chaulot (Chr), Lisa Yankowski, Linda
Bailey, William Wargo, John Bossage, Katherine Boyk, Drew Shatzer, Michele Korpos, Helen
Riehle (City Council Rep).
Missing: Larry Kupferman (Vice Chr)
Also attending: Dave Wheeler, South Burlington Deputy Director for Water Quality,and
Roseanne Greco.
1) Andrew was running late so Dave started the meeting with what to do in an emergency.
2) No changes to the agenda.
3) No comments from the public.
4) John moved to adopt the minutes from August 3, 2022, Bill 2nd.
a. Approved with a correction of removing 1 extra period.
5) City Updates
a. We welcomed Dave Wheeler.
b. The City Council has reviewed the survey for allocating the $3 million ARPA
funds and how SB residents considered they should be used. They have not
decided yet on allocation of funds. Per Helen- the council is planning on a
special meeting on how to use the extra ARPA Funds, hopefully in November.
The council is expecting the city committees to be involved and will have
representatives attending. The attached link is to the council meeting minutes:
1. Agenda - City Council - 09/06/2022 (sbvt-records.info)
c. Helen added, and It has been on the local news: UVM & Snyder/Braverman
Developers have entered into an agreement to build additional low income
housing for students & employees in the South Burlington City Center area.
1. Linda wondered if they would be tax exempt because of UVM. It should
not be tax exempt since UVM will not “technically” own the housing.
Lisa asked if this is for current students or if UVM is trying to increase
their student population which has severely aggravated the housing
market in the Greater Burlington/South Burlington area.
d. The dedication of the Goose Park- Market Street is September 20 at 5pm.
e. Some storm water work that is/will be happening:
BURLINGTON COUNTRY CLUB STORMWATER
PROJECT: Construction of a stormwater gravel wetland on Burlington Country
Club property is scheduled to begin on the week of August 29th. The project will
treat stormwater runoff from five acres of impervious surface, including a section
of Spear Street. The project will impact the multi-use path that runs parallel to
Spear Street, in the vicinity of the UVM Miller Research Farm and Bio Research
Complex. A detour along the multi-use path will keep access for bike and
pedestrian thru-traffic while the path is impacted. Check back for detour
schedule updates.
LINDENWOOD DRIVE STORMWATER PROJECT: Construction of a
stormwater collection system and stormwater pond along Lindenwood Drive is
scheduled to begin on on the week of August 29th. The project will require a
closure of the multi-use path connecting Lindenwood Drive to Farrell Park and
all bike and pedestrian traffic will need to use a marked detour along Swift Street.
A schedule for the necessary path detour will be posted here when finalized.
STONEHEDGE SWALE IMPROVMENTS: Maintenance and dredging of an
existing drainage swale between Stonehedge Dr and the Szymanski Park
stormwater pond is complete.
STONEHEDGE BIKE PATH: The contactor working on the Stonehedge Swale
Improvements will begin maintenance/repaving of a section of bike path
connecting the Stonehedge neighborhood to Szymanski Park. The bike path will
be closed from 8/29 through 9/9. 1. Michele had questions about some of the changes that would be
happening due to the work. Dave explained what was happening.
Katherine asked if SB has an MS4 perrmit- we do. And John asked if the
city is going to able to keep up with infrastructure upgrades, staffing
challenges, budgets. The city is looking for new employees in the Storm
Water division.
6) Priorities & strategies
a. The city council has approved our work list, ref the list included with the
meeting information. The NRCC will be listed under the committees column:
1. Comprehensive Plan Update,
2. Affordable & Community Strong
3. Green & Clean
4. Core Municipal Services & Administration
a. “Bike Rack for the herbicide/fungicide pledge proposed work.
b. Andrew suggested an agenda plan to look at what we are working on and what
still needs to be worked on. We need to get ourselves organized. The Open Space
work group will start meeting again beginning Wednesday 09/14.
7) The budget for FY ’23 is just starting. The only funding there was for replacing trees was cut.
Tom feels we need an agenda item to discuss getting funding added back in for FY’24 Budget.
Roseanne hopes we get working on this subject sooner rather than later.
8) Weed Warriors.
a. Future Weed Warrior events are coming up. Larry Had emailed about one of
the events later this month Check with Drew.. Michele asked if the group is
looking at Wild parsnip and working to prevent further spreading. And she had
thoughts about including Japanese knotweed. Her thought is it could be used to
make tinctures against Lyme disease. Katherine asked if burdock would added
to the list to control. Mike Bald who organizes and educates the Weed Warriors
has this as a possible item.
9) Tree Ordinance and proposed amendments
a. The question was presented about modifying the Tree Ordinance to include
protection of private trees. The ordinance currently protects city owned trees
from indiscriminate cutting. John will head up a work group with Michele, Drew
& Linda joining him. They will look at the LDRs and obligations developers have
for trees on a proposed site for development.
1. Michele had some questions about the current ordinace:
a. DBH should be defined (Diameter at Breast Hght)
b. What about tree removal or trimming during nesting season.
c. Sec 4, E & F need better clarification
d. Section 5- person not personal. Should others beside the city
arborist remove city trees?
e. Few other suggestions she can bring to the work group.
10) Members & Staff reports
a. Lisa for the Common Area for Dogs Committee (CAD). Fencing is up around the
new proposed park at Wheeler. The committee elected not to have a “soft”
opening due to issues..
1. Limited access for ieveryone with a dirt berm between the
gated entrance and the parking lot. The gates and access are not ADA
compliant. The fencing is enclosing a much smaller area than had been
approved by the DRB. The CAD committee felt safety would currently
be an issue. The group went before the city council about the issues
and submitted a letter about the issues.
2. Helen added that the city council is working on trying to get
some of the issues rectified so the park can be used. Additional funds
have been earmarked.
b. Climate Action Committee (CAC)- Bill Wargo
1. They have been very busy. Reference the latestClimate Action Plan we
were sent. We each need to review and email Bill any thoughts and/or
changes. See page 54.
a. This lead Michele to inquire about the composition of the
material used to fill in the basements where the airport
removed houses. What emissions or soil pollution might be off-
gassing. Was “dirty” soil used? Helen assured the group there
are requirements for the fill used and this should not be an
issue.
b. Katherine asked Dave about methane gases from the waste
water plants. It is captured and used except from a small
amount that gets burned off. Bill wants the CAC to look into
this.
c. Land Trust- John Bossange
1. The group sent a letter to the city council in support of the Climate
Action Plan and preserving open land.
d. CVPC did not meet in August.
Meeting adjourned at 8:00 pm
OUR NEXT MEETING IS WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2022 at 6PM
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
-Tree replacement funding added back into the FY ’24 city budget.
- spreadsheet looking at what we are involved with and need to look at. To help develop future
agendas.
-work group report- update the committee on their projects.
-Michele will report back about airport land use.
- we hope for some feedback from the city attorney
- expecting Tom DiPietro to attend.
- Need to discuss using ARPA Funds.
-