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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Open Space IZ Committee - 04/02/2019South Burlington Open Space Interim Zoning Commiee April 2, 2019 The Open Space IZ Commiee held a regular meeng on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at 7:00 pm, in the upstairs ConferenceRoom, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street . Members present: Vince Bolduc, Meaghan Emery, Bernie Gagnon, Amanda Holland, Sophie Mazowita, Duncan Murdoch,Allan Strong, Sam Swanson. Also present: Dan Albrecht, Sandy Dooley, Jennifer Kochman, Michael Miag. Absentmembers: Alyson Chalnick, Bey Milizia, Tami Zylka. 1. Direcons on emergency evacuaon procedures from conference room: Allan called the meeng to order and provided instrucons on emergency evacuaon of the building. 2. Addions, deleons or changes in order of agenda items: No changes were made. 3. Comments from the public not related to the agenda: Sandy Dooley (as an individual and not represenng the Affordable Housing Commiee) asked whether copies of theConservaon Priority Framework are publicly available and suggested that the Framework in dra form be distributedto the public. Jennifer presented herself as the chair of the Recreaon and Parks Commiee and member of the 2012Open Space Commiee. Dan asked for a recap of the IZ Open Space Commiee’s work. 4. Tesng the framework using the CCRPC map and Biofinder: Allan gave an overview of the process followed in order to arrive at the Conservaon Priorizaon Framework, firstgiving aenon to Tier 2, which treats natural resources individually. He then explained that Tier 1 was seen as a wayto provide a broad strategic guidelines for conservaon. Tier 3 explains other community values, which have not yetbeen assigned point scales. Jennifer noted the importance of conservaon among the pillars of Recreaon and Parksand also the crical need for playing fields. Sam explained how as a member of the Energy Commiee he came topeace with the Framework, since social uses (such as solar panels) would not ideally be on a site rich in naturalresources. Meaghan explained that these needs are foremost in her mind as a City Councilor and that Tier 3 wasdesigned and commiee members selected in order to highlight other potenal uses of available parcels. Duncanencouraged Jennifer to have her commiee idenfy prime parcels for acve recreaon. Dan remarked on thechallenges of Tier 1, which avoids the queson of social equity; smaller parcels may beer serve middle-classneighborhoods. Allan asked how to include this issue into the conservaon context. Meaghan explained therecreaonal and economic value of larger residenal parcels for all residents. Sandy raised the economic value ofmul-unit housing in terms of property taxes. Dan quesoned the inclusion of aesthecs in Tier 2, which, Allanpointed out, is included in the Commiee’s charge. Allan then invited members to present their parcels, moving around the room to review the different parcels basedon Tier 1 criteria. The results of this preliminary tesng exercise: Meaghan’s parcel: 0. Sam’s parcel: 50. Duncan’sparcel: 50. Sophie’s parcel: 0. Amanda’s parcel: 0. Vince’s parcel: 0. Bernie’s parcel: 0. Allan’s parcel: 50. 5/6. Discussion of alignment between scoring criteria and available spaal data; and Operaonalizing Tier 1 and Tier 3criteria: Members noted the difficulty of assessing the second criterion and parcularly the third criterion on connecvity forTier 1. Bernie recommended that we ghten up the third criterion and perhaps tweak the second criterion. Meaghanrecommended that we look at neighboring parcels as well as determining what uses can “cohabit,” such as wildlife(plant and animal) habitats and acve recreaon/solar panels/dog park. Sam recommended priorizing watershedintegrity and looked to environmental experts for direcon. Duncan said that there is sll work to be done in order toidenfy which animal species are using different lands. Allan suggested that the third criterion of connecvity couldbe moved to Tier 2 criteria, and include wildlife crossings, wildlife linkages, proximity to other conserved parcels, andriparian connecvity; Meaghan and Vince saw merit in that change. Dan recommended that the lakeshore besubjected to a separate category of assessment criteria, and Amanda raised the importance of prevenng shorelineerosion, for instance. A discussion regarding regulaons and setback buffers ensued, and members decided toexclude them from our discussion of the parcels. Amanda suggested assigning points to each of the three criteria inTier 1, and Bernie agreed. Meaghan, on the other hand, noted the value of having a Tier that could disnguish topparcels to be protected for their natural resources and spoke to the value of a scale of 0 or 50 for Tier 1. Allanresponded to Sam’s concern that by moving criterion 3 to Tier 2, we would be undervaluing connecvity, explainingthat criterion 2 in Tier 1 would provide a broad value that gets at the core priority of connecvity, withoutdisqualifying forest blocks, shorelines, etc., concerns that members had raised. Vince also encouraged us to considerneighboring lands over city limits. He also quesoned whether the first criterion of a minimum of 4 acres is necessarygiven our current workplan with only parcels of 4 acres or more idenfied. Members also recommended includingnotes that explain the ranking. Bernie suggested that members come back next me and review their parcels using Tier 2 and Tier 3 criteria beforefinalizing the Tier 1 criteria. Allan will also assign addional parcels for members to assess in order test our criteriamore thoroughly. Sandy quesoned the focus on parcels as opposed to areas within parcels. Allan explained the Planning Commission’sregulatory work on PUDs that is addressing this type of parcel. Amanda also suggested giving direcon to staff to prepare maps idenfying parcels smaller than 4 acres. 7/8. Finalizing the priorizaon scheme; and Plan for ranking all parcels: Carried over into next meeng unl we have tested our criteria more. 9. Discussion: Next steps for engaging SB residents in open space conservaon priories Carried over into next meeng unl we have tested our criteria more. 10. Review and approval of Meeng Minutes of March 20, 2019: Meaghan moved to approve the minutes, Sam seconded. They were approved 8-0. 7. Adjourn: The meeng adjourned shortly aer 9pm. The next meeng is on Wednesday, April 17 at 7pm, in City Hall.