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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 06/18/2019June 18, 2019, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 1 Approved on July 9, 2019 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE June 18, 2019, 10:00 AM, City Hall, Champlain Room Members attending: Tom Bailey, Leslie Black-Plumeau, Sandy Dooley, Todd Rawlings, Michael Simoneau, and John Simson Member absent: Larry Michaels; Planning Commission liaison absent: Monica Ostby Also present: Paula DeMichele, from Essex Town Minutes by Sandy Dooley AGENDA 1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests 2. Review and approval of minutes of 05/28/2019 committee meeting 3. Chair’s comments 4. Committee member take-aways from Burlington Housing Summit 5. Discuss 6-months’ accomplishments for annual report content 6. Discuss 2020 Work Plan 7. Discuss Planning Commission TDR subcommittee Draft TDR Overlay map – Monica Ostby and John Simson 8. Reports and updates by committee members 9. Adjourn 1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests: John called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. He reviewed the exit procedures. There were no public comments. 2. Review and approval of minutes of 05/28/2019 committee meeting: Mike moved and Leslie seconded motion that the minutes of the 05/28/19 meeting be approved as drafted. Motion passed 4-0-1. (Todd had not yet arrived.) 3. Chair’s comments: John sent draft of proposed LDRs expanding Inclusionary Zoning to the Transit Overlay District to Paul Conner in the first week of June. John has not yet met with Paul as Paul has been on vacation since John forwarded draft proposal to him. John plans to meet with Paul soon to discuss the proposal and ask that Paul distribute proposal to the Planning Commissioners so that they have ample time to review it. 4. Committee member take-aways from Burlington Housing Summit: All SoBu AH committee members except Larry Michaels attended the Summit. No other folks from SoBu attended. Mayor Weinberger’s remarks showed strong recognition of the affordable housing crisis in the City and region and need to take action to address it. Measures considered and whether or not they would produce much effect were viewed in the context of Burlington’s demographics, housing situation, etc. For example, parking issues in BTV differ from parking situation in SoBu. Learned that support for BTV’s Housing Trust Fund started in 1990 with 1¢ on the property tax. Following a re-appraisal, this was reduced to ½ ¢. Committee members met lots of new folks that are strong advocates of addressing the scarcity of affordable housing in the region. 5. Discuss 6-months’ accomplishments for annual report content: John shared with members present that all SoBu committees have been asked to prepare and submit Annual Reports for FY18-19 and Work Plans for FY19-20. These are due on August 16, 2019. Accomplishments identified were: (a) Inclusionary Zoning for Transit Overlay District proposal completed. (b) Public Education – committee members wrote articles that appeared in The Other Paper, VTDigger, and SoBu Life. (c) In cooperation with City Manager conducted survey of City employees relative to the challenges experienced relative to the cost of housing. (d) Successfully advocated that City Council increase size of committee from seven to nine members. June 18, 2019, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 2 This “accomplishment” led to discussion of recruitment of new members. John reported that Cindy Reid has applied for appointment to the committee and City Council will interview her on July 17th. Sandy reported that Valerie Cardozza, who had applied, unsuccessfully, for appointment in 2018, will apply if she does not move to BTV. She will know about move to BTV by the end of June. Valerie would bring an “interested consumer” perspective to the committee. Members agreed to wait until hearing from Valerie before encouraging anyone else to apply. Discussion then focused on who members might encourage to apply if Valerie moves to BTV. Developers, planning professionals, and consumers (or would-be consumers) of affordable housing were proposed. Members agreed that highest priority at this point would be for the City Council to appoint a consumer of affordable housing to the committee. Upon learning that Paula DeMichele will become a SoBu resident on July 1st, members asked Paula if she would be willing to apply. Following a short discussion, Paula agreed that she would apply if Valerie leaves SoBu. Sandy made members aware that based on handouts from Coralee Holm, the Annual Report is to include a Mission Statement. Leslie’s recollection is that the committee has already written a mission statement. She volunteered to review committee documents in search of the mission statement. Sandy agreed to review committee meeting minutes to identify any additional accomplishments to add to the Committee’s Annual Report. 6. Discuss 2020 Work Plan: Members present brainstormed possible projects/outcomes that they might include in the 2020 Work Plan. Members will review and prioritize these projects/outcomes at their July 9th meeting. Projects/outcomes that were put forth during the brainstorming session included: (a) Review the results of the interim zoning committees’ work for its impact on housing and participate in Planning Commission and City Council hearings and meetings (b) Participate in Planning Commission work to design Planned Unit Development regulations (c) Study changes in the Land Development Regulations that will encourage private sector additions to the City’s housing stock 1. Adjust the regulation of accessory dwellings to be more favorable to their construction 2. Consider allowing increased residential development in commercial and industrial districts 3. Review changes that would permit more housing units in single family districts (examples mentioned were changing the frontage and dimension requirements) (d) Work with Habitat for Humanity to support construction of affordable housing on land in the City (e) Continue to educate the City Council, Planning Commission, and the general public on the positive impact of increased housing affordable for low and moderate income seniors and working people (f) Develop a funding source for the City or another organization to directly impact the development of affordable housing (g) Follow through with Planning Commission and City Council so that proposal to expand Inclusionary Zoning to the Transit Overlay District is adopted. (h) Review all undeveloped and not-designated-for-conservation City-owned land for possible identification of parcels compatible with development of affordable housing. (i) Advocate for staff support for the committee (j) Establish connection with SoBu Economic Development Committee (beginning in September, Mike agreed to serve as AH’s liaison to Economic Development Committee). 7. Discuss Planning Commission TDR subcommittee Draft TDR Overlay map – Monica Ostby and John Simson: Though Monica was absent, John summarized the TDR subcommittee’s draft report as follows: (a) In districts assessed as having “primary” priority for natural resource protection, no development will be permitted. (b) In districts assessed as having “secondary” priority for natural resource protection, density will be limited to base zoning maximums; increased density via TDRs will not be allowed. June 18, 2019, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 3 (c) TDR subcommittee will develop a TDR Overlay District that identifies zoning districts that can receive TDRs. 8. Reports and updates by committee members: Instead of reports and updates, members set the following dates and time for meetings in August, which are: Tuesday, August 6, 2019, 10:00 a.m., Place TBD Tuesday, August 27, 2019, 10:00 a.m., Place TBD Sandy agreed to attend the Open Space public forum on Wednesday evening, June 19th. Mike will also try to attend one of the public forums. 8. Adjourn: At 11:55 a.m. Tom moved and Mike seconded motion that the meeting be adjourned. Motion passed 6-0-0. Bike rack: ● 1/8/19 Emails to K. Dorn and D. Young to be completed by 1/24/19 City: DONE! ● Keep and address at 1/24/19 committee meeting. Work on Committee’s page on the City’s website ● Combine with item immediately above. (Quoted from January 23, 2018, meeting minutes) “John asked Mike to prepare a work plan for the committee to collaborate with Coralee to enhance its effectiveness in communicating with residents via the City’s website and via other means. The plan should include specific assignments to be carried out by identified committee members. Mike accepted this assignment.” Homework (not yet reported on): All bike rack tasks should include date of assignment and date for task completion.