2006 Consolidated Annual Performance & Evaluation Report
Affordable Housing Goals, Strategies and Funded Activities

Priority 1: Produce Affordable Housing

Goal: Gaps for housing in the tenure ladder which currently exist are filled and the overall supply of housing in the community is increased.

Five-Year Focus:

• Address the following housing production barriers: 
• Allowable density does not reflect actual capacity to build; 
• Lack of resources for updating zoning code; 
• Zoning and subdivision ordinances are outdated; 
• Lack of predictable permit process 
• De novo permit hearings. 
• Annually convene a focus group of homebuilders, rental property owners and developers to gather feedback on local barriers to housing development. 
• Implement the following recommendations of the Regulatory Review Task Force report of 1990: 
• Zoning code should be re-written to make it consistent with current planning objectives; 
• Zero lot line zoning, performance-based zoning and Floor Area Ratio zoning should be evaluated for feasibility in Burlington; 
• The State should allow Burlington to use "Mini-Act 250" in lieu of another review by the District #4 Environmental Commission; 
• Design Advisory Board should be trained not to attempt re-designing projects; 
• Development Review Board (DRB) should adopt more clear and narrow guidelines for when members must recuse themselves for conflicts of interest; 
• DRB should support alternatives to the Fire Marshal's requirements for extra turn-around space or paved lanes around buildings; 
• The Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Fire Marshal's Office (FMO) sign-off on initial plans should indicate that substantive issues have been resolved. Final say over differing interpretations should reside with the City Engineer or DPW Director. 
• If a developer installs sprinklers when not required by code to do so, then the Fire impact fee should be reduced. 
• Examine City-imposed fees for such purposes as excavation and sewer connection to determine whether waivers for affordable housing will help encourage more new development of affordable owner-occupied units. 
• Provide annual training to the Development Review, Design Advisory and Conservation Boards to ensure that members fully understand their roles, proper meeting protocols, the rights of all parties and to ensure impartial project review on the part of board members. 
• Conduct "on-the-record" development review hearings for projects that meet the requirements for Major Impact Review. 
• Explore "anti-snob" zoning. 
• Insist that the University of Vermont create 400 beds by Fall 2003. 
• Create a database of housing development sites. 
• Identify property owned by the City where housing would make sense and promote such development with nonprofit and for-profit housing developers. 
• Develop the Brown's Court parking lot, Elmwood Avenue parking lot, and the Depot Street Triangle site. 
• Evaluate the Inclusionary Zoning ordinance. 
• Develop a clear formula for determining payment in lieu of building affordable units under the Inclusionary Zoning ordinance. 
• Ask the State to create an inventory of the State-owned land in Burlington that is appropriate for housing development and to solicit requests for proposals from affordable housing developers for appropriate sites. 
• Urge the State to address the following housing production barriers: 
• Cost and time of appeal; 
• Lack of predictable permit process; 
• Permit appeal criteria overly broad and inclusive; 
• Redundancy in the local permit process and Act 250 
• Urge the State to revise Chapter 117 to make the development review process more efficient, predictable and fair to developers. 
• Advocate for legislative changes governing the rules for appealing zoning and Act 250 permits that: 
• Revise the definition of "interested person" as recommended by the Chapter 117 Committee; 
• Codify the steps that must be taken prior to filing an appeal; 
• Require appellants to participate materially in the development review process, as recommended by the Chapter 117 Committee. 
• Advocate for legislative changes to ensure that Act 250 jurisdiction does not apply to single family houses or duplexes built on existing, non-contiguous lots that have received any needed zoning and subdivision approvals. Housing projects that consist of 10 or more units located on a single tract of land would remain subject to Act 250 jurisdiction.
• Support new housing development on the following properties:
• BankNorth property (Main, St. Paul, King St.)  (100 units)
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington's North Ave. property (300 - 400 units)
• Depot Street Triangle (BCLT) (40 units)
• Venus Avenue - Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity / Burlington Housing Authority (8 units)
• Benway Common - 235 Park St. (7 units)
• Redstone Apartments (UVM) (200 beds)
• University Heights (800 beds)
• Browns Court (40 units)
• 151 South Champlain St. (KSNRC) (14 units)
• 1044 North Avenue (9 units)
• 354 Manhattan Drive - Rouille (15 units)
• Hood Plant (125 units)
• Burgess Electric (27 units)
• Cherry/Battery (32 units)
• Main Street Landing - Lake St. (70 units)
• Elmwood Avenue (25 units)

Annual Action Plan

The City expended Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds on the following projects and programs in program years 2003-06 to further the priority of producing affordable housing:

Page last updated April 04, 2008