Dear Neighbors,
This coming Monday, the City Council will convene its first of two meetings for the month of September in Contois Auditorium in City Hall.
We will begin our evening with a special Council work session on Burlington Telecom. As I and others have reported, the City Council, along with the Administration, held a press conference yesterday to announce a process going forward to the sale of BT. This coming Monday, all four bidders for BT must submit their best and final offer. Their offer or Letter of Intent along with the entity’s name will be released to the public on September 20. The community will have nearly two weeks to review these entities and their letters that will include the structure of their offer for BT. On October 2, the Council will meet to narrow the field from 4 to 2 bidders. The community will then have another two weeks for review and comment before the Council will vote on October 16 for the successful bidder for BT.
After our work session that will adjourn at 7pm, and a brief Local Control Commission meeting is set to start at 7:15. The Council meeting will begin immediately thereafter. We will begin our meeting with an annual report on the Burlington Employees Retirement System.
We have two presentations, a resolution and one proposed ordinance change on our deliberative agenda Monday evening.
We will have a presentation on Fair Housing. This report will include an analysis of fair housing data, an assessment of housing issues and contributing factors, and identification of fair housing priorities and goals specific to Burlington and our surrounding area. The presentation will be followed by a public hearing on the report. Our second presentation will be on the Great Streets-City Hall Park Plan Update. This will be followed by a resolution authorizing the City to execute a contract with Suisman Urban Design for the next phase of the design for City Hall Park within the Great Streets Project.
The ordinance change is regarding planBTV Downtown Form-based Code. The purpose of this amendment to our Comprehensive Development Ordinance is to establish a new Article 14 – planBTV: Downtown Code that will regulate all development in the Downtown and Waterfront District emphasizing the intended physical form, character of place, and compatibility of uses. This amendment replaces all existing regulations pertaining to development in the Downtown, Downtown Waterfront, Downtown Transition, and Battery Street Transition zoning districts.
As with all Council meetings, please keep in mind that you are always welcome to come and speak to the Council on any subject you wish during our Public Forum which begins at 7:30pm. Clickable agenda items can be found on the City's website:
https://www.boarddocs.com/vt/burlingtonvt/Board.nsf/Public All Council meetings are televised live on BT Channel 317 and streamed live to your computer or phone.
As always, I welcome your questions and concerns. Please be in touch over the weekend and on Monday.
My best,
Karen
Oct 28, 2024, 7 to 8:15 PM
Chicken & Biscuit Community Dinner at First Church BTVNov 2, 2024, 5 AM to 8 PM
Vermont Choral Union Concert Nov. 3Nov 3, 2024, 4 PM