Dear Neighbors,
This Monday, the City Council will hold its first of two scheduled meetings for the month of December.
As the meeting will be virtual, you can watch the meeting via zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88016686693
or by phone 312 626-6799 Webinar ID: 880 1668 6693
or by watching live on BT channel 317 or over youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLljLFn4BZd2PwCge7lNoKug676jIf_iUA
If you wish to speak during public forum which begins at 7:30, please sign up via: https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/citycouncil/publicforum
Our first order of business will be a report from the Burlington Police Commission in response to the resolution the Council passed in early September where we requested the Commission review options for who makes and reviews disciplinary decisions and analyze impediments to stronger disciplinary measures in police encounters involving brutal or excessive force along with recommendations for modifications. The Police Commission has completed this work and their report is online at: https://bit.ly/3qrDFwF
We have one presentation and four resolutions, all relating to Charter changes for placement on the Town Meeting Day ballot in March 2021.
The first item is a presentation regarding streetscape improvements on University Place. This process started several years ago as the result of an agreement with UVM regarding the institution bonding for its share of City infrastructure improvements. Part of the agreement including improving safety concerns and collaborating on community needs for this street which included improving accessibility and environmental design. There are two designs, the basic and enhanced approaches. The purpose of Monday's agenda item is a presentation of the designs, the costs which would be shared with UVM according to our agreement along with a review of the community input that was received. Construction is slated to begin in the summer of 2022.
Monday evening's agenda included four resolutions that all relate to proposed changes to our City Charter.
The first Charter change relates to Just Cause Eviction. We took this up at our last meeting and then it went back to a committee for further review. Just Cause Eviction would mean that a residential property owner who rents their property would have to have a 'just cause' in order to evict a tenant. As currently written the ballot item would be:
"Shall the Charter of the City of Burlington, Acts of 1949, No. 298 as amended, be further amended by adopting and adding a new section 48(66) to read as follows: 'To provide by ordinance protections for residential tenants from eviction without "just cause," where just cause may include, but is not limited to (a) a material breach of a written rental agreement, (b) violation of state statutes regulating tenant obligations in residential rental agreements, (c) non-payment of rent while just cause may exclude (a) expiration of rental agreements (b) personal disagreements. The ordinance may also set a maximum rent increase with the purpose of preventing de facto evictions. The ordinance may require that landlords provide notice of just cause and other legal requirements as part of the rental agreement.?"
The second Charter change is to create an independent community control board to oversee investigation and discipline of police misconduct. This is a sweeping change to the current Charter language and I encourage you to read it on board docs at: https://bit.ly/3gdVH0A
The third Charter change relates to adding two seats to the Airport Commission, one for the City of Winooski to have a formal voice on this commission and an additional seat for the City of Burlington. Lastly, the fourth Charter change relates to the regulation of thermal energy systems in residential and commercial buildings.
As always, I welcome your questions and concerns, so please be in touch. I hope you have a good weekend.
My best,
Karen
Dec 7, 2024, 10 AM to 4 PM
Legal ClinicDec 7, 2024, 11 AM to 1 PM
Get Ready for the BTV Winter Market!Dec 7, 2024, 2 to 6 PM