Dear Neighbors,

This coming Monday, the City Council will convene its only August meeting in Contois Auditorium in City Hall. We will begin our evening with a work session from 5 to 6pm on the City’s Capital Plan. This will be followed by a second work session from 6 to 7pm on the Downtown Mixed Use Overlay District. This will be the first of four work sessions on the downtown ordinance. The other work sessions will be on August 18, 23 and 24 beginning at 5:30pm. As with all Council work sessions, there will be opportunity for public comment.

Following these work sessions and a brief Local Control Commission meeting, the Council will convene its Council meeting just after 7pm. We will be voting on two special event outdoor entertainment permits. We will hold public hearings on several ordinances concerning UVM Medical Center, low impact development, shoreland protection and duplexes on existing lots. These hearings allow for public comment after which we will be voting on each ordinance.

We have two charter changes that require our vote in order to place these changes on the November 8, 2016 ballot; one concerns clarifying uses of the parking garage and meter revenues. This change would clarify eligible activities that can be funded by on-street meter revenue, makes clear that a vehicle in violation of City ordinance can be removed from a municipal lot or parking garage and renames the “Traffic Fund” more appropriately as the “Parking Facilities Fund.” The other concerns changes to eliminate tax appeals to the Board of Civil Authority and to require three voting members on the Board of Tax Appeals panel. The idea behind this change is to allow for taxpayers to hear their appeals by a full panel of the Board of Tax Appeals which means three members. The change would eliminate the possibility of an appeal to the Board of Civil Authority. The taxpayer has the ability to appeal the Board of Tax Appeal’s decision to Superior Court.

We will have a communication from the City Attorney on the mutual consent agreement with New Moran, Inc., the group that has been working to re-develop the Moran Plant. Our last agenda item will be an expected executive session on the tax litigation settlement with South Burlington.

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. I hope you have a great weekend.

My best,
Karen

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