CHARLOTTE PLANNING COMMISSION

Minutes of Meeting of

August 21, 2003

Approved on October 2, 2003

 

Charlotte Town Hall – 159 Ferry Road

Town Office – (802) 425-3533

 

Members Present:          Chair Jeff McDonald                 Al Moraska                   Linda Radimer                                                   Gene Diou                                Gordon Troy                Jim Donovan

 

Members Absent           Robin Pierce                             

 

Staff Present:                 Dean Bloch

 

Public Present:               Michele Maresca                                    Ellie Russell                   Kristen Underwood

Sharon Murray (consultant)         Sylvia Sprigg                  David Hill

                                    Brian Shupe (consultant)              Jenny Cole                     Nancy Sabin     

                                    Marty Illick                                Nell Fraser                    Robin Reid

                                    Allan Jordan                              Peter Richardson            Edd Merritt

                                    Dick LeBoeuf

                                                           

APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA

Approval of the Consent Agenda was deferred to later in the meeting. 

 

BUILD-OUT ANALYSIS

Michele Maresca from the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission presented a regional and town build-out analysis.

 

VARNEY FARM

Ellie gave a brief update on the status of the Varney Farm.

 

CHAMPLAIN BIKEWAYS

Jim gave a brief update on Champlain Bikeways.

 

LAND USE REGULATIONS

Sharon Murray and Brian Shupe of Burnt Rock, Inc. were present to discuss strategies to address affordable housing.  Sharon and Brian had prepared a technical memorandum (dated 8/21/03), and this was used to structure the discussion.  The discussion was also structured by a matrix (developed by Dean) that would allow the rating of  the strategies on seven criteria.

 

Allan Jordan also presented a memorandum (dated August 21, 2003) that the Affordable Housing Committee had developed at their meeting on August 18th.

 

Review of Strategies

  1. Amend the definition of “affordable housing” to be consistent with Chapter 117.  General consensus was “yes”, and the definition should reference the “Burlington Metropolitan Sampling Area” (MSA) since Charlotte is within the MSA.  Also, the definition of “affordable housing development” should allow for mixed income (ie: not 100% affordable), because there may not be sufficient incentive for developers to create 100% affordable developments, and also the developments could be stigmatized.
  2. Allow multi-family dwellings as permitted or conditional use within specified zoning districts.  General consenus was “yes”.
  3. Allow “Accessory Apartments” as a permitted use.  Allow detached Accessory Apartments on “small” lots.  General consensus was “yes”.
  4. Mixed Use Development—require residential component.  General consensus was to allow but not require, as this might inhibit the creation of commercial development.
  5. Allow “Mobile Home Park” as a conditional use (in the East Charlotte Village).  General consensus was to at least address the issues of the expansion of parks and the replacement of trailers within parks.
  6. Reduce minimum lot size in specified districts and/or for affordable housing.  General consensus was to not reduce the minimum lot size on a district-wide basis, but to create a separate section for affordable housing which might include reduction of lot-size specifically for affordable housing.
  7. Eliminate the current density requirement of 5 acres for multi-family and adaptive reuse of historic structures.  General consensus was to reduce the 5 acre density requirement for adaptive reuse of structures that were built at least 10 years ago (or are 10 years old?) and for new multi-family units in the village(s) (East and West?).
  8. Increase density bonus for affordable housing in Planned Residential Developments (PRDs) from 25% to 50%.  General consensus was “yes”.
  9. Reduce “open space requirement” in PRDs for affordable housing.  General consensus was “no”.
  10. Density transfer between parties.  General consensus was that this may be considered for other reasons, but that it probably will not assist with the creation of affordable housing.
  11. Non-contiguous PRDs.  The general consensus was that this should be explored, as indicated in the Town Plan, however it probably will not assist with the creation of affordable housing.
  12. Waiver  provisions.  The general consensus was to explore this option.
  13. Inclusionary Zoning and creation of an Affordable Housing Fund.  The general consensus on this was “no”.

 

Allan Jordan’s memo stated the following:

  1. All regulations in the affordable housing section would apply only to land use for the purpose of providing affordable housing, either rental or for sale, which affordability would remain permanent via deed restrictions and legal mechanisms satisfactory to the Planning Commission.
  2. Location of affordable housing would be limited to adaptive re-use of existing structures anywhere in Charlotte.  New construction of affordable housing would be restricted to the East and West Village areas only.
  3. The availability of potable water and the capacity for the disposal of waste water under the new state waste water regulations would be the prime consideration for the determination of the number of units allowed on a given site.
  4. Assuming adequate waste water disposal standards can be met, the Planning Commission could deal with all other concerns (such as front, side, and rear setbacks) on a case by case basis.

 

With regard to #2 on Allan’s memo, after discussion there was consensus that 1) the “adaptive re-use” provision would apply to structures that were built at least 10 years ago (or are 10 years old?) and 2) that new construction of affordable housing would not necessarily be restricted to the East and West Village Areas. (?)

 

There was consensus, after being requested by the Affordable Housing Committee, that the proposal put to voters would separate the affordable housing provisions from the other amendments to the land-use bylaws.

 

Sharon and Brian will work with the list to create a draft.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

The Mesaros decision, the Patnaude Sketch Plan letter, and the Connelly Sketch Plan letter were pulled off of the Consent Agenda.  Comments were made that will be incorporated into the documents.


ADJOURN

Jim Donovan moved to adjourn; Gordon Troy seconded.  All were in favor and the motion was unanimously accepted.  The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Dean T. Bloch