FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 19, 2013
Contact: Mike Kanarick
802.735.7962
Mayor Miro Weinberger Announces Settlement with Mr. Allan Hunt Resolving Act 250 Decision Appeal
City Another Step Closer to Building Champlain Parkway
Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger today announced a settlement of an appeal that Mr. Allan Hunt had filed in Environmental Court, challenging the Act 250 approval of the Champlain Parkway – a joint project of the City of Burlington and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans). This settlement moves the City another step closer to securing a final Act 250 permit and building the Champlain Parkway. The City will continue its focus on resolving the remaining appeals lodged by two other parties concerning the project’s Act 250 approval.
“This settlement is another major step toward building the long-delayed Champlain Parkway,” said Mayor Weinberger. “I would like to thank Allan Hunt for his efforts working with our City team to craft an amicable resolution that advances sound urban development and livable city principles to guide the future of his neighborhood. Mr. Hunt has been a strong and positive advocate for his neighborhood, and the City has benefitted from his contributions to the discussion about the future of the Pine Street corridor. I also would like to thank VTrans Secretary Brian Searles for his personal engagement of this issue in the final stages of the settlement negotiations and the Shumlin Administration for its steady commitment to improving Vermont’s downtowns through its transportation policies.”
Last night, the City Council unanimously passed a Resolution approving the terms of the negotiated settlement. Mr. Hunt’s appeal and the terms of the Settlement Agreement are directed at issues in the neighborhood along Pine Street between King Street and Maple Street.
The Settlement Agreement focuses on the City’s commitment to fostering a more livable, dynamic, mixed-use urban neighborhood in the Maple-King Street Neighborhood and along the Pine Street corridor generally. The City in recent months has begun installation of pedestrian enhancements along the Pine Street corridor, involving the installation of new crosswalks, sidewalks, and rapid flashing beacons for pedestrians. The Settlement Agreement underscores the City’s commitment to this area of the City through additional measures, including advancement of a Neighborhood Enhancement Program in the Maple-King Street Neighborhood and a commitment to study the need for additional traffic signals on Pine Street after the Parkway is constructed. The Agreement also requires Mr. Hunt to dismiss his appeal with the Superior Court Environmental Division.
“I am very pleased with this settlement,” said Mr. Hunt. “The Mayor and his team deserve a great deal of credit for finding meaningful ways to mitigate the impacts of the Parkway on our neighborhood.”
Independent of this settlement, the Weinberger Administration has been focusing on this area of the City in initiating with VTrans the Railyard Enterprise Project, which is directed at promoting intermodal transportation connections between Pine Street and Battery Street to enhance economic development and livability.
“The settlement is another step towards a more walkable, bikeable, livable Burlington for all,” said CEDO Director Peter Owens. “I appreciate the efforts of Allan and his community allies to advocate on behalf of the Maple-King Street Neighborhood.”
The settlement resolves all of the eighteen issues raised by Mr. Hunt in his appeal of the positive Act 250 decision that generally approved the Champlain Parkway in 2011.
*Please see attached City Council Resolution and Settlement Agreement.
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