The MOU will facilitate the conceptual design and framework for redevelopment, resulting in a vibrant, sustainable, and accessible mixed-use neighborhood
Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Weinberger announced that the City has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the owners of land parcels neighboring City-owned property in the South End, with the purpose of facilitating a conceptual design and framework for the coordinated redevelopment of the parcels resulting in a vibrant, sustainable, and accessible mixed-use neighborhood. The MOU creates a framework for a collaborative and efficient planning process for multiple independently owned sites, with the goal of informing a future Development Agreement.
The City-owned parcel considered in the MOU is the undeveloped land at 68 Sears Lane. Also party to the MOU, are Champlain College, owners of 175 Lakeside Avenue, and Ride Your Bike, LLC, owners of 125 Lakeside Avenue – which is being developed by the same developers as the nearby Hula Lakeside.
Each of the MOU parcels offer considerable development opportunities. However, the three parties to the MOU agree that the true potential of these properties is enhanced through a joint development framework, which enables them to collaborate on the mix of land uses as well as infrastructure solutions, such as transportation, parking, and utilities. The work completed under the MOU includes a planning study, which is being supported by a federal transportation planning grant from the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission and is expected to take place in three phases between February 2023 and December 2023. The MOU does not bind the City to future approvals or agreements associated with its parcel.
In support of this work, the City will lead an engagement process that builds on an ongoing, multi-year effort to collaborate with the public and stakeholders about the South End’s future.
“Burlingtonians share the deeply held value that decent, stable housing is a human right,” said Mayor Weinberger. “The root of all housing affordability challenges in our City is a severe, long-standing, and intensifying shortage of homes that demands urgent government action and collaboration with developers, institutions, and community members throughout the City to reverse. I am excited and pleased to be taking this next step to support the creation of new homes and economic opportunities in this already vibrant neighborhood with partners who have demonstrated a deep commitment to the Burlington community.”
In December 2021, Mayor Weinberger released a 10-point Action Plan to Fulfill Housing as Human Right in Burlington. In that plan, he set a goal to build 1,250 homes by the end of 2026 and identified the need to increase the development of new housing City-wide, including by opening new housing opportunities through the creation of a mixed-use district in a portion of the South End. This initiative advances two important recommendations of planBTV: South End – to create an innovation district to support arts and enterprise, as well as to continue to evaluate how and where housing may be appropriate within this part of the city. As the three parties begin work under this MOU, the Burlington City Council is also considering a zoning amendment to create the South End Enterprise Innovation District, which would make future mixed-use development on these parcels possible. The proposed amendment was considered by the Planning Commission throughout 2022, and referred to the City Council in December. The Council’s Ordinance Committee will begin a review of the amendment in the coming weeks.
The MOU is available online here.
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