Immediate plan for new amenities and infrastructure to expand current programming with ARPA funding; Six-month public engagement effort concludes with a long-term vision for year-round recreation at the Moran FRAME as a cultural destination

Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced the completion of a six-month public engagement and design process for the Moran FRAME that resulted in a striking new concept for the future of the now revived northern waterfront. Implementing this bold, long-term community vision would require new partnerships, philanthropic and grant support, and other financing. To support these efforts, the Administration will add amenities and infrastructure on site using already committed ARPA funds, and continue the City’s partnership with Friends of the FRAME, a local non-profit organization that has supported community programming on-site throughout 2023.

“After decades of stagnation, we have transformed the old Moran Plant from the abandoned eyesore it was into a striking new landmark on the Burlington waterfront that now hosts an increasing number of events and visitors,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “Now, following a six-month public engagement and community design process, and a full calendar year of new arts and cultural programming, we have a plan to turn the Moran FRAME into a beloved waterfront destination. Achieving this stirring vision for what this unique park could become in the future will require more work ahead for the City team, the Friends of the FRAME, and the whole community.”

In the near term, the Administration will use ARPA funds to create new infrastructure for expanded programming and vendor opportunities.

The Mayor, CEDO, and design team will present a physical model and other design materials of the new Phase 2 concept to the public at a special event at Burlington City Arts, in the Lorraine B. Good Room on Thursday, February 8 between 3 pm and 6 pm. The Phase 2 design, if realized, would take the Moran FRAME from being a local treasure to a national destination with year-round activity, recreation, and commerce. The design includes space for concerts and performances, expansive views, year-round activity including a skating ribbon, markets, waterfront seating, and public art.  Images of the new concept are online here.

The bold conceptual design for this important Burlington landmark is informed by the ways people have already embraced the Moran FRAME.  

Zach Campbell, Founder of Friends of The FRAME, added: “This is a vision centered around community, the joy of shared experiences, inclusivity, wonder, and creative energy. Phase 2 strikingly manifests and unlocks the true potential of The FRAME as a one-of-a-kind, year-round gathering space for Burlington residents and visitors alike.”

The Phase 2 Conceptual Design for the Moran FRAME was developed in the summer and fall of 2023 by the Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA) led design team in close collaboration with the City of Burlington, Friends of The FRAME, and a range of local community members and stakeholders.

“As a former Burlington resident and UVM grad who enjoyed many unforgettable memories along the waterfront, it is gratifying to be part of such a unique and promising project as the Frame,” said Hillary Archer, Project Manager. “The site and its potential hold so many opportunities to build upon all the fun experiences already happening here, but also create something new and unexpected for Burlington. It’s a landscape architect’s dream project for sure.”

“Our most rewarding projects uplift places that already have a passionate community behind them. The Moran Frame is just that—a beloved public space with a seemingly spontaneous user base whose engagement with the Frame grew organically out of the intrinsic qualities of the site,” said Matt Urbanksi, MVVA Partner, “Phase 2 is an ambitious plan that is grounded in constituents’ aspirations, creates new opportunities on the Burlington waterfront, and celebrates the history and ecology of the region.” 

Next Steps – Phase 1b Implementation

The Mayor will bring forward the following actions to continue investment in the Moran FRAME and test the feasibility of the Phase 2 Vision, including:

• Near-term ARPA-funded construction that responds to lessons learned over the past two years and public feedback gathered during 2023, and is intended to dovetail with the scope proposed for Phase 2.  The focus will be on new infrastructure to host a variety of public events and performances and additional vendor infrastructure. 
• Seek Council approval for a new contract with Friends of The FRAME to continue public programming and activation of the Moran FRAME site in 2024 and 2025 with movie nights, live performances, public art, placemaking and continued partnership with wasted* to provide on-site restrooms; and to design a capital fundraising campaign for implementing the Phase 2 vision.

About the Phase 2 Design and Community Process

The design was developed in partnership with Utile; SE GROUP; Engineering Ventures; Freeman French Freeman; Domingo Gonzalez Associates; and Altieri Sebor Wieber, LLC.

One of the design team’s earliest tasks was creating a detailed Public Engagement Plan in coordination with the City Project Team, outlining the format and objectives of public meetings and workshops with local stakeholders. The outreach effort began with an online and mail-in survey intended to gather the community’s greatest aspirations for the site, garnering more than 550 responses. Above all else, Burlington residents were interested in concerts and performances, expansive views, year-round activity, markets, waterfront seating, and public art—provisions for all of which were included in the final design. The meetings, which took place in September and November of 2023, included a site walk, presentation, and a physical model constructed by MVVA to facilitate feedback.

The result of these engagements is a cohesive vision informed by deep collaboration:

• Accessible paths have been elevated onto a series of gently sloping mounds that echo the mountains across Lake Champlain in miniature, allowing visitors to climb higher into the remaining steel structure and experience panoramic views of the waterfront. Four footbridges connect the site’s high points and to Level 2 of the FRAME, which will become an event platform that connects to a Level 3 lookout platform via stairs and an elevator. Together, the two new floors will have the ability to accommodate a substantial amount of visitors and a broad spectrum of events. On the ground level within the former building’s footprint, visitors will be able to pass through a garden filled with high-limbed ginkgoes that poke through gaps in the structure, and the south side of the Frame will provide covered bays for food and beverage vendors.
• A skating ribbon will wind around the FRAME and through the new landforms in a figure-eight path, offering year-round skating activities (ice skating in winter, roller skating in the warmer months) that will draw many more visitors to the park. At the steepest slopes of the constructed mounds, pockets of local stone and birch trees will give skaters the impression of moving through a meandering wilderness trail as they round each corner. Each hill tapers into a sloped lawn at the center of the site, forming a half-acre bowl capable of hosting 2,000+ visitors for performances when the ribbon is not in use, while offering year-round areas for picnicking and informal gatherings. Along the western edge of the existing Andy A_Dog Williams Skatepark, tiered concrete seating creates a viewing amphitheater and gathering area for skatepark users.
• The park’s planting palette echoes typical Vermont shoreline environments with a mix of birch, sugar maples, and native arborvitae, and the site’s existing swale has been reimagined as an expanded wetland and the primary stormwater-retaining feature of the landscape.
• To improve connections between the FRAME and Burlington neighborhoods, the arched path of Waterworks Park is routed directly into the high-activity southern promenade of the Frame, and site entrances have been routed into the multimodal Island Line Trail at multiple locations. On the waterfront, a timber boardwalk and pier will provide a more inviting edge to enjoy views of Lake Champlain.

Background  

In early 2014, Mayor Weinberger announced a slate of now completed projects for the Waterfront Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District, ultimately approved by the City Council and Burlington voters, bringing $9.6 million in TIF funds to leverage additional investment; the projects included:

• • The Moran FRAME;
  • The new home for the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center;
  • The new Water Works Park which increased access to the water’s edge through a wooden boardwalk, benches, fishing pier, and native shrubs, grasses, and trees;
  • Improved landscaping, environmental remediation, and utility relocations in the Waterfront Park and the entire northern waterfront;
  • New parking amenity, solar canopy, rain gardens, and public art at ECHO; and
  • Expansions to the Burlington Harbor Marina along with publicly accessible amenities like bathrooms and parking.

In November 2022, the City cut the ribbon on the completion of the first phase of construction activating the long-abandoned providing the framework for future phases of development. The project budget was $6.55 million, funded by $3.559 million from the Waterfront TIF district, a $2 million redevelopment loan from the federal Agency of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and $950,000 from the Burlington Electric Department for environmental remediation. Construction began in August 2020 and included:

• • Removal of the brick and concrete exterior of the Moran Plant, avoiding the significant expense of stabilizing the bricks, and stabilizing the steel frame beneath;
  • Abatement and remediation of hazardous building materials, including asbestos, lead paint, and PCB paint to make the site safe for the public;
  • Remediation of the soils at the Moran site and completed remediation of soils throughout the post-industrial Waterfront Access North area;
  • Creation of an at-grade, level grassy area at the site and accessible paths through and around the FRAME connecting Waterworks Park and the Burlington Greenway;
  • Introduced sub-grade utilities to provide lighting and support future;
  • Painted the steel superstructure, restored the iconic “City of Burlington” letters added new interpretive signage, installed dramatic LED lighting for nighttime use;  

About Friends of The FRAME

Friends of The FRAME is an organization established in 2022 to support the sustained use of the Moran Frame site as an ever-evolving, four-season, public space focused on facilitating high-quality, inclusive public programming and supporting ongoing stewardship of this place. In July, the City entered into a contract with the newly formed non-profit to pilot a partnership in which Friends of The FRAME will focus on programming and activating the site.

• Late in 2022, Friends of The FRAME launched a successful Better Places crowdfunding campaign raising a total of $60,000 for infrastructure investment at the Frame including:
  • Bench Swings (designed and fabricated with Generator Makerspace)
  • Wifi Hotspot
  • Seating and tables and all-ages lawn games
  • Public restroom pilot in partnership with Burlington-based company Wasted*
  • Secure on-site storage with historical exhibit and community idea board
• Throughout the summer of 2023, Friends of The FRAME provided free weekly movie nights with on-site vendors and supported the site-specific art installation and opening event, Blue Alchemy by Renée Greenlee.

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$30 million TIF Funded Great Streets Main Street Project will Comprehensively Renew Key Downtown Infrastructure; Revitalize Downtown with new Bike Lanes, Public Art, Gardens, Wider Sidewalks, and more 

Burlington, Vt. – Today, Mayor Weinberger announced that beginning as early as February 5, 2024, the transformative Great Streets project is expected to begin construction on Main Street in downtown Burlington. This project will create a more vibrant and welcoming downtown for Burlington’s residents, businesses, and visitors and will strengthen public infrastructure for a more resilient future. Construction will be phased over the next three construction seasons, with initial work on the ravine sewer bypass beginning next month.  

“Great Streets Main Street is a generational investment in Burlington’s primary gateway route and is the final of three major downtown projects, including the now-revitalized St. Paul Street and City Hall Park,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger “This project will make our City stronger and more resilient for the future, it sets the stage for growth by enabling new homes and businesses to come into the downtown core, and it creates a great public space between the Church Street Marketplace and the waterfront for residents and visitors to enjoy. It is exciting to see construction get started after years of careful planning, community input, and creative problem-solving.” 

The concept for Great Streets Main Street is about balancing all uses of the public right of way, and will include a wider sidewalk space that can be used by businesses, an 8-foot tree belt, a protected bike lane, parallel parking, flexible space for seating and public art, and better stormwater management with pervious paver belts, rain gardens, and tree wells to infiltrate runoff.  

"While large infrastructure projects can be disruptive in the short-term, bringing Main Street up to the Great Streets standard will transform our downtown and set the stage for growth for many years to come,” said Kara Alnasrawi, Director of Business and Workforce Development. ‘This project will create a welcoming thoroughfare with added space for outdoor cafes, pedestrians and bicycles. In addition, it will modernize downtown’s connection to our beloved waterfront, thus linking some of the City’s most important assets.” 

Today, 50-75% of the space between buildings is dedicated to driving and parking cars. Now, 60% of Burlington’s vital gateway corridor will be used for pedestrians, cyclists, public art, outdoor vending, and more. 

“This is a major project and while construction sequencing is fluid, we are working with our contractor to minimize disruptions,” said DPW Director Chapin Spencer. “A reason for the early start to this work is to lessen the overall impact later in the year – and avoid weekend work. We also want the public to know that downtown is open for business, detour signage will guide you to your location and there is parking available.” 

This $30 million dollar Phase I reinvestment into Main Street's aging infrastructure is funded predominately through Tax-Increment Financing (TIF). Property taxes do not increase to repay TIF debt. This project is managed by Burlington DPW and the contractor is SD Ireland. All businesses in the affected area will remain open and will be accessible to be pedestrians, including J Skis and Perrywinkle’s Fine Jewelry during the initial temporary street closure.  

More about Great Streets Main Street  

The Main Street project has been planned under the Great Streets standards which seek to unify, beautify, and reinvest in our downtown core. The standards are the result of years of careful planning and public input. Prior projects planned under Great Streets include City Hall Park’s dramatic renewal and the transformation of Saint Paul Street (see below for before and after). 

• Between South Winooski & Pine:  

• Surface Improvements: Beautifying the streetscape, and creating a more welcoming environment with brighter lighting, more trees, protected bike lanes, more pedestrian and business space, public art and complete rebuilding of all pavement and sidewalk surfaces.
• Subsurface Improvements: Replacing water and sewer lines, including transmission and trunk mains, many of which service greater Burlington and were installed more than 100 years ago and would be at a high risk for failure without rehabilitation. 

• Between Church & South Union, and down Church Street to Maple: Constructing a new sewer system to facilitate the relocation of sewer flow from the extremely deep (> 25 feet) 150-year-old brick “ravine” sewer that transects multiple downtown blocks to a new modern sewer system constructed in the roadway. This will enable future abandonment of the ravine sewer that hinders current downtown development. 

More about Construction, Parking Changes, and Detours  

The project team at the Department of Public Works (DPW) recognizes the short-term impact this work will have on the public. The project team is hosting a public meeting on February 15 from 6-8PM in Contois Auditorium in Burlington City Hall, along with a Zoom option. 

Additional project schedule details will be shared weekly by DPW when available. It is important to note that construction is highly dependent on weather and is subject to unforeseen issues that arise, especially when dealing with very old infrastructure. 

• Beginning as early as February 5: The first phase of this project will include excavation to install the first pieces of a new bypass sewer to divert the 150-year-old ravine sewer and close Main Street between South Winooski and South Union for approximately two weeks. This will be followed by restoration of eastbound traffic for an additional 2 weeks. This phase will include limited water impacts. Construction is highly weather-dependent. 
• Beginning as early as February 19: The contractor will commence work at the intersection of Maple and Church to start construction of the new bypass sewer pipe. This work will include water impacts.  

Members of the public are encouraged to use the following resources for up-to-date information, translation services are available: 

• Weekly construction updates will be sent out via email and posted on the project website. Learn more at Greatstreetsbtv.com.  
• Parkburlington.com has a refreshed parking map for the public to learn about public and many private parking opportunities.  
• Major impacts will be shared via text and email through VT-Alert. Visit burlingtonvt.gov/btv-alerts to sign up. 

• The project’s public involvement coordinator can be reached directly at NBoyle@eivtech.com. 

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Burlington Electric Would Keep Existing Renewable Resources, Procure Significant New Renewable Energy to Meet Load Growth from Electrification

Burlington, Vt. -- Today, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, Burlington Electric Department (BED), and Vermont environmental and renewable energy organizations voiced support for updates to Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) to largely achieve 100% renewable energy statewide by 2030, while maintaining existing renewable resources and aligning BED’s procurement of significant new renewable energy with anticipated growing demand as more Burlingtonians switch to electric vehicles and heat pumps and other electric technologies.

“Burlington achieved 100% renewable energy in 2014, and since 2019 has been working on a path to eliminate community fossil fuel use by electrifying everything. It is time for Vermont to do the same,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “Burlington has played a leadership role in creating today’s reforms to the Renewable Energy Standard that align with BED’s commitment to procuring more wind and solar energy, and I appreciate that our legislative leaders are making this a priority this session. This is a climate-resilient strategy that will make it more affordable for Vermonters to heat their homes, fuel their cars, and power their lives – and it will create new good-paying jobs in Vermont's renewable energy technology industry. We should put this new standard in place this year.”

The statements today build on framework recommendations made by a broad set of utilities and environmental and renewable energy organizations presented as part of the appendix to the Legislative Working Group on RES Reform that concluded its work in December.

Among the items within the framework recommendations presented in the Appendix to the Legislative Working Group report that are important to BED are:

• Continuing to recognize 100 percent renewable utilities for their early action through continuation of existing exemption from certain RES requirements;
• Aligning significant new renewable energy (2010 or later) procurement with increased sales revenues from electrification efforts to ensure affordability;
• Ensuring existing renewable energy resources continue to count towards Vermont’s requirements, including hydropower and wood energy, supporting BED’s strategy to continue to be 100 percent renewable with a diverse mix of reliable resources;
• Providing regulatory support for BED’s efforts to exceed Tier 3 targets and advance innovative projects and programs as part of Burlington’s Net Zero Energy Roadmap strategy to increase electrification and fossil fuel reduction in the thermal and ground transportation sectors.

“BED has led the way with strong customer incentives for electrifying everything we can, and as move towards our Net Zero Energy goals we anticipate a growing demand for electricity,” said BED General Manager Darren Springer. “Within that context BED is supportive of updates to the RES that maintain our existing renewable resources and aligns our future commitments to procure significant new renewable energy from sources such as wind with growing electricity demand from the increased use of EVs and heat pumps and other technologies. The framework outlined is an approach that can advance renewable energy while keeping rates affordable for our customers. We look forward to engaging in the legislative process and appreciate working with partners in the environmental community and renewable energy sector to find common ground on this important policy.”

The House Committee on Environment and Energy is expected to take testimony this week on the RES update proposals, and the broader effort could spur the creation of significant new renewable energy projects in Vermont and in the New England region.

“As we move off of fossil fuels as quickly as possible we need the cleanest electric grid possible. Modernizing the Renewable Energy Standard is critical to that,” said Vermont Natural Resources Council’s Energy and Climate Program Director Johanna Miller. “So is local leadership. Burlington’s efforts to help residents power their lives, heat their homes and get where they need to go without fossil fuels is essential to the significant progress we must make, community-by-community and as a state.”

“Burlington’s commitment to get virtually all the additional electricity it needs as its residents and businesses switch to super-efficient electric heat and electric vehicles from new renewable energy is a big step in the right direction, and we appreciate Burlington Electric’s efforts to support updates to the Renewable Energy Standard to make that possible,” said Ben Walsh, VPIRG Climate and Energy Program Director.

“As we ask Vermonters to ‘electrifying everything’ and have the power for their EV, heating systems and other devices coming from our electric grid, it’s critical we get to 100% renewable electricity and build far more new renewables than we’re on track to today,” said Peter Sterling, Executive Director of Renewable Energy Vermont. “The effort to update Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard to increase the amount of electricity generated by wind, solar and local hydro purchased by Vermont utilities is a significant step towards a renewable energy future for Vermont and our region.”

“The IBEW, representing the unionized workforce at Burlington Electric, is supportive of Burlington’s Net Zero Energy vision,” said Jeffrey Wimette, Business Manager, IBEW Local 300. “State policy that helps BED continue to invest in its existing renewable energy facilities, including local hydropower, wood energy wind and solar is important to maintain reliable and affordable electricity for the City. We are supportive of updates to the Renewable Energy Standard that enable BED to maintain its existing resources while adding new renewable energy assets as demand grows.”

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Legislative Working Group on Renewable Energy Standard Reform Appendix Framework (pages 28-32) - https://ljfo.vermont.gov/assets/Uploads/5f88e10ecc/RESWG_final_report.pdf

City welcomes Auditor’s documentation of improved financial systems, Rejects inaccurate, ideological top findings which are contradicted by bond counsel opinion; Adjustments to accurate findings will have no impact on City operations or tax rates

Burlington, Vt -- Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger responded to the report of State Auditor Doug Hoffer on the recent audit of the City of Burlington’s Downtown Tax Increment Financing District (Downtown TIF). This is the first audit performed of the Downtown TIF since it was created in June 2011. The report commends several improvements the Administration instituted in recent years to track and control eligible costs and reimbursements and found that from FY2017 to FY2023, the City used tax increment financing for allowable purposes only. Following a final review of the Auditor’s recommendations, the City will take action to correct some ledger errors uncovered in the audit which will have no impact on the City’s operations, nor will they trigger a need to increase tax rates.

However, the City entirely rejects the Auditor’s headline finding that the City committed a “misstep” by securing $4.6 million of bond premiums and disagrees with the Auditor’s assertion that the City exceeded a regulatory cap. The use of bond premiums in publicly financed infrastructure is both legal and an industry best practice. In contradiction to the Auditor’s opinion, Burlington’s outside bond counsel has stated the City was well within its statutory authority at the time of bonding.

Further, Burlington has used bond premiums previously in its Waterfront TIF district – and the State Auditor’s Office (SAO) did not raise concern or interest in the practice in its audit of the Waterfront TIF just last year. The City has confirmed that other Vermont municipalities have invested bond premiums into projects as well, including TIF projects.  

“The headline finding of this audit is bogus and reflects Auditor Doug Hoffer’s longstanding campaign against the State’s TIF program,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “It’s reasonable for the Auditor to bring the legislature’s attention to the policy question of whether there is some public interest in establishing new guidelines for the use of TIF bond premiums. It’s completely unreasonable for the Auditor to suggest that Burlington has made a ‘misstep’ and exceeded an approved cap -- especially after failing to note any prior concern about the City’s use of bond premiums last year when auditing Burlington’s Waterfront TIF district. That the Auditor published this opinion without even noting the bond counsel’s clear and detailed objections indicates that this report is more op-ed than audit.”

In the attached opinion provided to the SAO, the bond counsel for the Burlington Downtown TIF District Thomas Melloni, defended the City’s use of bond premiums stating: “Given the plain and clear language in the statute, bonds may be issued at [a premium]. This makes sense given the legislative purpose of the TIF Statute is to stimulate economic development, improve and broaden the tax base, and enhance the general economic vitality of the issuing municipality and the region and the State. Moreover… the general statute for municipal financing of capital assets, provides that the legislative body of the municipality sets the terms and interest rates for its bonds.  The general tenor of the TIF Statute provides the legislative body of the municipality with authority and significant flexibility in funding TIF development projects. This makes sense given the legislature’s stated purpose of the TIF Statute of promoting economic development, economic vitality and job creation.”

Burlington’s Chief Administrative Officer Katherine Schad stated, “The use of bond premiums in the Main Street project is helping Burlington accomplish generational wastewater, stormwater, transportation, and economic improvements in our downtown core amidst a climate of historic, pandemic-related construction cost and interest-rate inflation.”

Explanation of the TIF premium issue

In August 2022 the City bonded for the Great Streets Main Street project and accepted a bid that included $4.6 million in bond premiums. Bond premiums are used regularly by municipalities when financing infrastructure projects.  

• The City's Downtown TIF District was approved by VEPC in June 2011 and the City received voter approval on two occasions to authorize debt (March 2015 and March 2022).

• On June 27, 2022, the City Council adopted resolutions authorizing the issuance of bonds in a principal amount not to exceed $30,122,000 and delegated to the Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer the power to determine final terms and interest rates, subject to certain parameters, including a maximum total all-in interest rate.

• On August 31, 2022, the City issued the Series 20228 Bonds in a principal amount of $30,120,000. It was shared with the Council and the public that the bonds were issued at that time to take advantage of favorable bond rates and terms, as future increases in interest rates were expected, and that the City faced a March 31, 2023 deadline to incur debt for the Downtown TIF District.

• The City selected the lowest cost bid from a competitive process and received proceeds totaling $34,792,187.30 from the sale of the Series 20228 Bonds, of which $4,672,187 was received as premium. The total interest cost (including costs of issuance and bond premium) was 2.9260%, well below the parameters established by the City Council.

• The City intends to use these premiums to complete more approved infrastructure as part of its rebuilding of Main Street which is expected to break ground in February 2024.

• Further, the City used approximately $32,000 of TIF bond premiums in 2018 and the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank has reported to the City that it has done so with prior TIF Bond issuances as well.

SAO Report documents the City’s improved financial systems for TIF projects

On Page 17 of the report, the SAO finds that from FY2017 to FY2023, the City used tax increment financing for allowable purposes only and states, “The success in ensuring only eligible improvement costs were financed with TIF is an improvement on past management of such costs for the City’s other TIF, the Waterfront TIF District, and is the result of processes implemented to track improvement costs and funding sources and to assess which costs could be paid for with proceeds of TIF debt issuances.”

The SAO lists some of those management improvements including:

• fund accounts were established in the general ledger to record improvement costs and funding sources by project;

• the project manager tracked all improvement costs and the funding source used;

• the City adhered to the guidelines in its purchasing manual;

• the City worked with MuniCap Consultants to develop the TIF Construction Cost Procedures to further strengthen its processes related to ensuring TIF debt is used to pay for eligible improvement costs.

Background on Downtown TIF District and Great Streets Main Street

Tax Increment Financing is a State program that allows municipalities to invest in public infrastructure by paying up-front the public costs from the full anticipated increase in tax revenue generated by the project. The City established the Downtown TIF in 2011 to stimulate development and redevelopment by increasing the level of investment and economic activity in Burlington’s core. The TIF District provides and enhances employment opportunities by supporting continued business location and expansion in downtown Burlington. The District’s developments also improve and broaden the tax base by adding housing, commercial, and retail projects to the City’s grand list.

Background on Strengthened City Finances and Accounting Systems

In 2012 the City was downgraded to the edge of junk bond status when an annual audit found 12 material weaknesses and noted particular problems within the City’s capital project accounting, documenting nearly $24 million in deficits owed to the General Fund. Under Mayor Weinberger’s leadership, the City issued a $9 million stability bond in 2012 and after much hard work, has eliminated all of the material weaknesses and long-term deficits to regain its AA credit rating. In September, the Mayor released an annual report showing these improvements in Burlington’s fiscal management systems and restored general fund reserves have saved taxpayers a combined $44 million since issuing the stability bond.

Nonetheless, the City recognized in 2018, following its own annual audit of the fiscal year 2017, that its project accounting systems needed additional improvement, and has taken the following actions since then:  

• In January 2019 the City engaged the accounting and management consulting firm BerryDunn to review project accounting practices, procedures, and technology; 

• In August 2019, the City created a Public Works project accountant position; 

• In February 2020, the City hired the management consultant firm Clifton Larson Allen to develop and implement overall capital accounting policies and procedures for the City and to reconcile past accounts; 

• In April 2021, the City hired a Senior Accountant to specialize in project accounting and hired MuniCap, a public finance consulting firm nationally recognized as TIF experts, to help the City manage the finances and administration of the Waterfront and Downtown TIF Districts; 

• As of July 2021, the City had fully implemented project accounting for the City’s capital funds allowing Clifton Larson Allen to focus on instituting project accounting for the City’s TIF projects; and 

• In August 2022, the City established a Trustee to hold TIF funds and pay invoices on the City’s behalf. This Trustee provides another level of oversight to ensure that TIF administration is handled correctly. 

• In April 2023, the City finalized updates to its TIF Cost Procedures that have been in place since the resolution of the Waterfront Audit.  These procedures establish a process for the review, payment, and tracking of all eligible TIF expenses.

• In October 2023, the City established Increment Calculation procedures designed to reduce future errors in the calculation of increment retention for both the Waterfront and Downtown TIF Districts.

Full Comments from City Management to the Auditor can be found on page 40 of the report in Appendix VIII.  

Attached, City bond counsel Thomas Melloni Memorandum re: City of Burlington – Downtown Tax Increment Financing District

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116 households from the cohort remain in motel program in Chittenden County while 185 households have been connected to permanent housing since June 1, Unsheltered homelessness has increased 500% since the exiting of 800 Vermonters from motels

Burlington, Vt. – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger, released a statement responding to the Governor’s initial proposed FY24 budget adjustment requesting $4 million for the creation temporary shelter for a period of three months, and proposing to exit all remaining Vermonters in the motel program on April 1. Sarah Russell, Special Assistant to End Homelessness for the City of Burlington, provided the attached memo in her testimony to the House Committee on Appropriations at 1 pm, on behalf of Mayor Weinberger and the City of Burlington.

The Mayor made the following statement:

“When the Governor proposed evicting everyone in the pandemic motel program last May, we said no. Burlington and all of our partner organizations instead proposed to permanently house everyone in the cohort through our Coordinated Entry system – and our plan is working. In six months, we have housed more than half of these vulnerable households, and we can help the remaining 116 in Chittenden County within the next six months. Our approach is both more humane and more cost-effective than creating temporary shelters, or worse, turning everyone out onto the street with nowhere to go. We have a plan to house these Vermonters quickly and affordably, and the legislature should fund it.

This plan, however, will do nothing to address the record level of unsheltered homelessness we currently are experiencing in the wake of the Governor’s decision to exit 800 people from the shelter last June. We need the state to fund and create new shelter now for the hundreds of Vermonters sleeping outside, and for the downtowns around the state that are facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of the State’s failed motel exit plan.”

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Attachments: 

Memo from the Mayor to DCF Commissioner Winters

Testimony on Act 81 Implementation by Sarah Russell, Special Assistant to End Homelessness for the City of Burlington 

The new MOU, which requires Council approval, would commit UVM to providing 1.5 beds per undergraduate student enrolled above fall 2023 level; City to up-zone three campus parcels at Trinity, East Ave, and the Waterman block

Burlington, Vt. – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced that he and President Suresh Garimella of UVM have overcome prior setbacks and reached a housing agreement intended to increase student beds, reduce student pressure on the broader local housing market, and support UVM’s admission goals. The MOU, if approved by the City Council, will commit the university to providing a minimum of an additional 1.5 beds per every one undergraduate student it enrolls above the fall 2023 level. To facilitate the creation of on-campus beds, the Administration commits to work with UVM to advance several zoning amendments for UVM’s Trinity Campus on Colchester Ave, the 280 East Avenue parcel, and the Waterman block on South Prospect Street.

It is anticipated that these zoning amendments will enable UVM to construct as many as 1500 new student beds, in addition to the over 600 beds for graduates, faculty, and staff and nearly 550 beds for undergraduates planned in South Burlington. The agreement also commits the University to providing annual reports on beds and enrollment trends.

The Mayor plans to present the agreement publicly in a City Council presentation on Monday, December 18, and seek City Council approval for the agreement in early 2024.  UVM and the City will also hold an informational public meeting about the agreement in January (details to be announced).

“President Garimella’s sustained commitment to building new student housing has been welcome and impressive, and, I am pleased to say, will now be reflected in and supported by a new agreement between UVM and the City,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “After a year of discussions and hard work, we now have a plan to up-zone not one parcel, but three separate large UVM-owned lots for major on-campus student housing projects, as well as fresh commitments from the university to build new beds as undergraduate enrollment grows, and to improve transparency around their future goals and enrollment data. Importantly, this MOU goes beyond immediate actions and commits both the City and UVM to ongoing, future efforts to address our housing needs. While construction always takes a long time and involves significant uncertainty, this agreement creates a clear path to reducing student housing pressures to the lowest point since the 90s and supports modest growth in enrollment for undergrads.”

UVM’s fall 2023 Undergraduate Enrollment was 11,614, including 2,896 first year students.

“UVM and Burlington are fortunate to be so attractive to a new generation of Vermonters,” said UVM President Suresh Garimella, “and the university is glad to work with our partners in the City to make possible our envisioned expansion of on-campus housing."

Commitments in the MOU

The proposed MOU will take effect following City Council approval and will be effective through October 2028. In the agreement, both parties would commit to re-evaluate and memorialize future commitments prior to its expiration.

The MOU will commit UVM to:

• Provide new beds for undergraduate students if enrollment grows, by increasing the number of available beds by an amount that is at least 1.5 times the increase in the number of Undergraduate Students over and above the fall 2023 baseline;
• Provide the City an annual report depicting the number of and basis for calculating its available beds and undergraduate students on or before October 31 of each year for the five-year term of the MOU;
• And identifies UVM’s intent to exceed this commitment to positively impact off-campus housing demand and UVM’s goal for undergraduate first-year enrollment for the next five years.

The MOU commits the City to:

• Address current zoning regulations that limit the amount of student housing that can be built on the UVM campus within the institutional zoning district, including:

• On or before March 31, 2024, the creation of an Institutional Core Campus (ICC) District specific to the 280 East Avenue Parcel.
• On or before October 31, 2024, the creation of an ICC District specific to the Waterman Block.
• On or before October 31, 2024, zoning amendments  that enable the construction of buildings on UVM’s Trinity Campus.

Background

A 2009 Memorandum of Agreement between the City and UVM established mutual commitments to address concerns about the impact of student housing on residential neighborhoods in the city. Originally set to expire in 2015, the MOA was extended once but expired in 2019. Mayor Weinberger urged UVM to consider a new or amended MOA.

UVM later requested that long-discussed zoning amendments for Trinity Campus be considered, and the Trinity Campus amendments were included in the Mayor’s December 2021 Housing Action Plan. The Planning Commission considered those zoning changes beginning in early 2022, and city staff and UVM officials attended or facilitated a number of public discussions focused on UVM’s campus planning, housing, and enrollment issues, and to gather feedback on the goals for zoning on Trinity Campus. In those discussions and subsequent Commission meetings, community members expressed support for new on-campus housing and improvements to existing on-campus housing options. However, many concerns were raised about the relationship between the University’s ability to house more students on campus and its future enrollment trajectory in the absence of an MOU. The Planning Commission communicated support for more tangible housing commitments by UVM when it referred ZA-22-04 to the City Council in December 2022.

In February 2023, ZA-22-04 was tabled by Council (and per statute, will expire on December 20, 2023). UVM leadership reengaged the Administration in April about its interest in a new MOU.

Mayor’s 2021 Housing Action Plan

Mayor Weinberger has long believed that building of new student beds is a critical strategy for increasing the community’s overall housing supply and addressing the city’s housing availability crisis.  His first Housing Action Plan, in 2015, included goals (which were partially realized before the pandemic) for creating new student beds for UVM and Champlain College students. Rezoning of Trinity Campus was included in the Mayor’s 2021 Housing as a Human Right Action Plan, alongside two other zoning changes: to create the South End Innovation District (SEID) and for the Neighborhood Code. The SEID was unanimously adopted by City Council July 2023, and the Administration has submitted a slate of zoning amendments related to the Neighborhood Code to a joint committee of the City Council Ordinance Committee and Planning Commission which are currently under review.

Attachments

Draft MOU Regarding Housing

Future Trends Slide: illustrates net change in UVM undergrad enrollment and beds since 2009. The potential changes depicted beyond 2023 would be enabled by the agreement and subsequent zoning changes, but not guaranteed by it.

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City Announces $1.9 million in ARPA funds for two new Champlain Housing Trust projects, including new homeownership opportunities at Cambrian Rise; CityPlace Partners now integrating affordable homes into mixed-income, mixed-use project

Burlington, Vt. – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger, Champlain Housing Trust (CHT), Evernorth, CityPlace Partners, and Cambrian Rise announced milestones on three significant Burlington affordable housing projects. Over the next 2-3 years these projects will create a total of more than 180 new permanently affordable homes in Burlington.

“The only way out of our long-standing, acute, housing shortage is to build a lot more homes. Today’s announcements will help ensure that during this period of historically high levels of new home production in our City, nearly 200 will be dedicated to low-income households,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “Burlington is fortunate to have skilled, committed local non-profit and private builders working towards this goal.”

The new milestones are:

• Mayor Weinberger is seeking City Council approval at the December 18 meeting of $1 million commitment of the City’s American Rescue Plan Act funds to Post Apartments, a 38-unit apartment building to be built on the current site of VFW Post 784. The project will also include a new home for the VFW, community space, and office spaces for Burlington’s Community Justice Center, and is expected to start construction in the spring of 2024.
• CityPlace Partners has decided to build the roughly 70 permanently affordable units required on the project integrated throughout the north building of the project, instead of as a stand-alone, publicly financed, affordable housing building in partnership with CHT and Evernorth.  The foundation of the north building was built in 2023 and CityPlace Partners projects vertical construction of the building to begin in the first half of 2024.
• With CHT’s development capacity and large public subsidies no longer committed to CityPlace, CHT is now pursuing the development of a new building in the Cambrian Rise neighborhood which will include 30 permanently affordable, shared-equity condominiums, as well as 40 permanently affordable rental homes.
• Mayor Miro Weinberger is seeking City Council approval of a commitment of $950,000 of the City’s ARPA funds to these CHT projects at Cambrian Rise at the December 18 meeting.

“The success of the City Place Partners and their work at this site is critical to the success of Burlington’s downtown. We are disappointed that this partnership is ending but are committed to helping to make sure that CPP succeeds in bringing much-needed housing, especially permanently affordable housing to Burlington’s downtown,” said Michael Monte, Chief Executive Officer of CHT. “We are about to sign an agreement to develop 30 new permanently affordable condominiums through CHT’s shared equity program, as well as 40 permanently affordable rentals at Cambrian Rise, in partnership with Evernorth including apartments available to serve our community’s most vulnerable.”

“We worked closely with Champlain Housing Trust and Evernorth over the past twelve months, and ultimately felt it made sense to absorb the permanently affordable units into the project, rather than place them in a single building,” said Patrick O’Brien, Project Manager for CityPlace Partners. “We appreciate that CHT and Evernorth will continue to bring low-cost housing units to fruition at two other exciting developments in Burlington, and others throughout the state. This decision is a win-win for everyone because CityPlace Partners will provide affordable homes with very little, if any public subsidy, which will free up millions of dollars of incentives for the creation of units elsewhere in Burlington.”

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Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger called for community-wide support of Burlington’s Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab neighbors and invites Vermonters to join a candle light vigil at the intersection of Pearl and Church Street tonight at 5:30 pm.  

Mayor Weinberger made the following statement:  

“The terrible, unprovoked attack of three young visitors to Burlington was a shocking violation of the values of this welcoming and inclusive community. These bright, caring young men are good friends to each other, committed to their families, and are loved and valued by many. They deserved to enjoy a peaceful and joyful visit to our city, not the irreparable violence they endured.  

The shooting has also shaken many Palestinian, Arab and Muslim Vermonters, by confirming their worst fears, that vitriol, hate and Islamophobia would find them here in Vermont while war continues in the Middle East. 

We cannot let the terrible actions of one man define this vibrant and diverse place. I urge Burlingtonians to stand together in support of these victims, their families, and all of our Muslim and Arab neighbors and once again demonstrate the profound kindness and strength of this community. We have an opportunity to do this at tonight’s vigil, and through further actions in the days to come.”  

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Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger hosted a press conference to address the investigation into the shooting of three Palestinian students Saturday night in Burlington, Vermont and to announce the subsequent arrest and arraignment of the suspected shooter Jason Eaton. Present for the press conference were Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad, two uncles of the victims Rich Price and Radi Tamimi, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George, United States Attorney for the District of Vermont Nikolas Kerest, and representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. 

The press conference was recorded by Town Meeting TV and is available to view online here: https://www.youtube.com/live/tEbxdu7tg8w?si=YpBhNFL2NKrTnFbo  

Mayor Weinberger made the following remarks:  

“The Saturday evening shooting of three young Palestinian college students visiting Burlington on their holiday break was one of the most shocking and disturbing events in this city’s history.   

This horrific, unprovoked attack was a tragic violation of the values and character of this welcoming, inclusive, and close-knit community.   

I am grateful that as a result of a huge, coordinated law enforcement response, led throughout by the Burlington Police Department, that we had the suspected shooter off of the street in less than 24 hours.  

We announced the arrest of Jason Eaton just after midnight last night and Burlingtonians were relieved to be able to go to school and work this morning knowing that the shooter was in custody.  

Mr. Eaton has now been arraigned and charged with triple attempted murder, charges that carry the potential for life sentences.   

This case remains the top priority of the Burlington Police Department. The investigation will continue as will our collaboration with state and federal partners, to give our prosecutors the strongest case possible, and to ensure that Mr. Eaton is held fully accountable for his actions. 

These law enforcement actions, while outstanding, will not erase the damage done by Saturday night’s violence. It is incumbent on us to continue supporting the victims, their families, and their communities. 

We are honored to be joined at this press conference by Rich Price, a long-time Burlingtonian who was hosting the three young men during their visit and who is the uncle of Hisham Awartani, the most seriously injured of the three men, as well as Radi Tamimi, the uncle of Kinnan Abdalhamid, who flew in from California this morning.  Rich and Radi, I am so sorry that this terrible event happened to your nephews here in Burlington.  Thank you for your collaboration and coordination throughout this ordeal, including the conversations we had yesterday, and please know that City will continue to do all that we can to support you and your loved ones during their recovery.   

I hope that Burlington’s Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities see in yesterday’s prompt arrest the City’s commitment to justice and keeping all members of our community safe.  I have been and will continue to be in communication with Muslim leaders about how Burlington can support their communities through this time of war and high international tension. 

I want to thank Chief Murad and the hard-working and skilled Detective Bureau led by Lieutenant Michael Beliveau for once again quickly bringing a shooting investigation to resolution.   

Your quick and forceful actions, over a holiday weekend, on the heels of the push you have been making to solve the November 12 double-homicide, speaks to the commitment and character of the Burlington Police Department. 

I am grateful to Chief Murad, also, for his leadership creating the Chittenden County Gun Violence Task Force more than a year ago as we experienced a spike in gun violence this community has never before. As you will hear in a moment when Chief Murad reviews the steps that led to the arrest of Mr. Eaton, that task force of local, state and federal partners, including critically both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, as well as the FBI, responded immediately to the shooting and played a critical role in the events leading to the arrest.  This taskforce has become an invaluable part of our response to serious events at a time when we and so many other law enforcement agencies are short-staffed. 

I am also very grateful to State’s Attorney Sarah George for working deep into the night last night to secure search warrants and bring forward charges. Thank you for your partnership and leadership. 

Finally, I am grateful for US Attorney Nicholas Kerest.  Not only has the US Attorney been extremely supportive through this event, the federal government has provided enormous technical resources and law enforcement capacity throughout, and I have received direct support from the White House and the Department of Homeland Security as we navigated this unprecedented event.  And one of the reasons we got a little bit of a late start with this event is that I just had an extended phone call with President Biden.  It was my honor to thank the President for his leadership and caring for our community and the victims of this terrible crime, and to make clear to him the critical role federal partners played in securing a quick arrest.  

We are fortunate to have dedicated public servants working in the federal government who are committed to holding shooters accountable for gun violence despite the enormous barriers in the law and regulations that they face.” 

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