Mayor Miro Weinberger laid out his vision for a decidedly more urbanized Burlington in a forum last week at the Battery Street office of KSV advertising agency. His perspective generally jibed with that of Matt Dodds, head of the Brandthropology marketing group, who told the gathering that Vermont’s economy must be oriented to “the future, not the pasture.”
In a session keyed to the role of the local “creative class” — yet without explicitly addressing the creative economy — Weinberger made clear that he wants Burlington to develop a stronger urban identity, in part by resisting or erasing suburban-style land use. He warned of a risk that the rail yard enterprise zone south of Maple Street could become a “suburbia office park” of one-story buildings. And the mayor pointed to the Rite Aid on South Winooski Avenue as an underdeveloped site now occupied by “a suburban pharmacy.”
Denser development should entail new housing that enables downtown employees to walk to work, said Linda Kelleher, a principal of KSV. Weinberger heartily agreed. As the developer of the 25-unit Packard Lofts residential rental project on North Avenue, he spoke from experience in noting that it has been hard to build such in-fill housing partly because of local regulatory obstacles.
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But, but, but Kevin J!! How about mentioning that Linda Kelleher and the principals of KSV live in Charlotte as they weigh in on how Burlington should be. Not to mention, does this mean Miro has hired KSV at great expense???
If we don’t let Burlington grow we just force that demand into farmlands further and further out. The Mayor is absolutely right that the no growth, no change zoning regs have got to change.