Ward 6 NPA — Burlington, VT
Date: 2026-06-04
Time: 18:30

Ward 6 NPA Meeting Agenda
Thursday, June 4, 2025
Location: Department of Public Works, 645 Pine Street
Join Remotely: https://zoom.us/j/81027856568

6:00 Community Dinner – join us for great (free!) food and a chance to connect with your neighbors
6:30 Call to Order, Announcements, Public Forum
6:45 Candidate Forum (all candidates invited)
 • State Senate, Chittenden SE: Thomas Chittenden, Joanna Grossman, Kesha Ram Hinsdale,
 Elizabeth Ann Hunt, Virginia Lyons, Bruce Roy
 • State Senate, Chittenden Central: Nikhil Goyal, Martine Laroque Gulick, Elain Haney, Tanya
 Vyhovsky
 • Vermont House, Chittenden 13: Bram Kleppner, Karen Paul
 • Vermont House, Chittenden 14: Adam Franz
7:30 Update on South End Innovation District
7:45 What’s happening in Burlington this summer?
8:00 Nomination and election of new Steering Committee members
8:15 Discussion of Community Priorities
8:30 Adjourn

Notes from initial Community Priorities discussion (March 2026):

What's the best thing the City has done recently?
  • Build a new high school
  • Neighborhood Code
  • Working on safety related issues
  • Partnered with city and state police to increase presence on Church Street
  • This is a small one, but I really appreciate the enhanced communication from the city about the
 status of public beaches in the summer and ice skating areas in the winter (esp. the Sea Cave!).
 We are so lucky to live near Lake Champlain and I appreciate the City helping us to enjoy it
 safely!
What's something the City should do more of?
  • Enforcement of building and energy codes for apartment buildings.
  • Getting cell phones out of schools (Note: Bram informed us that BHS already has this rule and
 that it will be a state-wide requirement starting next fall!)
  • Better communication about city ordinances for being a good neighbor, to landlords, renters,
 and homeowners (e.g. city recycling bins and trash, burning things, cats). Improve enforcement,
 particularly as it relates to trash and recycling
  • Activities that get people downtown (the City is doing this, but we should keep it up and do
 more if we can!)
What's a concern that should be addressed?
  • Housing
  • Too many garbage trucks -- can we do a city-wide contract?
  • Seeing people still living in tents in the Urban Reserve, even in this cold winter, is heartbreaking.
 We need to do better.

Minutes for Ward 6 NPA Meeting
 June 4, 2026

• Announcements:

1) ANR Planning and Land Management rule changes. Input sessions to be held at Edmunds Middle
 School June 8 5:30 pm. Also virtual on June 11th at 5:30 pm.
2) Anti-war Protests at the roundabout held 4:30- 5:30 pm on Tuesdays
3) No NPA meeting July and August

• Candidate Forum:

State Senate Chittenden Southeast: Kesha Ram Hinsdale,Johanna Grossman, Virginia Lyons, Elizabeth
Ann Hunt, Bruce Roy, Thomas Chittenden, Javen Sears.

State Senate Chittenden Central: Martine Laroque Gulick, Tanya Vyhovsky, Nikhil Goyal

Chittenden House 13: Bram Kleppner and Karen Paul

Vermont House Chittenden 14: Adam Franz

Each candidate gave a short “stump speech” followed by public questions. Public questions were very
diverse. Topics included; issues of anti-semitism/ zionism, local law enforcement with regards to ICE; the
role of incarceration in regards to alternatives; tax fairness; data centers; and nuclear power. All
candidates addressed these very important, difficult and complex questions with thoughtful and nuance
replies.

• Update on South end Innovation District (SEID):

Charles Dillard reviewed the SEID status, describing the extent and overall planning framework. He next
addressed the current phase, the Southend Coordinated Redevelopment (SECORD). This is the current
phase with a two year construction period and an anticipated opening summer 2028. This phase includes
204 housing units, mixed income exceeding the city of Burlingtons requirements for income sensitivity.
Mass timber construction and other high level sustainability attributes.
Public question about the project expressed concern about storm water issues, problematic on the Pine
Street corridor. Charles followed up that the SECORD project includes extensive storm water attributes
but the overall Pine Street corridor needs more follow up.
Other public input pointed out that our current sewer treatment system is overcapacity and questioned
whether this project would make it worse before the current city sewer improvements were completed.
This also needs more follow up.

• What’s Happening In Burlington this summer:

No formal presentation was given but the “Summer in the City” booklets were available to all attendees.

• Nomination and Election of New Steering Committee Members:

Gregg Gossens and Teresa D’Marz were nominated and elected to be a new member of the Ward 6
Steering Committee
• Meeting Adjourned