Wards 4 & 7 NPA — Burlington, VT
Date: 2025-10-22
Time: 18:30

Wards 4 & 7 Neighborhood Planning Assembly (NPA):
 Agenda

 Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025
 6:00PM-8:00PM

 Join in person: Robert Miller Center 130 Gosee Ct
 Join virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85494151752

 Facilitator: Sarah Note Taker: Amy Time keeper: Stephen Greeter: Joanne


6:00 Free Community Dinner from Stephen Brown | 30 mins

 ● Baked Ziti Vegetarian + meat option
 ● GF option
 ● Salad
 ● Dessert


6:30pm Welcome | 5 mins
 ● Adopt the agenda+ Ground Rules:
 o Listen to each other
 o Treat others respectfully
 o Share your opinion politely
 o Respect the agenda and process

6:35pm Introductions | 5 mins
 ● Introduce ourselves with name, pronoun and ward

6:40pm Open Forum | 10 mins
 ● Invite residents to make short announcements, share neighborhood
 updates and upcoming events

6:50pm Kimberly Rojas - City Planning | 15 mins
 ● City of Burlington Comprehensive Plan presented by City Planning
 ● Questions
7:05pm Gather Input re: North Ave Bike Lane Pilot | 20 mins
 ● Jack Evans informs about North Ave PBL Demonstration project
 ● Questions

7:25pm Information re: Free Speech Open letter to City Council |30 mins
 ● Explain the initiative to put the Apartheid Free Community Pledge on the
 Town Meeting ballot.
 ● Questions

7:55pm Future NPA Meeting suggestions | 5 mins
 ● Take feedback and ideas about what residents would like to see or hear
 at upcoming NPA meetings
 ● Presenter Request form: https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/221/NPA-
 Request-Form
8:00pm Adjourn
 ● Our next meeting will be Wednesday, December 10th. See you there!



 Ward 4&7 Steering Committee:
 Annie Lawson
 Joanne Hunt
 Amy Bielawski-Branch
 Sarah Diaz
 Stephen Brown
 Jane McDonald
 To email the full steering committee: wards4-7npasc@googlegroups.com

10/22/25 NPA Monthly Meeting notes


6:00 Free Community Dinner from Stephen Brown | 30 mins

 o Baked Ziti Vegetarian + meat option; GF option; Salad; Dessert



6:30pm Welcome | 5 mins

Additional agenda items suggested and needed to be voted on to add to the agenda last
minute:

 o Remove “share volunteer opportunities”
 o Yes = 37
 o No = 0
 o Abstain = 1
 o Add presentation about North Avenue Bike Lane Pilot
 o Yes = 39
 o No = 0
 o Abstain = 2
 o Add presentation about Free Speech
 o Yes = 34
 o No = 1
 o Abstain = 3

Adopt the agenda+ Ground Rules: Reviewed

 o Listen to each other

 o Treat others respectfully

 o Share your opinion politely

 o Respect the agenda and process



6:35pm Introductions | 5 mins

Introduce ourselves with name, pronoun and ward
6:40pm Open Forum | 15 mins

Invite residents to make short announcements, share neighborhood updates and
upcoming events – Several community members spoke about local events and concerns



6:50pm Kimberly Rojas - City Planning | 15 mins

 o City of Burlington Comprehensive Plan presented by City Planning – Sarah Morgan
 came to speak on behalf of Kimberly Rojas. Powerpoint presentation to talk about
 planBTV: 2050. smorgan@burlingtonvt.gov
 o planBTV has several subsections (NNE, Open Space, Walk/Bike, and others)
 o last municipal plan update was 2019, new ones are every 8 years
 o looking for holistic and coordinated planning for livable and equitable
 community
 o Importance of Mobility; Economic Development; Parks, Rec, Waterfront;
 greenspace
 o Visioning Sessions upcoming
 o www.burlingtonvt.gov/planbtv2050
 o Plan BTV: NNE – currently at the end of phase 2. There will be another large
 scale meeting before the end of the year.
 www.Burlingtonvt.gov/planbtv/NNE

 o Questions – there was not time for questions, so folks were directed to talk with
 Sarah Morgan.



7:05pm Gather Input re: North Ave Bike Lane Pilot | 20 minutes

 o Jack Evans informs about North Ave PBL Demonstration project – Presented
 information about the current pilot project to the group. They received 500 survey
 responses in less than a week. The project is supported by the DPW and community
 citizens. Project is low cost. The posts belong to the city; some have been damaged
 during the pilot. Regarding concerns were reviewed by the fire department chief and
 they have no concerns. Contact information for the presenters – flyers were
 distributed with survey option – community can contact: Jack@localmotion.org

 o Questions – We did stacked questions so that there was fairness in people being
 able to ask questions. Conversation became quite contentious. One person left
 after being told they would be asked to leave if they didn’t calm down.
7:25pm Information re: Free Speech Open letter to City Council | 30 minutes

 o Explain the initiative to put the Apartheid Free Community Pledge on the Town
 Meeting ballot. Joy Ming Social Studies teacher at Hunt Middle School was lead
 presenter. He gave overview of what apartheid is and how it is happening in
 Israel/Gaza currently. Resources for more information were provided. Including
 how US and Burlington and Vermont tax dollars are used to fund military aid.
 o Duncan Kreps (?) spoke about local efforts, specifically the “Apartheid Free
 Community Pledge.” (AFC) History – Per city charter if 5% of the population sign a
 petition then an issue can be put on the ballot. He shared an open letter to the city
 council and the mayor.
 o NPA can write and pass resolutions – is this true? How is this done?
 o Individuals were asked to sign and submit a pledge to the city; share on FPF
 o Questions – Contentious discussion followed
 o Motion to add 5 minutes to the meeting time due to long discussion
 o Yes - 25
 o No - 0
 o Abstain - 2



7:55pm Future NPA Meeting Suggestions | 5 minutes Did not have time for this item, but we
did collect written ideas from participants answering 4 questions:

 1. What is your favorite part of the NPA meetings?
 2. What is one thing you would want to see improved about the NPA meetings
 3. What ideas do you have for future NPA meetings?
 4. What topics, people or organizations do you want to see on future NPA
 agendas?
 o Take feedback and ideas about what residents would like to see or hear at
 upcoming NPA meetings
 o Presenter Request form: https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/221/NPA-Request-Form


8:00pm Adjourn

 o Our next meeting will be Wednesday December 17th. See you there!
Ward 4/7 NPA Steering Committee members: Annie Lawson, Joanne Hunt, Amy Bielawski-
Branch, Sarah Diaz, Stephen Brown, Jane McDonald

To email the full steering committee: wards4-7npasc@googlegroups.com



Notes submitted by Amy Bielawski-Branch