LEARN MORE ABOUT
Andrew Chalnick’s Campaign Priorities
LEARN MORE ABOUT
Andrew Chalnick’s Campaign Priorities
Natural Resources
“You don’t know what you got till it’s gone”
South Burlington’s remaining meadows, forests, grasslands, farmlands, and wetlands play a vital role in sequestering carbon, buffering against flooding, filtering pollutants before they reach Lake Champlain, providing habitat for pollinators and wildlife, cooling and cleaning our air, and enriching our quality of life. These natural areas also support local food production and offer valuable opportunities for recreation and connection with nature.
I’m thrilled that while I was on the Planning Commission we successfully designated approximately 2500 acres of “habitat blocks” (generally, forested areas greater than 20 acres and adjacent shrubland), and habitat connectors between those blocks, as “no build” zones; and, that we expanded the “no build” buffer around wetlands, rivers and streams to 100 feet (from 50 feet); and,that we broadened what qualifies as a wetland. We now lead Vermont in providing protection to natural resource areas with over 51% of South Burlington’s land conserved through regulation, private conservation or other means.
During my tenure, the City grappled with the implications of Act 47. I’m proud that, through successful advocacy, we secured an exemption for natural resource areas from the Act’s mandate, which would have otherwise required a minimum density of five or more housing units per acre. Following this, the City strategically re-drew our sewer service and water service areas to keep these ecologically significant lands outside the scope of the Act. Also, to ensure our natural resource areas remain outside the scope of Act 47, no new water or sewer connections are permitted in these areas (previously, all new development was required to connect to the City’s systems when a parcel or building was within 200’ of existing infrastructure).
Together with the Vermont Land Trust, in 2024 the City permanently conserved the 105 acres of natural areas in Wheeler Nature Park. The conservation effort permanently protects over 35 acres of forestand 65 acres of open land, streams and wetlands. The wooded areas include a former sugarbush with sugar maples, a stand of white pine, and hardwood trees such as shagbark hickory which provide food and habitat for wildlife. The protected streams include tributaries of Potash Brook, which flows into Lake Champlain.
Wheeler Nature Park
Hubbard Recreation and Natural Area
I successfully advocated for a minimal-impact plan for the Hubbard Recreation and Natural Area to honor its core purpose of conservation. Thanks to community input and my efforts, the final design was scaled back significantly from previous plans that included ball fields, an event barn, bathroom facilities and a large parking lot, leaving only a shared-use path and small parking area. While some are disappointed the shared-use path will be paved, doing so ensures year-round access and helps advance our broader climate goals of reducing car dependence and emissions from transportation. My vote and comments on the Hubbard Park plans can be viewed here.
Looking to the future,
Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs): I would like to update our land development regulations to require that developers purchase TDRs to access building heights in City Center above six stories.
TDRs are designed to ensure that land development regulations are fair and equitable. When we increase the value of land in one area (by allowing additional building), but decrease in another (by conserving through regulation), requiring a developer to purchase a TDR from a landowner with protected areas balances the impact of our regulations.
In South Burlington, a TDR was provided to each landowner for every 1.2 acres that was designated as a “natural resource protection area”. The sale of a TDR permanently protects (in addition to potentially ephemeral regulatory protection) 1.2 acres of land in the sending district. However, the market has stalled because there is insufficent demand.
Requiring the purchase of TDRs to access additional floors in City Center would hopefully create sufficient market demand for the TDRs.
“Municipal plans frequently designate areas for higher-density, compact development, such as growth centers, downtowns, villages, and also areas where little or no development is desired, including farm- and forestlands, natural resource protection areas, and open space areas. When communities try to implement plans by restricting development in outlying areas, they’re frequently faced with protests from landowners who argue that they’re being deprived of the economic value tied to the potential development of their land. Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs) is a tool that may help reconcile community and landowner interests”
TDR Guidance Document, Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC)
Impervious Surfaces: I want us to reconsider the decision made in 2024 to increase the amount of impervious surfaces that can be constructed on lots from 30% to 50%. This change will allow existing homeowners on larger lots to add significant new impervious surfaces. In an era when climate change is placing tremendous stress on pollinators and our capacity to handle increased flooding, this change is going in the wrong direction and seems unwise.
The Longview Transaction: One major disappointment during my tenure was the City Council’s decision not to move forward with acquiring 36 acres from the Northeast Agricultural Trust for permanent conservation. Located in the heart of the Great Swamp, this property would have been a strong investment of Open Space Fund dollars, especially given the bargain price of just over $12,000 per acre. I hope this opportunity returns to the Council for reconsideration in the future. My commentary on this transaction is here.
Tree Protection and Meadow Management: Our City Plan sets as a two objectives to “amend City regulations to address tree protection in connection with new development activity” and to “actively engage in removal of non-native, invasive tree and plant species on public land”. I would like to see the City adopt an ordinance that protects heritage trees on property that is to be developed, and I would like to develop management plans for our meadows to protect wetlands, address invasives and plant native flowers and trees. I suspect many community members would be excited to participate in this effort.