Thursday, August 18, 2016
Hall, a wealthy engineer from Utah and a member of the LDS Church, says his futuristic proposal is inspired by a document drawn up by the religion's founder, Joseph Smith. But he has maintained — and church spokespeople have confirmed — that the church itself is not involved in the effort.
Hall's vision for mega-villages — or "NewVista communities" — has unnerved residents in the central Vermont communities where he has amassed more than 1,000 acres. He's also been buying property in Utah, alarming residents there as well.
Tags: David Hall , Mormon Church , Utah , central Vermont , LDS church , NewVistas , Image , Web Only
Friday, August 5, 2016
In a unanimous ruling, justices upheld a 2015 Environmental Court decision that concluded the Costco expansion was permissible under Vermont's Act 250 land-use laws.
The feud has pitted Vallee, owner of R.L. Vallee, Inc., which owns dozens of gas stations across Vermont under the Maplefields name, against the national corporation.
Costco secured several permits to add gas pumps and reconfigure its parking lot in Colchester, but Vallee, who owns a gas station close to the Colchester Costco, appealed to the Environmental Court and eventually the state's highest court.
Vallee argued that the gas pumps would worsen traffic at the busy intersection off Interstate 89 in Colchester and endanger local wetlands.
Costco accused Vallee of using the land-use process to stifle competition.
Tags: Skip Vallee , Costco , gasoline , Vermont Supreme Court , Image , Web Only
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Burlington’s 242 Main youth center and concert venue, the Burlington City Arts clay and print studios and the Generator maker space all must move. Burlington city engineer Norm Baldwin has concluded that the 1927 red brick auditorium on Main Street needs major work.
“The city engineer is not comfortable with the building remaining in use beyond the end of the year,” Mayor Miro Weinberger told Seven Days.
Tags: Memorial Auditorium , University of Vermont , 242 Main , Burlington City Arts , Generator , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
New Moran sent the email to its council of advisers on Monday, explaining that they were working with the city "on a mutual dissolution" of the agreement because it "has become woefully out of date and inhibits the city from exploring all its options for the Moran Plant."
The MOU was signed in 2014. Now, the $20 million project is behind schedule. What the possible dissolution means for the future of the project is unclear.
Tags: Moran Plant , Miro Weinberger , Burlington city council , New Moran Inc. , Image , Web Only
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Moulton will be the second of two administration officials who oversaw the controversial EB-5 economic development program to leave their jobs. Susan Donegan, commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation, announced in March she would resign in June. Donegan has been replaced by deputy commissioner Michael Pieciak.
The two state departments oversee Vermont’s EB-5 Regional Center. The center has been at the center of controversy since allegations made in April by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that Jay Peak developers Ariel Quiros and Bill Stenger misused money invested for EB-5 projects.
Gov. Peter Shumlin, who is not seeking reelection, will have a replacement for Moulton before she leaves, spokesman Scott Coriell said.
Tags: Pat Moulton , EB-5 , Peter Shumlin , Image , Web Only
Thursday, July 7, 2016
The six-year commissioner told Seven Days that her job at Champlain Housing Trust made a conflict of interest inevitable. At Wednesday’s commission meeting, Sarah Muyskens, the chair of CHT’s board, read a statement in favor of the zoning change, meant to enable redevelopment of Burlington Town Center.
Her recusal came after Commissioner Emily Lee read a letter, cowritten by Buffinton, that questioned the legality of Wednesday’s public hearing at City Hall and urged a slowdown in examining the proposed mixed-used residential, retail and office complex.
Tags: Lee Buffinton , Burlington planning commission , burlington town center mall , Image , Web Only
Planning Commission members voted Wednesday to send the measure on to councilors, who must ultimately decide whether to approve the ordinance and allow 160-foot-tall structures. The change is being considered to help enable redevelopment of Burlington Town Center, a project proposed by the mall's owner, New York developer Don Sinex.
The unanimous vote of the four members in attendance came after a marathon public hearing at Burlington City Hall that went on for three hours as more than 40 people made their voices heard. Most spoke against the zoning change, which would allow for taller buildings in an area bordered by Cherry and Bank streets.
Tags: Burlington , Don Sinex , Burlington Town Center , zoning , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
The company plans to buy the distinctive 19th-century red-brick Winooski Block building atop the city's roundabout, home to Scout & Co. and other businesses. Redstone also has a contract to buy two smaller residential properties a few doors down at 33 and 41 East Allen Street.
The acquisitions would add to the company's growing real estate portfolio in downtown Winooski.
Redstone recently announced plans for an entertainment venue called the Strand, which would be built across Main Street from the Winooski Block building. On Tuesday, the Winooski City Council came out in support of that proposal.
Tags: Redstone , the Strand , Winooski Block , Seth Leonard , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Jack Wallace and Chuck DesLauriers hope to get the necessary permits and start constructing the Burlington Harbor Marina, located between the U.S. Coast Guard Station and the Burlington fishing pier, by next year. The 160-slip facility would be completed by either late in the 2017 boating season or at the start of the 2018 one.
The marina would be surrounded by a floating breakwater that doubles as a public walkway, allowing people to stroll out on to the lake. The design also includes public restrooms and a small public park on what is currently the fishing pier parking lot. A water taxi would shuttle people to North Beach, Oakledge Park and other lakeside locations in between.
The city agreed to a 40-year lease Monday night which calls for the marina owners to pay them $27,500, plus 5 percent of revenue above $565,000 during the first year, and $55,000, plus 5 percent of revenue above $1.13 million in subsequent years.
Tags: Burlington Harbor Marina , Burlington city council , Lake Champlain , Charles DesLauriers , Jack Wallace , Image , Web Only
Monday, June 27, 2016
A group of housing advocates, elected officials, developers and other local leaders are banding together to get 3,500 homes built in Chittenden County over the next five years.
The new coalition, led by the Champlain Housing Trust, Housing Vermont and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, has about 100 members. Monday morning, roughly 50 of them gathered outside a CHT housing development in South Burlington to announce the new initiative, dubbed Building Homes Together.
“I think we all get it now,” said Kevin Dorn, the South Burlington city manager. “We need housing across a broad spectrum of affordability.” He added: “It’s gonna take a regional approach to get this done.”
Tags: Champlain Housing Trust , Housing Vermont , Chittenden County , Miro Weinberger , housing affordability , Image , Web Only