City Ahead of Pace in Ground Transportation Sector; More Progress Needed in Building Sector; Overall Emissions Remain Lower than 2018 Baseline 

Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger and Burlington Electric Department (BED), joined by partners from CarShare Vermont, Champlain Housing Trust (CHT), and Vermont Low Income Trust for Electricity (VLITE), announced today the annual update to the City’s Net Zero Energy (NZE) Roadmap from newly installed electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot of the Old North End (ONE) Community Center.

The new 2022 data provided by Synapse Energy Economics showed that Burlington continues to be ahead of Roadmap pace in the ground transportation sector; natural gas consumption, particularly in the commercial sector, has rebounded moderately since hitting pandemic-era lows; and Burlington emissions remain lower overall by 11.2 percent compared to the 2018 baseline.

“What our third annual Net Zero report shows is that local action matters on energy and climate policy, and that we have more work to do to decarbonize Burlington – and when we do, we will realize a cleaner, more affordable, and more vibrant future,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “Parallel to our efforts to make ‘electrifying everything’ as easy and affordable as possible – Burlington has also sought out new regulatory authorities and passed new ordinances aimed at reducing the use of fossil fuels for building heat – the greatest driver of Burlington’s carbon emissions. It is through fiscally responsible, well-structured and innovative tactics like these that Burlington has become a national leader in climate action.”

“The 2022 Roadmap update shows both continued progress and a need for more work to be done through policy and customer incentives to further reduce fossil fuel use in Burlington,” stated Darren Springer, General Manager, Burlington Electric Department. “We have made great strides in the ground transportation sector and seen firsthand how BED’s electric vehicle rebates combined with fewer vehicle miles traveled are making a difference. While the buildings sector remains a challenge, we have strong solutions on the horizon, including local policies that are just beginning to have an impact, like rental weatherization and new construction renewable heating. Additionally, there are new steps such as implementing the carbon pricing approved on Town Meeting Day, as well as advancing district energy, which would provide the single biggest step we can take toward Net Zero Energy. We also continue to partner with organizations such as CarShare Vermont to expand access to electric vehicles, and with VLITE and Champlain Housing Trust to make charging more accessible, including at the ONE Community Center.”

Ground Transportation Emissions Ahead of Ambitious Roadmap Pace
For the third year in a row, Burlington continues to be ahead of the NZE Roadmap pace in the ground transportation sector, with fuel consumption 10.6 percent lower than the NZE 2030 benchmark. The City’s progress comes from a reduction in the number of vehicles registered in Burlington and the number of vehicle miles traveled, as well as increases in electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) adoption, supported by BED’s incentives and EV charging station investments.

                          Gasoline and Diesel Consumption

Post-pandemic Rebound in Commercial Sector Emissions
Burlington experienced a rebound in natural gas emissions in 2022, particularly in the commercial sector (see graphs below). Factors causing the increase may include weather variability, additional natural gas usage for building ventilation coming out of the pandemic, and new construction permitted prior to the renewable heating ordinance coming online.

Overall Burlington Emissions Down
Burlington greenhouse gas emissions in the ground transportation and building sectors tracked were down 11.2 percent in 2022 compared to 2018 (from 215 to 191 thousand metric tons), despite having experienced a mild 3.2 percent increase in 2022 compared to pandemic-impacted 2020 (see graph below). The City is performing better compared with national emissions metrics, where emissions increased by 1.3 percent in 2022 compared to 2021, following a 6.5 percent in 2021 compared to 2020. To help make progress toward those goals, in January, BED announced new and expanded electrification incentives for 2023 that, coupled with State of Vermont and Federal Inflation Reduction Act funds, provide significant financial assistance to Burlingtonians when purchasing cold-climate heat pumps, electric vehicles and charging stations, electric lawn care equipment, heat and energy recovery ventilators, and programmable controllers.

Next Steps to Reduce Emissions
The City plans to make significant gains in reducing commercial sector emissions by using local building policies like rental weatherization, new construction renewable heating, a carbon pollution impact fee, and the state’s new Clean Heat Standard. Additionally, a district energy system in Burlington would reduce commercial sector buildings’ fossil fuel use by 16 percent. Further, benefits from the upcoming Inflation Reduction Act incentives will provide more help toward reducing emissions through a boost to electric vehicle and heat pump adoption.

Driving Electric along the Road to Net Zero Energy
A recent partnership among CarShare Vermont, CHT, VLITE, and BED is now making driving electric a reality for more members of the Old North End community, without the burden of car ownership. Thanks to funding from VLITE and incentives from BED to purchase both an electric vehicle and a charging station, CarShare Vermont has added a fifth all-electric vehicle to its 25-vehicle fleet. The 2023 all-electric Chevy Bolt named Fabio, has a dedicated spot at the ONE Community Center parking lot, thanks to CHT having provided the space. CHT, BED, and VLITE also partnered to provide an electric vehicle charging station at the same location that will be available to the public during non-business hours (5pm to 7 am). The charging fee is 25 cents per kilowatt hour.

“CarShare Vermont is excited to collaborate with CHT, BED, and VLITE to bring electric carsharing to the ONE Community Center," stated Annie Bourdon, Executive Director, CarShare Vermont. “Most of our 1,000+ members do not own vehicles by necessity or choice. By making electric vehicles available in our shared fleet, we can ensure they have access to the most efficient vehicles when they need to drive. In its first month in service, Fabio was taken on 75 unique trips and used an average of seven hours per day – it is meeting the mobility needs of dozens of neighbors who may otherwise struggle to get around.”

"The Champlain Housing Trust team is delighted to have partnered with CarShare Vermont, BED, and VLITE to enable us to serve the diverse Old North End community even better," stated Michael Monte, Chief Executive Office, Champlain Housing Trust. "This partnership is in line with our mission to develop and provide not only permanently affordable homes, but also community assets that help Burlingtonians succeed in their daily lives. The opportunity for low and moderate income Burlingtonians to drive electric through CarShare Vermont, without purchasing a vehicle or to feel comfortable purchasing an electric vehicle knowing that nearby charging is available, provides an beneficial impact to our community."

“VLITE is excited to be part of bringing this EV charger to the Old North End and supporting the work of CarShare Vermont in making electric vehicles more accessible to Burlingtonians of all income levels,” stated Gabrielle Malina, Executive Director, VLITE.

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General Manager Darren Springer will be presenting a Net Zero Energy Roadmap data update both at the Burlington Electric Commission (BEC) meeting on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 and the City Council meeting, along with BEC Chair, Scott Moody on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.

Burlington, Vt. – Mayor Miro Weinberger announces the City of Burlington will once again host a celebration of culture, history, and community for Juneteenth. This year’s Juneteenth festivities are presented by the City of Burlington’s Office of Racial, Equity Inclusion & Belonging (REIB) and Northfield Savings Bank, and will take place on Saturday, June 17th from 11 am to 11 pm. 

The "Embrace & Belonging" themed Juneteenth celebration will showcase various arts and cultural expressions for every Burlingtonian to enjoy. The unforgettable day-long event is free and open to all, and promises 12 hours of nonstop entertainment featuring over 50 performers across multiple iconic locations in Burlington's vibrant downtown.  

“I am very proud to be part of a city that celebrates Juneteenth's rich history and culture. This year's theme, 'Embrace & Belonging,' is a testament to Burlington's commitment to inclusivity, unity, and community,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “As we gather on this important day, let us also reflect on our collective responsibility to foster an environment of understanding, respect, and equality for all Burlingtonians. I invite every resident and visitor to join us on June 17th to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Blacks, celebrate Black culture, and to acknowledge the continuous journey towards a more equitable society.”  

"We are thrilled to present this year's Juneteenth Celebration, which promises to be a day of inspiration, unity, and celebration," said REIB Director, Kim Carson. "Through music, art, dialogue, and shared experiences, we continue to recognize that the fight for racial equality is ongoing and that Black voices must continue to be amplified and elevated, centered on both Black liberation and progress. We hope to honor the significance of Juneteenth, and those often-muted voices and foster a shared sense of belonging and empowerment within our community." 

The Juneteenth celebration will take place across multiple locations, including City Hall Park, Contois Theatre, Burlington City Arts, The Flynn Theatre, Lower Church Street, Main Street, Flynn Space, and Amy E. Tarrant Gallery. This diverse range of venues will provide a dynamic backdrop for the celebration, showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of our community. The city expects over 1,500 attendees. 

Vermonters and visitors alike are invited to Burlington on June 17th to come together to commemorate Juneteenth and embrace the values of racial equity, social justice, and community.  

Attendees will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a variety of engaging activities and experiences, including: 

• Gospel Brunch: Join us for a soulful gospel brunch experience that will uplift your spirit and celebrate unity hosted by Reverend Mark Hughes of Vermont's only Black Church New Alpha Missionary Baptist Church with acknowledgements by Deacon Roy V. and Shirley Hill, all backed by the Juneteenth Community Choir led by Musical Director, Dexter Criss. 

• Music: Enjoy live musical performances spanning various genres from the area's most talented artists, all leading up to internationally renowned and two-time Grammy-winning Conscious Hip Hop group, Arrested Development, performing at the Flynn Theater. 

• Poetry: Hosted by Rajnii Eddins, get captivated by the power of the spoken word and poetry, with performances celebrating self-expression's beauty and speaking truth to power. 

• Comedy: Hosted by Marlon Fisher, get prepared to laugh out loud as local comedians remind us that laughing is food for the soul. 

• Community Conversations: Engage in meaningful discussions and dialogues exploring essential topics related to The History of Juneteenth Youth Empowerment. Bobby Dean Hackney will tell tales with accompanying photos of his new book chronicling "The Vermont Reggae Fest." 

• Visual Art: Community Canvases is an inclusive art project that aims to inspire artistic collaboration among all members of our community. This program provides a platform for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to come together and express their creativity. With art supplies and canvases readily available, participants are encouraged to contribute their unique artistic perspectives to a collective masterpiece. 

• Food & Beverages: The Juneteenth Supper Club is an integral part of our evening celebration, where we bring the community together for a shared meal in the heart of Main Street. From 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm, we will transform Main Street into a long dining table, symbolizing unity and fostering a sense of belonging for all. This unique dining experience will be surrounded by other food, beverage, and dessert vendors in the enclosed area, allowing us to create a vibrant and communal atmosphere. This is free to the public. 

• Wellness Workshops: While centered around BIPOC participants, it welcomes everyone, fostering diversity. Through yoga, meditation, and massage, we create an environment celebrating and supporting BIPOC experiences while promoting unity. Join us to collectively revive, nourish, and thrive, regardless of your background. 

• Family Fun: Welcome to the Adventure Playground, where the spirit of excitement thrives, and joy knows no bounds. This vibrant space is dedicated to igniting fun, laughter, and limitless joy for young people of all ages and their families.  

• BTV Market: As part of our commitment to uplifting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) vendors, we have partnered with the BCA to prioritize BIPOC artisans, organizations and food and beverage vendors where possible. 

Juneteenth is the oldest American holiday celebrating Black Americans descended from the formerly enslaved.  

Known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, and Jubilee Day, it has been celebrated by Black Americans since the late 1800s. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of slavery, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. In 1980, Texas became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as an official state holiday. In 2021, it was officially recognized as a U.S. federal holiday and in 2022 Mayor Weinberger announced it would be an official municipal holiday, it is commemorated through various events across Burlington, Vermont, and the country.  

This year's Juneteenth celebration theme, "Embrace & Belonging," speaks to the collective work we must do as a community to continue the efforts to actualize the promises of freedom and the right and privileges afforded to full citizenship in the United States, Burlington, and Vermont. "Embrace & Belonging" encourages Burlingtonians to intentionally practice and support Black people living authentically in all places and spaces. 

For more information and a detailed schedule of events, please visit www.btvjuneteenth.com. 

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Burlington, Vt. – The City of Burlington had four voter-approved charter changes awaiting state approval this legislative session. Last week, Governor Phil Scott allowed bill H.508, an act relating to the ranked-choice voting provisions of the charter of the City of Burlington, to become law without his signature, and he signed bills H.506, relating to election boundary provisions, and H.507, relating to polling place provisions. The Governor vetoed bill H.509, an act relating to voter qualification provisions, which if allowed to become law, will expand voting rights for City elections to individuals who are 18 years of age or older on the day of the election, legally living in the United States, and who can claim Burlington as their primary residence. 

Mayor Weinberger made the following statement:  

“Allowing all legal residents to vote in our local elections gives a voice to these valued members of our community who live, work, and pay taxes in Burlington on the important local issues that shape their lives. On the 2023 Town Meeting Day ballot, nearly sixty-eight percent of Burlington voters supported this important expansion in voting rights. Our community, our Administration, our City Council, and a super-majority of the legislature have all agreed that this charter change should become law.  

Given that elections are administered by local government, that two other Vermont municipalities have already successfully expanded voting in local elections to all legal residents, and that the courts have upheld their authority to do so, I do not see the Governor’s concerns about a patchwork approach as a compelling reason to override the desire of a strong majority of Burlington voters. I urge the Vermont House and Senate to override the Governor’s veto later this month.” 

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Burlington, Vt. – Today, Mayor Weinberger announced the return of the BTV Market to City Hall Park after a resoundingly popular inaugural season in the summer of 2022. Co-presented by Burlington City Arts and Love Burlington, the BTV Market begins in City Hall Park on Saturday, June 3, and runs 11 am-3 pm every Saturday throughout the summer. 

“The BTV Market is a weekly celebration of Burlington’s talent and variety every Saturday throughout the summer,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “The Market creates a joyful space for families, neighbors, and visitors to gather and enjoy a broad spectrum of local artists, creative small businesses, good food, and great music right in City Hall Park.”    

The Market features a rotating lineup of over 120 vendors, with 50 booths selling wares each week in the park. In addition to an array of artists, makers, bakers, and more representing all communities within Burlington, the Market features live tunes from BCA’s Market Music series, lawn games, vendors, and the splash fountain. The kickoff market for 2023 will feature Market Music by Cam Gilmour Trio, as part of BCA’s Jazz Lab programming. 

“BCA is so excited to bring such a tremendous array of talent to City Hall Park each weekend, helping to activate a crucial community space in the heart of downtown Burlington. Not only is the Market wonderful for supporting Burlington’s creative economy, but it likewise provides underserved artists and vendors a means to meet new audiences and gain invaluable business experience,” says BCA Executive Director Doreen Kraft.  

 “This market is not only a vibrant activation of one of the City’s most important public spaces, but it also serves as the first step in our micro-business incubator program,” said Kara Alnasrawi, the City’s Director of Business and Workforce Development. “The smallest of Burlington’s businesses can access the busy customer base in our downtown and take the first steps towards growing into a viable business”. 

The final market will be on Saturday, September 30. To see a full list of upcoming City events and programming in City Hall Park, visit BurlingtonCityArts.org.  

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Burlington, Vt. – Today, Mayor Weinberger made the following statement: 

“I support an orderly end to the troubled pandemic-era motel program and Burlington is working in partnership with the State and our regional partners to quickly create new shelter opportunities – in addition to the two low-barrier emergency shelters Burlington has opened since late 2020 – to bring new homeless dedicated housing units online, and to expand services to meet the basic needs of the close to 200 adults in Chittenden County who will exit the program in June. However, for the State to, later this summer, turn out elderly Vermonters, people living with disabilities, and worst of all, young children and their families, to live in tents or in congregate shelters for months would be unacceptable. With a little bit of planning and time, this outcome is completely avoidable.  

The announcement by the Governor today to allow vulnerable populations a 28-day extension in the motel program was both welcome and surprising, as this is not what we have heard in meetings with State officials as recently as earlier this week. However, this doesn’t go far enough. Emergency congregate shelters are no place to raise a young family. Burlington is preparing a regional, multi-agency proposal to transition these families from the temporary shelter offered by the motel program directly into housing and will be submitting it to the Agency of Human Services next week in response to the RFP process launched on May 22.” 

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Burlington, Vt. – Yesterday, surrounded by numerous community leaders and supporters, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced his intention to bring the appointment of Chief Jon Murad to the Burlington City Council for confirmation at their June 5th meeting. 

“Burlington needs and deserves a strong and reliable leader in our Police Department and we have been fortunate to have one in Chief Jon Murad for the last three years,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “I am grateful that the Chief has stepped up during these historically challenging times that have caused so many officers to step away. We need his leadership in order to continue to make public safety progress in what is sure to be a challenging year ahead. With this second appointment, I am making clear that Chief Murad continues to have my full confidence and support.” 

“Every day it’s a privilege to work with the people who comprise the Burlington Police Department, and every day I’m humbled to lead them as best as I’m able on behalf of all our neighbors. I am eager to do more to bring the people we serve into our work too, so that we can all move forward to rebuild together, for a community that is safe and fair, everywhere for everyone,” said Chief Jon Murad. “I am honored by and grateful to the Mayor for his trust, and I am beyond thankful to my wife, Vonnie, and our children for their support. It’s been a long three years for my family, but for the BPD and for Burlington, too. We’ve all accomplished so much together, but the work is far from over. I’m looking forward to continuing the journey we’ve been on at the BPD—a journey of growth, innovation, and rebuilding.” 

“Chief Murad has done a very good job as Chief during very challenging years,” said Mayor Peter Clavelle. “Moreover, the Mayor is responsible for hiring and firing department heads, and Mayor Weinberger has done both. The City Council’s role is to confirm appointments unless Councilors find an appointee unqualified. In this case, I am concerned that the Council failing to confirm Chief Murad would not only be wrong, it would compromise the City’s ability to maintain public safety.” 

“The City’s ability to provide public safety is a concern for everyone, residents and business alike. Appointing a permanent Chief of Police, one who can serve with the support of the community, is critical at this time,” said Kelly Devine, Director of the Burlington Business Association. “It is critical to the rebuilding of our police department. It is critical to the future direction of the department. And, it is critical to the future of the downtown and city we all love. The BBA and its 300+ members, offers its strong support for the appointment of a permanent Chief of Police.”  

Also lending their support for the Chief’s confirmation were numerous community leaders including: Mayor Peter Clavelle, former City Councilors Chip Mason and Kurt Wright, former Burlington Police Commissioners Michele Asch and Shireen Hart, former Burlington Police Chief and UVM Chief Safety and Compliance Officer Michael Shirling, UVM Chief of Police Tim Bilodeau, Thato Ratsebe and Jacob Bogre of AALV, Lake Champlain Executive Director Cathy Davis, Howard Center Street Outreach Team Leader Tammy Boudah, Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Tanya Benosky, Executive Director of the Greater Burlington Multicultural Resource Center Patrick Brown, along with City of Burlington Department Heads, members of the Burlington Business Association, members of the Queen City Police Foundation, and numerous members of the Burlington Police Department.  

Chief Murad’s accomplishments at the Burlington Police Department include: 

• Worked with the Committee to Review Policing Practices and then the Police Commission to draft a cutting-edge use-of-force policy that ultimately served as the template for a statewide policy adopted by the legislature. 

• Led the Department through a staffing crisis, including developing and implementing the Public Safety Continuity Plan to augment unarmed, non-sworn roles in the department including Community Service Officers and Community Service Liaisons.  

• Oversaw the development of the Crisis, Advocacy, Intervention Programs team which coordinates social service approaches to public safety. 

• Developed and implemented the rebuilding plan to restore the officer headcount to 87 over a 4-year period. 

• Improved transparency for the Department through use-of-force reporting, increasing the number of directives available online, making data and current news within the department available to the public, in monthly Chief’s reports to Police Commission, implementing a new policy to proactively release body-worn camera footage of use-of-force incidents and significantly expanding the BPD’s “Transparency & Data” webpage. 

• Under his leadership, the BPD has arrested suspects in over 80% of the shootings in the last two years and closed the 50-year cold case in the murder of Rita Curran.  

Background 

Chief Murad was born in Burlington and raised in Underhill, and earned an undergraduate degree from Harvard. Following graduation, he worked as an actor and writer in Los Angeles and as an editorial assistant at Newsweek Magazine. He was drawn to law enforcement following the 9/11 attacks to serve his community through public safety. 

Chief Murad began his career in the NYPD in 2005 as a police officer in the Bronx, performing patrol, before serving as a detective in the Office of Management Analysis and Planning. He later obtained a master’s degree from the Harvard Kennedy School. He was promoted to sergeant and served in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood. In 2014, he was promoted to Assistant Commissioner and oversaw efforts to build trust between the NYPD and the public, leading a 49-person department responsible for communications. Chief Murad then served as Chief of Staff to Bill Bratton at Teneo Risk for two years before returning to public safety to join the Burlington Police Department as Deputy Chief.  

Mayor Weinberger appointed Murad as Acting Chief in the summer of 2020, and first brought the Chief’s appointment before the City Council for confirmation in January 2022 which resulted in a 6-6 tied vote. Following the deadlock, the Mayor announced the Chief would serve as the Department’s leader indefinitely, saying at the time: “Chief Murad will be Burlington's Chief so long as he continues to serve as a full partner with the Administration and the Burlington community in forging progress on our urgent public safety challenges and advancing police transformation. It is my sincere hope that at some point soon, a majority of the Council joins us in this critical work.”   

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Burlington, Vt. – Yesterday, Honorable Judge Geoffrey Crawford of the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont filed his decision on motions for summary judgements in favor of the Defendants including the Federal Highway Administration, the State of Vermont Agency of Transportation, and the City of Burlington in a suit related to the Champlain Parkway project. Mayor Miro Weinberger issued the following statement:  

“As we have through so many legal and regulatory challenges in the past decade, with the Champlain Parkway and in other housing and infrastructure battles, the City has once again prevailed in our efforts to implement this generational improvement to Burlington’s public infrastructure. After 34 years of misguided designs and delays, with this decision by Federal Judge Geoffrey Crawford the City now has a path to completing and opening the key middle section of the Parkway within a year. The Parkway will create nearly three miles of safer streets, stormwater improvements, and updated utilities -- creating a new gateway into our City for visitors, cyclists, and pedestrians to enjoy along one of our most vibrant arts and business districts while alleviating traffic and congestion in residential areas. Thank you to our project partners, the Federal Highway Administration and the State of Vermont Agency of Transportation, who supported right-sizing the project while also committing to future flexibility along the corridor as the needs of the dynamic south end grow and change.”

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Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Weinberger and the Burlington Department of Business and Workforce Development announced the launch of a two-tiered, zero-interest revolving loan program, totaling $500,000, to stabilize and support the growth of Burlington’s small businesses. The funds will be available to underserved business populations who have traditionally faced barriers to accessing capital.     

“As Vermont’s largest City, our community has been on the frontline of the social and economic recovery for our region and our state,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “This new ARPA funded revolving loan fund will allow the City to better support our local, women-owned, and BIPOC-owned small businesses to ensure a just, equitable, and vibrant economic future for our City.” 

During the 2023 fiscal year budget process, City Council approved the use of ARPA funds to launch this program with a specific interest in supporting BIPOC and women-owned Burlington businesses. The City team has engaged local lending experts to assist on an underwriting committee aimed at dispersing funds in as low barrier of a manner as possible. 

With interest rates on the rise nationally, the City expects these two funds to fuel the creation and expansion of new and well-loved Burlington businesses.   

“By creating revolving loan programs, the City will have a sustainable tool to support the growth of Burlington businesses and ensure the health of our beloved local business community,” says Kara Alnasrawi, Director of Business and Workforce Development.  “This program was structured into two tiers, with different underwriting criteria, to support the various needs, both large and small of our business sector”. 

“Over 90% of Burlington small businesses are locally owned and make up the backbone of our economy,” says Will Clavelle, Assistant Director, Business Development. “These small businesses, particularly BIPOC and women-owned businesses, have historically faced barriers to accessing capital. We are excited to lower these barriers and promote equity by launching these two zero interest revolving loan programs. Each program will support different segments of our business community with access to capital and support new and existing Burlington businesses for years to come.”  

The Burlington Small Business Revolving Loan Fund 

• The first tier of the program will be smaller loans of $1,000 to $15,000 with no interest or fees to Burlington microbusinesses administered by Kiva, a global microlending institution. 

• The second tier will be the Burlington Revolving Loan Program (BRLP), which is aimed at supporting larger businesses with greater financial needs and will be administered by City staff. 

• The BRLP will offer loans from $10,000 to $40,000 and while interest free, this program does include administrative fees.  

• These new lending opportunities are designed to lower barriers to accessing capital, and will allow the City to better support Muslim-owned businesses as both loan programs are zero interest. 

Eligibility for Funds

• The place of business must be within the City of Burlington. This is defined as brick-and-mortar businesses in Burlington, home-based businesses in Burlington, or businesses who operates in Burlington for the majority of the year. 

• Applicants must be current on taxes and terms of existing City financial assistance. 

• Applicants must be a registered business with the State of Vermont. 

• Loans may only be used for working capital, inventory, equipment, rent, furniture and fixtures. 

• Loans may not be used to support national brands, to refinance existing debt, or to support a business in the industries of firearms, cannabis, liquor, or tobacco. 

Further information for loan fund applicants, including translated materials, can be found at www.burlingtonvt.gov/BWD  

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Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger made several announcements regarding the future of Memorial Auditorium:  

• The City will not be moving forward with any of the respondents to last October’s Memorial Auditorium’s Request For Proposal (RFP) process. 
• The Mayor anticipates that the City will release a new RFP for Memorial Auditorium and the municipal parking lot west of the building in the coming months. The new RFP will have narrower goals and objectives to encourage more responsive proposals. This next step will include public engagement through the Parks, Arts, and Culture Committee. 
• The City is in the process of carrying out the stabilization work recommended to reduce the potential for further weathering or structural failure over the next 3 to 5 years. This is to reduce the potential of injury to people in and around the building and enhance the feasibility of a potential renovation to occur in the future. The roof structure stabilization has been completed and the masonry stabilization will be put out to bid this spring.  

“Memorial Auditorium has been vacant since 2017, and we have had only a surface parking lot on the key corner of Main Street and Winooski Avenue for decades. We need to find a way to generate more public value on this critical city block, but we will have very limited City funds for achieving this, because building a new 21st century high school is the priority,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “I continue to think that there is path forward through a partnership with a redeveloper that has the skill, experience and capital to deliver. Our hope is that by opening the RFP process for a second round with broader parameters and greater flexibility, we will find the right partner to realize a great vision for this key block of our downtown.” 

Background  

• Memorial Auditorium, located at 250 Main Street, was designed and constructed as a public auditorium and civic center in the heart of downtown Burlington in 1927.  
• Since the 1990s, the building suffered from deferred maintenance and unable to make the investments needed to address structural and safety concerns, the City closed the building in 2016. More information about the history of the building and past project updates is available on the City’s website. 
• In 2018, the City undertook an extensive community engagement process to determine goals for the future adaptive reuse of the building using public investment. However, with the onset of the pandemic, other priorities took precedence, and following the November 2022 citywide vote to approve nearly $200 million in bonding for a new Burlington High School, it is no longer possible to move forward with public financing to implement the 2018 vision. 
• In October 2022, the City released a request for proposals for the adaptive reuse of Memorial Auditorium, seeking a public-private partnership that retained the public’s access to the building and met a number of community goals. 
• Two proposals were responsive to the RFP, and a committee who reviewed the proposals recommended Babaroosa for selection. Following initial due diligence by Babaroosa prior to entering into a License Agreement and Feasibility phase, they withdrew their proposal. The Administration has chosen not to move forward with the Hawthorne proposal due to feasibility concerns. 

Commentary by Mayor Miro Weinberger, Burlington  

By every measure, we are in the midst of a historic and acute housing crisis.   

Statewide, the median home price has jumped to $310,000 in 2022, up more than 35% since 2019. In Chittenden County, the vacancy rate has hit a 20-year low of 0.4% and more than half of all renters pay more than one-third of their income on housing. Last summer our rental vacancy rate ranked 49th in the country at 2.4%, we had the second-highest homelessness rate in the country, and we had approximately 70 people sleeping outside unsheltered in Burlington every night.  

The central cause of these trends is clear: after decades of declining production, we don’t have nearly enough homes in Vermont. It’s also clear what we need to increase this supply: structural reform of problematic state and local land use rules that have made it much too hard to build, even in the communities where there is broad consensus growth is needed.   

Succeeding at this critical effort will require a great deal of collaboration between different levels of government. Unfortunately, local and state officials are currently clashing over the housing omnibus bill S.100 because, last week, a senate committee removed most of the modest Act 250 reforms previously included in the bill. This dispute has jeopardized the accomplishment of any meaningful housing reform this legislative session.   

The clock is ticking, but there is still time to expand S.100’s impact and support by focusing on a straightforward solution that would remove one of the largest current barriers to new housing: duplicative state and local permit review.   

In Vermont, we have a unique and problematic practice of requiring many critical development projects to go through both a comprehensive local zoning review and a redundant, costly, and time-consuming state Act 250 review. This duplicative review could be eliminated by “municipal delegation,” a concept that has been detailed in a technical proposal drafted by planners in Burlington, South Burlington, and Winooski.   

Before we dig into it, let’s first review what S.100 is trying to accomplish and where things fell apart.   

The bill, as drafted, would have directed municipalities to remove some common housing barriers from local zoning codes, like parking minimums and codes that effectively prohibit housing types such as duplexes and triplexes. At the same time, it worked to alleviate some of the housing barriers in state law, such as by increasing the thresholds for when a project triggers Act 250.  

The Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT), along with many businesses and some municipal leaders, now oppose S.100 because of the removal of these modest Act 250 reforms, which turns the omnibus bill into a proposal dominated by local mandates. Regardless of the remaining merits, municipal leaders are rightly frustrated by legislation that directs cities and towns to undergo the difficult work of changing local zoning without a commensurate effort to address problematic statewide land use rules.  

This approach is more than just politically untenable – it is counterproductive.   

In Burlington, we have worked for the last decade to eliminate housing barriers in our zoning and ordinances. It is now the state rules and regulations that, in many cases, are the biggest obstacles standing in the way of new housing. At the very least, the legislature should restore S.100 to the version first introduced by the Senate Economic Development committee in the early days of this session, which VLCT had called “a grand bargain”.  

It would be far better to go further and add new authority for municipal delegation of development review to municipalities with local laws that are functionally equivalent to existing Act 250 criteria.   

There is already municipal delegation in other state laws, such as for lakeshore protection standards and stormwater regulations. There is also precedent within Act 250 itself -- for years, there has been an exemption for a narrowly defined group of projects within state-designated areas.  

A Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development study from 2017 found that those exemptions “saved an average of $50,000 in permit fees per project, and reduced permit timelines an estimated average of seven months”. Moreover, this study didn’t even count the biggest savings – projects that only need to go through one level of review can save more than a hundred thousand dollars of professional time and legal costs as well.  

Municipal delegation can help us build more homes much faster without compromising environmental standards that have served us well because it does not change the substance of Act 250—it would simply enable municipalities to help advance those important statewide goals in a more effective way.     

Amending S.100 to include municipal delegation could serve as a great example of state policy that simultaneously strengthens our urban and rural communities, answers the needs of both environmental and affordable housing advocates, and calls on state and local governments to work together -- instead of pitting these interests against each other.  

Vermont's housing crisis demands this type of all-hands-on-deck response and structural reform.