Transportation, Energy, and Utilities Committee

City Council - Transportation, Energy and Utilities Committee Thursday, July 24, 2025, 3:00 PM, Join in Person: Sharon Bushor Conference Room, Burlington City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT 05401 Join via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/84603122855 To call into the meeting, including to speak during public comment: Phone: 312-626-6799, Webinar ID: 846 0312 2855 1. Agenda 1.1. Motion to adopt/amend 2. Adopt Minutes 2.1. Minutes of 6/24/25 3. Public Forum 3.1. Public Comments 4. Deliberative Agenda 4.1. 3 Acre State Operational SW Permits into MS4 - 15 min 4.2. Champlain Parkway Southbound Opening Evaluation - 15 min 4.3. Unaccepted Streets Next Steps - 20 min 4.4. Technical Services Project Updates - 20 min 4.5. GMT Assessment Methodology Study - 15 min 5. Director's Report 6. Councilor Items 7. Next Meeting 7.1. Tentative - 8/26/25, time TBD 8. Adjournment Page 1 of 6  CITY OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT CITY COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY & UTILITIES COMMITTEE c/o Department of Public Works 802.863.9094 VOX 645 Pine Street, Suite A 802.863.0466 FAX Post Office Box 849 802.863.0450 TTY Burlington, VT 05402-0849 www.burlingtonvt.gov Councilor Mark Barlow, Chair, North District Inquiries: Councilor Gene Bergman, Ward 2 Rob Goulding Councilor Evan Litwin, Ward 7 802.881-2278 Councilor Marek Broderick, Ward 8 rgoulding@burlingtonvt.gov Transportation, Energy and Utilities Committee of the City Council Tuesday, June 24, 2025 – 12:00PM --DRAFT MINUTES— See video for full meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hVB1a58XqM Councilors absent: None Councilors Present: Chair Barlow, Councilor Broderick, Councilor McKnight via Zoom, Councilor Bergman Chair Barlow calls meeting to order at 12:03 PM 1. Agenda Councilor Bergman moves to approve the agenda as posted. Councilor Broderick seconds. All in favor, Unanimous approval. 2. Minutes of 5/27/25 Councilor Bergman moves to adopt the minutes as presented. Councilor Broderick seconds. Councilor Bergman Abstains, Councilors Broderick, McKnight & Chair Barlow are in favor. 3. McNeil Emissions Reduction & Forestry Studies Input Session Darren Springer, Brad Bradshaw, John Bryant, and Betsy Lesnikoski present for Information provided. Public Comments: (In Person) Pike Porter, Nick Persampieri, Leendert Huisman, Chris Gish, & Greg Hancock – (Zoom) Peggy 4. Public Forum (In Person) Mike, Cedar – (Zoom) Sharon Bushor Page 2 of 6 5. Deliberative Agenda 5.1 FY 26 Fleet Purchases Dave Hammond Fleet Manager & Assistant Director ROW & Fleet Services Lee Perry presented information. Commissioner Bergman moves to approve and recommend the Board of Finance and City Council approve the proposed FY’26 Fleet Purchasing List and authorize DPW Fleet Maintenance to auction the FY’26 replaced vehicles/equipment through various online public auctions, or trade into vendor where vehicle/equipment is being purchased. If there is no public interest, or the vehicle is of no value to the vendor, Fleet Maintenance will have the vehicle/equipment, hauled away for scrap at the current market price. Staff will bring for the Board of Finance and the City Councils consideration an analysis of the potential for further electrification of vehicles, equipment that are on the list to be purchased with a recommendation as to the appropriateness of that. Councilor Broderick Seconded. Councilors Broderick, Bergman & Chair Barlow approved. Councilor McKnight Nay. 5.2 Water Resources Affordability Ordinance Change DPW Director Chapin Spencer & Director of Finance & Water Resources Admin Jessica Lavalette presented information. Councilor Bergman moves to recommend approval by the City Council of the proposed ordinances regarding Water Resources affordability enhancements and to recommend approval by the City Council of the proposed policy regarding Water Resources affordability enhancements. Councilor Broderick seconds. All in favor. Unanimous approval, 5.3 Winooski River Trail Bridge Abutment Erosion City Engineer & Technical Service Assistant Director Laura Wheelock, Nick Warner presented information. Public Comment -Robert Bristow-Johnson Information only 5.5 GMT Proposed Fare Policy on Route 11 Clayton Clark from GMT presented information. Information Only Page 3 of 6 5.4 Unaccepted Street Next Steps Post phoned until July 6. Director’s Report Information Only 7. Councilor Items Information Only 8. Next Meeting July 24, 2025 at Bushor Conference Room at 3:00pm 9. Adjournment Chair Barlow adjourns meeting at 2:52 pm. Page 4 of 6  Burlington Department of Public Works Water Resources Division Stormwater Program 235 Penny Lane | P.O. Box 878 Burlington, VT 05401 (802) 863-4501 stormwater@burlingtonvt.gov Memorandum To: Transportation, Energy, and Utilities Committee From: Seth Kuchenbecker – Stormwater Program Manger CC: Erik Ramakrishnan, Megan Moir, Eleonore Walker RE: Stormwater Agreements for “Three-Acre” Permit Incorporation Date: April 21, 2025 Introduction The Water Resources Division of Burlington’s Department of Public Works has been working towards incorporating select state-issued operational stormwater permits into the city’s state- issued Municipal Sperate Storm Sewer (MS4) permit. This integration will benefit both the city and the private associations, who are co-permittees and share responsibility for complying with the operational stormwater permit requirements. To allow this integration, the state requires that the city have “full legal authority” over the permitted stormwater systems, including both public and private portions. This authority can be achieved through stormwater agreements between the city and the co-permittees. Permit Background A “three-acre site” refers to an impervious surface of three or more acres that either never had an operational stormwater permit or was permitted under standards in place before the 2002 Stormwater Management Manual. In addition to the typical operational stormwater permit requirements, such as annual permit fees and inspection/maintenance requirements, permittees of three-acre sites must hire an engineer to conduct a stormwater feasibility analysis and implement new or retrofit existing stormwater treatment practices on the site. Since all parties that own or manage property on a site with an operational stormwater permit are subject to permit requirements, the City of Burlington is listed as a co-permittee for sites that include sections of the public right-of-way. The city is a co-permittee on four operational stormwater permits for sites subject to the three-acre rule. These sites, their corresponding permit numbers, and the co-permittees are listed in Table 1 below: Permit Site Co-Permittees Number 4875-INDS Franklin Square Burlington Housing Authority, City of Burlington 3456-9050 Riverwatch Condominiums Riverwatch HOA 3371-9050 Southwind/Ledgewood Ledgewood East HOA, Ledgewood One HOA, Southwind by the Lake HOA, City of Burlington 3822-9050 Strathmore at Appletree Strathmore HOA, City of Burlington Table 1. Page 5 of 6 Stormwater Agreement & Incorporation The stormwater agreements between the city and the associations stipulates that if the private system is not maintained, the city will have the authority to perform the necessary work and recover costs from the private owner. This agreement grants the city the “full legal authority” over the stormwater system required to incorporate the operational stormwater permits into the city’s MS4 permit. The agreements and any associated easements will be filed with the land records. The agreements for Franklin Square, Riverwatch Condominiums, and Southwind/Ledgewood have all been approved by the respective private-association co-permittees. The Strathmore at Appletree agreement is still pending signature from its association. Following the execution of these stormwater agreements, the operational stormwater permits will be incorporated into the city’s MS4 permit when the city submits its Notice of Intent for the renewal of its MS4 permit this spring. Once the operational stormwater permits are incorporated, the co-permittees will no longer be responsible for annual permit fees, the engineering feasibility analysis, or any retrofit projects. The city will assume responsibility for some additional stormwater treatment required by its MS4 Permit. However, the city will have the flexibility to choose stormwater treatment projects in other areas of Burlington that may be more efficient and cost-effective. Conclusion The Water Resources Division supports the execution of these stormwater agreements for the subsequent incorporation of the select operational stormwater permits into the city’s MS4 permit. Page 6 of 6