FreePress Op-Ed: South Burlington needs more housing, not less

Source: Burlington FreePress, by Joe Sinagra, Executive Officer of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Vermont, 6/30/11 “The recent article, “Development pace debated in South Burlington” (June 27), highlighted a discussion underway in South Burlington that has serious ramifications for our economy and housing situations.An interim zoning proposal under consideration by City Council would effectively freeze development in certain parts of South Burlington, for up to two years. This proposal, which has moved forward at lightning speed, raises a number of questions; questions that the City Council has yet to answer… …For years, we have heard about the tight housing situation and rental market in Chittenden County. We are barraged with reports that highlight the high cost of housing in Vermont, and we all are aware of the struggles many families undergo to find decent housing that is within a reasonable price and close to their places of employment. Freezing new construction will do nothing to alleviate these problems, but will certainly increase the overall cost of housing. Finally, how will the proposed measure impact the local economy and job creation? New construction puts hundreds of Vermonters to work; Vermonters who stop at local gas stations to fill up; who traipse over to the local deli or restaurant for lunch; who run an errand or two before or after work at a local business. These aren’t jobs that we are sending out of state or overseas. Residential construction jobs are local. City Council has offered little in the way of evidence that an immediate ban on building is necessary and they have failed to thoroughly discuss and engage the public on the full range of impacts that their proposal will have. Blindly insisting on pushing this interim zoning order through without careful consideration of the implications it will have on the city budget, the local economy and the local housing market is irresponsible. The residents of South Burlington should expect more from their elected officials.” Full Story: FreePress Op-Ed: South Burlington needs more housing, not less PDF of Story: FreePress Op-Ed: South Burlington needs more housing, not less

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