Minutes 3.22.23

MANCHESTER HOUSING TASK FORCE

MARCH 22, 2023

Manchester Town Hall – Kilburn Meeting Room

5:30-7:00 P.M. 

Present: Judd Hoffman (Chair), John Burnham, Gordon Black, Melanie Johnson (Vice Chair) , Victoria Silsby (Secretary), Cat Bryars (virtually)

Absent: Ed Morrow, Kathleen James, Seth Bongartz, Kevin Nielson

TASKS:

●       Gordon Black follow up on status of short term study with Manchester and the Village

●       Melanie Johnson will clarify who we report to (Planning or Select boards)

Judd Hoffman, President, called the meeting to order at 5:35pm

1. Minutes of March 8, 2023 meeting

   1. Judd Hoffman motioned to accept the minutes from the meeting on March 8, 2023.

   2. John Burnham moved to accept meeting minutes; Seconded by Gordon Black

   3. Judd Hoffman asked for discussion, errors, omissions

   4. 6 in favor/0 opposed  Motion Carries

2. Discussion and Finalization of Mission Statement

   1. Judd Hoffman motioned to accept the Mission Statement as proposed by Ed Morrow and circulated in email dated March 15, 2023:
      “To research, identify and recommend short- and long-term strategies for expanding housing that is affordable to low- and moderate-income residents of Manchester.”

   2. Gordon Black moved to accept Mission Statement as read; Seconded by Melanie Johnson

   3. 6 in favor/0 opposed Motion Carries

3. Develop Goals and Strategies

   1. Drafted proposed goals and strategies

   2. Short and long term strategies

   3. ADU’s

                                                              i.      Make public more aware of ADU’s and funding

3. 4. Subsidies and parameters such as Woodstock

   5. Short term rentals

   6. XXX funds-identify landlords that may qualify 

                                                              i.      Acronym needs clarifying

3. 7. Clarify what this group is and how it relates to planning and select boards

                                                              i.      planning comes up with policies

                                                            ii.      HTF makes recommendations, not executive group

                                                          iii.      Which board does HTF report to?

4. Subcommittees: discuss potential need

   1. State funding

   2. ADU’s

                                                              i.      Laws and regulations and governance

4. 3. Short  term strategies -

                                                              i.      Who are the other partners such as Habitat for Humanity, THM, Shires

                                                            ii.      Dorset and Londonderry going thru this same process

4. 4. Public outreach and communication

   5. Short term rentals currently being studied in Manch - where does that stand

   6. Make recommendations to planning/select board to revise ADU language

   7. Make recommendation to turn vacant buildings into residential-town reaching out to property owners

   8. Gordon Black distributed copy from Manchester’s Chapter 3 Land Use and Development Ordinance 10/12/21(attached to minutes). What are other Vermont towns doing?

                                                              i.      Shaftsbury: 50% of the size of the house

                                                            ii.      Manchester: 30%, parking restrictions

                                                          iii.      Bennington: setback variances to ADU’s

                                                          iv.      State statutes rule over town ordinances with regards to size

5. Review of table summarizing potential private and public housing sites

   1. Judd Hoffman reviewed the draft table summarizing Black’s list of potential public and Town properties

6. Presentation from Kyle Murphy on proposed Depot Street Project

   1. Shifts the narrative of what mixed housing can look like

7. Discussion of next steps for Task Force

   1. action items (as noted at top of minutes)

   2. work by way of email on finalizing subcommittees and thoughts on Kyles project

8. Public Comments/Questions

9. Other Business

   1. None

Melanie Johnson made motion to adjourn, second by Gordon Black 6 in favor/0 opposed Motion Carries

Meeting adjourned at 7pm

Respectfully submitted,

Victoria Silsby

Secretary