[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6077317,"mediaKeyId","2964644-4f5cb730a513270be99b9e308bc91f55","parentId",2964644,"title","Councilors propose pilot to shorten pedestrian signal waits as part of walkability push","audioSeconds",133,"startMs",6618000,"endMs",6751000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2964644-4f5cb730a513270be99b9e308bc91f55&start=6618&end=6751","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2964644-4f5cb730a513270be99b9e308bc91f55/thumbnail_6618000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6077317/South-Burlington-City/Chittenden-County/Vermont/Councilors-propose-pilot-to-shorten-pedestrian-signal-waits-as-part-of-walkability-push","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6077317-8f5fbc224e2968034a26652ff6764a10/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186274&Signature=a5ULoxt-fL2XqGEAaUAaqx5~QHwoRE-85E5ekdXrYjLGRrbp99jYHQrTBUd36zCRKPXVTVPOqco-m-3m2tCjJkYh8T5VAuk8b5P4EJ-c0E38yycc0xoXu7q9OYEu-XSCr6wJZfYBsy7~iX1w~sXcmd0lwMbM2DTaIYjhBTJcMFXQyJ58l0L~7QQn9L-TDPgHCRbPpcQ2NccFS3bNW7I7jX4J1DA~MsvOn87e~VaM7PRbz9~yDYHnFjN~gZRcK3tGzwhiiTcNyJ-pXPOH2HkEshvcL-oVuG4ft~q4Dckf7llfxdFgZQb8X5wKQ59cJx2jj4sCBJxS8cJrAblBQ4JvKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Burlington City, VT","date","2025-04-11T04:17:18Z","article","Pedestrian signal timing and active-transportation access were raised during the retreat as an operational item tied to broader growth and walkability goals.

Councilor Elizabeth said she frequently encounters crosswalks where the pedestrian call takes a long time and asked whether the city could implement technology that would allow a pedestrian to get the next cycle. \"I press the button and then when it never really happens, it takes so long for the walk zone to come up that I find some other gap in the traffic to go across the road,\" Elizabeth said.

Other councilors supported experimenting at a single intersection. Councilor Andrew cautioned that enabling frequent pedestrian interruptions could degrade vehicular throughput in busy peak periods: \"If you give pedestrians the ability to interrupt a 4-intersection cycle of lights every time they come up there, no traffic will flow through that intersection ever again, especially at rush hour.\" Several councilors suggested staff perform a technical review and run a short pilot at a feasible intersection (councilors mentioned the Kennedy and Heineberg Road area as an example where pedestrian waits are noticeable in warmer months).

Staff agreed to investigate options for signal optimization, to assess where technology or retiming could improve pedestrian experience without creating unacceptable vehicle congestion, and to report feasibility and a recommended pilot location and metrics back to council.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","South Burlington City Council Retreat - 4/10/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Councilors at the April 10 retreat discussed long pedestrian-signal waits at busy intersections and proposed a pilot to adjust signal timing or allow pedestrian calls to be honored on the next cycle to support walkability, with staff cautioning about potential vehicle congestion trade-offs.","taxTitle","South Burlington City, Chittenden County, Vermont","taxId",2752,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6077322,"Council hears staff outline potential federal funding risks and local program impacts",0,3776000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2964644-4f5cb730a513270be99b9e308bc91f55&start=3776&end=3776","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2964644-4f5cb730a513270be99b9e308bc91f55/thumbnail_3776000.jpg","/articles/6077322/South-Burlington-City/Chittenden-County/Vermont/Council-hears-staff-outline-potential-federal-funding-risks-and-local-program-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6077322-c611dff5b8c527035349041a6382db9b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186274&Signature=Exp92y3AvMTePdFEDO4J5IDdRh7nBbdTd24GIyyTfq9DmAEQ3n9d-8B1xrLN1ABnuVMTKIeiacWte~BxsMLO9PpVEaSI9M9w59lsx2m-jSUwcYALIm9aKC3M7w6SdkguH81uB3t9yWHSU27DJtPXlIGTn-~P-NKm2FBGAUwQNG5ji38Sesk3Dft0NYFwurUsWCe6SyuLvVgsbGLs5BUOWhkDoMqz1PCPu7A~nX~GkX6SThp0DLQszkRyiHdD4OuJkamtdoEk3Bb3xEaLa~-4tLxXWhWqjYAj01zz9NuhSap95QZxauKKvbck2bF9-Tps02k4bB~Wfpj9OW6xJhI1rg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilors used the retreat’s second topic block to review near-term fiscal and program risks tied to shifting federal priorities.

Jesse Baker, City staff, told the council about two city positions that rely on federal passthrough funding: a statewide victim-advocate position for human trafficking (housed in South Burlington) and a second position funded by the Criminal Justice Council. Baker said staff believed the Department of Public Safety would seek alternative funding but flagged the positions as areas to monitor.

Staff also told councilors that a $9 million bridge obligation had been recently awarded to the city (staff characterized the award as \"unexpected\" in the meeting) and noted the U.S. federal decisions affecting climate and transit grants had evolved in recent days. \"The GMT also just got notice that they will get the monies for the electric buses,\" a staff member said while summarizing federal developments.

Councilors asked staff to prepare an updated, centralized summary of state and federal funding risks and to flag programs most likely to affect South Burlington residents (examples discussed included LIHEAP and school-meal funding). Staff suggested consolidating material and sharing it broadly rather than asking staff to track every private-sector or hospitality-sector impact.

Councilors asked that staff bring regular updates to council meetings and that any staff-produced synthesis be shared with the steering committee and, as appropriate, the school board.

No formal budget decisions were made at the retreat; councilors requested that staff include flagging of federal funding risk in future updates to the council.","At the April 10 retreat councilors asked staff to monitor federal funding risks (energy, climate and social services) and report likely impacts; staff flagged two federally funded positions and a $9 million bridge obligation as recent developments.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6077327,"South Burlington council debates growth-management plan, asks staff for scenarios and RFP draft",4350,98000,4448000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2964644-4f5cb730a513270be99b9e308bc91f55&start=98&end=4448","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2964644-4f5cb730a513270be99b9e308bc91f55/thumbnail_98000.jpg","/articles/6077327/South-Burlington-City/Chittenden-County/Vermont/South-Burlington-council-debates-growth-management-plan-asks-staff-for-scenarios-and-RFP-draft","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6077327-239097a1b469d5ca4b434c0aa62af44f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186274&Signature=enmWW54biHBN2qSgu-Ss4aNIHXI15SRkGLHVVz24sKYp4LeoxgjflpLLgyZ5uo8mtKQmvIy1qx4hGvP22OP33OmGoL7aQUf1hZcWXMhb14gknga362owslnXwGayY~b8ooFmToDIPW5asvlE15yiqxxU4qx~cGemaoo3F0AZ235NDdef-zeXVU3LFEzxpQppEGTbT6vapGmqVbki1FoKQdAZjCLEFO5IZWk2~pj5S-t0j15EkaqQMjy59VE273oUex-C0C0hLn~BmzjnuDDPs4Eoz2M3GbzMRiG9tgY6RYWNepXP-KaJdc6E~sW~jLyQexrv6fvVZT5Wj3~WmRgzeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","South Burlington City Council held a retreat April 10 to discuss a future growth-management plan and process, focusing on how to balance development, infrastructure needs and quality of life as the city grows.

City staff presented a memo outlining a proactive, values-driven process and recommended focusing on resilience, then modelling outcomes and trade-offs. Jesse Baker, City staff, told the council staff \"recommend that a future growth management conversation center around being proactive and how we can thoughtfully plan for and shape growth over time.\" Baker also noted that the University of Pennsylvania professor who had been expected to participate had withdrawn from the partnership.

Council members repeatedly framed housing and population growth as the principal driver of other changes. \"Housing is the root of all good and evil within the community,\" Councilor Tim said, summarizing the group’s sense that housing supply and form will determine pressures on schools, roads and services. Councilor Mike summarized regional planning figures presented in recent committee meetings, saying the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) targets for South Burlington imply roughly 7,500 homes over the next 25 years.

The council debated whether the city should pursue (a) an outcome-driven plan that starts from desired future conditions, (b) a data-driven approach that models infrastructure constraints and costs, or (c) a mix of both. Members emphasized the need to define measurable quality-of-life metrics (traffic congestion, noise, park acreage, police response time, water quality were suggested) and to model how different amounts and forms of growth would affect those metrics.

Several councilors asked staff to model three bounded scenarios so the city can compare trade-offs: slow growth (below business as usual), business as usual, and a higher growth trajectory. Councilor Andrew urged the group to examine both amount and form of growth, saying two identical totals of housing could have very different impacts depending on location and density.

Staff responded that modelling the scenarios and identifying candidate metrics would take time and expertise. Jesse Baker and other staff suggested returning a synthesis and a draft request-for-proposals (RFP) for consultant help; the staff recommended bringing a draft synthesis to the council before issuing an RFP and discussed engaging the school board at a steering-committee meeting.

Councilors also discussed fiscal consequences and revenue questions tied to growth, including tax impacts and the role of tools such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF). \"The piece that's really important about a growth-management plan is understanding what the costs of growth are for our community and managing that so that ... residents don't get priced out,\" Councilor Laura said.

The council concluded the retreat without adopting a final policy. Staff committed to prepare a synthesis of the discussion, draft an RFP scope for modelling scenarios and metrics, and return with a refined proposal and timetable for council review and steering-committee engagement.

The meeting closed with a procedural motion to adjourn that was seconded and approved by voice vote.","At an April 10 council retreat, South Burlington City Council discussed a proposed growth-management process, considered three growth scenarios (slow, business-as-usual, fast), and asked staff to synthesize options and draft an RFP for consultant work; a planned University of Pennsylvania design-studio partnership had been discontinued.","actionData","errors"]

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Councilors propose pilot to shorten pedestrian signal waits as part of walkability push

Council hears staff outline potential federal funding risks and local program impacts

South Burlington council debates growth-management plan, asks staff for scenarios and RFP draft