Zoning Bylaw Changes: Your Input Can Shape Burlington's Future

The Planning Board tonight will begin the public hearing process for five zoning bylaw changes set to go before Town Meeting in January. Some have been in the works for years, and some are relatively recent additions. However, all the bylaws, once implemented, will impact the Burlington you live in five, 15, 30 years from now and beyond.

Here's a rough overview of the bylaw change process: A proponent, from either the community or one of the town's departments, boards, or other bodies, creates a bylaw addition or amendment to submit to Town Meeting for a vote. But between the bylaw's creation and the Town Meeting vote, lots of discussion–including public hearings–happens at the Board and Committee level to get the bylaw into shape for the vote and to gather public sentiment about the proposal.

Here's a snapshot of what's on the agenda for November 21:

• Accessory Dwelling Unit Bylaw. A state law is set to go into effect in February allowing accessory dwelling units by right within certain mandates. The state has delineated what the locality can't control. But what will Burlington regulate locally? Here's the latest status of that conversation.
• Middle Housing District. The town has been working for years to figure out how to encourage development in the Town Center district, and the Planning Department is involving property owners in the area in the conversation to figure out how to revitalize the Center. One way to accomplish this is with the addition of multi-family "middle" housing options. You can read more about this in the Buzz Magazine - Winter Edition (p. 6).
• Mixed Use Innovation District. In process for over two years now, the Economic Development and Planning Departments have developed a phased plan for implementing new zoning with design standards in the Mall Road area. This long-term plan would allow for a mix of uses including retail, commercial, and residential that all have a cohesive look and feel.
• Town Center Signage District. The town's sign bylaws are half a century old, and can be confusing and onerous for business owners to navigate. The Zoning Bylaw Review Committee has had a Sign Subcommittee for quite some time, and they recently contracted with an outside organization to help them create these recommended changes.
• Retail Marijuana Zoning Overlay. The town opted out of allowing retail marijuana sales in 2017 after the state law changed to allow it statewide but gave local control to municipalities that had voted against it in the general election. A proposal from a community member via Town Meeting Member, Alex Rutfield, has been before the Planning Board a few times now and was held off of the September warrant. Community members will hear at this public hearing the status of this proposal and be able to provide input.

Note that Planning Board advisory votes on Town Meeting Warrant Articles won't be cast this evening, and these public hearings may continue to the next meeting.

Tune in or show up to tonight's Planning Board meeting, which begins at 6:30, if you'd like to provide your input on any of these issues.