Pizza Hut plans on hold

[Auburn85 438]

https://www.vtcng.com/otherpapersbvt/news/local_news/pizza-hut-plans-on-hold/article_a3e6a0a0-5e0e-11ee-86f4-3bd092f07846.html

 

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September 28

Corey McDonald

A years-long effort to redevelop South Burlington’s long-vacant Pizza Hut on Shelburne Road and Swift Street has been stopped over a zoning disagreement and is now being appealed in Vermont Environmental Court.

While the building’s red roof is still recognizable, the shuttered former pizza joint has since its closing in 2011 been masked in graffiti and overgrown shrubbery. Efforts to transform the property, as well as a shuttered gas station nearby, have been underway for at least three years, with owners Gary and Irene Bourne planning for 30 units of housing with commercial space and a Chase Bank.

But a disagreement over what the mix of market rate and affordable housing should be in the proposed development — as well as a disagreement over a drive-through ATM — resulted in the city’s Development Review Board in August voting against the project’s approval.

“I’m going to be perfectly honest with you, the board is leaning toward not approving this project,” Dawn Philibert, the chair of the city’s development review board, said at meeting over the summer. “We continue to have concerns about the bank drive in, and also the calculation of the inclusionary units.”

South Burlington’s inclusionary zoning law requires that new housing developments include affordable units totaling 15 percent of the overall number of units, to keep a mix of both affordable and market-rate apartments.

If, for example, a developer wants to build 40 units of housing, six of those would have to be affordable.

But a disagreement over the calculation of the number of affordable units has brought this project to a halt.

Developers, under city statute, can receive density bonuses for including more than the required number of affordable units, which would then allow the property owners to build additional market-rate units over the amount that city statute allows in this specific zoning district.

In this case, 30 units have been proposed — 10 more units that the city’s base zoning density unit-maximum — with seven affordable units. But the city DRB has argued that the developer needs 10 such units to meet the city’s requirements.

“The board finds the applicant must revise the inclusionary unit count to 10 by converting three additional market rate units in the multifamily building, one per floor, in order to achieve the requested bonus and permit 30 total units to be built,” the board wrote in its decision.

Also at issue is whether the proposed Chase Bank would be able to include a drive-up ATM on the property, which members have said is not permitted under current zoning regulations.

Property owner Gary Bourne has since appealed this decision to Vermont Environmental Court.

“I have no interest in starting a project that the city doesn’t want,” he said. “(But) if this doesn’t go the way we’re hoping, we do have to step back and take a hard look at the whole thing. I’m hoping the Environmental Court will make a decision one way or the other.”

The final application for the property was first received in February. The project has for years sat as an “eye sore” on the property, Irene Bourne, one of the property owners, said at a development review board meeting.

“It looks horrendous, and I’d really like to know what the board thinks is the best use for that site,” she said.

Philibert during the meeting said that the board “would not disagree with you that the appearance of that area, currently, is horrendous, as you say.”

“However, the board has given a great deal of feedback and we’ve spent a lot of time discussing our concerns about things such as the inclusionary units, the calculation of that, and in particular the drive-up ATM,” she said. “It’s not our responsibility to suggest what we think should be a good plan.”

“The regulations exist for a reason (and) I feel like the board has given the applicant plenty of feedback about things we’re concerned about in this proposal at it currently exists,” she said.

Gary Bourne, a Massachusetts resident originally from Morristown, owned and operated the gas station since 1981 before it was shut down. He then purchased the adjoining Pizza Hut lot, as well as a third lot, in recent years with the goal of developing the three properties.

“2020 is when we first had architects meet with the planning professional staff before we started to get a sense of direction, and what would be supported,” he said. “But it’s been a long, drawn-out thing, and it looks like it probably has a ways to go yet.”

 

 

 

 

[CoffeeTiger 5,914]

Just this morning I was in the shower and I suddenly thought to myself:

"What the hell ever happened to that old Pizza Hut location in South Burlington, VT off Shelburne Road?"

 

Now my curiosity has been sated. Thank you. 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by CoffeeTiger

[AURex 2,262]

Keeping tract of zoning decisions in towns across America is vitally important for those who plan to vote in 2024.

It is especially important to keep track of all activities in VT, and especially Burlington.

There is no state law prohibiting nudity in public in VT, and Burlington has enjoyed its fair share of naked folks wandering the streets.

City code in Burlington states that, if you leave your domicile naked, it's okay to be naked. However, it is illegal to take off your clothes in public. So next time you are in Burlington, be sure to leave your clothes behind in your camper, car, hotel room or B&B, or you could possibly be given a ticket.

Outside the city limits, at the beautiful recreation areas, romp naturally. Of course, caution is advised in winter way up there, as frostbite of the nethers can be painful for both guys and gals.

 

Edited October 3, 2023 by AURex

[CoffeeTiger 5,914]

12 hours ago, AURex said:

Keeping tract of zoning decisions in towns across America is vitally important for those who plan to vote in 2024.

It is especially important to keep track of all activities in VT, and especially Burlington.

There is no state law prohibiting nudity in public in VT, and Burlington has enjoyed its fair share of naked folks wandering the streets.

City code in Burlington states that, if you leave your domicile naked, it's okay to be naked. However, it is illegal to take off your clothes in public. So next time you are in Burlington, be sure to leave your clothes behind in your camper, car, hotel room or B&B, or you could possibly be given a ticket.

Outside the city limits, at the beautiful recreation areas, romp naturally. Of course, caution is advised in winter way up there, as frostbite of the nethers can be painful for both guys and gals.

 

 

You took the trolling to a next level here. Nicely done!