Citizen's Committee on Champlain Parkway Forming

Posted March 12th, 2010 by Dave Reaville

The Champlain Parkway (aka the Southern Connector) has been an ongoing issue for Burlington's South End for over 40 years. After all these years, it is anyone's guess as to whether it will ever be built. However, the project recently reached a major milestone with regard to approvals from the Federal government and is probably as close as it has ever been to becoming a reality. The bottom line is, we as a community do not want to be caught unprepared if it does in fact get built this time around. To this end, three Burlington organizations -- the South End Arts and Business Association (SEABA), the Ward 5 Neighborhood Planning Assembly (NPA), and Local Motion -- are working together to convene a "Citizens Committee on the Champlain Parkway." This informal group will meet over the next few months to review the plan for the Connector with three questions in mind: 1. How can the project be made to protect and restore neighborhood quality of life throughout the South End? 2. How can the project be made to enhance the local business climate and increase commercial property values along Pine Street and surrounding commercial areas? 3. How can the project be made to improve safety and create a more attractive environment throughout the immediate project corridor for people on foot, on bike, and in wheelchairs? The first step in the process will be two South End-wide meetings, one focused on neighborhood concerns and one on business concerns. There will be three items on the agenda of each meeting: - To provide a very short overview of the current design for the Parkway - To identify the full range of issues and concerns that people in each meeting want to see addressed - To identify up to three representatives at each meeting who will participate on the Citizens Committee Anyone is welcome at either meeting; however, each meeting will focus on one topic (business or residential), so people who have just one main concern should attend that meeting. The schedule for the two meetings is as follows: MEETING REGARDING NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS Monday, March 15 6:30 to 8:00 Champlain Elementary School cafeteria MEETING REGARDING LOCAL BUSINESS CONCERNS Tuesday, March 16 6:30 to 8:00 Soda Plant, 266 Pine Street (park in Recycle North lot -- follow the signs on the doors between Recycle North and Conant Custom Brass) In the second step in the process, committee members will get together three or four times over the next couple of months to review the Champlain Parkway plans in detail. It will be their responsibility to identify and come to consensus on potential changes to the design that will address the concerns raised by residents and businesses. The goal of the committee is to to come up with a shared proposal that addresses all three of the questions at the beginning of this memo, resulting in a design that is good for neighborhoods, for businesses, and for pedestrians and cyclists. The Champlain Parkway might get built, or it might not. If it does get built, though, we all want it to be as good a design as possible -- for everyone. Please come to one or both of the meetings next week and help set us off on the right foot.