This commentary is by John Bossange of South Burlington, a retired middle school principal.
It should come as no surprise that a panicking developer would try to instill fear and doubt into a local election with a last-minute frivolous lawsuit. That’s the oldest and most tiresome playbook in a political campaign.
Only this time, the residents of South Burlington were wise enough to see through this attempt by one of the most well-known developers in Vermont, Jeff Davis. This was certainly the case in South Burlington, where 70% of the voters left no doubt about the overwhelming public support for the key issues of protecting the environment, controlling sprawl, using Smart Growth principles for housing development, and giving our children and grandchildren a hopeful future.
By electing two candidates, Meaghan Emery and Tim Barritt, who were aligned with the winning issues during the campaign, the city council maintained a 3-2 vote to support the land development regulations that allow for the conservation of land to help mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events already with us.
Although imperfect, the new land use regulations provide natural buffers, wildlife corridors and more extensive wetlands protections throughout the city’s remaining natural areas. Voters overwhelmingly preferred these two candidates who made conserving the environment a priority.
Residents also made it abundantly clear they understand the principles of Smart Growth, which call for the creation of compact village and urban centers, surrounded by rural countryside, protecting important environmental features, including fields, grasslands, pastures, woodland forests, water quality and scenic views. They know Smart Growth increases transportation options, especially for pedestrians. It also prevents fragmentation of farmland and forestland, decreasing the need to expand municipal infrastructure stretched across undeveloped lands to homes outside compact villages and more urban centers, and does not allow for lineal, strip development along well-traveled roads.
South Burlington is an educated community, increasingly aware and worried by the dire forecast for the future of our planet. Voters understand that these next two generations will bear the brunt of the upcoming catastrophic climate changes if we do not take immediate steps to control the heating of our planet.
Residents see taking action right here in South Burlington as a pathway forward. The two winning candidates who spoke about taking concrete steps to help mitigate the climate crisis and the science behind it give parents inspiration to talk with their children about a more hopeful future.
This election should serve as a public mandate to any developer who wishes to do business in South Burlington, including Jeff Davis, who lives in an old farmhouse on 240 acres in Underhill, halfway up the side of Mount Mansfield.
Every day when he is not managing his sprawling box store investments at Mapletree Place in Taft’s Corners, or his Walmarts and other box store developments throughout Chittenden County and beyond, he can retreat to his woodland hideaway and avoid what the rest of us must negotiate every day.
Like an out-of-state developer, Jeff Davis ignores the important guidance of Smart Growth and the harmful impacts that sprawling rural development has on the worsening climate crisis. Large box store commercial centers surrounded by sprawling housing developments outside city and village centers, usually close to an interstate exit, is where he has made his millions.
Vermonters are tired of out-of-state developers trying to profit from our rural landscape. Jeff Davis operates like one of those. He’s got Vermont roots, but out-of-state values.
What Vermonter would contest wildlife corridors and habitat buffers surrounding a development, or the extension of wetland restrictions? What Vermonter would resist the conservation of the few remaining, highly sensitive natural areas identified in the city’s Interim Zoning Open Space Report, especially in a city already planning to build an additional 1,400 homes? What Vermonter would not want a developer to follow the Vermont Economic Progress Council’s endorsement of Smart Growth? The answer? Jeff Davis.
No wonder Jeff Davis has filed a self-serving lawsuit against three South Burlington city councilors who had the foresight to vote for the recent land development regulations. With those regulations in place, massive sprawl will be kept to a minimum in South Burlington and hopefully encourage more city core development. Better yet, we won’t become the sprawling housing hub for Chittenden County.
Many residents of South Burlington moved here from other states and have firsthand experience with the short- and long-term effects of sprawling developments. They’ve seen infrastructure rebuilt, municipal services strained, classroom trailers next to crowded school buildings, and the inevitable increase in their taxes to cover the shortfall, debunking the myth that increasing the grand list was the way to pay for budget shortfalls. They do not want to see that again, especially here in our city.
The voters have spoken out loud and clear. 70% is a mandate. Developers, Realtors and lending institutions cannot continue to do business as usual. They will be more successful by focusing on developing innovative and affordable housing in urban areas and creative in-filling of unused and poorly used properties while at the same time protecting and championing our natural environment and resources.
If Jeff Davis was politically smart and cared about his legacy and reputation, he would yield to the mandate handed down by the voters in this recent election, drop the lawsuit, advocate for the winning issues of this campaign, and still make enough money to live comfortably on his 240 acres. A real Vermonter would do that.
