Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-0531 VLHA Meeting MinutesMinutes Vail Local Housing Authority (VLHA) May 31, 2016 at 3:00 PM Attending the meeting were members: James Wilkins Steve Lindstrom Scott Ashburn Conferenced in Via Phone: Mary McDougall Absent: Molly Murphy Town staff attending the meeting: Alan Nazzaro George Ruther A quorum of VLHA Members being present, the meeting was called to order at 3:05 PM. I. Meeting Notice and Approval of minutes The Board considered the minutes sent from the VLHA Meeting held on 5/24/16. James Wilkins moved to approve the minutes as submitted. Scott Ashburn seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. II. Flaum EHU Exchange Request Steve Lindstrom abstained from the review and consideration of this request, since it involved his next-door neighbor. The Board reviewed the staff memo on the exchange and the background material. There was a question with regards to Town Council’s intent to place a moratorium on Fee in Lieu requests, but staff explained that it was not currently in effect and that this application submittal pre-dates any discussion of implementing any such moratorium. There being no further discussion, a motion was made by James Wilkins to accept staff’s recommendation and use the proposed language to recommend that Town Council approve the request. Scott Ashburn seconded the motion. The motion passed on a vote of 3 to zero with one abstention. III. Employee Housing Strategic Plan (EHSP) Vision, Mission, & Policy Objectives Vision Mission Goals The Board reviewed the staff memo on the EHSP and the background material disseminated at the meeting or emailed to other members not physically present. There was quite a bit of discussion regarding the Guiding Principles, which included the goal of attaining housing at least 30% of the current workforce. Questions included: Why 30%? How do we know when we reach it? How has that fluctuated over time? It was also suggested that we need to go more towards residents than just employees. Metrics are good but we need to know the why of them. Economic and community development, sustainability and resiliency are all goals, the “What” and the “Why” behind the policies and actions. Is our goal to attract employees or families back to Vail, regardless of where they work? The discussion evolved to determine, “what do we need from Town Council at this juncture”? What are the “new” and essential Policy Objectives that we want them to approve us going forward with? This discussion began with the question, “what’s been done over the past 15-20 years that has not worked”? We have been using the same policies and approaches, which have not netted the desired results. It is time to go in a new direction. What are the top three or four Policy Objectives that we want Council to consider, which are the most important to change the focus of the housing programs? After much discussion the Board decided to propose the following: Preserve and Increase Employee and Full-time Resident Housing Being Open to All Density Options Develop a Dedicated Housing Funding Source Actively Seek and Participate in Public/Private Partnerships It was decided that it is important to stress the “what’ and the “why” of the Strategic Plan and it’s objectives. We have to stress to Council why these Policy Objectives are Important. As a result of further discussion the Board decided to add the following statements under each corresponding Policy Objective: This objective is of paramount importance, because we continue to lose employee housing units, long-term rental units, and for-sale units to VRBO or second home owners at a rate much faster than we could ever build replacements. We must focus on preserving the existing housing stock. This objective is important, because land is in limited supply in town. It is, therefore, critical that all development and redevelopment opportunities be productive, while maintaining quality and sustainability standards. This objective is important, because as pointed out before Catch up actions have been limited by the lack of a dedicated funding source for housing development and buy-downs of existing units. Examples of sources include: reallocation of a portion of RETT, Increase property tax on units over certain size, increase fees on VRBOs, dedicated sales tax, etc. This objective is important, because each entity can do things that the other can not. The Board came to the conclusion that we want to get Council’s blessing to update the Strategic Plan and move forward to get Housing Stakeholders and general public input to “flesh out” the Policy Objectives and garner ideas on Strategies and Action Steps for carrying them through to implementation. Timeline The Board reviewed the timeline for the Housing Strategic Plan development and adoption by Council by the July 19th meeting. All agreed it was an ambitious schedule but that it could be accomplished. Housing Stakeholders Meetings After looking at the timeline for the HSP, the Board suggested that we combine the Housing Stakeholders and General Public input meetings to be held on the same dates. It was decided that the initial meetings would be held in an open house format. The Housing Stakeholders Group would be divided into 3-4 smaller sub-groups of “like interests” and each sub-group would be invited to attend one to one and a half hour focus group input meetings on June 15th at different times during the day with the general public being invited for late afternoon. Input would be sought on the Policy Objectives, Strategies and Action Steps, which would then be collated with staff material and presented to Council in an update on June 21st. A final combined Housing Stakeholders and General Public Meeting would then be held on June 30th to present a “rough Draft” of the HSP for further comment before taking a draft to Council on July 5th. IV. Next Meeting Those VLHA Board Members available will attend the Town Council Work Session on June 7th, where the HSP presentation and discussion will be held. Staff will notify the Board of the timing of the presentation. The Next regularly scheduled VLHA Meeting will be held at 3:00 PM on June 28, 2016 in the Large Conference Room at the Community Development Office. There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 5:25 PM. Respectfully Submitted, ____________________ Housing Staff INTRODUCED, READ, ADOPTED AND APPROVED this ______ day of ___________________, 2016.