St. Albans public meetings in 2020
27 substantive meetings from 2020, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
Design Advisory Board
The regular meeting scheduled for December 28, 2020, at St. Albans City Hall has been canceled.
Development Review Board
The scheduled meeting for the St. Albans City Development Review Board on December 7, 2020, was canceled.
Historic Preservation Commission
The St. Albans Historic Preservation Commission unanimously supported submitting a grant application to update the city's historic register, which is outdated from the 1980s. The project, costing around $30,000, will inventory historic buildings and may adjust district boundaries. The commission also discussed future projects and scheduled its next meeting for February 2, 2021.
- Approved minutes of February 20, 2020 (unanimous)
- Supported grant application for historic register update (unanimous)
- Requested RFP be presented to HPC before release
- Scheduled next meeting for February 2, 2021
Design Advisory Board
The regular meeting of the St. Albans City Design Advisory Board scheduled for November 16, 2020, was canceled.
Development Review Board
The Development Review Board held public hearings for two continued cases but made no final decisions. Case #2020-016 (Spectrum Youth & Family Services, 219-227 Lake Street) and Case #2020-015 (Blue Bear, LLC, 92 Fairfield Street) both had their hearings closed after no public comment. The board entered deliberative session but no votes on approvals or denials were recorded.
- Closed public hearing for Case #2020-016 (Spectrum Youth & Family Services) with no decision
- Closed public hearing for Case #2020-015 (Blue Bear, LLC) with no decision
- Tabled approval of October 7, 2020 meeting minutes until next meeting
- Scheduled next meeting for December 7, 2020 at 6:30 PM
- Moved into deliberative session at 6:47 PM
Design Advisory Board
The regular meeting of the St. Albans City Design Advisory Board scheduled for October 26, 2020, was canceled.
Development Review Board
The Development Review Board recessed two public hearings until October 7, 2020: a site plan revision for Nutra Blend at 79 Walnut Street and a zoning appeal by JoAnne Tabor for 103-105 Fairfield Street. The board also approved the September 8 and September 10, 2020 meeting minutes as edited. No final decisions were made on either application.
- Recessed Nutra Blend site plan hearing to Oct. 7 (all in favor)
- Recessed Tabor zoning appeal hearing to Oct. 7 (all in favor)
- Approved Sept. 8, 2020 minutes as edited (all in favor)
- Approved Sept. 10, 2020 minutes as edited (all in favor)
- Adjourned meeting at 8:37 PM (all in favor)
Design Advisory Board
The regular meeting of the St. Albans City Design Advisory Board scheduled for September 28, 2020, was canceled.
Development Review Board
The Development Review Board continued a public hearing for a site plan at 233-235 Lake Street (Case #2020-012) but took no action, closing the hearing after no new comments were received. The board then entered a deliberative session and adjourned. No substantive decisions were made at this meeting.
- Closed public hearing for Case #2020-012 (Almond Blossom site plan) with no vote on the application
- Moved into deliberative session (all in favor)
- Confirmed next meeting date: October 5, 2020
Development Review Board
The Development Review Board held a public hearing on Almond Blossom's site plan application for 233-235 Lake Street, which includes expanding a child care center upstairs, removing a garage, and adding gravel parking. The board discussed parking requirements and design recommendations, but took no final action. The hearing was recessed to September 10, 2020, at 6:30 PM. The board also discussed proposed amendments to the Land Development Regulations aimed at blighted historic homes, but took no vote.
- Recessed Case #2020-012 (Almond Blossom site plan) to September 10, 2020, 6:30 PM (all in favor)
- Closed public hearing for Case #2020-010 (Elite Gems Cheer conditional use) with no action (all in favor)
- Approved August 3, 2020 meeting minutes as edited (all in favor)
- Confirmed next regular meeting for October 5, 2020, 6:30 PM
- Postponed board orientation to the October DRB meeting
- Moved into deliberative session at 8:18 PM (all in favor)
Design Advisory Board
The St. Albans Design Advisory Board approved a site plan for Almond Blossom child care center at 233-235 Lake Street, allowing removal of a garage for a gravel parking lot and installation of a 6-foot aluminum fence. The board recommended plantings for screening, an 18-inch clearance from the sidewalk, and repair or removal of an existing concrete walk. The July 27, 2020 meeting minutes were tabled due to lack of quorum, and officer elections were delayed.
- Approved Almond Blossom site plan to remove garage and add gravel parking (all in favor)
- Approved replacement and addition of 6-foot aluminum fencing (all in favor)
- Recommended plantings for shading and visual privacy along fence line
- Recommended 18-inch clearance between sidewalk and new fence
- Recommended demolishing or repairing existing concrete walk at building corner
- Tabled approval of July 27, 2020 meeting minutes due to no quorum
- Delayed nomination and election of officers
Development Review Board
The Development Review Board held a public hearing for Tanya Lovely's conditional use application (Case #2020-010) to open a cheer gym at 1 Lemnah Drive, but took no decision, recessing the case to September 8, 2020. The board also postponed the site plan review for JDL Properties (Case #2020-011) because the applicant was not prepared. Minutes from July 6 and July 20, 2020, were approved unanimously, and the board entered deliberative session at 7:15 PM.
- Recessed Case #2020-010 (Elite Gems Cheer) to September 8, 2020, without a vote
- Postponed Case #2020-011 (JDL Properties) until further notice
- Approved July 6, 2020 minutes (all in favor)
- Approved July 20, 2020 minutes (all in favor)
- Moved into deliberative session at 7:15 PM (all in favor)
Design Advisory Board
The St. Albans Design Advisory Board approved favorable recommendations for three applications: a facade change at 1 Federal Street, a site plan for a rear drop-off zone at 18-20 North Main, and signage rebranding at 277 North Main Street. All approvals were unanimous. The board also tabled officer elections and approved the June 22 meeting minutes.
- Approved favorable recommendation for Marx II LLC facade changes at 1 Federal Street, with condition that lighting be installed as downlights (unanimous)
- Approved JLD Properties site plan at 18-20 North Main, including gravel drop-off zone, two new windows, and deck with stairs (unanimous)
- Approved Jolley Associates signage rebranding at 277 North Main Street (unanimous)
- Approved June 22, 2020 meeting minutes with corrections (unanimous)
- Tabled nomination and election of officers (unanimous)
Development Review Board
The Development Review Board held public hearings for two continued applications but made no final decisions. For Case #2020-008, Grant Butterfield revised his proposal to remove a private rooftop terrace and pursue only a public terrace with an elevator tower extension. For Case #2020-009, BNY, LLC's conditional use application for 6-16 North Main Street was heard with no changes; both hearings were closed without board action.
- Closed public hearing for Case #2020-008 (10 Maiden Lane) after applicant revised proposal to public rooftop terrace only
- Closed public hearing for Case #2020-009 (6-16 North Main Street) with no changes to application
- Approved motion to enter deliberative session (all in favor) at 6:55 PM
- Confirmed next meeting date: August 3, 2020 at 6:30 PM
Development Review Board
The Development Review Board held public hearings for three cases but made no final decisions, continuing all to July 20, 2020. The board approved the June 1, 2020 meeting minutes and discussed procedural matters, including a motion to recess automatically if technical difficulties occur.
- Approved automatic recess to July 20, 2020 if technical difficulties occur (all in favor)
- Continued Case #2020-007 (Champlain Housing Trust, 20 Congress Street) to July 20, 2020
- Continued Case #2020-008 (Grant Butterfield, 10 Maiden Lane) to July 20, 2020
- Continued Case #2020-009 (BNY, LLC, 6-16 North Main Street) to July 20, 2020
- Approved June 1, 2020 meeting minutes (all in favor)
Development Review Board
The Development Review Board is holding a public hearing regarding a design element amendment for a property at 20 Congress Street. The property is located within the Business 1 Zoning District, the Traditional Downtown Review District, and the St. Albans Historic District.
- Case #2020-007: Champlain Housing Trust request for design amendment at 20 Congress Street
Design Advisory Board
The Design Advisory Board is meeting to consider a design element amendment for a property at 20 Congress Street. The board will also review conceptual ideas for 10 Maiden Lane.
- Case #2020-003: Design element amendment for Champlain Housing Trust at 20 Congress Street
- Conceptual ideas presentation for 10 Maiden Lane
Development Review Board
The public hearing scheduled for May 4, 2020, was cancelled. The agenda contains only a cancellation notice.
Design Advisory Board
The Design Advisory Board meeting scheduled for April 27, 2020, was cancelled.
Design Advisory Board
The St. Albans City Design Advisory Board approved a favorable recommendation for a new illuminated sign at Kathmandu Restaurant (133 North Main Street), with conditions including three dimmable, Dark-Sky-compliant lights turned off after business hours. The board also issued a favorable recommendation for the Franklin County Courthouse site plan (36 Lake Street), reaffirming four previous conditions. The board voted to recite the Pledge of Allegiance before future meetings and tabled the election of Chair and Vice Chair until June.
- Approved favorable recommendation for Kathmandu Restaurant sign lighting with conditions (all in favor)
- Approved favorable recommendation for Franklin County Courthouse site plan with four prior conditions (all in favor)
- Approved reciting Pledge of Allegiance prior to DAB meetings (all in favor)
- Tabled election of Chair and Vice Chair until June
- Approved December 23, 2019 meeting minutes with typographical corrections (all in favor)
Development Review Board
The Development Review Board held public hearings on two site plan amendments but did not vote on either application during this meeting. The board elected Rebecca Pfeiffer as Chair and Owen Manahan as Vice-Chair, and approved the February 3, 2020 meeting minutes with 3 in favor and 2 abstaining.
- Elected Rebecca Pfeiffer as Chair (all in favor)
- Elected Owen Manahan as Vice-Chair (all in favor)
- Approved February 3, 2020 meeting minutes as edited (3-2, with 2 abstaining)
- Heard Case #2020-003: Cadillac Motel fence amendment — no vote taken
- Heard Case #2020-004: Blue Bear site plan review — no vote taken
Design Advisory Board
The regular meeting of the St. Albans City Design Advisory Board scheduled for February 24, 2020, was canceled.
Historic Preservation Commission
The Historic Preservation Commission met to adopt its Rules of Procedure and a Conflict of Interest policy. These rules establish the body's membership, officer elections, and responsibilities regarding historic property surveys and National Register nominations.
- Adoption of Rules of Procedure
- Adoption of Conflict of Interest policy
- Establishment of annual elections for Chair, Vice-Chair, and Clerk
- Requirement to meet at least four times per year
Downtown Board
No official meeting occurred on February 18, 2020, because the Downtown Board did not have a quorum.
Development Review Board
The Development Review Board held public hearings for a 5-unit multifamily conversion at 90-92 Fairfield Street and a bed expansion at CVOEO's 176 North Main Street shelter, but took no final votes on either. The board approved the BFA Connector Project site plan unanimously and approved the December 2, 2019 meeting minutes as edited.
- Approved BFA Connector Project site plan (all in favor)
- Approved December 2, 2019 meeting minutes as edited (all in favor)
- Deferred election of Chair & Vice-Chair to next meeting
- No decision on Blue Bear LLC conditional use (hearing held, no vote)
- No decision on CVOEO conditional use (hearing held, no vote)
Design Advisory Board
The regular meeting of the St. Albans City Design Advisory Board scheduled for January 27, 2020, was canceled.
Development Review Board
The meeting scheduled for January 6, 2020, was canceled. No items were decided or discussed.