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Village Housing for the Burns Parcel
“Envisioning the Possibilities”
The Burns Parcel is 55 acres of agricultural land with beautiful views, existing municipal sewer and future septic capacity for the village, neighborhood trails, clayplain forest, wetlands, one rental house, and the flea market. The building envelop for the housing is approximately 5 acres out of the 55-acre Burns Parcel.
The planning work last year on the Burns Parcel resulted in the following recommendations:
- Sewage capacity and village needs study
- Conservation of and education about the Clayplain Forest
- Protection of the wetlands and Thorp Brook headwaters
- Coordination of the neighborhood trails
- Design of village housing as a continuation of the existing village at the northern edge of the Burns Parcel meadow
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The Burns Committee worked with the Vermont Design Institute to develop a housing prototype suitable for Charlotte’s rural village. The conceptual drawings below represents farmhouse type housing units, carriage houses, and barns patterned after the existing village streetscape.
The recommendations included:
- Summary presentation at Town Meeting March 7, 2006
- Develop a request for proposals from housing developers to assess the feasibility of the project
- Town-wide vote in November 2006 on how to proceed with village housing on 5 acres of the Burns Parcel
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For further information on this specific project please contact: Dean Bloch, Town Planner or
Dana Farley, Chair, Burns Committee |
Reflected in the drawings is a desire for the housing to be visually connected to the village in style and pattern with buildings based on the vernacular Vermont farmhouse and back buildings, and to physically connect to the land with community trail access and future linkage to the LeBoeuf property. Just as with the housing, the community gardens, orchard, or other productive agricultural activities shown need to be developed and supported by the community—the agricultural component represents an attempt to integrate Charlotte’s farm heritage into long-term use of the site and to add value to the project.
The Burns Committee with the help of the Vermont Design Institute is considering approximately 10 units of housing to meet local and regional needs for 80% of Chittenden County median income with preference given to Charlotters and accommodation for independent senior living. The farmhouse, carriage house, and barn type units represent a combination of one-, two-, or three-bedroom living units. These drawings reflect insight from a Visual Preference Survey, discussions with Burlington Community Land Trust, interviews with other housing developers, and a preliminary budget.
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