In the House
Tennis, anyone?
Lawmaker speaks in favor of bill aimed at ending homelessness
Ballfields may still be muddy, but for others, court is in session
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the APRIL 17, 2025
A look at the city’s rental registry, with a year of data
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VOLUME 49, NO. 16
Food shelf seeks new spot, current one faces demolition
Winging it
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
One year after the South Burlington rental registry officially went live, the city now has substantive data on how many properties have joined the list and what some of the most common compliance violations are — although the city still has a long way to go before all those properties get inspected. Beginning April 1, 2024, all property owners with rental units in South Burlington were required to register with the city, pay an annual fee and make those units available to city staff for inspection to ensure compliance with the city’s numerous fire and building codes. Additionally, the ordinance mandated that short-term rentals, operated through companies like Airbnb and VRBO, would only be permitted in owner-occupied units and accessory dwelling units. But a sunset clause in the ordinance gave existing short-term rentals that don’t meet those requirements four years to operate before the regulations take full effect in April 2028. According to data compiled by city staff, nearly 417 properties have registered within the first year, including 2,643 units with 762 permanently affordable and 1,808 long-term market-rate units. Short-term rentals accounted for 46 registrations, with an additional 27 See RENTAL REGISTRY on page 10
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PHOTO BY MIKE DEAN
South Burlington resident Mike Dean spied two bald eagles tussling for territory, flying above Shelburne Bay.
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The South Burlington Food Shelf is looking for a new home. Its current location at 356 Dorset Street is set to be demolished by the end of this year. “They’ve been extending us and extending us,” director Peter Carmolli said of the current landlords. “Now it’s a pretty hard out.” The search for a new location is a balancing act of affordability and accessibility, he said. “We’re looking at places and it’s got to be convenient,” Carmolli said. Since 2019, the food shelf has provided for South Burlington residents who would struggle to travel to more distant food banks. Before serving as director of the Food Shelf, Carmolli ran Burlington’s Meals on Wheels program for twenty years. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the Food Shelf as the sole paid member of their team. The food shelf is overseen by a volunSee FOOD SHELF on page 16 258 Market Street & Shelburne Road, S. Burlington Maple Tree Place, Williston
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