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South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977
the APRIL 6, 2023
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VOLUME 47, NO. 14
Draft ordinance would create a rental registry
College Bound
COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
A draft ordinance beginning to circulate in South Burlington would set regulations on short-term rentals like AirBnb and VRBO and would create a rental registry for the city’s more than 3,000 rental units. The ordinance was written as part of a “cross-departmental effort” by members with the city’s planning, finance and fire departments, as well as the city’s legal team and its IT director. “This is the big policy discussion for you; there’s a whole gamut of what different
communities have done to meet the needs of their community,” said Paul Connor, the city’s planning and zoning director. “This draft is at one end of that spectrum, that prioritizes housing to be long-term housing, first and foremost.” While still months out from becoming city code, the ordinance marks the first step by the state’s second-largest city to begin regulating its rental housing stock. The city projects that more than 50 percent of its housing stock will soon be See REGISTRY on page 12
Changes to SBSD’s equity position draws concerns LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
PHOTO BY LINDSEY HUDSON
South Burlington High School students in the College Bound program went on their fifth field trip of the school year. Thirty-five students attended an event at St. Michael’s College where they heard U.S. Rep. Becca Balint give a keynote speech before they participated in workshops coordinated by Vermont Student Assistance Corp. The workshops covered a variety of topics, from exploring careers to paying for college. A highlight was eating in the dining hall. South Burlington High School provides sophomores and juniors who are first generation college students the opportunity to explore college campuses and increase their understanding of options after high school. A student is considered first generation if their parents or caregivers did not complete a four-year bachelor’s degree program.
After the South Burlington School Board announced a change to the district’s director of equity position at its March 8 board meeting, residents fear that a new focus on social-emotional learning may leave other aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion behind. Following the adoption of the district’s first equity policy last year, De-Dee Loftin-Davis was hired in April to fulfill the role of executive director of equity. After this year’s Town Meeting Day, the
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board announced the formation of a revised diversity, equity and inclusion position that would include a social-emotional learning component. The board emphasized that this decision does not add additional staff, but instead broadens the scope of the current position held by Loftin-Davis, leaving community members confused about the status of her employment and the future of the Office of Equity and Anti-racism. “During the past year, we’ve had a director of equity,” said David Shiman, a See SCHOOL on page 12
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