A downtown housing project planned by Champlain College is again moving forward after months of delay caused by a dispute with Burlington's Development Review Board.
The housing, which was originally designed to accommodate 300 Champlain College students on St. Paul Street in Burlington's South End, got a nod of approval from city politicians last year when the city agreed to sell a parking lot to the school for the project.
But this spring, the city's development review board rejected the college's permit application to move forward with the housing project, saying the building was too big for the neighborhood.
On Monday, Burlington City Council approved a settlement that could get the development back on track.
The settlement, which included discussions with members of the development review board as well as three adjoining property owners, calls on the state's environmental court (which is hearing an appeal of the DRB's earlier rejection) to issue a land use permit for the project with some changes.
Another group with concerns about preservation of the city's South End neighborhood is still opposed to the project, which means the settlement doesn't answer all the issues involved.
"The project is still under appeal by another group that was not a party to the mediation," said Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger.
Weinberger said Champlain College is reaching out to that group next with the hopes of coming to an agreement.
