What should be done with the 27 acres on Lake Champlain that used to belong to Burlington College? The developer that now owns the land is asking for the public's opinion on that question. The first opportunities to participatetake place on Tuesday.
In December, developer Eric Farrell paid Burlington College $7.5 million the lakefront property. The deal helped the college get out from under a crushing debt. In February Farrell, doing business as BC Community Housing LLC, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the city of Burlington, Champlain Housing Trust and Vermont Land Trust. The MOU outlined a process of public participation in decisions about the future development of the property.
The landscape architecture firm Sasaki Associates has been hired to facilitate the process of gathering community input, as per the terms of the MOU. On Tuesday, May 19, the firm will be hosting guided tours of the property at 351 North Avenue at 3, 4 and 5 p.m. A public meeting designed to garner community input will be held Tuesday evening, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at The Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes, 123 North Street, Burlington.
