Uncertainty and anxiety now pervade a 23-year-old program involving the purchase and planned demolition of scores of homes in a high-noise zone adjacent to Burlington International Airport.
Several remaining neighbors affected by the emptying of those houses and subsequent vandalism to many of them expressed anger and worry at a South Burlington city council meeting Monday night.
Aviation director Gene Richards (seated in photo) repeatedly assured the council that Burlington, the owner of the airport, wants to “mend relations” with South Burlington and to ensure “a better tomorrow.” But airport officials were unable to allay concerns about the future of the buyout program or the condition and fate of some 60 vacated homes.
These already-purchased properties are slated to be wrecked or moved away. But a lawsuit filed in Vermont Supreme Court is preventing implementation of that plan, airport planning and development director Bob McEwing (standing in photo) told about 100 residents attending the council meeting at the Chamberlin School.
The vacated homes are meanwhile being vandalized “across the board,” added council member Pat Nowak. “Glass has been replaced again and again” in smashed windows in several houses, she said. South Burlington councilors have assessed the current state of about 80 properties in the high-noise zone, Nowak reported.
“We try to keep them secure,” McEwing commented prior to Nowak’s remarks, “but it’s pretty tough.” Richards added, “We spend an abnormal amount of resources to take care of those homes.”
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Time to regionalize the airport so that those most effected by it have a full voice in decisions related to its operations. Why do the 1%ers of South Burlington and Burlington get to make the decisions when few if any of them are impacted in any way by it? If they want the F-35 at BTV and new commercial development surrounding the airport, great, they should buy one of the unoccupied homes and move-in. When that happens, we will know they are serious about the results of their decisions.
One huge issue; the BIA and its board haven’t been compliant in having affected homeowners or home buyers notified they are in an area considered unsuitable for residential use. They hired a legal firm in 2008 to review their compliance with FAA regulations, who called them on this back then, and yet still don’t seem to be compliant. Way to open Burlington residents up to footing the legal bill and damages for lawsuits…