Council asks city manager to gather details on UPenn growth-management studio for retreat discussion

The South Burlington City Council discussed and gave tentative direction March 17 to City Manager Jesse Baker to speak with a University of Pennsylvania professor about a proposed graduate-studio project that could assist with the city’s growth-management planning.

Councilor Laurie, who requested the agenda addition, said Professor Daniels and UPenn students recently completed planning studios for other Vermont communities and offered to undertake a studio for South Burlington at no cost to the city beyond staff time. Laurie said the work could complement staff efforts and be timed to present findings during the council’s April retreat.

Councilors asked for more information before committing. Councilor Elizabeth, Councilor Mike and others expressed concerns that a student studio is not a substitute for formal consulting or staff-driven analyses and asked how much staff time would be required, whether the studies include financial or demographic analysis, and how other communities had used the UPenn work.

City Manager Jesse Baker and councilors agreed the next step is for the city manager to speak with Professor Daniels to clarify scope, staff time needs, examples of prior studio deliverables (Barrie, Montpelier, Plainfield were cited), and whether the studio’s results would be used as a primary basis for policy decisions or as a complementary perspective. Councilors said they expect that information to be presented at the April retreat so they can decide whether to engage the UPenn studio this fall.

No formal commitment or contract was approved at the March 17 meeting; the council’s direction was limited to asking the city manager to collect details and return to the council with examples and a clearer scope for retreat discussion.