Dozens of South Burlington residents delivered a petition with 294 signatures and urged the city to act to preserve a 6.9-acre parcel adjacent to Wheeler Nature Park that is owned by Jam Golf.

Speakers said they previously pursued remedies in Vermont’s environmental court and the Vermont Supreme Court without success and asked the council to negotiate with Jam Golf — by purchase, encouraging donation for tax benefit, or asking the developer to relocate the buildable parcel outside the park.

The petition’s lead presenter, Jeanne Zagurski, described the recent legal and public-history background and said: "Last Saturday, we sent out a petition, which you all have now. And within 5 days, we got 294 signatures in support of keeping the park the way it was before this parcel was separated out." Several other residents reiterated concerns about wildlife, runoff to an identified spring, and loss of a widely used public view toward Mount Mansfield.

Resident Eric Griffin, speaking as an engineer, framed the question in fiscal and quality-of-life terms, telling the council the parcel "sacrifices a $200,000,000 natural view for a small number of people to have a place to live" and calling the land "a 7 generation place that we shouldn't sacrifice for 1 generation." Other speakers described wildlife (pileated woodpecker, American woodcock), fragile wetlands nearby, and the role Wheeler Park plays as accessible green space for new apartment residents near city center.

Speakers recounted prior court actions. Zagurski said the group pursued environmental court and then the Supreme Court without the result they sought; speakers noted that during the prior courtroom proceedings 60 fact witnesses were identified and about 20 testified over five days in support of preserving the park as a contiguous whole.

Council staff acknowledged receipt of the petition. The public requested the council seek a placement of the item on the council agenda for a near-term meeting so staff could open discussions with Jam Golf; one speaker explicitly asked the council to "put this on the agenda for the Monday meeting and to ask the city, the city manager or the deputy manager to talk to JAM." Council members did not take a formal vote on the petition during the working meeting.

Ending: The petition was received and aired publicly; the council heard consistent public appeals to engage Jam Golf on options including municipal purchase, soliciting a donation for tax benefit, or negotiating relocation of development. No formal council action or vote was recorded in the working meeting transcript; residents asked that staff and elected leaders consider bringing the item back for formal council consideration at an upcoming meeting.