Commission approves project charge to clarify how building height is measured, adds study of maximum heights

The South Burlington Planning Commission voted to approve a project charge directing staff to study how building height is calculated across the city and to recommend clear measurement standards. Commissioners amended the charge to add an assessment of appropriate maximum building heights in selected areas.

Why it matters: Ambiguities about how height is measured—preconstruction grade versus adjacent street elevation, pitched versus flat roofs, and how stepped or pitched roof elements count—have produced inconsistent outcomes in permitting and DRB reviews. Clarifying measurement standards will reduce administrative inconsistency and developer uncertainty.

Staff told the commission the charge responds to case history where applicants used roof forms or grade manipulation to claim compliance, and to neighborhood examples where changes in grading and street layouts complicated height calculations. Staff said the draft charge will examine the city’s existing approach (the Market Street area uses adjacent street elevation rather than preconstruction grade), roof-pitch rules, and whether a simpler universal measuring approach should be adopted. Commissioners asked staff to pursue a simple and administrable approach and to analyze whether adding one more story in targeted areas would be appropriate to meet housing and density goals. The commission approved the charge with the requested amendment; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote with all members present voting in favor.