Connected Junction TOD project remains paused amid federal funding uncertainty

City and planning commission members were told the Connected Junction Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) master plan remains on hold because of unresolved federal funding questions, and staff outlined options should federal support not resume.

The pause stems from a federal directive and subsequent legal uncertainty, said a staff member updating the joint meeting. “We were instructed to pause the project because of federal funding uncertainties,” the staff member said. The consultant had produced a “big ideas” chapter but the full draft plan was still in progress when work stopped.

Why it matters: the TOD master plan is intended to guide zoning, land development code amendments, capital-investment priorities and the city’s comprehensive plan. Officials said the work completed to date could influence future code changes and capital budgeting.

City staff and council members discussed next steps. Options included requesting from the regional project manager (the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission) the materials produced to date, bringing the consultant product in-house for further refinement, or budgeting city funds to finish the plan. One council member asked whether the RPC could later reimburse the city if the regional grant were restored; staff said the contracts and invoicing status were not fully clear but that work completed before the official stop date remained eligible for payment.

Officials also discussed timing and cost uncertainties. A staff member said they had received the consultant’s “big ideas” report (one chapter of the draft plan) but had not yet received the full draft; if funding did not resume the city could request what had been produced and consider completing the plan with internal staff or by budgeting for consultant completion. Council members asked staff to estimate completion costs if the city needed to finish the work and to add that estimate to budget discussions pending further clarity.

Members suggested scheduling a follow-up meeting in six to eight weeks so the bodies could review any new materials if the pause were lifted. The staff update noted the project affects multiple communities and that the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission had been acting as project manager for the federally funded effort.

Ending: Staff said they would obtain and summarize the current deliverables and try to produce a cost estimate for completing the plan if the city needed to assume that work. The bodies agreed to reconvene if the federal status changed or when more materials became available.