Burlington, Vermont - Lake Champlain is known for it's serenity but Burlington resident Christine Webb recalls an event this past year that reminds her traffic near the waterfront is anything but serene.
"After the fireworks on New Years Eve, it took 20 minutes to exit Lake Street because the pedestrians had the right of way and the cars couldn't move," explains Webb.
Director of City and Zoning David White says another aggravation stems from zoning ordinances that don't allow for small business growth on the waterfront.
"Ultimately any growth that comes from this new development will come from the private sector," says White.
Developing housing on the waterfront can be a bit of a difficult process because zoning policies only allow 50% of what's developed on the waterfront to be housing. A big chunk of that must be available to low income households making the cost of the rest very expensive.
"What we don't have is a lot of housing for the middle, you know, young professionals, young families, single people wanting to rent a studio," says White.
He says bringing in new vibrancy to the waterfront will create a more business friendly environment.
"People would be there if there were things to engage in," says White.
Residents can go to 1 Church St. in Burlington from 9am - 11pm till Friday to voice your opinions. The workshop is located in the old Ann Taylor Store.
