On the agenda: Burlington CDNR Committee Meeting — license plate reader (Oct 21)

CITY OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT

CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT &
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE

c/o Community & Economic Development Office
City Hall, Room 32 • 149 Church Street • Burlington, VT 05401
802-865-7144 VOX • 802-865-7024 FAX • www.burlingtonvt.gov/cedo

Councilor Evan Litwin (EL), Chair, Ward 7
Councilor Carter Neubieser (CN), Ward 1
Councilor Allie Schachter (AS), East District
Councilor Laura Sanchez-Parkinson (LSP), Ward 3

CDNR Committee Meeting
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor – City Hall
Committee members: Evan Litwin (EL), Allie Schachter (AS), Laura Sanchez-Parkinson (LSP),
Carter Neubieser (CN)
City Staff: Christine Curtis, CEDO
Other Attendees: City Council President Ben Traverse, Chris McGrath, Ed Baker, Bella Fearn

Draft Minutes
Meeting Started at 6:02 PM

1. Approve agenda
MOTION by Councilor Schachter, SECOND by Councilor Sanchez-Parkinson,
to approve the agenda
VOTING: unanimous; motion carries.
2. Adopt Minutes
MOTION by Councilor Sanchez-Parkinson, SECOND by Councilor Litwin, to
approve the 10/6/26 minutes
VOTING: unanimous; motion carries.

The programs and services of the City of Burlington are accessible to people with disabilities.
For accessibility information, call 865-7144. For questions about the meeting,
contact Christine Curtis at [email protected]

3. Public Forum
• Bella Fearn submitted the following for public comment: "I am
concerned that Section 4.04 could lead to zoning restrictions that displace
or eliminate syringe service programs. This would likely lead to increased
syringe litter, raise the risk of hepatitis C and HIV transmission, increase
overdose death, remove on-ramps to treatment, eliminate services that
help people obtain and maintain stable housing, and increase public drug
use. Syringe service programs are about much more than distributing
sterile supplies. They connect people to treatment, medications for opioid
use disorder (MOUD), mental health care, housing assistance,
transportation to appointments, and other support services. They also
help prevent the spread of infectious diseases, including hepatitis C, by
providing sterile equipment and other harm reduction services. These
programs are often a critical point of connection for people who do not
access traditional recovery services. They build trust, help people navigate
available resources, and create opportunities to help people make
informed decisions about their health. Additionally, When syringe service
programs close or become less accessible, people have fewer
opportunities to obtain sterile supplies and safely dispose of used syringes.
Research from other communities has shown that closing these programs
does not eliminate substance use. It can instead make it harder to manage
its public health impacts, including safe syringe disposal. If the City wants
to address syringe litter and improve public spaces, it should work with
existing service providers and the people who use these services to expand
access to safe disposal, strengthen outreach, and develop practical
solutions. Restricting access to services without a clear, accessible
alternative risks making the problems this resolution seeks to address
more difficult to manage. Burlington can address concerns about public
spaces while continuing to support harm reduction and access to health
care. These goals do not have to be in conflict. I urge the City Council to
reconsider the proposed restrictions in Section 4.04 and prioritize
collaboration with public health providers, community members, and
people with lived experience to develop solutions that protect both public
health and the broader community. I would also ask at a minimum that the
city council pause in order to seek expert provider and researcher
perspectives on this issue. This section has the ability to cause significant
harm to already very vulnerable people and is likely to make public
impacts related to substance use and syringe disposal much worse. With
all this in mind, I think it makes a lot of sense to draw on expert opinions
before making decisions of this magnitude."

• Ed Baker shared data from New York City’s overdose prevention
center to highlight its impact on hazardous waste collection and cost
savings.
4. Q&A with City Council President Ben Traverse re: Burlington Forward next
steps
o President Traverse presented the revised Burlington Forward
resolution, which included new language on a community
stabilization and diversion center, public safety response teams, and
a prohibition on automatic license plate readers. He also clarified
that the resolution’s zoning language regarding an overdose
prevention center applied specifically to the downtown improvement
district.
5. Syringe Litter Report
• Committee members went through each recommendation in the
report and incorporated LSP’s edits. They agreed to remove
references to the Howard Center, clarify the role of state agencies
and service providers in harm reduction, and refine
recommendations regarding the use of SeeClickFix for reporting
syringe litter. The committee also discussed the need for clarity from
the Vermont Department of Health on how a future overdose
prevention center would impact existing syringe service programs.
6. Adjournment
• ADJOURN at 8:20 p.m. by Councilor Litwin with no objection