Tax Abatement Committee

Regular Meeting

Burlington, VT · March 13, 2025

Minutes

Tax Abatement Committee Thursday, March 13, 2025, 12:00 p.m. Champlain Conference Rm Minutes of the Hearing *Note: due to internet connectivity issues (no internet signal and no working ports in room inside of the Champlain Conference Room) the committee had no use of online video recording or digital presence for attendance this meeting. Therefore, phone was used to support the attorney and one of the committee members to be in attendance. Audio recording of the minutes can be heard by contacting the office of the Assessor. Committee Members Present: Councilors Sarah Carpenter (SC) Chair; Joe Kane (JK) Others Present: City Attorney’s Office; Joseph Turner (JT), City Assessor; Kenneth Nosek (KN), Committee Administrator-City Assessor’s Office; Traci Isham (TI); Maja Kazimieruk (MK). Phoned in Present: Erik Ramakrishnan (ER), Joan Shannon (JS) for the hearing committee. Petitioner’s Present: Filipp Lagun for 24 Grant Street LLC; Will Towne COO for Spectrum. Petitioner’s Absent: Jeffrey Sonin for GoldenJunk LLC At 12:17 p.m. Chair Sarah Carpenter commenced the hearing. Introductions made of Committee and Staff members for committee. Agenda: Motion to adopt by JK Second by JS passed Unanimous Minutes from last meeting adopted JK motion and JS second Public Comment: No one here today to speak on public forum Hearings: SC speaks to reasons for abatement of taxes in Burlington. Will Towne and Filipp Lagun swore in by ER 24 Grant Street LLC, 6 Beachcrest Drive, 044-4-060-000 Representing is Filipp Lagun Petitioner presented request. Mr. Lagun asking for abatement prorated on improvements portion NOT on the land value. Fire destroyed one of two apartment buildings. Historic site per COB Zoning – therefore, at least 3 month timeline before get permitting. At least one year construction timeline. Petitioner asks for abatement under the reason of manifestly unjust. Hearing for 24 Grant Street LLC closed at 12:41 p.m. Motion to abate recommended amount of $9,000 Unanimous vote GoldenJunk LLC, 310-312 North Winooski Avenue, 040-2-140-000 Petitioner was absent. Hearing for GoldenJunk LLC started 12:58 p.m. On Jan 16, 2024 Abatement for FY 2024 was $2,635.71. Remediation of browns field components by State of VT has not been completed as thought it would be by summer of 2024. Utility of building is in question. Delays out of taxpayers control thus manifestly unjust. JT has not revisited this property since being The City of Burlington Assessor. Hearing closed at 1:16 p.m. Motion to abate approximately 24.8% of the taxes in amount of $723.42 which represents the full 20% commercial and the building value tax value All were in favor and passed vote to recommend. Spectrum Youth & Family Services Inc., 84 Pine Street, Unit 4, 049-1-125-004 Representing is Will Towne, COO Hearing for Spectrum Youth & Family Services Inc. started 12:43 p.m. Mr. Towne spoke about the mission of the program and history of purchase of 84 Pine St, Unit 4 purchased October 2024. EK asks if goal is to abate for FY25 since April 1st exemption request by PVR-137 is application process. SC says as of April 1 2024 Grand List listed this for Commercial purposes. VT does not have automatic exemptions for 501C3. EK asks if 100% of property being used for social service. Mr. Towne says yes. JS introduces the synagogue issue from most previous hearing in January. JS says if we are abating taxes there is a large portion of education tax that the city will have to pay. JK is concerned with non-profit using non-profits money to buy property and then impose on the municipality to finance their purchasing through the abatement process. SC is also not in support of abating the education tax already paid to the State of Vermont. Motion to deny without prejudice by JS and JK is a second to that motion. Unanimous. Meeting closed at 2:09 p.m. Committee went into public deliberative at 1:17 p.m. Hearing closed at 12:55 p.m.

Agenda

Packet

City Council - Tax Abatement Committee Thursday, March 13, 2025, 12:00 PM, Champlain Conference Room, City Hall, 3rd Floor 1. Agenda Subject 1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda Meeting March 13, 2025 - Tax Abatement Committee Hearing - Thursday, March 13, 2025, 12:00 PM, Champlain Conference Room, City Hall, 3rd Floor Category 1. Agenda Department Type Subject 1.2. Approve and Adopt Minutes from January 7, 2025 Hearing Meeting March 13, 2025 - Tax Abatement Committee Hearing - Thursday, March 13, 2025, 12:00 PM, Champlain Conference Room, City Hall, 3rd Floor Category 1. Agenda Department Assessor's Office Type Recommended Action 2. Public Forum Subject 2.3. PUBLIC FORUM - Verbal Comments Meeting March 13, 2025 - Tax Abatement Committee Hearing - Thursday, March 13, 2025, 12:00 PM, Champlain Conference Room, City Hall, 3rd Floor Category 2. Public Forum Department Page 1 of 100 Type 3. Organization Discussion Overview Subject 3.4. Hearing Petitioners in order of arrival. Petitioners: • 24 Grant Street LLC, 24 Grant Street; PID# 044-4-060-000 • Golden Junk LLC, 310-320 North Winooski Avenue; PID# 040-2-140- 000 • Spectrum Youth & Family Services Inc, 84 Pine Street Unit 4; PID# 049- 1-125-004 Meeting March 13, 2025 - Tax Abatement Committee Hearing - Thursday, March 13, 2025, 12:00 PM, Champlain Conference Room, City Hall, 3rd Floor Category 3. Organization Discussion Overview Department Assessor's Office Type Recommended Action 4. Adjournment Subject 4.5. Motion to Adjourn Meeting March 13, 2025 - Tax Abatement Committee Hearing - Thursday, March 13, 2025, 12:00 PM, Champlain Conference Room, City Hall, 3rd Floor Category 4. Adjournment Department Innovation & Technology Type Recommended Action Page 2 of 100 Tax Abatement Committee Tuesday, January, 7, 2024, 4:30 p.m. Sharon Bushor Conference Rm Minutes of the Hearing Committee Members: Councilors Sarah Carpenter (SC) Chair; Joan Shannon (JS); Joe Kane (JK) Others Present: Erik Ramakrishnan (ER), City Attorney’s Office; Joseph Turner (JT), City Assessor; Kenneth Nosek (KN), Committee Administrator-City Assessor’s Office; Traci Isham (TI); Maja Kazimieruk MK; Alicia Araje-Van Dyk (French Interpreter assisting translation for Ms. Okuka). Petitioner’s Present: Alice Okuka; William Miller Petitioner’s Absent: Stephanie Seguino At 4:33 p.m. Chair Sarah Carpenter commenced the hearing. Introductions made of Committee and Staff members for committee. Agenda: Motion to adopt by JS Second by JK passed Unanimous Minutes from last meeting adopted Public Comment: No one here today to speak on public forum Hearings: SC speaks to reasons for abatement of taxes in Burlington. Alice Okuka, 105 Fairmont Place, 024-2-200-105 Petitioner sworn in by ER Additional evidence submitted to packet by Ms. Okuka. Alicia Araje-Van Dyk interpreted in French Petitioner presented request. Hearing for Okuka closed at 5:22 p.m. at this point JS asked if it was okay not to go into private deliberative session. Deliberative Session PUBLIC started at 5:23 p.m. Motion to grant made by JS Seconded by JK Unanimous vote Page 3 of 100 Ohavi Zedek, 472 North Street, 045-1-119-000 Representing is William Miller Petitioner sworn in by ER Petitioner presented request. Hearing for Ohavi Zedek closed at 5:53 p.m. Motion to deny made by JS Seconded by JK Dissent by SC – would like to abate the municipal portion of the tax. Seguino_865 S. Prospect St_058-3-016-000 Petitioner not present but granted permission for this hearing to be conducted on the basis of the written testimony. Petitioner is out of the country and did not opt for a phone or virtual digital hearing. Hearing for Seguino started 5:54 p.m. Hearing closed at 5:56 p.m. . 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